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Eczema + Wet Shaving = Puss/Yellow spots
by Faltermeyer, Apr 29, 2008 06:12AM
Hi,
I'm a 25 year old male with Eczema almost since birth. It's relatively mild and mostly under control these days - so long as I watch my diet, sleep, hygene, environment etc.
I have always shaved using an electric razor, and only once every 5-7days. I first use a beard trimmer, and then lightly use the face of the shaver to go closer. I follow this with spraying my face/neck with cold water from a shower head, dry it, wait 5minutes, then apply moisturiser(Elave for face, Vaseline for lips) & allow at least 30minutes for this to be absorbed before drying off excess grease.
However, I recently thought I would try wet shaving, just to see. I only shaved with the grain, not against. Mostly, it was ok, my skin was raw/sensitive the next day, but not unbearably so. I used warm water and my usual body wash/shower gel (Elave Body Wash) to "lather" my face, and reapplied this regularly during the shave, then used the cold water to rinse at the end, & as usual applied the moisturiser after.
However, by the next morning (I always shave at night, to allow time for the skin to recover) - in the area between my bottom lip and my chin - right the whole way across the width of my lip and a bit wider, but about 10-15mm below my lip and about 15mm above the base of my chin, there is a very red/raw patch of skin with lots of little puss filled spots/pimples. This has happened on each of the 3 times I've tried a wet shave - it takes about a week to get back to normal.
Otherwise I am very heatlhy - exercise 4 times a week, and eat a very healthy balanced diet. The only thing I may not be doing right is to not get enough sleep(average 7hrs).
What is happening here? Am I doing something wrong as regards the moisturiser?
I'm a 25 year old male with Eczema almost since birth. It's relatively mild and mostly under control these days - so long as I watch my diet, sleep, hygene, environment etc.
I have always shaved using an electric razor, and only once every 5-7days. I first use a beard trimmer, and then lightly use the face of the shaver to go closer. I follow this with spraying my face/neck with cold water from a shower head, dry it, wait 5minutes, then apply moisturiser(Elave for face, Vaseline for lips) & allow at least 30minutes for this to be absorbed before drying off excess grease.
However, I recently thought I would try wet shaving, just to see. I only shaved with the grain, not against. Mostly, it was ok, my skin was raw/sensitive the next day, but not unbearably so. I used warm water and my usual body wash/shower gel (Elave Body Wash) to "lather" my face, and reapplied this regularly during the shave, then used the cold water to rinse at the end, & as usual applied the moisturiser after.
However, by the next morning (I always shave at night, to allow time for the skin to recover) - in the area between my bottom lip and my chin - right the whole way across the width of my lip and a bit wider, but about 10-15mm below my lip and about 15mm above the base of my chin, there is a very red/raw patch of skin with lots of little puss filled spots/pimples. This has happened on each of the 3 times I've tried a wet shave - it takes about a week to get back to normal.
Otherwise I am very heatlhy - exercise 4 times a week, and eat a very healthy balanced diet. The only thing I may not be doing right is to not get enough sleep(average 7hrs).
What is happening here? Am I doing something wrong as regards the moisturiser?
Post Comment
On what medications are you currently for the eczema?
You could apply calamine lotion at the site of the lesions and take some oral antihistamine , antialleric medications and see if it helps with your symptoms.
There could eb superadded bacterial or fungal infection for which you would need antibiotics or antifungals and other medications.
It would be best to consult your doctor for a proper clinical examination to decide on the final diagnosis and the further management plan.
Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.
Regards.
-Elave Moisturiser morning & night on face. Elsewhere when necessary.
-Elecon 1% Hydrocortisyl cream - only when & where necessary-sometimes not at all for weeks, then for a few days on patches, etc, (always diluted with Elave in ratio of 1part Elecon to 2parts Elave, or 1:3)
Washing: as mentioned, using Elave body wash(contains a gentle moisturiser)
"You could apply calamine lotion at the site of the lesions and take some oral antihistamine , antialleric medications and see if it helps with your symptoms.
There could eb superadded bacterial or fungal infection for which you would need antibiotics or antifungals and other medications.
"
This suggests that the problem is either an allergic reaction (first part) or an infection(second part).
I don't think it is an allergic reaction as it does not subside when treated with the Elecon cream - this almost makes it worse. Also, the eczema never reacts with these yellow/puss filled spots anywhere else on the body, in any other circumstances.
Anti-histamines are a temporary solution, & only help resolve it after it happens. I would like to know what I can do to avoid it happening in the first place (possibly something to prepare the skin??)
As regards an fungal infection - as I said in my first post, it ONLY occurs the day/days after a wet shave - at NO OTHER TIME. It also always subsides within 5days of this. This is hardly something which warrants medication such as those listed - is it?
You could be having nypersensitive skin in the region, or this could be dermatitis.
It would be best to consult your doctor for a proper clinical examination to decide on the final diagnosis and the further management plan.
Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.
Regards.