Reaction to Lotion

[jbrickman]

i have dry cold air where i live. my skin gets super dry.
when i apply lotion (vaseline or lubriderm) to it, all of my lesions sting and get really red.

is this a normal reaction to moisturizing your skin or am i possibly having a bad reaction to lotion?

thank you
jbrickman

[KatieScarlett]

Have you tried Keri? That's my favorite winter lotion--it's very thick but it feels great. I use Curel in the summer.

I can't speak to the vaseline--I know a lot of docs recommend it for psoriasis patients when their skin gets peely & dry--but Lubriderm does have some kind of medication in it that might make those raw psoriasis spots sting.

[LottieBay]

Both Ucerin and Aveeno and maybe some others have lotions out now that they call "Calming Cream" they are for sore itchy irritated skin. I've tried the Ucerin and it worked very well.
When I moisturise dry psoriasis skin it looks red and angry and puffed up. The NBUVB adds to the sensitivity and discomfort while its doing it's healing.
Try the calming cream or Ucerin Itch Spray they both really help.

[eyetooth7]

You should try lotion with lidocaine as an ingredient. Neutrogena and A&D make some pretty good ointments. Check your local Wal-Mart or Target in the pharmacy, not the lotions. The A&D ointment is usually in the band-aid section, while the Neutrogena, can only be found online (Amazon, Drugstore, etc.). They're a little pricey but the addition of lidocaine to the lotion really takes the sting out of the application. 2% lidocaine is usually the standard. Hope this helps.

[nesielheum]

i have dry cold air where i live. my skin gets super dry.
when i apply lotion (vaseline or lubriderm) to it, all of my lesions sting and get really red.

is this a normal reaction to moisturizing your skin or am i possibly having a bad reaction to lotion?

thank you
jbrickmanHi jbrickman,
I have experienced similar stinging when applying certain lotions and salves to my skin including skin-so-soft products, some nivea products and an assortment of other lotions and moisturizers. One that has never burned or stung is eucerin creme "original." It is a bit thick, but did a good job keeping my skin moist. Typically I would apply immediatley, while my skin was still wet, following a shower or bath.
Good luck finding the product that works best for you.

[Dulane]

I may have already mentioned this to you, but I used Haines peanut oil when I had alot of area to cover. It only stung when I didn't use it. A quart costs around $8 and it lasted me for 6 months, applied 2-3 times each day. Make sure you get the cold expeller pressed variety.

It doesn't sink in quickly tho. My DH also has dry skin. He mixes A&D with the less spendy lotions (while he's applying it) and says the A&D sinks into his skin quicker when he does.

Virgin coconut oil shouldn't sting and is very good for the skin.

We also keep the Original Eucerine around...but we mainly use it on our faces, cause its spendy.

Obviously...as in the recently survey...people with P typically have up to 10 different kinds of moisturizer or lotion on hand. I have shea butter out in my glove box too.

[twinieten]

My son sometimes complains of stinging even when he doesn't have open sores. I haven't noticed his skin or lesions turning redder, though. It's not consistent, so I don't thinks it's a reaction. Sometimes it seems to happen when another layer of skin has recently come off (or was picked off), so maybe his skin is just more sensetive at those times.

I picked up a sample of Hylira from the derm last week, a lotion heavy on sodium hyaluronate. It works quite well, and my skin feels moisturized for hours after using it, even after frequent hand washing! I will use the Hylira and follow it with a barrier lotion sometimes. I got it for my son, but of course I tried it on myself to see what it's like. :p I just need something for him that'll last, so when he's at school I don't have to worry about him moistuizing as much. I'm constantly putting lotion on him at home. I just called to get a prescription.

[jbrickman]

thank you all for your anecdotes. i've concluded based on the info you've given me that applying lotion is not causing a bad reaction or making my psoriasis worse.

i guess the air is so dry here it just kind of goes into shock a bit. perhaps when i run out of this lubriderm i'll give the products you suggested a try.

thanks again
-jbrickman

[Allie]

I have found if the lotion has any alcohol in it, I can feel stinging. I generally only use 100% shea products, as they do not make me sting. Most recently, I have found applying baby oil gel in the shower to be most effective for keeping my skin hydrated. Hydrated skin *should* equal less sting when applying moisturizer.

[jjmesser]

I liked Aquaphor in the winter, applied just after showering, and then whenever I needed it throughout the day. Usually kept my skin from cracking, and I found it soothing.

Jody

[NL]

I can relate with the dry cold air--winters are great in MN. I am an advocate of Bag Balm. It stinks, it's greasy, it's messy but it keeps my skin moist better than anything else and it's inexpensive. I also like Lay it on Thick from Bath & Body.

[sergecosta]

Check with your dermatologist's office about this. I remember a while back I used Vaseline. I complained to the nurse at the derm's office that Vaseline was inflaming my facial psoriatic lesions and seemed to burn. I remember her telling me explicitly that there were some with alpha-hydroxy acids. I was so disgusted with the experience that I never even bothered to go find the one without it and never used Vaseline again. For that matter, any kind of moisturizer. It was one after the other, worse and worse. Frightful days they were!