Magda Lima
Age: 23
Career: Property Manager
When did you cease using topical steroids: April 2016
What type did you use: I’ve only used steroids topically: Hydrocortisone- eyelids, neck , Betamethasone valerate and many more but I can’t remember them all. Immunosuppressants : elidel, protopic
What is your favorite product for comfort? Dead sea salt + Himalayan salt baths, castor oil, calamine lotion- when oozing, tubular bandages
What is the hardest thing to deal with during this condition? The hardest part for me was first 9 months when I was red from head to toe, horrendously itchy and I could not sleep! I am now 12 months in and still having good and bad days, the worst areas now are face, neck and hands.
What is the first thing you will do when healed? Put make up on! Enjoy my life again!
Elspeth Jellison
Age: 35
Career: Speech Language Pathology Grad Student (Finally graduating May 2017 – Woo-hoo!)
When did you cease using topical steroids: July 7, 2016
What type did you use: OTC hydrocortisone, Dermasmoothe, Clobetasol .05%. Also used Elidel and had 3 or 4 short bursts of oral steroids. This was all during a year and a half period.
What is your favorite product for comfort? Safe Soda (Pharmaceutical grade sodium bicarbonate). I started using this around 8 months TSW and it really changed my life. Funny Youtube videos also saved my sanity during my toughest periods of TSW.
What was the hardest thing to deal with during this condition? The hardest part of TSW was the feeling that I wasn’t even me anymore. I was in so much pain and so sad all the time that living felt like a chore. I also hated how I felt I couldn’t be there for my husband and son the way I wanted to be.
What is the first thing you will do when healed? My skin has already improved enough to accomplish my first goal which is to enjoy a vacation with my family. This weekend I’m going to go get a dog, which I’ve wanted to do for ages but haven’t felt well enough to for a long time. I still have some left to go on my healing but I’m grateful to be able to enjoy life again.
Preventable: Protecting Our Largest Organ 