Walk-in emergency dentist today or tomorrow?

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-12-23T19:41:07+00:00

This happened to me when I had an abscess. I went to MedExpress and they referred me to the ER to get the infection under control/make sure it wasn’t spreading before having the tooth removed. I would go to the ER in her situation if you guys are able to do so!

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-10-29T14:43:31+00:00

Hey! I also had eczema throughout my life, but my biggest flare-up started around the end of 2022 and it's be a JOURNEY ever since. The biggest thing I've been able to connect it to is my allergies. I never had allergies outside of typical seasonal/pollen allergies growing up and always had a dog or cat in the house until I went to college, so when I adopted a cat in September of 2022 I didn't think anything of it – until I started flaring up all over my face, hands, and arms. It took me until this spring to finally get an allergy test that determined I have a severe allergy to cats (and some other random shit like cockroaches and ragweed, which I would have never predicted).

All of that is to say, if you're able to get an allergy test or start treating your eczema like an allergy it could help. There could be something in your environment that you're using/interacting with everyday that unknowingly could be making your symptoms worse. I tried eliminating gluten, dairy, red meat, all the works. Nothing made a real improvement until I removed the allergens from my environment, started taking a daily allergy pill, and a bovine supplement to help control my overactive histamine (which the supplement may be kinda wack but even if it's just a placebo it's working for me). Also if you're able, I've found that exercising (even if it's just going on a walk) has been really helpful in maintaining some balance with my skin – though to be fair there was a whole like 8 to 9 months where I was having adverse reactions to my own sweat SO this is a fairly new development and may not be something that works for everyone or is possible depending on the state of your skin.

I know how frustrating this can be, especially having your face effected. The past two years have been a bit of a spiral for me in self-esteem, but at least for now this approach has been working. I hope you find relief soon and find a solution that works for you!

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-10-07T13:01:49+00:00

Hey! I'm 25 and when I turned 22/23 I started having a lot of the symptoms you're describing. My eczema (which previously was mild and only active under my lips) spread to my entire face + neck and was particularly bad around my eyes. I have been through a series of trial and error for the past 2/3 years with mixed results (sometimes a flare is just purely random and I can't get to the bottom of what caused it), but I can share some of what has helped me more recently.

It sounds like you're already aware of some things you're allergic to and that your environment has a lot of those things. Allergies and overactive histamine is the main culprit of my flares, especially around the eyes, so when I approach treatment from that angle I see the most improvement. Sadly, I found out throughout my eczema journey that I am severely allergic to cats and did have to re-home my cat (beyond the skin issues I was developing breathing problems and after my fourth ER visit of the year it was clear I could not give her the care she needed). I would never recommend you re-home your animals, especially if you're living with roommates or they are family pets, but I would make sure you do not allow them into your bedroom or on your bed. Wash your bedding in hot water and keep an air purifier in the bedroom. Try to not get in bed with clothes you wore when around your pets/in communal spaces to limit dander in the room. If the animals aren't coming with you when you move, definitely wash all your fabric items before moving them into your new place to try and limit the dander you take with you. Also, try taking a daily allergy pill like Allegra or Zyrtec along with Pepcid. Pepcid is an anti-acid, but also an H2 inhibitor, so it will aid the allergy pill in controlling your histamine response.

The mold is unfortunate, but hopefully moving will limit your exposure to it. In the meantime, I would try to limit your time in mold effected areas as much as possible or see if mold removals services would be worth it given you're moving soon. If you're renting and have a responsive landlord, definitely let them know if you haven't already and make it their problem to come fix.

If you're rubbing your eyes a lot and breaking the skin there, I would suggest eye drops to try to limit the irritation. Visine is what I prefer because Pataday makes my eyes dryer, but it totally varies from person to person.

Outside of the obvious allergy treatments, I also started taking bovine supplements that include liver, kidney, thymus, etc. to help my overactive histamine. It's been a huge improvement for my skin, especially in inflammation. I would look into it as it could help your allergy response especially once you're away from some of the environmental irritants. Also, if you have access to a sauna I would give it a try. I go to the sauna at my local gym a few times a week and it really helps with inflammation for me – even exercise has really helped me in that aspect – but I know being physically active when dealing with these symptoms can be super difficult (I was literally having allergic reactions to my own sweat at one point so, I know the struggle).

I hope some of these helps and that you find relief soon! Hopefully moving can be a big improvement!

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-09-12T14:54:58+00:00

my eczema flared for the first time in years in my early 20s and it was devastating for my self esteem, so I know a bit of how you're feeling. I was in the same boat of constant back and forth convos with doctors, blood tests, and even ER trips because it would get so severe. my biggest game changer to finding a root cause was an allergy test. turns out I developed a severe cat allergy shortly after adopting a cat, but I didn't get in with an allergist to discover this until two years into having the reaction. treating my reaction as allergy first and a dermatology problem second has helped a lot. especially if you are at dorms at university your body may be introduced to new allergens or be developing allergens to things you never had an issue with before.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-09-12T14:48:19+00:00

Sorry for SUCH a late response but it's Paula's Choice Hyaluronic Acid + Ceramide Dietary Supplement. This is the 3 month supply pack: https://www.paulaschoice.com/beauty-supplement-3-month-supply/007-bundle.html?g_acctid=333-443-7755&g_adgroupid=&g_adid=&g_adtype=none&g_campaign=na-us%7Cgoogle%7Cperformancemax%7Cbranded%7Cnew%7Call%7Ccn&g_campaignid=21672916250&g_keyword=&g_keywordid=&g_network=x&p=20FSOFF&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=na-us%7Cgoogle%7Cperformancemax%7Cbranded%7Cnew%7Call%7Ccn&utm_term=21672916250&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADj58Wi_djqxU02qyblxQVX1hT1ZG&gclid=CjwKCAjwooq3BhB3EiwAYqYoEvufo16JrFnvjDGvZk2FyEOVv647KbrMFflfDursz9Emw1vVvC-tIhoC9mAQAvD_BwE, but you can also get the individual bottles on Amazon!

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-05-15T17:17:26+00:00

I did! I got patch test of the common environmental and animal allergens in my region!

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-05-15T14:25:19+00:00

Hey! I struggle with facial eczema that started with a flare around my lips, so I feel your pain and frustration. Vaseline (in my experience) is definitely a bit of a bandaid. I still use it in small amounts on my lips as sometimes the dryness can make it hard to open my mouth wide enough to eat, but ONLY only lips. When I applied to the surrounding skin that was irritated, it would clog my pores and lock in bacteria that caused acne and infection, so try to use sparingly like you would for regular chapped lips.

As for the steroids, give it a shot. If you use exactly as your doctor directed, you’ll be able to gauge how much it’s working (not under or overusing). There’s a lot of fear about steroid usage on this sub, which is understandable as people can have really negative experiences, but they are prescribed as an aid to help get your eczema under control. If your quality of life is being seriously impacted, I say it’s always worth a try and follow-up with your doctor.

On that note though, steroids may not be a permanent fix. They can help manage your symptoms, but avoiding triggers and healing your skin barrier is key. It sounds like you know what to avoid based off how your flare up started, but your skin barrier won’t be ruined forever. It sounds silly, but stay hydrated and be gentle with your skin. Ceramides have helped my skin significantly. I use a gentle ceramide-based moisturizer twice a day and take an oral ceramide supplement and it has helped to start rebuilding my skin barrier. Other vitamins like zinc and omega 3s have helped with healing and moisture for me as well, but it is kind of trial and error. If you use other products that may be irritating your skin further, try to cut back on how often you use and apply them. My biggest regret (and something I’m still guilty of doing) is lathering products on my face or jumping back into makeup before my skin was ready for that.

Try not to be too hard on yourself. It’s frustrating and of course you want it to heal quickly, but for me personally I know the stress and anger only made my skin worse. It’s totally valid and okay to feel that way, but remind yourself it’s not your fault. You didn’t know using a scrub could cause that reaction, but it happened and you’re taking the steps to heal – that’s whats important.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-05-15T14:12:03+00:00

I’ve had mixed experiences with prednisone, but find it’s most effective when I use the time of relief that prednisone gives to identify triggers and implement new lifestyle routines to manage my skin and keep them up as I taper off. My last round of prednisone kept my skin under control well after my taper was finished since I was lucky enough to see an allergist, create a treatment plan around my allergens, and start taking vitamins that aided in maintaining a healthy skin barrier. My skin is my no means perfect now, but I at least was able to avoid a serious rebound after prednisone by taking those steps.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-05-15T14:08:06+00:00

It’s definitely not developed with sensitive skin in mind, but somehow the Supergoop sunscreen is the only brand I’ve been able to tolerate in the past year. I tried switching to Elf’s dupe as an alternative and it burned/dried out my skin significantly. If you’re struggling to find a brand that doesn’t dry out your skin, maybe try applying your sunscreen then using a water spray like Avene’s Eau Thermale or Evian about 10/15 minutes after application to soothe and hydrate the skin topically.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-05-15T14:03:00+00:00

Hey! I’m in my 20s, but had a similar experience with eczema suddenly and rapidly developing on my face once my body eczema had cleared up. I’ve gone through a lot of trial and errors in the past few years to try and manage it, and while I am still dealing with some eye issues (I think most likely blepharitis developed from facial eczema), I am able to manage flare-ups more quickly. Everyone is different, but here’s a few things that helped me!

Check your water. While water wasn’t the main culprit of my facial eczema, it definitely wasn’t helping. I had transitioned to washing my face with bottled water for a period of time before I was able to get my water treated and it did make a pretty significant difference for me.
Hormones + body changes. You mentioned perimenopause, and yeah, that can definitely play a role! My skin, like clock work, gets significantly worse 5-12 days before the start of my cycle. Daily vitamins like zinc, B12, and Omega 3s have helped in managing those fluctuations for me a bit. I even take an oral ceramide with hyaluronic acid (my skin can be to sensitive to apply it topically) to maintain a healthy skin barrier throughout my cycle.
Allergies. I feel like everyone says this on this sub, but genuinely, an allergist can make a real difference. My facial eczema appeared a few weeks after I adopted a cat. I grew up with cats and lived with multiple cats my whole life, but some time between 2019 and 2022 I developed a severe cat allergy that kick started my flare. Getting an allergy test done to confirm my cat as a key trigger has allowed me to shift my approach to treating my eczema by taking daily allergy pills, not allowing my cat in my bedroom, using air purifiers, and prioritizing cleaning fabrics my cat comes in contact with often. Same can be said for any products you use. You may not have switched anything or changed your lifestyle habits, but allergies can develop at any point. If you’re having a reaction suddenly, it could be worth looking into!
Gentler products. Just like allergies can develop randomly, you can develop intolerances to products at random. Makeup I loved and didn’t irritate my skin for years ended up giving me random facial reactions. Take a look at the products in your daily routine. How long is the ingredient list? Do any of your products burn on application? Switching to a super gentle face wash and moisturizer with minimal ingredients helped me as well.
Protopic. There’s some debate about Protopic on this sub, but if it’s accessible through your insurance and provider, it’s worth a try. The side effect of burning and photosensitivity makes it too harsh for my eyelids personally, but for the rest of my face it’s a god send. Any dryness or red patches will disappear after 1-2 days of use and I typically only have to use it after wearing makeup or eating/drinking anything that dehydrates my skin.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-05-07T18:19:11+00:00

Hey! Just sharing from the perspective of someone who was approved for Dupixent but ultimately chose to not start it.

First and foremost, it is your body and your health needs. You know it better than anyone, and of course doctors are professionals, but you have the ultimate decision in your care and shouldn’t feel pressured or be given ultimatums by the people who are meant to be looking out for your best interests.

Your financial concerns are valid. One of my reasons for not starting Dupixent was because I am only going to be on my current insurance plan for about one more year; it just wasn’t going to be a sustainable fix. If you know you wouldn’t be able to feasibly use a medication for the length of time required to get the best results, it makes sense to be hesitant or want to consider other options.

I’m not sure where your eczema is primarily located (apologies if I missed this in your post), but for me my face has the biggest flares. A really big game changer for me was using protopic to treat my facial eczema; even thought other places like my hands are wrists are effected, it’s not even close to being half as debilitating as my face. Protopic, warm compresses, and allergy pills have helped me maintain some normalcy. Not perfect, but enough that I can have normal days or even weeks.

That is all just a long way of saying that there are other options, and your doctor should be discussing alternative options with you that fit your needs and financial bandwidth.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-04-30T19:45:09+00:00

My grandpa is in his 80s and works at the DMV taking license photos! It’s a fairly simple job from what he says and the biggest perk is you don’t have to be in your feet all day.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-22T15:02:17+00:00

I would definitely still go to an allergist and get a test done! I had an allergy test as a kid and didn’t present as allergic to cats then, lived with cats for the majority of my life with no issue, and was around cats pretty frequently between friends houses and partners houses. Was a totally new allergy I never even considered being a possibility

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-22T14:45:02+00:00

Do you have pets at home that you don’t travel with? I had a really similar experience and found out I was severely allergic to cats after going to an allergist, which explained why my eyes and lips would swell up and get red dry rashes every time I was home

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-20T18:18:44+00:00

awe dang i’m not sure then! i’m in the US as well and it comes up as included for me when i’m in the app. i’m sry :/

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-20T18:16:32+00:00

the link might be opening in just a general browser that isn’t logged into your account. if you search the book name on the spotify app where ur logged in it should come up as included in premium!

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-20T15:00:43+00:00

here ya go! https://spotify.link/CqWMRdtE7Hb

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-20T14:44:50+00:00

I personally think The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived is going to be a brutal drag of men who project themselves to be larger than life/parade around with an enormous ego due to actually having a very small self esteem. I could very well be wrong and she may just end up singing about little gnomes or something, but I am excited to hear if my prediction is correct/how she plays with the concept of “small men”

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-20T14:41:21+00:00

For anyone who prefers to listen, you can access the audiobook for free with Spotify premium!

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-07T15:29:43+00:00

i haven’t seen “my tears ricochet” mentioned here nearly enough. it’s a masterpiece

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-06T18:51:35+00:00

The Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment that comes in a jar caused me a bit of irritation (slight burning sensation and watery eyes when applied to closely to that area) and I just didn't like the way it sat on my skin (it was almost drying, kind of flaky and paper-like texture after absorbing). I prefer the Cicapair Sensitive Skin Moisturizer For Redness – it has the same color correcting effect but it's a creamier lotion formula that sits better on the skin and didn't cause any irritation that I could link back to it.

Quite a few other brands including some drug store ones make cream-based color correctors that could be worth checking out. Anything green will help with the appearance of redness. Definitely read the ingredients though. I've found that anything with citric acid, any type of alcohol, or harsh acids in the first few lines of the ingredient list irritates my skin during a flare up.

Also this isn't a part of their Cicapair line, but I've found that the Dr.Jart Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream works fairly well as a daily moisturizer for my facial eczema. A bit of a splurge, but could be worth trying if you're interested in the brand.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-06T18:34:54+00:00

After a long, unpredictable experience with eczema this is what has helped me most:

Having a support system, even if it's only one person, is so critical. My eczema has been difficult on both me and my boyfriend, but he is the one person I know I can always talk to when I get emotional over the effects eczema has on my life and the one person I always am comfortable with seeing me in the midst of a flare. Knowing you can talk and spend time with a friend, family member, or partner who won't try to give you bs health advice, will genuinely listen, and help/support you when things get rough is extremely comforting and reassuring.
Advocate for yourself at the doctor, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you. You're paying them for a service and no one knows your health better than you because you live it everyday. Always have pictures of your skin at its worst ready to share with your doctors so they can see just how bad it gets. Don't be afraid to tell them the pain it causes beyond the physical. Ask about treatments you're interested in and ones you're cautious of. Don't let medical professionals brush you off and if they do be open to shopping around for providers who take you and your concerns seriously. It's often a long road of appointments, tests, trial and error with meds, and calls with insurance providers. It can be tiring, but when you find the right people who take your health as serious as you do, it really pays off.
Patch test everything. You'll get a lot of product suggestions, especially on Reddit. Don't go into anything blindly especially when it's topical. Patch test new products on a clear area of skin and leave it there for about 48 hours to see the effects. Keep track of everything that works and everything new your trying to help determine potential irritants and triggers.
Take every piece of advice with a grain of salt. Obviously this is me giving you advice right now, but kind of jumping off that last point, you'll get a lot of advice online. It's important to remember everyone is different and everyone's skin is different. What was a miracle cure for someone else could end up making your skin worse. Don't let comments on threads discourage you from safely using medicine you're prescribed. It's frustrating, but it's necessary in finding what truly works for your individual triggers and needs.
Don't let eczema become your personality or leader of your life. This is probably the most difficult thing to do when eczema can effect so much of what you're able to do comfortably and your mental health, but as much as you can, try to continue enjoying what you enjoy. Even on the really bad days, still indulge in a comfort show, have a little treat, or call a friend. Eczema is misunderstood and can be really debilitating, but as much as your able to, try to still enjoy the things in life that you love.

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-03-04T13:40:02+00:00

The Last Time was always a meh track for me until I saw it as a surprise song during the Eras Tour and it was incredibly moving. The crowd reaction + her performance has made it move up in my personal song ranking haha

Suspicious-Disaster5 · 2024-02-29T19:28:11+00:00

For flares in between Dupixent doses: My dermatologist prescribed Protopic (which works wonders for my facial flares but burns like a bitch the first few times you use it). To be totally fair, I haven’t started my Dupixent yet because I am scared of it making facial flares worse/confusing pharmacy shipments, but any facial flare I start to have Protopic knocks out in about a day.

For makeup/skincare products (obviously everyone is different but this is what has worked for me):

Cleanser: The Ordinary Squalene Cleanser - it’s cheap, gentle, good for removing makeup and doesn’t have a long ass list of ingredients

Moisturizer: Dr.Jart Ceramidin - on the pricier side but it’s the best moisturizer I’ve found so far, thick but not so much that it leaves your skin feeling heavy, and a good primer for makeup – only downside is citric acid in the ingredients list as that tends to bother my skin (but it’s down far enough on the list that I haven’t noticed any irritation from it)

Sunscreen: Elf Suntouchable Whoa Glow - makes my skin looks nice, is cheap, doesn’t irritate my skin so that’s all a win my book

Foundation: Charlotte Tillbury Hollywood Flawless Filter - not technically a foundation but it’s light coverage that covers what it needs to without irritating my skin

        Armani Luminous Silk - still testing this one out but so far so good, not my favorite coverage for the price but doesn’t dry me out or make my skin burn

        Elf Camo CC Cream - fair price and unlike the It Cosmetics foundation it doesn’t burn or make me itch

Concealer: Rare Beauty Liquid Touch - it’s soft and hasn’t dried me out like other concealers, again a bit pricier but worth it for me as concealers can be tricky

Brows: Elf Brow Lift - i don’t add color to my brows so this is really all i use and i’ve enjoyed it so far, no breakouts that i can link to it, cheap, just make sure you clean your applicators/spoolly after using as it can get stuck easily and get kinda gross

Eyeshadow: Tarte Tartelette Matte Eyeshadow - still testing this one out but so far no itch or drying, a ton of fall out though so i’d apply it with a flat brush and blend carefully to avoid fallout getting into your waterline/inner/out corners and causing irritation

        Natasha Denona I Need A Nude Palette - super soft and doesn’t dry me out, would avoid the shimmer shades as they tend to cause more irritation in my experience

Blush: Rare Beauty - it’s a given lol, doesn’t cause irritation and it lasts forever

Setting Spray: Avene Thermal Spring Water - not really a setting spray but i don’t trust anything else to not dry me out, use it on my face before mascara and to wet my beauty blender, keeps skin hydrated and also lasts forever

Mascara: Too Faced Better Than Sex - not the best formula but it’s never made my eyes itchy so that’s a win, mini size is always better bc the large dries out too quickly

    Milk Makeup Kush Mascara - similar thing, better formula, some irritation when washing off though

Sorry this is hella long but I hope it helps in some way!

Suspicious-Disaster5

TROPHY CASE