- Nexcare Max Hold Waterproof band-aids
- Dove Invisible Dry Spray Sheer Fresh Antiperspirant
- Dove sensitive & Dove Renewing Body Wash with Peony and Rose Oil
- EOS 24-hour Moisture Body Lotion Vanilla Cashmere {repeat from July} still in love
- Extra Strength Antacid Assorted Berry Chewable tablets (the Target brand)
- Torrid Tees and Shorts Have become my favorite thing to wear:
This month’s favorites are about keeping you cool, and comfortable while smelling great. Oh, and setting that summer tummy issues straight …
I want to talk a little about Nexcare Bandages. I have Hidradenitis Suppurativa, commonly called HS. For me HS although undiagnosed started when I was 8. I would get terrible boils in my groin area and occasional one down my side. Around 11 the blackheads and acne-looking bumps began as well. My sides, back of my legs, and inner thighs were all affected. I could not wear a bra – I’d have to wear big oversized tees and sweatshirts. Early on I was super obsessed with how bad the boils rupturing could smell. I would stay home for days with tape bandages on my groin in places. Thankfully it didn’t end up with a lot of scarring from those early days. HS was one of the reasons I became OCD with being clean – which would end me up in the mental hospital. I felt dirty. My doctors kept telling me to wash better and use different soaps and that being fat was a reason for having these issues. Back then Lever 2000 was a favorite amongst doctors but it was drying out my skin and making it all the more infected. I suffered. I thought I was a freak. I hated my body. I hated that my mom did not stand up for me and tell them how clean I actually was.
Fast forward to my early 20’s I found a community online in yahoo 360 where I first found public blogging to be a healing process. I found others who had these same issues and eventually we found the words Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Back then there was so little information. I still think there isn’t enough, but back then because I didn’t have the severe version of HS and leaned toward the more blackhead acne side I was told no you don’t have HS. But there were a few people who took me under their wing and we researched. Fast forward to an actual doctor in NY in my 30’s looking at me and saying you have a condition that is called Hidradenitis Suppurativa, HS for short, and the bad news is there is no cure but we can treat and hopefully help it. Well let me tell you what they know and what they have given me and over half the community of HS suffers, it doesn’t work too well after a while.
So here is my routine — Blackheads can’t be stopped. I have washed with every formula of skincare and soaps. Nothing is a helper of the blackheads. The acne part is easier to keep at bay. Washing really well using a bath brush helps a lot. I like to do the HOT water spray till the end and do a cold-water rinse. Now, this next part is what I do. PLEASE NOTE I AM NOT SUGGESTING YOU TRY IT. JUST LETTING YOU KNOW MY STEPS. I pop the acne spots. Most of these show down my side in my bra area/ in my armpit area. They normally do not scar unless I let them get too big and pop it too late. I don’t normally ever let that happen. This next part is the nasty ugly part – the boil/ cyst. The thing about them is they like to show up in a snap. Some you can’t catch but for the most part you’re fine and the next thing you know you’re leaking gross-smelling goo. Over the years with a lot of trial and error I have found a semi-solution.
I have recurring boils/inflammations, which is a typical occurrence. I have two on each side of my pubic area near the creases of my groin area. I have one on each side and one on each side further back, these are my main issues of coming and going boils. I also have a few that are repeat offenders on my back, back of my thighs, and side of my breast; those are not as bad or often.
So, this is where Nexcare comes in. You learn your body and you can feel the little bastards growing. Once you feel that you pull out some Boil Ease and Nexcare. You slap that buddy on the boil and wait. You wait for it to pop and the band-aid to fall off… DO NOT REMOVE IT UNLESS IT HAS POPPED AND TRUST ME YOU WILL KNOW. I like to refer to the four in my private area as active volcanoes. They hate me, and when they are so active, I go through cycles of Nexcare. You can shower and wash just like normal. The Nexcare will stay as long as it is not full of goo. I have tried every form of Band-Aids etc. and these are the only ones that stand the test of time. I am highly sensitive to tapes. This so far does break me out slightly but as long as I don’t rip them off and just let them come off. My skin is not affected. The number one thing you don’t want to do is let the goo spread onto good skin. I don’t care what the doctors say – it can spread. When the bandage is full pull it off and clean the area with rubbing alcohol. That is very important! When dry then reapply the bandage and try to arrange it in a different pattern so it doesn’t irritate your skin. If you need to remove Nexcare and it isn’t coming off, get in the shower and apply soap and warm water till you can get it to budge. I will add one more thing if my volcano isn’t active, and I’m going to be in the heat or go somewhere that I’d hate to have goo dripping down my leg, I put on a Nexcare just in case and just wear them till they naturally come off.
I hope this helps. I know I was desperate as a young girl to figure out anything that would work. Until there is a cure, being prepared is the best we can do. I always have a Nexcare in my bag just in case. I hope this helps you to feel like someone understands and there are some things we can do to prevent social awkwardness of smells, discomfort, and drainage. Do you have HS or know someone that does? I bet there is at least one person in your life that you may not even know has HS. This is known as a disease no one talks about. Let’s change that. Big Hugs.
Finding Evie 