Infected skin not clearing up!

[Couldntthinkofanamechange35]

Name changed (and couldn’t think of a new username!)

Does anyone have any experience with recurrent infected eczema/psoriasis? I’m not sure which one it actually is, I’ve heard both mentioned by medical staff so I suppose it doesn’t matter! Anyway, it keeps getting infected, and my head is covered in weepy, wet sores that crust over and bleed. It looks like impetigo sometimes. Then other times it looks like raw grazes. There’s several patches on my head, each about 2-3 inches big.

It’s really uncomfortable and hurts to touch my head, and even though it’s mainly covered by my hair, it’s embarrassing too.

I’ve tried antibiotics and steroid creams which work for a couple of days, then it all starts back up again. It was swabbed at the start and was positive, but hasn’t been swabbed recently so I’m not sure if it’s infected anymore or if it’s just a bad eczema flare up.

I’ve asked for help before but asking for help here today in case anyone has had anything similar or knows of anything that would help. My doctor has been really helpful and I am waiting on a dermatology referral as it has been going on for well over a year now. Has anyone else had this or knows of anything that could help?

Oh, and skinsan to wash in.

My scalp often looks like that but it's because I compulsively pick it as an alternative to self harm.

I wash my hair, leave it to dry on its own, slather it in savlon 3 times a day for 2 days to clear any infections, wash it again then keep it coated in elastoplast wound healing ointment until it heals up or I fall off the wagon and pick it again, whichever happens first.

Try the Dr Aron regime. There are 2 doctors in the UK who prescribe it. Dr Wetzler and Dr Boyden. It's a lifechanger!

@MrMistoffee

You need to be swabbed for metacillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus-panton valentin leucocidine (MSSA-PVL) Oh, and MRSA. Then ask for a ten day course of flucloxicillin plus a course of aciclover and then if it's still not gone a course of clarithromycin. I get exactly the same all over my face. Finally healing over after my last outbreak in September.

Thank you so much! I’ve actually just finished a course of flucloxicillin antibiotics but it was 5 days and I don’t think I’ve ever had aciclover. I’ll make sure to ask about the getting another swab to check for the things you said. Sorry you’ve had it too but glad you managed to get it fixed! I know one of the wounds tested positive for staph aureus previously but MRSA wasn’t mentioned, only that the staph which was found was resistant to penicillin (I think) Thanks for the advice I really appreciate it x

@Couldntthinkofanamechange35 if it was resistant, that means you have MRSA (metacillin RESISTANT staph aureus). That means flucloxicillin won't work. You may need metronidazole/clindamycin/clarithromycin/
rifampicin/doxycycline. Either individually or as a combination. If you have colonised the staph you may need a decolonisation programme. If you test positive for PVL you may need a consultant from infectious diseases (although it's very hard to pass on). You also need to check you are getting adequate vitamins and minerals and enough protein in your diet to promote healing (more than normal).

Did you try cutting gluten from your diet as previously suggested, I had similar, also up my nose and in my ears, not as bad as yours. Turns out I was coeliac. Cleared up in around 6 weeks since cutting gluten. Hasn’t re-occurred and it’s been years. FYI I had no other symptoms apart from being anaemic

You have all my sympathy OP and my heart goes out to you because I feel your pain. I've had sequential courses of antibiotics since September when the surgical wounds from my breast cancer operation became infected, then turned into weeping sores... now its been diagnosed as a dermatitis.

I saw a dermatologist privately in mid-December and he prescribed Dermovate (strong topical corticosteroid cream) a few days after a GP gave me a course of clarithromycin for staph aureus (which definitely slowed the deterioration and the infection, after flucloxicillin and co-amoxiclav had failed). All that has helped but I am cautious about using Dermovate long term. My consultant surgeon referred me urgently to NHS dermatology in late November and I am seeing them tomorrow YIPPEE but the general plan is allergy screening -- it's possible I am sensitive to the stitches used internally as they degrade.

My skin seems to hate all the lotions based on liquid paraffin and I mainly use hyaluronic acid products on my face, so I've been using them on my breasts too but it works out expensive. I find Bioderma Atoderm SOS spray calms the itching for a few hours (and you can reapply it regularly): I would guess they make a shampoo too, as there are several non-soap wash products. I also have an irritated scalp, though not as bad as yours, and am finding Vichy Dercos shampoo seems to be helping after a few days. More off the beaten track, the most soothing cream I've found is one I bought many years ago in New Zealand for persistent skin problems which is based on manuka honey and propolis but those are both allergy triggers for some people apparently. It's creeping all over my torso, including genitalia, even so.

Anybody in need of a shelf of random creams and lotions? I think I've bought everything Boots sell!

Good luck to you OP! and thanks to the PP who mentioned Dr Aron. Off to Google it now.

The cream is made by Madelaine Ritchie and you can get it from Amazon. It's not the best-smelling stuff and the colour is off-putting, but it helps me enough to have it on subscription.

My partner has folliculitis which is more like infected boils which get big, burst and weep and then heal but in the middle of a ‘cycle’ his scalp often looks like yours

What has helped is washing scalp with Hibiscrub every other day along with using a tea tree scalp scrub product from Amazon alternated with some thing called ‘ultimate anti fungal shower gel ’ from Amazon. He uses a little rubber scalp massager to get it really worked in.

I've been for uvb treatment. always reliant on steroid creams and have really bad excema,

I cut out dairy and my skin heals 10× faster, I also cut out overly sugary things and don't drink fizzy juice.

He has previously been on doxycycline for it which worked and then the topical stuff keeps it at bay

Also make sure you washing towels and bedding to avoid constant reinfection

Thank you so much everyone for the advice! I’m not ignoring replies but I’m just about to go to bed so I’ll reply properly tomorrow. Quick question, does anyone know if penicillin resistant staph aureus is the same as MRSA? thanks again for all the advice

Dilute chlorhexidine baths/soaks. 10 mins at a time. 5x/day. Recommended by my doc when I had an MRSA infection.

@mjf981

Dilute chlorhexidine baths/soaks. 10 mins at a time. 5x/day. Recommended by my doc when I had an MRSA infection.

Did you use hibiscrub? How much do you dilute it by?

Hope you don't mind me jumping in OP but I have a similar problem with badly infected acne that keeps reoccurring.

If you've tested positive for staphylococcus aureus is that not impetigo?
I only ask because my poor DD was plagued with this for six long months at 15, absolute blooming nightmare.

Treated incorrectly for herpes and other skin conditions for ages.

Finally got to the bottom of it with a private referral.

Firstly you need to confirm it is actually staphylococcus and then get the sample tested against various antibiotics. DD's was resistant to most common antibiotics hence the failed diagnosis.

Once we knew which one to treat her with it instantly cleared up.

You also need to get everyone in your household nasal swabbed, turned out my DH was an asymptomatic carrier so kept reinfecting her.

Fingers crossed, horrible thing to go through.

DD has had no reoccurrence in the last 8 years.

Could it be autoimmune? E.g. lupus?

Out on a limb here but try manuka honey with a high UMF?

According to the lab test result on my swab, staph aureus isn't MRSA infection, but doesn't respond to the commonly prescribed soft tissue antibiotics. It is sensitive to clarithromycin though.

MRSA stands for methicillin resistant staphlococcus Aureus - methicillin being a relative of penicillin so yes A Staph aureus infection resistant to penicillin is probably MRSA.

Thanks for the clarification, onlyreading. In which case my Staph aureus wasn't the MR version, just the generic type.

Further reading has identified some research identifying a delta-toxin version which can cause atopic dermatitis. I am starting to wonder if this is what's afflicting me.

if its psoriasis, I get that under my eye sometimes and on my elbows and its really annoying and nothing has ever worked better then a Chamomile tea, constantly applied til it stains the skin, it takes the itch off and also Childs Farm Nappy Cream to help the skin recover once the itch is gone and it starts healing.

when I was a kid I had two massive weeping wounds on the tops of my feet and the back of one hand, it was almost a full stigmata, my mother wrapped them in bandages soaked in Calamine Lotion, that worked.

Could it be peri aural (or oral) dermatitis? - it might be too inflamed but my GP couldn’t diagnose that, it took a derm - I needed antibiotics of a particular type.

Salt baths and sun are generally good things, so try that (sunbeds)

Hi. This might help... normal Staph.aureus is usually Pen resistant, whilst MRSA is also resistant to Methicillin / Flucloxacillin. There are certain strains of both that may produce a toxin eg: PVL etc. If you have recurrent infections it is worth your GP re-swabbing and also asking the lab for specialist toxin testing too. You can sometimes carry the organism in your nose which can then lead to frequent re-infections.

I would imagine it would be a good idea to have a review with your GP or practice nurse to discuss the situation in more detail (include the pics) to determine if it is an infection alone or other underlying condition eg. skin, allergy, immune etc with a co-infection. Hopefully they might also discuss things you use for you hair & head such as shampoos, hair slides or scrunchies etc that may be contributing to the issue.

Try not to touch your face / hair / nose etc as you can easily reinfect yourself. Also, does anyone else in the household suffer from anything similar?

Should also add, you might need either a longer or different course of antibiotics, maybe even higher strength or more than one. Plus as others have said, they may recommend medicated products potentially in addition.