Living with Ichthyosis

Is there a Cure ?

Bathing        Moisturizing         Exfoliating         Killing the Monster        Daily Routine       Diet      History

Bathing (shower) I take very quick showers, using a moisturizing soap from Avon or oatmeal soap. After many years of experimenting I found this soap and my methods proven for relieving almost every sign of "Ich" . This soap is used very lightly and also used as my shampoo.  I use no bath oils, soaps or shampoos with chemicals and any type of Acids, chlorides, or Alcohol. Do not !..use Ivory soap, I repeat.. Do not use Ivory Soap.....Although the idea of a shower is too keep clean...

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A Shower for someone with Ichthyosis is also a remedy and treatment for the very skin you are trying to clean.

 Remember, your skin has very essential oils it needs for it to reproduce, shed and nurture new growth. Soap destroys and removes all of these oils on the surface of your skin and after using soap, your skin tightens...thereby allowing more oils to be "pressured" to the surface after your skin has tightened to the point of being torn in very miniscule pieces from being dried out by the soap.  Even though your skin is wet or you try to wet it after using soap...it is still "drying out" because that is what the soap residue will due. Again...Do not use Soap!!! Also during the winter my feet start to build up if I don't regularly pour Salt into the shower.....Yep ! in the shower, I set the drain, so that it doesn't empty the shower or tub and while I am showering , my feet are getting a nice salt bath.... Sea salt is the best (can be expensive), but for the most part I use regular table salt with Iodine.

Use a very mild shampoo, if your not up to using a bar of oatmeal on your hair. Such as tearless shampoo, but very small amount. Wash your hair first and give your skin time to soak up and absorb some moisture before try to scrub. Remember you only want to remove the skin that will come off easily. Any skin that is attached is attached to new skin, No peeling or picking. Using a nice heavy nap bath cloth, lightly scrub your entire body with the oatmeal of conditioning soap and quickly rinse the soap off. The soap is only for cleanliness, and a major enemy of Ich. Again lightly scrub yourself down with NO soap and rinse.

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If you live near the ocean, get out there and swim, or at least soak for a little bit.

After every shower, no more than ten minutes and using cool to luke warm water, Immediately pat down with a towel and apply liberally your Moisturizer. 

I have heard and read about people using salt to exfoliate, But I only tried it a couple of times. Only because I found that salt, being granular was actually cutting my new skin while it was exfoliating the old.  I prefer mud or clay. It leaves your skin with a nice smooth feel and works pretty well.

Your skin also controls how you keep your body cool, people with Ichthyosis do not sweat and are more susceptible to dehydration and heat stroke. So keeping in mind our first thought about not just keeping the condition in check but finding ways to get rid of most of the signs.....We need to find a way to "Force the Skin" to start doing its job. This is a catch 22 situation, because in order to get the skin to sweat we need to apply heat, which also does further damage. But in this case i found the benefits outweighed the bad.

So find a gym with a steam sauna or Jacuzzi. Start out at bi weekly intervals, and see what happens, if your condition worsens, stop. I found a huge improvement. My sweat glands started to open up and my hair began to grow. Its like "teaching your skin" how to work. Along with all of your other daily regimens keep going to the sauna. As your condition improves lengthen the time in between sauna visits. And do not stop your moisture applications. 

Note: There are two types of Saunas, Steam and Dry Heat. A dry heat Sauna feels much hotter than steam. And I would look for a steam Sauna to start. If you get your sweat glands working and your skin shows signs of improving, then and only then should you use a dry Sauna. Do not use Sauna alone. Remember people with Ichthyosis are more susceptible to Heat.

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