I am - and apparently HAVE been - allergic to a lot of things. mostly topical and yet very recently - internally - aka FOOD.
I remember my childhood and then adolescent years as a blur of things making my skin better or worse but no real answers since none were really sought. Nummular Eczema was the technical term. All I know is my HS photos needed HUGE photo shopping even in the world before that was even cool.
On my own dime as an adult I finally got the tests that confirmed what I suspected. I am allergic to nearly fucking everything. Some chemicals more than others - yet I still flirt with the devil now and then to see what I get away with but the consensus is still normally the same. If it's not plant derived and there are preservatives in it I can't use it on my skin. Food is a whole different demon. I can't eat wheat though I've been experimenting. Milk is still taboo - and now the lactose pills don't work. Even the really expensive ones. If there's milk in it - I will know it. And if you are standing next to me in the elevator you may too. :D
I can only use laundry detergent that has no perfumes or color. WELL, we purchased a front load deally a bit ago and the funny thing about the washer not using a ton of water is that they FREAKING stink right off! I bleach everything so this funky smell was super off-putting in my camp. So against my better judgment I okayed these washer bead things. HORRIBLE skin reaction but damn did my washer smell good. My kids don't react to things as bad as I do. So I let them - since they do their own laundry but mine can have NONE of it.
The latest BAD skin (for me) incident involved a tank top and Rit dye. I had a tank top that had been bleach stained so Trinity and I dyed some clothes purple to get rid of the stains. They turned out great. We washed them numerous times. I put my tank on for bed. Within 20 minutes I was freaking out. My torso (no bra mind you) was on fire with hives. Benedril helped a bit. I woke up at 3 uberitchy and wanting to drug myself except I have kids to drive to school at 6:45am. So I sucked it up and just scratched my nasty self into oblivion.
I can have 6 strawberries without hives. I can now eat a bit of pizza crust but no cheese. Greek Yogurt is completely off limits . . . unless I want to offend everybody within a 10 block radius.
I don't know if wheat will ever come back to me but I'm pushing some boundaries.
Skin things I don't think I can ever fix. I can never ever ever never never ever dye my hair with chemical hair dye. Henna or nothing. I'm actually okay with that since I am the poster child for how amazing Henna is. I have the most healthy thick hair that nearly hits my ass since it grows almost a foot a year. Yeah - it's red and that works for me. I have to import it from the middle east but better that than gas. Parabens. Can't touch them. Literally. There are 6 types and all are horrible to me. They are cheap preservatives. I hate them all. I have to take rings off if I use hand lotion because if they sit inside - my hands blow up like Micky Mouse.
Nickel in any jewelry is certain death. Or snaps or buttons that touch skin. suddenly my watch has my wrist a bloody oozing mess. I wore that watch for 6 years. suddenly. I can't.
I can have a conditioner that freaking rocks and then on the 3rd go round suddenly makes my neck and hairline break out.
It's a daily issue to figure out what I can or cannot eat. I don't know what it's like having diabetes - but I gotta say - I dearly pay for the food or product choices I make. I feel like I am not "normal" though I guess these days I have no idea what "NORMAL" really is. I play Russian roulette a lot. I want to believe I can try things. If they send me into a tail spin - hives, welts, gastrointestinal distress . . . I don't unusually do it again. I take my chances. I love ice cream. I'm likely to eat it again. reaction or no. cuz really? who can live without ice cream?
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