On the boil topic, I get them pretty badly after picking up PVL (a form of MRSA) in hospital having my 3rd child 4 years ago and it is an absolute bugger to eradicate - might be worth getting your GP to swab, just to check it isn’t staph related as that could also explain the shins on fire.
On a jollier point - I had to choose between Sylvanians and Julip ponies when I was little. I went big on Julip but always slightly regretted the Path Not Taken. Sadly my kids are wholly uninterested in Sylvanians, although they do love Brio (which I also desperately wanted and never had) and I play with it endlessly.
I’ve only been to CP (pre-Kids, weirdly) - On Press Trips, courtesy of my good pals who were writing for Chat & Woman magazines, about 20 yrs ago. We Never went to the swimming pools (we were too busy riding bikes, horses & drinking cocktails in our cabin! ) Very Sorry to hear about yr resulting ailments, though - I hope they’re all calming down by now - but ‘almost’ worth it for the IG comment it elicited from the woman who lost her bikini pants, going down one of the water slides, there !!! Whatta Gal .
When I was pregnant with my boy, though - 10 years ago - I Did develop a ‘bubonic boil on the bottom area’. Hot compresses Did help, but ultimately I managed to convince my husband to squeeze it for me … I think it would be fair to say that it tested our marriage.
This was Before AI was such a thing though (and I followed the Expert advice of my Highly Trained Dermatologist friend !) Keiren says it’s the very Particular Smell of the liquid which squirted him in the Eye, which he will never be able to completely mentally eradicate … Luckily, he was saved by his Glasses 🤓( Let’s Not forget that I was carrying our child at the time, though )
I can relate to the Sylvanian tangent. I once "called" the Calico Critters (the American version) Call Center, and had a word about the personal damage that these tiny creatures with their tiny cups and tiny plates have made to my family (https://sandrasanchezroige.substack.com/p/the-day-i-called-costumer-services). Thank goodness I did not come across Aristotle the owl (or Subtropical Swimming Paradise).
Was it the Longleat One? I went there when I was pregnant and fuck me, it was a double whammy of weird shit from that pool! I felt like my eyes were on fire afterwards. I guess the amount of kids that pee in that pool (lovely) mean they have to turn that chlorine levels up a few notches. I suspect most people come out with physical and mental scars of spending several hours there!
Ok, so I like going to center parcs as the kids are happy AND it’s a place I can bring the dog to (cabins are dog friendly) but I agree, the air and water temperature feels like they’re trying to cut energy costs (maybe they are, I think the company is constantly on the edge of being bankrupt!), even the cabins are cold AF upon arrival….sigh. But then the kids love the pool so 🤷♀️
There was a What’s Up Docs episode on Radio 4 recently on dry skin and eczema and the derm said it needs to be smacked down hard with steroids - like a fire, leave no glowing embers, get the big hose out!
There is so much I identify with here I don't know where to start...I too suffered from expensive miniature toy related envy, but I'm so old it was a Lundby dolls house (and no I didn't have the additional basement level or the stable and yes I was mad about it). I've also experienced leprosy-adjacent eczema breakouts late in life and can confirm they are grim though - potential silver lining - sustained exposure to warm sunshine miraculously clears it up immediately. Failing that ask your Dr for Dovobet gel and thank me later. And last but not least, I can also confirm Centre Parcs with small children is (almost) worth every penny and, frankly, if you haven’t had your leg on the hairy shoulder of a random bloke in the Centre Parcs rapids then are you even British?
Also meant to say, I was completely creased with the photos of the sylvanian owls ! Brought back some lovely memories as well! You were such a dinky doodle! YOU STILL ARE! Xxxx
Oh crikey Ruth it looks like a long ongoing itchy flaky skin area has been totally exacerbated by chlorine? The ‘nether regions’ one could be swimsuit elastic, hot and cold temperatures and staying wet for too long and not drying yourself properly in hidden creases.
Still using aveena on the shins! Hubby as well! However I still use my almond oil( started that 46 years ago when I was so shocked to see the beginnings of stretch marks) as it absorbs well, especially after a bath ( stopped using Epsom salts in the bath as it leaves such dry skin, you need a large amount of almond oil to eradicate it !)
Hi Ruth, So sorry you’re going through this. My little granddaughter has eczema and this helps her. Hoping for quick healing. BALM OF GILEAD Manuka Eczema Honey Cream
Ruth, that sounds so painful! Have you tried Aveeno colloidal oatmeal? That stuff works like magic! You can put it on your shins by making a thick paste with a little water or use the whole sachet in the bath, it’s very soothing. I discovered it after a skin allergy to meds and while all the expensive prescription creams did nothing, the cheap colloidal oatmeal paste cleared it up quickly. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aveeno-Soothing-Relieves-Irritable-Colloidal/dp/B09LDLN1BF
YES that was the first thing I did! So brilliant. Alas at night I woke up scratching and so that was why I ended up doing steroid cream, then cetraben, then bandages and an antihistamine to stop me being itchy and after three nights I think the cycle has been broken! Those Aveeno sachets are now in my hall of fame.
I know exactly the pain of having shin eczema - I used to get it as a little kid, so I hope that you manage to get it under control quickly.
I completely grew out of eczema as an adolescent and then it came back with a vengeance during perimenopause - this time on my hands and corners of my eyelids.
I now have a pretty strict regime of using Bioderma Atoderm intensive wash with various CeraVe moisturisers to keep it under control but need to use hydrocortisone cream if I get a really bad flare up.
Alice I am SLATHERED and now own various self wrap bandages, cotton socks, special creams, histamine tablets… have to say it’s flared more in the past year or so which would tie in with that particular stage of life.. the joys!
Are you sure it’s eczema? I have psoriasis in the exact same place. I’ve tried steroid creams but the one that’s helped the most is Altruist Dry Skin Repair Cream.
I had a derm look at it a few years ago and she said eczema but barely there, it’s just the chlorine that must have set off some kind of extra reaction? Like a dermatitis sort of thing? I might ask the same derm so that I get a name for it!
Mine was caused by starting to take showers instead of baths which sounds completely mad but I have a friend with psoriasis which started in exactly the same way. Vaguely similar to you. Hope it improves.
On the boil topic, I get them pretty badly after picking up PVL (a form of MRSA) in hospital having my 3rd child 4 years ago and it is an absolute bugger to eradicate - might be worth getting your GP to swab, just to check it isn’t staph related as that could also explain the shins on fire.
On a jollier point - I had to choose between Sylvanians and Julip ponies when I was little. I went big on Julip but always slightly regretted the Path Not Taken. Sadly my kids are wholly uninterested in Sylvanians, although they do love Brio (which I also desperately wanted and never had) and I play with it endlessly.
I’ve only been to CP (pre-Kids, weirdly) - On Press Trips, courtesy of my good pals who were writing for Chat & Woman magazines, about 20 yrs ago. We Never went to the swimming pools (we were too busy riding bikes, horses & drinking cocktails in our cabin! ) Very Sorry to hear about yr resulting ailments, though - I hope they’re all calming down by now - but ‘almost’ worth it for the IG comment it elicited from the woman who lost her bikini pants, going down one of the water slides, there !!! Whatta Gal .
When I was pregnant with my boy, though - 10 years ago - I Did develop a ‘bubonic boil on the bottom area’. Hot compresses Did help, but ultimately I managed to convince my husband to squeeze it for me … I think it would be fair to say that it tested our marriage.
Chat GPT told me not to squeeze under any circumstances and it is nothing but always entirely correct 🤣
This was Before AI was such a thing though (and I followed the Expert advice of my Highly Trained Dermatologist friend !) Keiren says it’s the very Particular Smell of the liquid which squirted him in the Eye, which he will never be able to completely mentally eradicate … Luckily, he was saved by his Glasses 🤓( Let’s Not forget that I was carrying our child at the time, though )
I can relate to the Sylvanian tangent. I once "called" the Calico Critters (the American version) Call Center, and had a word about the personal damage that these tiny creatures with their tiny cups and tiny plates have made to my family (https://sandrasanchezroige.substack.com/p/the-day-i-called-costumer-services). Thank goodness I did not come across Aristotle the owl (or Subtropical Swimming Paradise).
This is an excellent use of time and I applaud it
Thank you, I am sure there must be a UK equivalent centre, should you need it.
Was it the Longleat One? I went there when I was pregnant and fuck me, it was a double whammy of weird shit from that pool! I felt like my eyes were on fire afterwards. I guess the amount of kids that pee in that pool (lovely) mean they have to turn that chlorine levels up a few notches. I suspect most people come out with physical and mental scars of spending several hours there!
No but we’ve booked in for longleat in the summer! Off peak obvs. Straight to school on the Monday morning. I’m not paying those prices again.
I’ve only been during term time. We are now in school holiday territory and the prices make me weep! …Good luck at Longleat. I’ll pray for you!
And yes we are booking another visit again soon! 🤪
Ok, so I like going to center parcs as the kids are happy AND it’s a place I can bring the dog to (cabins are dog friendly) but I agree, the air and water temperature feels like they’re trying to cut energy costs (maybe they are, I think the company is constantly on the edge of being bankrupt!), even the cabins are cold AF upon arrival….sigh. But then the kids love the pool so 🤷♀️
How are they constantly on the edge financially when they charge so very much?!
There was a What’s Up Docs episode on Radio 4 recently on dry skin and eczema and the derm said it needs to be smacked down hard with steroids - like a fire, leave no glowing embers, get the big hose out!
There is so much I identify with here I don't know where to start...I too suffered from expensive miniature toy related envy, but I'm so old it was a Lundby dolls house (and no I didn't have the additional basement level or the stable and yes I was mad about it). I've also experienced leprosy-adjacent eczema breakouts late in life and can confirm they are grim though - potential silver lining - sustained exposure to warm sunshine miraculously clears it up immediately. Failing that ask your Dr for Dovobet gel and thank me later. And last but not least, I can also confirm Centre Parcs with small children is (almost) worth every penny and, frankly, if you haven’t had your leg on the hairy shoulder of a random bloke in the Centre Parcs rapids then are you even British?
I had my legs around a man I’d never met before at one point! Also: Lundby house was something I LUSTED over
"I had my legs around a man I’d never met before at one point!" deserves a part 2.
Also meant to say, I was completely creased with the photos of the sylvanian owls ! Brought back some lovely memories as well! You were such a dinky doodle! YOU STILL ARE! Xxxx
Hahaha! I loved my Sylvanian bakery!
Oh crikey Ruth it looks like a long ongoing itchy flaky skin area has been totally exacerbated by chlorine? The ‘nether regions’ one could be swimsuit elastic, hot and cold temperatures and staying wet for too long and not drying yourself properly in hidden creases.
Still using aveena on the shins! Hubby as well! However I still use my almond oil( started that 46 years ago when I was so shocked to see the beginnings of stretch marks) as it absorbs well, especially after a bath ( stopped using Epsom salts in the bath as it leaves such dry skin, you need a large amount of almond oil to eradicate it !)
As you are in London I highly recommend dr boyden we are Scotland but do phonecall and prescription posted
Alas I’m not in London! X
Oh I don’t know why I assumed - he’s still an option on phone x
Thank you! X
Balm from a company called https://balmonds.co.uk/ my daughter has bad excema in their face and uses this
Great, thank you!
Hi Ruth, So sorry you’re going through this. My little granddaughter has eczema and this helps her. Hoping for quick healing. BALM OF GILEAD Manuka Eczema Honey Cream
Thank you!
Ruth, that sounds so painful! Have you tried Aveeno colloidal oatmeal? That stuff works like magic! You can put it on your shins by making a thick paste with a little water or use the whole sachet in the bath, it’s very soothing. I discovered it after a skin allergy to meds and while all the expensive prescription creams did nothing, the cheap colloidal oatmeal paste cleared it up quickly. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aveeno-Soothing-Relieves-Irritable-Colloidal/dp/B09LDLN1BF
Hope you feel better soon!
YES that was the first thing I did! So brilliant. Alas at night I woke up scratching and so that was why I ended up doing steroid cream, then cetraben, then bandages and an antihistamine to stop me being itchy and after three nights I think the cycle has been broken! Those Aveeno sachets are now in my hall of fame.
I know exactly the pain of having shin eczema - I used to get it as a little kid, so I hope that you manage to get it under control quickly.
I completely grew out of eczema as an adolescent and then it came back with a vengeance during perimenopause - this time on my hands and corners of my eyelids.
I now have a pretty strict regime of using Bioderma Atoderm intensive wash with various CeraVe moisturisers to keep it under control but need to use hydrocortisone cream if I get a really bad flare up.
Alice I am SLATHERED and now own various self wrap bandages, cotton socks, special creams, histamine tablets… have to say it’s flared more in the past year or so which would tie in with that particular stage of life.. the joys!
Your poor shins! I'm now wary of going in a swimming pool again...
Apparently lots of people with eczema do well with chlorine! I think it just dried out my skin unbearably and triggered an old problem
Are you sure it’s eczema? I have psoriasis in the exact same place. I’ve tried steroid creams but the one that’s helped the most is Altruist Dry Skin Repair Cream.
I had a derm look at it a few years ago and she said eczema but barely there, it’s just the chlorine that must have set off some kind of extra reaction? Like a dermatitis sort of thing? I might ask the same derm so that I get a name for it!
Mine was caused by starting to take showers instead of baths which sounds completely mad but I have a friend with psoriasis which started in exactly the same way. Vaguely similar to you. Hope it improves.
Wait I thought it was usually the other way around? That baths tended to be bad?!
It was too much of a coincidence to be wrong. I had my bath taken out and replaced by a walk-in shower and then I got psoriasis