Safer Alternatives Than Topical Steroids

I get asked often what is a safer way to comfort TSW, eczema and other dry itchy skin issues rather than over the counter or prescribed steroids. I'm very aware that nothing outside of topical steroids will "magically clear" TSW (Topical Steroid Withdrawal) skin. Any claims from a product company, stating it will clear up eczema, TSW, psoriasis etc. quickly? Not true. If one uses something that does do that, be very diligent to find out the exact ingredients and even have a lab test them, as I've seen it all too often in the TSW support groups. Many TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) topicals have been promoted as miracle creams only to be lab tested with results of topical steroids in the ingredients.

 Yes, it's sad that anyone would take advantage of others who are suffering but greed seems to cloud people's sense of compassion and kindness in this vast and diverse world. For me, I used lots of white palm oil for moisturizing my dry, cracked TSW skin. I had tried coconut oil which made me itchier but some people really like it. I also tried other favorites such as good old vaseline, Aquaphor, Eucerin, aloe vera, shea butter, beeswax products, olive oil and even yogurt on my crying skin but for me, the white palm oil was received the best from my skin and it was in large enough amounts that it lasted me a while. 

Here is a pic of the one I bought at a local supermarket and back in 2011 it was $5.99 but price now ranges from $8.39 and higher depending on where you get it. The price of course was much better back then, but it's one ingredient and caused no discomfort to my skin. I made sure to always have clean hands or vinyl gloves on when using a tongue depressor stick to remove it from the container so as not to get staph and other bacteria mised into the new oil.

There are also some sponsor products on the ITSAN website that I have not tried but have read good things about them from some TSW folks. These are the ingredients for Balmonds Skin Salvation which seem to be helpful for some. The Cannabis Sativa may indeed help the crazy itch of TSW and that alone is a comfort! 

Here is one testimony of a mother of a TSW infant who is pleased with this safe cream for his topical steroid inflamed skin. He is now on the road to healing with some kind of comfort.

 List of Balmond's ingedients below. Olea Europaea (olive) fruit oil* Cera Alba (beeswax) Carthamus Tinctorius (safflower) seed oil* Cannabis Sativa (hemp) seed oil* Aqua and alcohol (from tinctures) Calendula Officinalis (calendula) flower extract** Chamomilla Recutita (chamomile) flower extract* Stellaria Media (chickweed) extract** Urtica Dioica (nettle) extract** *organic ingredients. **biodynamic ingredients. 100% biodegradable raw materials As a product made from natural ingredients such as flowers and seeds, this product can be subject to slight variations of scent and color. This is perfectly normal and doesn’t affect quality. 

Be very aware that skin may like something and later on, dislike something or everything or vice versa. At times in the later stages, skin may prefer nothing as mine did in the final stage of recovery, my third year. I stopped all ointments but still used old fashione oatmeal in a nylon sock for every bath as it made a very creamy, milky bathwater that greatly soothed my skin and kept the itch down somewhat. 

Everyone is different and every time frame for healing is different. Setbacks are common and others trying to predict fellow TSW sufferers method of comfort and healing is a big no no. We all walk this road together as overcomers but we are all indvidually designed and need to remember that in every stage of TSW, no matter how long it takes. I'm forever thankful and indebted to ITSAN.org for their contiuous surge forward to help the suffering, preven topical steroid withdrawal, educate the medical field and fulfil the dream of ending TSW!