Moisturizer for extremely dry, Sensitive/damaged skin

[wyoDreamer]

With the onset of fall and the winter heating season, I have been getting intense itching in the area of my radiation treatment for the breast cancer I had last spring. I know the rest of my skin is dry, but this is out-of-my-mind itchiness that is resulting in redness, scratch marks and welts where I itch too much. Alot of times I don't even realize that I am itching it until it hurts.

Anyone have any suggestions for a more natural moisturizer that I can apply to my sensitive skin. I have been using Vaseline Intensive Care, because that is what I have available right now, and it does seem to work well enough. But, I would like to use something a little more natural than a moisturizer with "micro-droplets of Vaseline jelly" ...

I had recently run out of the Dove beauty bar that I was using during treatment so I switched back to the Zest soap that i used before treatment and had in the cupboard. Wrong move. I switched to a goat-milk soap 3 days ago, and that has helped a little.

 

[wyoDreamer]

maybe li'll get luck and get some of the old batch, lol. I always said that where i live is 3 years behind the rest of the world.

 

[Beekissed]

It started on the lower, inside portion of my both my arms just below the elbow area. It has spread to just above the elbow and almost to the wrist. I have a spot on my chest right about neckline of a shirt area.
I will get a really intense itching in a specific spot - it will feel like a spider bite, then it will welt up and turn red.

First, I washed the rash area with Hydrogen peroxide, then washed with rubbing alcohol twice a day for 4 days - no change, it spread.
I then tried Hydro-cortisone - that I was given for the rash I had when I had my cancer surgeries. Twice a day for 4 days and no change.

I am now on anti-biotics. I had a wisdom tooth pulled and now have a fever, so got the prescription from the dentist. If the rash is not showing any signs of getting better by Monday, I will get another doctor appointment and make it the main issue so she looks at it.

That's what I was thinking it was from the sound of your symptoms. My mother just went through this very thing and when the doc saw her rash he knew immediately what it was. He asked her if she was a nervous person and she very quickly said "no", which she really doesn't appear to be....unless you know her well. She has a nervous energy at times and is quite the picker...will sit around of an evening when she is no longer busy and pick at her skin or nails. She used to chew her nails but now wears gel nails over her own to prevent this.

Anyhoo, for the life of me I can't remember the name he put to this rash but it stems from the nervous system, it affects women more than men and usually women over 60. It's not contagious and it's not diet related or any kind of allergy. It appears to spread but it's usually confined to the arms and hands, though at times it can be on the legs as well. Looks and feels sort of like a spider bite at first but gets really crusty in sort of a plaque...at least Mom's did.

He first prescribed antibiotic ointment but that didn't work, later gave her steroidal cream for it and two rounds of that didn't work either. Gave her an oral med for anxiety that she couldn't use because it just knocked her completely out with the first dose. What finally did work was me having a serious talk with her about all her picking, the need for her to wear long sleeves of an evening so she won't be tempted to pick and, finally, the Dr. Teal's lotion. That was the real change.

She had tried Castor Oil, baby oil, vaseline, and other types of lotion, then the prescription ointments until they were all gone, triple ATB oint over the counter, anti itch lotion, clear Calamine lotion, vinegar, witch hazel, peroxide.... and nothing helped one iota. In the middle of all of this she want in for a major abdominal surgery and was put on some pretty stiff IV antibiotics but none of them helped it.

After all of that and nothing worked, it was the Dr. Teal's lotion that finally yielded results. That and her leaving her hands off it. Just a nightly slathering of the Dr. Teal's, long sleeves so she wouldn't be tempted to dig at those spots and remove the dry skin, and time. Didn't take long at all before we saw results.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Thanks, Bee. I will renew my efforts to find Dr. Teal's.

I think I have been stressing alot lately - about the tooth extraction, about work, about my dad, about my sister, about not being able to make time to do this or that, about the amount of money DH has been spending lately, about getting ready for winter, about the chickens, about the dogs, about the new cat my sister want me to take in. I have a worrying side to my personality that I usually manage to quash pretty well, but I have been tired lately and probably not being firm enough with myself to not worry about stuff I can't control.

I also wonder if I am developing an allergy to my cat. His sister used to clean him all the time, I have not seen him clean himself since she was put down back in May. He is lonely now and always wants to lay in my arms and on my chest. for the last few months - well year or so when she started to get sick, I always felt a little itchy after snuggling him and always washed with soap and water before going to bed. I still wash before bed, but I think he is getting a good bath tonight.

 

[wyoDreamer]

The rash has stopped itching finally. The Dr. Teals that I got is not super thick, but I have had lotions that are a lot runnier. I like the combination of the Himilayan Pink and the Camamille, it is working good to moisturize my skin. It is so dry here right now, not just in our house but at work also.

 

[TexasLisa]

I am going to beat Bee on this.....try castor oil. Good luck!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Ok - call me crazy (everyone else does, lol) but I use organic coconut oil on my feet and elbows... seems to be as good as any lotion. Don't know how good it would work for itching, but may be worth a try?

 

[wyoDreamer]

@TexasLisa
Do I take the caster oil or do I rub it on the skin?
Maybe I should try both.

 

[TexasLisa]

I would rub it in.

 

[Beekissed]

Lisa!!! Funny woman!!!

The best lotion I've ever tried to date is called Dr. Teal's...never saw anything like it for healing dry, scaly skin and it lasts on your skin too. I've never had skin this soft since I was a little girl.

https://www.drteals.com/products/

You can find it at Walmart, Big Lots, and just about any pharmacy nowadays.