5 QUESTIONS WITH: Briana from PREVENTABLE

Nothing beats the Monday blues for me quite like posting a new 5 QUESTIONS WITH. I always come away from them feeling so inspired by our ever-growing skin community along with the strengthening of my belief that absolutely anything is possible. This week I'm featuring someone who probably doesn't need much of an introduction, Briana. I first came across her story last year via her wonderful YouTube videos (here) that sum up everything I felt through my own withdrawal yet manage to retain a humour that is so vital for recovery. Even though she isn't fully healed yet, she looks pretty damn great and I've been 'itching' (forgive me) to talk about her project, PREVENTABLE. PREVENTABLE: Protecting Our Largest Organ will be the first ever documentary to shed light on the overprescription of topical steroids with the hope of spreading awareness and educating others on their effects. As someone who is deeply passionate about spreading awareness for topical steroid addiction and the dangers of topical steroids, I couldn't be more excited about this. To donate to her wonderful project click (here).

Together, we have a real chance to make a difference so without further ado, I'll hand it over to Briana:

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your skin journey.
My name is Briana Banos, but most know me as Briana Wren. I have been withdrawing from all steroids since January 25th, 2015. 

I had used over the counter hydrocortisone throughout life when I needed it, as well as a steroid oil when I was younger (but my mother doesn’t remember the name). The only time I ever used orals was when I started showing signs of Topical Steroid Addiction but had no idea what it was (December/January 2015).

Once I started working on cruise ships in 2011 as a performer, my skin went crazy and instead of figuring out what was wrong with me, my dermatologist threw the kitchen sink at me: an oral antibiotic, an oral antifungal, a topical anti-fungal, Protopic (an immunosuppressant topical), and a class 6 Topical Steroid. I was on and off these drugs for 3.5 years. 

When I stopped using steroids in January 2015, I was already showing signs of Topical Steroid Addiction, which is why I chose to stop. It started on my back, stomach and wrists and quickly spread over my entire body. I was covered by the end of month one, including swollen eyes which lasted for about a month. I went through the cycle of extreme redness, ooze, heavy flaking, intense itch, and sadly hair loss (amongst many other symptoms like blurry vision, skin infections, insomnia, and terrible body temperature regulation). Strictly skin wise, it was so draining from month 1 to month 10. I tried Moisture Withdrawal month 7 and it did not help me. If anything, it was the worst thing I could have tried. I was literally a human scab.

Come month 10, my skin seemed to be taking a break, but unfortunately, once month 11 hit, I had a massive flare that landed me in the hospital. It took me about 2-3 months to recover from that. It sent me right back to the beginning, but I bounced back faster than the first original onset. 

Right now, at 22 months, I am still battling certain areas, but I no longer have to take baths, which I heavily relied on from Month 1- Month 20.

I am still unable to sweat profusely or work out hard. I miss it since I was a performer before I became ill. I hope one day soon I’ll be able to get back into what I love doing. 

2) How did you find out about TSW?
Thank Google! And ITSAN, the International Topical Steroid Addiction Network. Google led me to their site. I can’t even remember what I typed in for it. I believe it was something along the lines of “severe eczema.” At first, I was in denial, but deep down, I knew. I saw some posts and videos from Laura Stageman and was convinced. 

3) Have you found anything that has aided your healing?
Honestly, I don’t know if anything has helped me heal (in the sense of being the solution to this problem), but I heavily relied on Epsom salt baths and different oils in the beginning (like grapeseed, avocado, sunflower). I LOVE Viscopaste and zinc cream, preferably Sudocrem. I lived in extra comfy, big clothes. Taking an antihistamine and anti-anxiety before bed helped with the insomnia. I definitely tried to stay away from lots of sugary foods, but couldn’t help it sometimes. About 2 months ago I started getting my nails done (acrylic) to help with the scratching: they do less damage than regular nails. I also really like Egyptian Magic now and Vaniply. 

4) Sum up TSW in five words.
Extreme suffering that is preventable.

5) What positives, if any, have you found from going through TSW?
I never knew what strength resided in my spirit. This condition literally forces you to dig deep and search for every ounce of tenacity in your bones. You want to give up, on so many levels, but you don’t. You keep fighting and it’s crazy to see how strong you can be through it all. Also, I have been fed a huge spoonful of humility. It’s opened my eyes to what really matters. And lastly, it’s shown me who I can truly count on, the people who will be there through the rough of it with love and encouragement.

Links to her websites and social media:
www.brwren.com
www.preventabledoc.com

Youtube
Briana Banos

Instagram
Preventable_doc
Blackvelvetink

Twitter
@Preventable_doc
@Bri_Wren

Thank you so much Briana and I wish you the best of luck with PREVENTABLE <3

Links to my previous 5 QUESTIONS WITH:
Henni @rawsomesoul (here)
Alice @healthy_healer (here)
Maleeha @TSWHealed (here)
Nina Sloan (here)
Nick @Eczemacism (here)
Stephanie & Isaiah Quinn (here)
Stephanie @TheItchyConundrum (here)
Josh @Redskinrecoverydiary (here)

Sending you all love & healing <3
Cara xxxx

The secret me

Just to warn you in advance, this post isn't about Topical Steroid Withdrawal but another skin journey I have been on that I finally feel comfortable sharing. I hope you will bear with me as even the thought of writing about this part of my life and knowing others will be aware of what I have done is terrifying but I feel in order to really get to a place where it doesn't control my life anymore, I've got to get it out in the open.

For well over sixteen years I have suffered with the conditions Trichotillomania (a compulsion to pull out your hair) and Dermatillomania (a compulsion to pick your skin). They are both classed as a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB) which 'is an umbrella name for impulse control behaviors involving compulsively damaging one's physical appearance or causing physical injury' (ta Wiki). To me they have always been one and the same thing that I have put under the bracket of 'picking' although I would say that my Trichotillomania has always been in a completely new league to the Dermatillomania as I have done the most damage to my skin when it has involved getting a hair out, if that makes sense ... but I've had my moments. Trichotillomania is most commonly associated with pulling out the hair on your head but that has never been something I've ever had the slightest compulsion to do - my problem areas have been the face and body. Over the years it has ranged from ok to severe but even in the better times, there was never a period where I felt free from it and in over sixteen years, there wasn't a day that went by where I didn't pull hair out. Until Friday 7th October 2016. On that day, at exactly 2.24pm, after years spent making empty promises, I knew the time had finally come to let go of this part of my life.

However that wasn't some magical resolution, all it meant was that I had finally made a decision I was going to stick with no matter what as deep down, I knew it was now or never. It hasn't been easy, far from it. With Topical Steroid Withdrawal it was somewhat out of my hands - I didn't use steroid cream so BAM, all these awful symptoms happened and yes, it was of course harder than anything I had ever expeienced in my life but the process in a way was simple: don't use steroid cream and you'll eventually get better - ah cool. Beating Trichotillomania on the other hand is a new beast entirely; it is trying to overcome this ingrained compulsion that has been a huge part of my existence for well over half my life. For me, it's primarily a habitual thing but in the past it's also been my stress relief, a dear friend, my worst enemy and my drug. It came into my life at a time I was my unhappiest: secondary school. A place I was made to feel worthless and along came Trichotillomania that offered this confused teenage girl some control. Pull hairs out and everything will be ok again.

My twenties have been somewhat strange. When others my age were out having a FABULOUS time, I was locked in the bathroom picking my legs until they were red raw - and I'm not even throwing in the curveball of TSW. I feel as a generation we are constantly bombarded with everyone's perfect lives and as a twenty-something woman living now, I feel like there is this overwhelming pressure to have an incredible life filled with experiences that I'm meant to remember forever and countless holidays taking photos of my thin, bronzed hot dog legs. Life is not like that. It's wonderful and it's strange and raw and all these extremes but those images of people's perfect lives are not real.

The photo I have included with this post is a big deal for me. It was taken this morning straight after shaving with a razor. Sounds stupid I know but the idea of even taking a photo like this has felt at times as likely as riding a unicorn over a rainbow. Somehow it has now become my reality and it feels extraordinary.

I definitely wouldn't say I'm cured of my Trichotillomania, it has been more a journey to attain a kind of freedom I have craved so badly for years. Really, the journey started over three years ago when I stopped using topical steroids. My dependence on those drugs left me feeling trapped and after a long battle, I came through the other side with healthy skin and a kind of freedom I'd never had in my life and it was only for going through TSW that I knew I had the strength to free myself from this final captor, Trichotillomania. As of this moment, there is not a single scab on my skin. I have some scars but I can live with that - we all have them, whether they are visible or trapped in your mind. So here is yet another thing I have to thank TSW for.

Apart from my Mum, cousin and two of my closest friends, I have kept my Trichotillomania a secret because it has always felt to me like this dirty thing, something to be ashamed of - until recently, when I realised it's just a part of who I am - or was, at least I hope so anyway. I wrote a diary of my Trichotillomania journey, something I wish I had done with TSW and I am amazed in such a short space of time how I have changed. You start working on your mind, and the rest follows.

My hope in talking about this is that no matter what you might be going through, you are not alone - we all have these parts of us that we are scared to share for fear of rejection or ridicule. We worry that our faults make us weak when in reality, they only make us stronger.

Here's to celebrating our flaws and growing from them <3

Cara xxxx

5 QUESTIONS WITH: Josh from Redskinrecoverydiary

It's Monday and that means it's time for another 5 QUESTIONS WITH featuring Josh who runs the blog redskinrecoverydiary (here) and the brilliant YouTube channel (here). I'm not going to lie, I slightly fangirled when Josh agreed to feature on my blog. Like Nina who I interviewed a while ago (here), he is a total skin hero of mine. When I started TSW back in 2013, to put it bluntly there was a general bleakness surrounding our condition - I'd go on the ITSAN forum and leave totally depressed. Back then, it was pretty scary as you were mostly going on blind faith that you were doing the right thing so when you add on top of that all the suffering I was reading about daily, it was hard to stay resolute. Everything changed when I discovered Josh's YouTube channel and when I say I am grateful for his videos, it's the understatement of the century. Amidst the sea of doom and gloom that at times felt like it was drowning me, Josh offered a refreshing alternative with his positive, chilled out attitude - he made it seem that even though he was suffering badly, it was no big deal and it would all sort itself out in the end, which it did. Every single day I suffered I would watch his videos that document his entire journey back to health and I don't think I could ever thank him enough. I will never forget the extraordinary impact his videos and blog had on my withdrawal and in part, I think that is why I have continued to document my recovery as I know how important it is to see that there is an end to all this madness.

All photos featured in this post are taken from his fantastic blog http://redskinrecoverydiary.blogspot.co.uk/ with kind permission from Josh. *Squeals with excitement* I'll hand it over to Josh:

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your skin journey.
I'm a really active, outgoing guy. I've always had a great life, love people and love being around them. My skin was fine, no skin issues at all, right up until I was about 16. Then some red rashes appeared before a big hockey game and a doctor prescribed cortisone tablets. I didn't realise, but eczema started to appear for the first time. I went to dermatologists and they gave me cortisone tubes. I wasn't using much at all, maybe a thumb full every month or so, but this increased over time. Over time I used more and more of it and the redness kept coming back bigger and worse... but slowly, I didn't notice it was getting worse.

As it got worse and worse I started visiting more and more dermatologists, always getting the same advice. They kept telling me cortisone was the solution and to use lots of it, get it under control, then take precautions like cold showers etc. It got to the point where my arms were constantly red... bright red. My face would go flushed at the drop of a hat, even smelling booze would make me go BRIGHT red. At this stage I was uncomfortable as hell. I wouldn't go swimming, or drink alcohol or anything that would irritate it, but I wasn't going to give up sport. I used to play football on Saturday and my skin was so weak I would come back covered in deep bruises and bright red inflammation. I would then put a whole tube of cortisone on me, and lay in bed for a few hours. This inflammation robbed me of energy and left me constantly tired.

2) How did you find out about TSW?

One day, after years of Googling for answers, and asking dermatologists if there were alternative treatments (food etc.), it all changed.  I found a Google Images picture of a man's arm, and it was bright red, just like mine. I followed the link and found TSW. This led me to find research in the area, and a small group of people who had all gone off it cold turkey. Now I had passion. I spent hundreds of hours finding others who were going through this. At this time there was very little information out there... but I found it. I was 100% convinced this was me, and immediately decided to get off the cortisone.

*Josh in month 3 of withdrawal*

Immediately after quitting cortisone my body started falling apart. What pleased me about this, was it was congruent with everyone else I had read about. It convinced me, I had finally found the answer. I was lucky to meet Jake & Libby. Jake had been recovering for over a year before I started. They lived nearby and drove to my house immediately to meet me. They were the extra support I needed (on top of my amazing parents) to convince me to stay the course.

3) Did you find that anything aided your healing?

The things that aided healing were: vitamin D tablets, Cod Liver Oil, Sunlight (in moderation), and avoiding sugar.

*Josh at the end of month 11*

4) Sum up TSW in five words.

Profound reinvention. Getting myself back!

5) What positives, if any, have you found from going through TSW?

I'm probably the odd one out, but this recovery helped me so much. It gave me time to focus internally, think about my life and what I wanted to get out of it. When I was recovered I got life back and made the most of it.

Since recovering I've taken chances I wouldn't have before. I'm currently travelling the world (been gone 7 months), done all these amazing things, met amazing people. My life is now 100 times healthier. I don't eat sugar, have learned tonnes about nutrition and that most people don't know what is truly healthy. I've also challenged myself to get the most out of life. The next 3 months I'm living on a tropical island in Mexico. It's stunning here, and I don't feel a compulsion to go back to the rat race. My perspective on the world has changed. Finally, my strength, power and flexibility has improved out of sight. My golf game now hits the ball 30 yards further. My running has improved and much more.


For his wonderful videos, click (here) and for his blog click (here).

Thank you so much Josh for all you have done but I swear I'll stop being gushy now. Marry me?

If there are people within our community that inspire you that you'd like to see interviewed, I'd love to know. This series has really compounded the love I feel for our ever-growing community and I hope it shows that there really is light at the end of the tunnel.

Links to my previous 5 QUESTIONS WITH:
Henni @rawsomesoul (here)
Alice @healthy_healer (here)
Maleeha @TSWHealed (here)
Nina Sloan (here)
Nick @Eczemacism (here)
Stephanie & Isaiah Quinn (here)
Stephanie @TheItchyConundrum (here)

Love to you all out there
Cara xxxx

5 QUESTIONS WITH: Stephanie from TheItchyConundrum

It's time for another 5 QUESTIONS WITH featuring Stephanie who runs the fantastic Instagram account TheItchyConundrum (here). Stephanie is someone I have gotten to know via our amazing skin community on Instagram and while she may not have gone through withdrawal per se, she has battled severe eczema and has also had some experience with topical steroids and immunosuppressants too. I have wanted to feature her story ever since I met her this year at our (FABULOUS) TSW meetup in late September as I couldn't believe how lovely her skin was. Her Instagram is packed with healthy, skin-friendly meals (that have definitely given me many moments of food-induced envy) and also offers really helpful advice on beauty products that are kind to sensitive skin. I've leant a lot from her page and I'd highly recommend checking it out so without further ado, I'll hand it over to Stephanie:

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your skin journey. 
Hi Cara! Thanks so much for having me on your blog! I have had eczema my whole life, starting from 6 months old. Mum tried a lot of alternatives to steroids: homeopathy, natural creams, etc. Back in the early 90’s there wasn’t as much choice as we have nowadays in alternative medicine. Nothing really worked and I was a very ill child – chronic ear infections, croup, constant nose bleeds, bad allergies - basically a ‘sickly’ child. Mum ended up using very mild hydrocortisone for my eczema and we coped but I think it was really tough for my parents. 

When I was 7 my parents and I moved to Florida in the states for 5 years. I had absolutely NO eczema when we lived there. My lifestyle was very outdoors – we went to the beach often, I swam a lot, played softball and the humid weather just worked wonders for me.  

When I was 13 we had to move back to the UK. I ended up going to a very traditional all girl’s boarding school; a complete shock to my then very ‘American’ child’s mind. The boarding school was typical - old buildings, dusty carpets, bitterly cold weather, strict rules and I struggled to settle in. My eczema came back with a VENGEANCE! I again had to use steroids on my hands and face and was nicknamed “cream girl” because of all the tubes of moisturiser I carried. When I was 15 I started getting bouts of impetigo (skin infections) around my mouth and in my nose. This was the start of the never-ending skin infections to come.

2) Tell us about your experience with topical steroids and immunosuppressants.
So I have already mentioned I only used weak hydrocortisone, which lasted until I was about 22. I never used potent creams, like Betnovate, despite doctors always trying to prescribe them. I am so thankful I made this choice as I think it was a big help in coming off steroids. Since age 22 I have been prescribed immunosuppressant creams (Protopic, which I used for about 2 weeks), a course of oral steroid tablets which I took for one week, antifungal creams like Fucidin and many, many, many courses of antibiotics for skin infections. It was getting worse and worse and my dependency on this cocktail of creams and pills was becoming a major issue. When I was 24 I couldn’t cope anymore. My face skin was weak and thin, my health was absolutely awful and I was becoming very unhappy and teetering on the edge of depression. I could get the face eczema to sort of die down through use of vaious creams but the skin was so incredibly weak that I always got infections and painful blisters and swelling of my eyes and lips. I also have developed a lot of new allergies over the past 5 years, which I really attribute to the dependency to all of these creams and pills.

3) When did you decide to heal yourself naturally through food and how long did it take to notice a difference?
When I was 24 I moved back from a gap year in Australia with my boyfriend. I had hoped the sunshine and outdoor lifestyle would help but I was really ill throughout that year and came home worse than before. Recently inspired by reading a book called ‘The Eczema Diet’, by Karen Fischer, I decided to change my diet to see if this helped. I lessened my use of steroid creams but didn’t cut them out completely. Living in London I tried to help myself heal with diets like the ‘Autoimmune Paleo Protocol’ or the GAPS introduction diet. I never stuck to anything fully and was still getting chronic skin infections and missing a lot of time off work. It felt too much to do it all alone and I was really spiralling by this point. 

In April 2015 I found a nutritionist who specialised in GAPS and we came up with a “tailor-made” diet that I followed for almost a year. I also came off steroids almost completely (I have only used hydrocortisone 1% twice since then). My diet was: no nuts, no dairy, no grains, no eggs, no gluten, low sugar, low fodmap, no nightshades. It was mental. 

My skin did calm slightly but it was still VERY up and down and I still went through painful flare up moments. The nutritionist always seemed perplexed when she saw me. In my year seeing her I lost 2 stone in weight (a lot for a petite person who wasn’t overweight to start with) and although my skin was calming I struggled with nearly developing an eating disorder because I was so paranoid that any food might make my skin flare. I had chronic panic attacks from the stress. In March 2016 I ended up not getting out of bed for a month with a flare all over my face, neck and back after taking a course of strong antibiotics. My nutritionist told me that I was a “very difficult case” and she basically distanced herself from me at that point and I was left feeling alone again and back at square one. 

I found a new holistic specialist quite quickly through word of mouth recommendation and am still seeing her today. She is a medical herbalist (and a magician in my mind). I have seen more of a change in my skin, digestion, energy and overall wellbeing in these past 7 months than ever before. I take a herbal mixture twice daily along with some specific supplements and she also gives me dietary recommendations. I stick to a paleo diet with the occasional gin and tonic when I can manage it! I stick to a low sugar diet but am nowhere near as restricted as before. Blood tests have shown me that my main allergies are dust, dust mites, pollens, cat hair and skin and animal dander… NOT FOOD. Hallelujah! My skin isn’t perfect. Right now as I type this I have a mini flare on my hands and acne around my jaw and cheek but oh my god is it a million times better than before, I am so thankful I could change things around while I am still fairly young.

4) Sum up your skin journey in 5 words.
A lifelong yet uphill battle. 

5) What positives have you found from your whole skin journey?
There are many positives I think. I think I am a fairly empathetic and non-judgemental person (not to toot my own horn!). By this I mean that I will never, ever, judge anybody from their appearance. I know from experience how emotionally painful it can be to look someone in the eyes when yours are so swollen and itchy that you can barely keep them open. I always try to consider what a person’s story is before resorting to judgement or mockery. We are all really struggling at times whether it is evident on our surface or hidden underneath. 

I have also had the absolute pleasure and joy of meeting the wonderful people in the TSW community on Instagram both online and in real life. Everyone is kind and loving and caring towards each other and I think it is proof that these hard times do mould us into good people, even though the hardest of times are undeserved. 

To follow her her fabulous Instagram, click (here).

Thank you so much Stephanie for sharing your story with me <3

Links to my previous 5 QUESTIONS WITH:
Henni @rawsomesoul (here)
Alice @healthy_healer (here)
Maleeha @TSWHealed (here)
Nina Sloan (here)
Nick @Eczemacism (here)
Stephanie & Isaiah Quinn (here)

Love & hugs <3
Cara xxxx

My Topical Steroid Withdrawal update – Month 41

Another month has passed (please remind me how it's November already?!) and as per, I have my monthly update for you. I'm not sure how long I should keep these posts going - maybe until any problems I experience cease to exist but really, the issues I face now are so small and most people in the world have random skin problems anyway. I think I'll carry on for the next couple of months then review it early next year but please let me know what you would like me to do. My skin this month has been wonderful. I say that like it's something new when really, apart from the odd blip with my hands, it's been like that since I got better in August last year. I will add that over time I have noticed both the quality and strength of my skin is improving. It's surreal. Will I ever get used to this?! GAH! You accept your skin is bad for so long that when it isn't, it takes a long time to sink in. I will never stop being grateful for this experience. When I thought I had 'incurable' eczema, for years there was this awful sinking feeling of resignation. Topical steroids and immunosuppressants were going to be part of my life forever and I just had to deal with it. It's been a wonderful month for me personally too and I don't think I have ever felt happier, especially after a few really tough months. I've been working hard on myself and also trying to once and for all deal with something that I have lived with (secretly) for over sixteen years. I do want to talk about it properly soon but I don't think I'm ready to just yet. The only thing I will say about it is that if I can get to a point where it doesn't control my life, I will truly feel free. Sorry for the ramble guys! I have a few things I want to talk about but like I said, they are all minor.

• For a while I had some dry spots dotted over the top half of my legs. It was such a small issue that I didn't feel it was even worth mentioning in my last update post but on Thursday 6th October 2016 I noticed there were a few more and a couple of small rashes too (pictured below). I totally forgot about this until recently but the same thing happened last year - around December/January time to a more severe degree. After a while they just cleared up and haven't returned until now. This time I think they might be more to do with the fact that I don't use any moisturiser and I have worn mostly jeans and close-fitting trousers so my skin hasn't had a chance to really breathe. In a week or so I am going to try dry body brushing and if that doesn't help, I'll give exfoliating a go - very gently though. The rashes cleared up quickly and over the last month the dry spots have been coming and going. I'll keep you posted on their progress.
• On Saturday 8th October 2016, late morning/early afternoon time, I had the awful (all too familiar) feeling of thousands of bugs crawling over my face and scalp followed by horrible nerve zaps on my skin generally. I only get this very rarely now but when I do, I always forget how bad it feels. It went after a few hours though and at no point was there any sign that anything was going on with my skin if you looked at me. It's just my body repairing itself after the damage that topical steroids have inflicted and I'm totally cool with that. To be honest, I find it all quite amazing how the skin can heal the way it has.
• On Thursday 13th October 2016 I started feeling like I was getting a bit of a cold - only minor symptoms like a sore throat and tickly cough. In the evening my skin felt irritated and my lips were so sore. You couldn't see anything that suggested there was even the hint of a problem though. Maybe it's because my symptoms are so weak now that they don't show?
• On Saturday 22nd October 2016 I couldn't sleep. Amongst other things, my skin felt so irritated. Not irritated enough to actually scratch it - it was more like a tingle. I woke up the next morning feeling just as irritated. On Saturday I had had a lot of white flour over the day (something I don't have much of) including some scones. I don't know if I have mentioned this before but I think there is an ingredient that they add to certain supermarket prepackaged bakery items - like those scotch pancakes and other sweeter baked goods - that give me a reaction. Not 100% sure on this though and need to do some more digging. Once more, absolutely nothing showed on my skin. It felt completely unrelated to TSW too and more of an allergy. Plus it was a TOTALLY different sensation to the deep bone itch that you get with TSW. The feeling gradually subsided over the day on Sunday and by Monday it was gone.
• On the evening of Monday 24th October 2016 there was a tiny spot on my right hand, just below the knuckle of my right thumb. It had a head on it, which I squeezed and afterwards a very small area around it felt itchy but not enough to cave in and scratch. The itch went the following day but the patch of skin around it was a slightly different texture. I mean, it was so minute that my camera wasn't able to pick anything up, it's only really me that would notice anything was different but on Monday 31st October 2016 the area became irritated again. There was almost a shadow of red on my skin where the irritation was but again it was too faint to take a photo of. I didn't scratch it but I put my hand on cool things which felt A-MA-ZING and completely killed the itch. The itch returned mildly on the evening of Friday 4th November 2016 but was gone again this morning. I included a photo of my hand that I took just now so you can see exactly how little it has affected the area.
• On the evening of Thursday 3rd November 2016 I had really sore lips that were also very dry. The following morning it was like nothing had happened but later on in the day, they felt dry again. They are much better this morning and there is only a bit of noticeable dryness (photo included below). For the last few days I've felt like I have been getting a cold that's never materialised and that is when I find my lips are affected.  

Remember each month that passes is another month closer to getting better <3
Hugs
Cara xxxx