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The question that I would like to ask others is, "Does eczema interfere with your sex life?" Perhaps the more prevalent inquiry is, "How can you make sure that your eczema DOES NOT interfere with your love life?" Yes, I know, Love and Sex are not the same thing. But, no one knows like someone with full-body acne, eczema or psoriasis just how important physical appearance in falling in love.
How long can you possibly hide the effects of your eczema from someone you love?
Unfortunately for some, not very long. Here are a few turn offs I have personally run into in the past:
- Scratching Reflex
- Overnight Rashing
- Dry, Flaking Skin
Often, without noticing I scratch or rub my skin while in conversation with others. While this constant fidgeting goes unnoticed by me, sometimes, I am not certain how noticeable it is to other people.
Overnight Rashing
I am not a scientist. I'm a philosopher. My theory is that my case of eczema is highly dictated by the chemical and hormonal levels in my body. I am assuming that cortisol is a primary hormone dictating my outbreaks, but I do not know for certain.
My skin does not usually develop rashes throughout the day, except in extreme breakouts. During lesser, more frequent breakouts, the rashes always develop overnight. I think this has to do with the hormones that are released while one is sleeping amongst other chemical fluctuations.
Regardless, how embarrassing is it to wake up to a different face than the one you went to sleep with?
Dry, Flaking Skin
The largest turn off that I commit, the turn off that I am most embarrassed by, is my dry flaking skin.
During severe break-outs, my skin dries almost immediately after moisturizing and dries out the most during the 8 hours that I sleep. My gift, is a bed full dry flakes of skin. Since scratching is a reflex, there are often tiny red spots where blood has seeped through my very thin skin (due to years, and years of atopic steroids).
Often I try to sweep, the skin from the surface of the bed. That never goes unnoticed.
Clearly, my sex life and dating life are best for the first 6 months after I have received a shot of triamcinalone, during the 3 months that I take oral predisone, or during the one month that I take cephalexin, an antibiotic, in addition to topic steroid creams.
Yet, since my condition is chronic... the rashes do reappear.
Are there any solutions to help the sex-life of an Eczema-Survivor?
...for the Scratching Reflex
- Stay Active: Idle periods often lead to busy hands- scratching!
- While communicating with others: Talk with you hands. This will keep them from scratching your face, your neck, your arms while you are on a date, or simply in conversation.
- While sleeping: Sleep with gloves or mittens on. Seriously. They have socks, gloves and mittens made especially for moisturizing your hands and feet at night. These are perfect for those who develop rashes on their hands and or feet. The gloves should reduce the chance of you scratching in your sleep, or at the very least, reduce the abrasiveness of the rubbing.
...for Night Rashes
- Put on an extra thick emollient before sleeping. During 8 hours of sleep, your skin may still dry out... but it's worth the try
- Be wary of linen, pillow cases and blankets made of itchy or synthetic materials
- Try sleeping with gloves or mittens to reduce irritating skin while sleep
...for Shedding Skin
- Share beds/Sleep with really understanding people -- only. This may very well be a test of how much they love you. Or was it really just about the sex?
- Be wary of linen, pillow cases and blankets made of itchy or synthetic materials
- Try sleeping with gloves or mittens to reduce breaking skin while sleep
I must admit, these aren't the sexiest solutions in the world. But, the person with full-body acne, eczema or psoriasis should probably only be sleeping with men or women who truly know them and love them, anyway.
If night rashes and shedding skin are enough to scare your spouse away, you probably had sex too soon in the relationship.
Love,
Lhea J.
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