Skin Irritations In Cm

[thailandbluegrass]

Hi. I have only moved to CM 2 months now and I AM diabetic BUT since I have moved here I have noticed that when I get an itch or something and I scratch it the rash is very extreme and leave welts etc. Also The mosquitos here seem to like me more and their bites seem more irratable.

Us diabetics are prone to longer periods of healing etc but since I have been here it seems worse.

My gf says that its because CM has a lot of different pollens in the air but I'm not sure if thats why or not. I just want to know if I'm the only one or have any of you experienced this too?

[Jingthing]

I have skin problems as well living in Pattaya. Short of visiting a dermatologist, the common sense thing anyone will tell you is you have to first find a way to reduce to need to scratch, which will always make things worse. You may try Eucerin non-soap shower gel to wash and then moisturize twice a day with Boots organic body butter while you are still moist. A cheaper option than Eucerin is the 55 baht TURMERIC spa soap also available at Boots. Also do not use hot water to shower, it is irritating. I think there is a great chance a regimen like that will calm your skin down so you don't need to scratch. If not, see a doc!

Edited May 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[popmybubble]

I got terribly itchy when I was there last October. Mainly all over my legs to the point where I could hardly sleep because of the itching. I used some powder that I got from a pharmacy (prickly heat powder maybe?) and it would help a bit. The really annoying thing was that areas on my legs where I'd broken the skin by itching took AGES to heal and itched on and off. Saying that my skin tends to be quite sensitive and itches easily anyway, but it seemed much worse in CM. Probably because of the heat?

Edited May 13, 2010 by popmybubble

[Jingthing]

For the short term, you can also try taking over the counter Zyrtec pills at night which should help you itch less.

[OneZero]

For the short term, you can also try taking over the counter Zyrtec pills at night which should help you itch less.

Yes, an antihistimine will help you sleep as well, if that's what you want. Zyrtec 10mg is not as strong as Atarax 25mg, and the Atarax is cheaper as well. If you don't need the full 25mg, simply bite it in half.

[Sparkles]

The intense heat increases the problem. Grovers Disease .Lots of red spots mainly on the chest is quite common also and staying in ac seems to be the best alternative to help relief skin irritations plus the old favourite calamine lotion

[crazygreg44]

You may want to consider other reasons than skin irritation by pollution. The heat absolutely causes red spot appear in the chest area - mainly on us foreigners. And then there is another strong issue : What do you eat ? Are you eating food that contains the widely used monosodium-glutamat flavour enhancer ? Many people are prone to develope allergies on this stuff a street vendor and all the restaurants use it in heavy doses !! Myself I developed an itchy red-spotted scratch area on the chest AND on the soles of my feet, whenever I ate the minute soups ( they contain a vast amount of MSG ) and when we prolongedly dines out. Only thing helped was cooking the food up by ourselves at home, and don t use MSG but the everywhere available NON- MSG flavour enhancers MAGGI and the special Vegan-prooven soy bean sauces ( also MSG free ).

My advice, you should give it a two/three week try, avoid all food with MSG and watch what happens !

[elektrified]

I know several people who complain of the same thing. I have gotten the red rashes a couple of times myself but it did not bother me as much as the others. I avoided scratching regardless of how much it itched. My girlfriend gets the welts that you talk of after the itching. You may try Calamine lotion. She tried the Zyrtec pills that the others mention and they were effective but she was so drowsy "hungover" the next day that she couldn't get out of bed until noon. Same thing happens to me with Benadryl. The Snake Brand prickly heat powder after a shower helps me a lot.

[orchidlady]

Is it just a red rash or do you have small little fluid filled blisters that itch and continue the cycle? I would have pain and itch and then i would see more blisters appear (that is why i thought it might be shingles--virus from Chicken pox...but it wasn't)

The reason I ask is I just got back from Suhkothai and it was about 5 degrees hotter than Bangkok where I live and I got a terrible itch on my toe-started with a blister that I scratched and then I noticed the skin had peeled from the bottom of my toe.It was leaking yellow fluid and where the fluid touched the skin-more blisters would appear. it was gross to see and even writing about sounds disgusting. I tried to go to a local hospital but after waiting 40 minutes for them to find someone that spoke English, I left as I was flying back to Bangkok the next day.I thought maybe i got it from either: I had a massage while I was there, remembered the woman pulling my toes-don't know if she had something she spread to me with open blister or maybe I got it from the water walking through puddles when it rained.

I have spent the past week at BNH Hospital seeing 3 different doctors, having lab/pathology tests and they know what it isn't-not insect bite, not scabies, not herpes (shingles). It is weird as I only have it spread on right foot and part of my leg and they think it's a combination of fungal infection with my immune system overreacting to the irritation from the fungus. I had to take Prednisone, several anti-allergy pills( talk about not being able to get up in the morning- I usually sleep 5 hours I was sleeping 12 hours still did not want to get up), topical cortisone cream and ant-fungal pills and anti-fungal cream on a step by step basis to counteract this crap on my foot.

I jokingly asked the docs if this was what VietNam vets called "jungle rot' they said no. After just one week tremendous improvement in the itching, no more peeling and no more spreading bumps. i still have a slight red rash/discoloration where the majority of the rash was. I will have to see what the Dr says about that when i go back.

You being a diabetic, I would not attempt to self treat if it gets even slightly worse.

[cardinalblue]

Fair skin people living in tropical conditions is not ideal for health and wellness...

At least things are cheap!

CB

[hmficc]

Fair skin people living in tropical conditions is not ideal for health and wellness...

At least things are cheap!

CB

I think we bath a bit more in LOS drying out our skin. You may consider applying a thin film of patroleum jelly while still in the shower. This will seal in the moisture.

[xylophone]

I have had similar experiences and my Thai lady is having the same rash problem here in Phuket!!

Here's what has worked for me a fair skinned farang: use a pine tar/coal tar "soap" when showering and washing hair, and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing. No hot water and if showering frequently, then only use water. The "prickly heat" powder does seem to work to a certain extent, but doesn't completely alleviate the problem.

An antihistamine tablet can help, as can some creams. Systral cream is the first to try, however although it worked for me (along with the above) my Thai lady is having to use a very weak cortisone cream however there are other nonsteroidal creams which can be tried.

IMO, things like this seem to be a way of life here, and I know many other farangs who suffer from rashes and nasal allergy problems due to pollen, water pollutants and so on. TIT after all.

[PMNL]

Chiangmai is very hot and dry plus micropollution even for non-Diabetes people, they have problem with dry itchy skin and eyes.

As you know DM sufferers have poor microvascular circulation causing dry scaly and easily itchy skin plus Chiangmai weather it is definitely make your condition get worse. You should drink load of water, use good moisturizer for your skin( special product for DM) and artificial tear drop for your eyes. Gentle massage for legs and arms help to improve microcirculation. Hope your get better and dont suffer too much.

[lonewolf99]

MSG for sure....the whole of the Far East cannot function without this crap in their food. Chinese food is utterly tasteless without it.

It is not part of the Western diet. It can totally mess up your body.

I avoid all these "soups" in thailand. The have all manner of wierd stuff in them. Tofu...what the he*l is Tofu ?

The square squidgy burgundy coloured lumps in Thai soup is pigs blood. Square ??? How ?

Stick to fallang food for a while.

I made myself ill in Singapore eating too much spicy food.

Started eating western food and especially apples and pears and the problem cleared in days.

[elektrified]

MSG for sure....the whole of the Far East cannot function without this crap in their food. Chinese food is utterly tasteless without it.

It is not part of the Western diet. It can totally mess up your body.

I avoid all these "soups" in thailand. The have all manner of wierd stuff in them. Tofu...what the he*l is Tofu ?

The square squidgy burgundy coloured lumps in Thai soup is pigs blood. Square ??? How ?

Stick to fallang food for a while.

I made myself ill in Singapore eating too much spicy food.

Started eating western food and especially apples and pears and the problem cleared in days.

I doubt that will solve his problem.

[spha6092]

MSG for sure....the whole of the Far East cannot function without this crap in their food. Chinese food is utterly tasteless without it.

It is not part of the Western diet. It can totally mess up your body.

I avoid all these "soups" in thailand. The have all manner of wierd stuff in them. Tofu...what the he*l is Tofu ?

The square squidgy burgundy coloured lumps in Thai soup is pigs blood. Square ??? How ?

Stick to fallang food for a while.

I made myself ill in Singapore eating too much spicy food.

Started eating western food and especially apples and pears and the problem cleared in days.

Actually, MSG is a modern Japanese invention and for over ten thousand year the Chinese and the "Far East" has functioned perfectly well without it...properly cooked Chinese food that doesn't use MSG tastes incredible and is not the least bit tasteless!

Pigs blood is square because it is congealed in rectangular containers and then cut up - it is a common source of protein in many parts of Asia, and pigs blood is also eaten in European and South American countries as well, though they eat them in the form of black pudding and black sausages.

But going back to the original post, I've also suffered from MSG-related skin problems here in Thailand and now I avoid eating certain kinds of street food (particularly cheap noodle soups) and my skin has gone back to normal.

[rrose070]

I'm covered in rash right now. Just tried the "heat rash" powder and it did help a bit and was also cooling and refreshing...but I've had chronic dry and sensitive skin since birth, and powder is counterproductive for that...but for the relief it offers, I'm going to stick with it awhile.

[rrose070]

Does anyone else, oh this is so gross and embarrassing, have itchy scabs on their scalp?

[Samuian]

Try to stay cool, "cold" shower, dry your self well, maybe use the "prickly heat" talcum powder, calamine lotion, Anti-Histamines, natural fiber clothing, NO artificial fiber, like Acrylics.. but try to find out what it is...

Reading that so many people from so many different walks of life are effected by this "itchy rash" - anyone ever thought about the massive orange plantations, the fruit orchards in general and the rather free, uncontrolled use of chemicals, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, an-organic fertilizers.... and the geographical location of CMX?

just a thought or two...

[thailandbluegrass]

WOWWWWW Thanx for all the replies. It seems many different people have had similar problems and have done different things.

I cook (and the wife) at home most of the time and always Thai food unless I cook my meat and potatoe meals etc.

I live close to the mountain at 700 year stadium and I think when the hilltribes were burning the forest the smoke was comming into our village and also the fact of the heat.

It has been fairly nice cooler weather the past couple of days and I seem to have no problems now.

I will diagnse this as;

1. I am diabetic
   
2. Heat
   
3. Smoke from fires
   

Thank you for all of the posts and keep em comming as it seems to be giving people different alternatives to a common problem.