No Bubbles

The two most awful words to the ears of a beauty junkie.  No bubbles.

They screech, cutting you to your very core.  The horror.  THE HORROR.

A couple of weeks back, I noticed a little red round patch on my arm.  Nothing major, not itchy or weeping or anything grim.  Just a little red patch.

Then a couple of days later another one.  A bit further up on that arm.  At intervals, cue repeats on my thigh, my chest, back, calf, hip.  Some of them are a bit itchy.  Blech.

Last week I decided I'd best make myself a doctors appointment as it was definitely getting worse.  Earliest the one who specialises in the skin stuff could see me was today, at the surgery in the "group" that is the furthest from my house.  1.9 miles walking, according to Google Maps.

All weekend, I scoured the internet trying to self-diagnose, which we all know is a fools game.  Eventually I came to what I felt was the only logical conclusion.  It was Ringworm and it was obviously the cat's fault.  She hates me anyway, so why not infect me with hideous fungus?  Smug little sod.*

Turns out, I am not fungal.  Its eczema.  This brings both good and bad news.

Good news - I am not fungal.  Always nice to know.

Bad news - No bubbles.

By that, I mean that the doctor has advised that I use no perfumed products or bath/shower doo-dahs that lather until this is all sorted.

Its likely to be caused by a cold weather/central heating combo, mixed with my love for baths so hot you could cook food in them and a good dose of stress thrown in for seasoning. 

I've now got all sorts of new but boringly packaged, un-sexy smelling products to use.  E45.  Doublebase Gel.  Some sort of steroid cream just in case the itching gets unbearable.  And no more scalding hot baths.  I'm allowed short, warm showers.  Lucky me.  Just what you crave after a long day at work "Oooh yes, I'll have a quick splash in some lukewarm water for 30 seconds".  Great.

I'm torn between my love for soaking in a hot bubbly tub and my vanity i.e. knowing that to not look like a plague victim I have to take the advice.  Okay, I exaggerate.  I don't look like a plague victim.  children are not singing Ring a Ring o' Roses at me as I walk down the street** but I feel SO unattractive. 

I'll try to be good.  I switched from a daily shower/bath routine to a shower only routinue before when I had my tattoo done.  Although that was in late summer/early autumn so I felt less of a need to surround myself with a warm cocoon. 

As a plus point for friends and colleagues, I'll be going through my huge box of bath and shower goodies and handing out some castoffs.  I may alternatively open a branch of Boots.  I do believe I have enough stock to last until sometime in mid-February.

What I find most interesting slightly appalling is that the stress of one thing or another at work has had me feeling run down for ages.  It is only now that I'm showing physical/cosmetic signs of stress that my vanity kicks in and goes "Oi! You'd best do somethng about this.  You're starting to look a bit rough".  Am I really so shallow that my appearance is a stronger motivator than my health?

I'm not going to answer that.  You can draw your own conclusions.  The only hint I'll give you is that I will be redirecting my bath/body product fund into expanding my makeup collection.

* I apologised today.  I picked her up and hugged her and she looked more unimpressed at that than at the accusation.

** Did you spot the deliberate mistake here?  I know, I know.  Its nothing to do with the plague.  All a myth.  I was just testing.

Comments

[rashbre]

Wasn't wearing lucky charms a cure for the plague?

Maybe a shiny bangle or two would aid your swift recovery?

Wishing you good health...

[Dena]

Online self-diagnosis: I suddenly developed a distended belly (I weighed my normal 96 pounds) and spent a good three months holding my left side in pain. The docs swore I needed a colonoscopy until I argued the possibility of an ovarian cyst. WebMD, baby!!

3 months those fools made me suffer - the cyst finally ruptured at 4 months. Sadly, the discomfort and eventual pain are not what forced me to see the doc to begin with - it was that my distended belly made me look pregnant. My body accepted the cyst as though I was. Not wanting to look pregnant is what got me to the doc.

Damn, this is long and probably TMI, but maybe that's why physical symptoms exist - because we wouldn't react otherwise. You're not shallow, I think it's normal.

[Roses]

Awww...honey. Unfortunately, I know how you feel.

I can't have lovely smelly baths with bubbles either. I get thrush. It doesn't go away easily.

If I have a bath I have aqueous cream (from Boots, only from Boots). Which is as sexy as thermal underwear.

It's probably why I have a thang about fragrance. I can apply that liberally.

Follow the doctor's orders and it should get better soon. Then spend a hideous amount of money on Laura Mercier bath stuff. Because they use the best ingredients, it shouldn't aggravate your skin.

[ellie]

Oh, no.

I 'lube up' (Man's word for moisturise) after every shower. And have to be careful what lotions I use. (Lubriderm from America is the safest).

I get itchy if I use the wrong product. I'm not extremely limited, but if I do happen across that one wrong product... arrg it's hell.

Best of luck and you'll be in the bath again soon(ish). xx

[Beth]

Rashbre - Thank you. That is a very good idea. If I have any disposable income left over after my present buying is done, I shall indulge in something shiny.

Dena - That sounds like a horrible ordeal, but I like your logic. I guess we all go through phases of feeling shitty without actually having anything wrong, so the physical symptom has to be there.

Roses - I was sniffing the LM Pistachio bath goodies when I was in John Lewis recently and they're just gorgeous. I also quite fancy some of the Elemis Milk Bath but to be honest at £30 - £40 a go I'll have to quietly wait for a lottery win and stick with E45 in the mean time.

Ellie - Thank you. I think in part this is my own fault as I've tended to be a bit lax with my body moisturising. Now, I'm slathering on all sorts of things at the moment. None of them perfumed so hopefully I'll be bath to my old smooth self soon. xx

[John]

Central heating is a killer to the skin, someone seriously needs to invent some kind of moisture heating device.

[Deb]

We had to stop using bubbles, bath salts, and all luxurious water products for the same reason. The horror, indeed!

[HereInFranklin]

First of all, I hate Dena. 96 pounds?

Second...when I was sick and bald, I gave away all my hair products...several hundred dollars worth, I'm sure. I could go for a bubble bath about now. Maybe I'll get some yummy products for Christmas.

[Beth]

John - I agree. All the crap they manage to come up with, there must be some solution!

Deb - It probably sounds desperately shallow, but it was something I enjoyed so much.

HIF - I hope you do, there are some delicious hair goodies out there. I'm not sure if its available in the US but I highly recommend TIGI Bed Head Shine Spray. Smells DIVINE!