I just wanted to pop in for a few minutes and tell you how wildly excited I am that after 38 years of embarrassing, itchy, red, flaky horribleness, I have got rid of my eczema. Or psoriasis. The doctors and skin specialists could never agree on what it was, but they were all certain that it was one or the other. Anyway, it’s gone. BOOM. Just like that. If you – or someone you like an awful lot – has had a similar experience of just not begin able to get rid of it, it might be worth you giving this a shot.
Over the holidays I was storming around Southern Oregon and Northern California, circumnavigating volcanoes and generally having a rip-roaring good time. On Christmas Eve, though, I drive through a snowstorm to Prineville to have lunch with the fabulous Popcorn – who some of you may know from the old Smarter Science of Slim forum. Popcorn is awesome.
Anyway, over lunch talk turned to my face, which had large patches of angry red eczema – or psoriasis – dotted across it. I lifted up my hair and showed Popcorn my scalp – a veritable mess of scaly, lumpy redness. UGH. Then I mentioned that about 2 weeks earlier, my hair had started to smell like that of a wet dog when it got wet. Decidedly unpleasant. No smell when it was dry, but pretty nasty when I washed it. We pondered on whether the smell was caused by the two courses of antibiotics I had in the previous two months to treat a double ear infection and an abscess on the roof of my mouth. Antibiotics kill the bad bugs but they also kill the good bugs and can leave you open to an overgrowth of Candida or other fungally ickiness.
“You need Nizoral,” Popcorn said.
If you know Popcorn you know that the woman doesn’t open her mouth unless she is absolutely sure of something. She was sure about this. So as soon as I got back to Seattle, I got a bottle of Nizoral. Now, Nizoral is an anti-dandruff shampoo, and while I didn’t have dandruff I was ready to try anything. Especially if Popcorn said so.
I raced home with the blue bottle full of thick, neon blue liquid and washed my hair with it. I immediately noticed that my wet hair didn’t smell like a wet dog. Hurrah! But the real hurrah came the next morning when I realized that my scalp was completely clear. And by completely clear I mean my scalp looked like the healthiest scalp to have ever graced the earth. True story.
So then, I mused, “I wonder what would happen if I washed my face with it?” So I lathered up a small blob and spread it all over my face. I let it sit there for a few minutes while I took care of some of the other bits and pieces that you take care of in the shower, and then washed it off. Next day I looked in the mirror and the patches of red, scaly skin were 80% gone. Two days later you couldn’t even see where they had been. The patches on my left leg? Gone. The patches on my right leg? Not gone – because I used my right leg as a control to make sure that it wasn’t something else that was magically making my 38-year-old eczema – or psoriasis – disappear.
Now, I’m no Doctor, so I can’t tell you why Nizoral made my 38-year-old skin condition go away, but go away it did. Subsequent searches on the interwebs indicates that a bunch of people believe that psoriasis and eczema are actually fungi (which would make complete sense in my case), and a bunch of people believe that they are not fungi. I really don’t care. All I know is that using Nizoral made it disappear – the only thing that has had any effect in 38 years – and heaven knows I’ve tried every traditional treatment out there.
Will it work for you? I have no idea, but I did want to share my story. Because 38 years of eczema – or psoriasis – was miserable. And just like that my misery is over.
GO, Nizoral!
Sandy P.Ooooh Carrie! I am going to try that and see if I can get rid of the big patch of psoriasis or whatever I have on my side. Thank you for sharing! I have ordered a bottle just now. :)
carrieLet us know if you have similar success, Sandy!
Sandy P.Carrie, I just received the bottle of Nizoral in the mail and promptly ran into the bathroom and washed the place on my side twice. I got to thinking that maybe I should have let it sit on my skin awhile. I will have a look at it tomorrow and let you know how it goes. *fingers crossed*
Sandy P.Well, I am very sad to report that all it did was dry up my psoriasis. I am pretty sure that is what I have as it is raised and sometimes “wet” and uneven. So, in analysis, you probably did not have psoriasis. :) Ah well, it’s a pretty decent shampoo, so I will keep it in the cabinet if I ever run out of my other shampoo.
carrieI wouldn’t give up yet, Sandy. Some of my patches are taking longer to go away and initially they just got very dry. My whatever-it-is is also raised, “wet” and uneven. It may turn out that it just doesn’t work for you, but it had to be worth a try!
Sandy P.Carrie I just read your reply and got all excited again. LOL! Okay I will keep using it. I am putting it on twice a day now and just letting it sit for a bit then washing it off. Do you get a little bit of a burning sensation? I do and wondered if this was a good thing. :)
carrieIt stung a little on the patches that were red (where I had scratch all the scales off – bad Carrie!) and/ or ‘wet’. They are so much better that there isn’t much to scratch at now so hardly any red or ‘wet’ to sting. I’ve got everything crossed for you – I’d love you to get the same result!
WendyNizoral seemed to work for my husband, he would get these red patches all over his chest (especially when it was hot). After the family PA suggested trying Nizoral he hasn’t had any more trouble with the red patches (he still uses it a couple time a week though).
DeniseSo do you have to keep using it forever?
carrieDenise – I have no idea, since I only used it for the first time a few weeks back. I have used it to shampoo my hair once a week since instead of every time. I wash my face with it once a week also. I’ll probably leave it for a couple of weeks now and see if the issue comes back. But even if I have to use it once a week for the rest of my life – I’m good with that in return for an eczema / psoriasis free life.
Popcorn..... aka Cowgirl RaeAwwwww Carrie, you rock!
and I’m so very, very glad your outside is as beautiful and glowing as your inside.
I don’t know why it works either, but since my husband has been using it for his dandruff he has been dandruff free after fighting it for a lifetime.
(hugs) kisses (muah!)
DeniseI don’t mind the once-a-week use… I just didn’t want to give up my luxurious fancy schmancy shampoo that I love for every day. :o) Some of those medicated shampoos can be pretty harsh on both hair & skin. :o) Thanks for the advice, though, I will definitely be trying it out on the weird flaky patches I have on the sides of my nose for the past few years that won’t go away!
carrieDenise I am totally with you on the fancy schmancy shampoo :-)
GinaTHANK YOU Carrie. My daughter and I have always struggled with red flaky painful areas around our scalps in the winter time (7 months in Minnesota! ) What the heck…after reading your post went and got a bottle and AMAZING, areas are already almost cleared!!!
Wouldn’t have know about this little blue miracle if you didn’t write it up!!
carrieThis makes me so happy, Gina!
Cowgirl RaeWOW! isn’t that remarkable….
makes you wonder why doctors bother to go to school. When such little things that can be so life changing are not shared.
How can the experts be so clueless?
carrieRight?!?! Dr. Popcorn ;-)
Stephanie MishevskiYippie! This gives me hope! :)
KathyI read your post and remembered how a friend used nizoral for a weird skin problem. My face has been broken out since about Feb. I started using it on my face a couple of weeks ago. My face is nearly clear. I mix a little nizoral with my face wash or my designer shampoo. That way I get the benefits without foregoing my favorite products. Thanks for sharing. Another happy person.
carrieThat’s awesome, Kathy!!!
RichardHey its kinda funny i was burned by steam, on my left hand and its gone and my right hand still has it, i dont know why? My doctors have always said it was eczema nothing else but i came up with the idea and they just agreed and said “yeah thats what it is!” :-(
carrieRichard – I had a similar experience: skidded across the tennis court on one elbow (ow) and lost all the psoriasis / eczema on it in the process. It never came back to that elbow, so assume that damaged cells just aren’t able to produce new cells like undamaged ones.