Lizard Skin

[Charlie B53]

Lizard Skin, anyone else got it?  What do you do for it?

The years of daily swelling, ballooning my shins, the daily weeping, infections, all resolved once I started Dialysis and removed oh so much water.  But the damage done to my skin is tremendous.  Dry cracked so badly it looks a lot like the scales of a large lizard.

Nurse hasn't seen it lately.  I'm sure she would talk badly to me.  My Diabetic Nurse gave me one of those neat sanding boards, pedi-something, worked GREAT for sanding off the thickk dry areas on my feet.  So of course I started sanding away at my legs.  I was shocked at how much white powder was produced.  So I was merrily sanding away, surprised at how soft and clean my legs were getting.  I haven't felt this smooth in YEARS.

Then I found a wet spot.  Ooops! And another.  Evidently a couple of areas are a bit 'thinner' than the rest.

That was almost a week ago.  Well formed scabs are driving me NUTS!  I just want to rip them off but I know better.

Oh, and the scales are back.

I am a 'Guy'.  Guys do NOT use skin creams, or hair stuff.  We do use soa[.  Lava.  Great stuff.

Eucerin?  Tried it, don't like it at all.  I can't stand greasyness on me, anywhere.  Well, it gets on my hands all the time messing with 'stuff' in the Barn and Garage, but I can wash that off.

I was really surprised once the Diabetic Nurse rubbed petroleum jelly on one leg.  Shocked at how well it transformed the skin.  I gave it a try. Such mass confusion in my head, the greasyness on my hands as I was spreading and attempting to rub this stuff into my skin.  Completely against every 'Guy' principle I have.  I couldn't wash my hands off soon enough. Tempted as I was to wash my legs I left it for a couple of days.  But I have yet to put it on again.

I need to figure out how to re-program my Brain so that I may be able to put this stuff on my legs again.

[Whamo]

I am having similar problems.  I can't wear shoes because the backs of my feet blister and bleed.  My big toe on my right foot has a huge corn that's been bleeding off and on, painful, even though I use anti-biotics (saw a foot doctor a month ago), skin creams, aloe vera, and now, the revitive machine to increase circulation.  If I don't control this I can't walk too far, and I need the exercise.  I can't get a transplant, and I really need one after six years of dialysis.

[Charlie B53]

The difference in my Nurses is like night and day.  The years on PD that Nurse didn't mind at all my getting 'wet'.  As long as I kept the fittings of the PD Cath dry I cold soak and scrub the actual skin 'site' as much as I want.  Hemo Clinic Nurse, not so.  I swear she would positively vomit if she was to hear of me getting my cath wet.  Constantly telling me I will get an infection and die within hours.  As much so that for the last YEAR I haven't been in the shower, only standing in front of a sink full of soapy water and ragging off.

Welllllllllllllll.......

This Lizard Skin is driving me NUTS.   I got in the tub and soaked.  Careful as the diabetic changes in my feet it is difficult to gauge water temps I made sure it wasn't too hot to get in, then turned the heat up till it was steaming nicely.  I only just sat there though it was sooooo temping to lay back and immerse my whole body I wanted to make SURE I didn't get even one drop on my Hemo cath.  I've got a red scruby thing.  Sort of a Mean Cousin to a Green Scotch-Brite Pad but much larger open spaces and at least as hard.  It is the round center punched out of those huge rouond floor polisher pads.  These things are GREAT for scrubbing the kitchen broiler, or anything else that doesn't want to come clean easily.

Like Lizard Skin.

I was careful.   I soaked for quite a while first.  Long enough the scabs were softened and beginning to life.  And I didn't lean on it near the scabby areas.

No wonder women like to take a long hot bath and scrub their whole body with a loufa.  Even now, an hour later, my legs positively tinge.  It feels so good.  I now have to wait and see what tomorrow brings.  Did I screw it up even more?

Whammo, this time of year, freezing temps, having to go outside can be a problem dressing your feet to withstand the cold.  Insulated boots a few sizes too big so you can wear a couple of pairs of soft socks, again, large enough they don't squeeze on the tender ares of your feet.

Otherwise, thongs.  Not the ones that fillin your but crack, toe-bumpers, flip-flops. They can provide that small bit of protection from stepping on anything but hopefully not rub against the tender areas.

Take to your Dr about soaking your feet.  One of those foot soak thingys like the Wife has.  Add whatever to the water, soap, body soak stuff, epsom salts, whatever the Dr says may be beneficial to helping with those problem areas.

That's all I got.  I hope it helps even a little bit.

Take Care,

Charlie B

[Whamo]

Hey, brah.  I surfed for 35 years.  I wear flip flops everyday!  I've tried soaking feet in epsom salt and apple cider vinegar.  It just softens up the skin.  It doesn't really help it heal.  It will be 75 degrees today in San Bernardino, although it's cold at night.  I couldn't imagine living in the snow with lizard skin.  That must be tough.  I'm thinking of spending $245 for those things that wrap around your legs and pump the circulation into them.  My current machine just sends electronic bolts through my feet.

[MooseMom]

Charlie, two thoughts that might help with your "guy brain".  LOL

1.  Petroleum jelly is made from petroleum, and that's "guy stuff" if there ever was "guy stuff".

2.  A neighbor of mine is building himself a home in rural Missouri for him to retire to.  He swears by the stuff after he's spent a winter's day laying pipes.  He's a REAL "guy"!   

[cassandra]

 Brothers to prevent lizardy skin I use a loofah to scrub, dry and directly masage coconut oil in. It's anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial too. Only a vague scent of coconut. But Petroleum jelly is good too. Just saying .....

[PrimeTimer]

My husband uses Gold Bond Foot Cream. Comes in a blue tube and says "triple action relief" on it.

His center says he's got the best feet out of everybody and his Podiatrist is pleased just as well. Just don't put it between the toes because the moisture from the cream could invite athlete's foot to grow. Probably would work well on the legs too. Otherwise Gold Bond also sells skin cream for the rest of your body. Kind of pricey but use it sparingly and it is worth it. Good old-fashioned Vaseline works great as well and acts as a healant. It's messy but a cheap way to avoid greasing up your hands is either wear exam gloves or use cheap plastic baggies as gloves to apply the Vaseline. Gold Bond isn't so greasy and when you use it every day after washing your feet it works wonders. Being a man he didn't like the idea of applying lotion either but there's nothing attractive or even manly about having your skin become so dry and cracked that it bleeds and gets infected or having a limb or toe amputated because of it.

[PrimeTimer]

Meant to add, don't bathe/shower in hot water. It will not only dry the skin out even more but the hot moisture causes skin pores to open and opened pores, as tiny as they seem, can invite bacteria and infection. My own doctor warned me about this years back when I had MRSA on the calf of one leg. He said I probably got it from shaving my legs in a hot shower. Needless to say, I shower in warm water now. Took some getting use to, especially after a long sweaty day but feels ok now.

[Charlie B53]

That open pores thing may be why Nordic peoples take a chilly dip in frigid waters after bathing, close those pores immediately!

I was part of a study using natural UN-heated honey as an anti-bacterial/anti-fungual on my surgical incisions. They say honey has been used for THOUSANDS of years, and it works very well.

I was always watching out for those itty-bitty ants that sneak into the house.

Not sure if I'd want to cover my legs with it.  There are woods right next door, and there ARE Bears here in Missouri.  I'd hate to wake up one morning getting licked clean.

[smartcookie]

I recommend Aveeno body wash to help with dry skin; you can find it without a scent so it doesn't smell so girly.  Also, if you don't like the greasy feeling of lotions, try the Nivea in shower lotions.  There are two kinds, one you put on your wet skin and then dry off, and one you put on wet skin and rinse off.  Since you can't do showers with the catheter, try the one that you put on wet skin and dry off.  I don't think it smells too girly and it has helped my skin a bunch. I wonder about putting the O'Keeffe's working hands on your legs.  Supposed to help dry cracked skin.  At work, I use Burt's Bees almond and milk hand cream while I am doing my notes.  It smells wonderful and really helps my chapped hands.  I have to wash or disinfect my hands every time I go to the printer at work because I have to cross the treatment floor to get to the printer.  My hands are so sore from it all by the end of the day if I don't use my lotion!

[kristina]

Hello Charlie,
                    because of air-conditioning in dialysis-centers etc. our skin can get very dry and needs lots of attention as a result. Vaseline can be very useful because it is without "frills" and contains no perfume etc. It really helps to put on Vaseline (which is also sold in bottles) and/or E45 cream every day after a shower, as it helps to protect the skin as much as is possible from dry-out-damage.
Good luck from Kristina.

[Charlie B53]

Back when I was working as a Mechanic and constantly having my hands in the solvent tank my hands were pretty tough and leathery.  Winters I would get a couple of dry spots at the outside edges of the joints on my little fingers that it would crack open, sometimes even bleeding.

Bag Balm, what the farmers use to soften the bag and teats of milk cows, came in a green tin.  It's been so long I've forgotten about it. I'll bet one of the major ingredients is petroleum jelly.

I'll also bet I still have a tin of it somewhere around here.

[kristina]

Back when I was working as a Mechanic and constantly having my hands in the solvent tank my hands were pretty tough and leathery.  Winters I would get a couple of dry spots at the outside edges of the joints on my little fingers that it would crack open, sometimes even bleeding.

Bag Balm, what the farmers use to soften the bag and teats of milk cows, came in a green tin.  It's been so long I've forgotten about it. I'll bet one of the major ingredients is petroleum jelly.

I'll also bet I still have a tin of it somewhere around here.

Hello again, Charlie,
... and don't forget to make sure, that the "sell-by-date" of the tin of Bag Balm has not run out yet  ...
Best wishes and good luck from Kristina.

[GA_DAWG]

I have found an ointment called Aquaphor to be effective in small areas. Don't know how it would be if used over large areas though.

[SweetyPie]

I started pd when I just turned 15. I didnt like putting a dressing on because the tape part hurt pulling it off everyday. So after a month I asked if I really needed it she said no. And there was no problem taking showers with my cath. I jever covered it and let it hang in the shower, was so easy. This hemo cath is way harder to take care of since i cant take showers. Just no Jacuzzis

[kristina]

I started pd when I just turned 15. I didnt like putting a dressing on because the tape part hurt pulling it off everyday. So after a month I asked if I really needed it she said no. And there was no problem taking showers with my cath. I jever covered it and let it hang in the shower, was so easy. This hemo cath is way harder to take care of since i cant take showers. Just no Jacuzzis

Hello Aaisha.Dar,
Same here, I also have a hemo-cath of which I also have to take great care at all times. My cath is never ever allowed to become damp in the shower etc. and I have not had a bath for over three years... But ... after all ... I am still very much alive and having been put on the transplant-waiting-list, my hope is to have a chance to have a lovely bath with music again... one day...
Best wishes from Kristina.

[Charlie B53]

Not sure if it is this thread or another, but......... a couple of the ladies told me how they take the spice Turmeric in capsule form and how it eases the urge to scratch their itches.  Desperate for anything that may help with this Lizard Skin I bought a bottle in the Vitamin aisle..I have already noticed in only two days of one cap per day that my itching is virtually GONE!   Even in places that I did not use the petroleum jelly.

Mark me Amazed!

[lulu836]

I was in the "no shower for years" condition myself until a couple of months ago when I found  The Shower Shirt being discussed on this site.  I bought one and it is WONDERFUL to stand in the shower with the warm water cascading down again.  I shower about every other day now.


I posted this in the wrong forum.  Admin please move.