Impaired skin etc. healing/bruising in HMS?

[Jess]

Green lantern have you tried cutting out citrus fruit, including pineapple and kiwi? As I find the last 2 break down my mouth badly

[GreenLantern]

It's amazing how many things make sense when you get diagnosed with HMS.

[GreenLantern]

Hi Jess, thanks for the advice, I don't eat fruit though, I'm more of a veg girl Will bare what you've said in mind though, thanks.

[mcbeauty]

I don't have thin skin, veins only visible on the insides of arms and places like that although some are visible on abdomen. I do however have stretch marks across my lower back that appeared when during puberty when I was skinny as a rake. I just put them down to growing very fast, I'm fairly tall. However I read since that they usually only happen to boys there due to growth, not girls. I have horrendous stretch marks from pregnancy, the skin on my stomach is like very wrinkly baggy crepe paper!
I don't bruise that easily, except when having blood taken, then I will end up with big dark bruises that last ages unless I warn them to do it very carefully.
I had my appendix out when I was 12 and that healed fine, except they stitched it so tight (they knew my mother was doctor and wanted to do a good job and not leave much of a scar) that my skin grew over the knots in the stitches and then they had to yank them out, ouch! However I do have big pockmarks on my upper arms from where I had my vaccinations as a baby, they're very obvious, anyone else have those?

[star gazer]

Just wondering if any of you have had cellulitis (major skin infections with poor healing requiring anti biotics) my son has now had 3 episodes and daughter has had 2 episodes all in the last year. Son was treated at hospital daughter needed 2 weeks of pnecillin to contol the infection. I am wondering if they are more prone due to the eds.
many thanks
star gazer x

[barkingmad]

I had cellulitis in both ears recently I didnt even know you could get cellulitis in your ears but there you go. My mum had facial cellulitis years ago.

[sheppeyescapee]

I was wondering what this was about but I was looking at my hands and feet earlier and the skin appeared to be mottled. Is this something that is linked to EDS/HMS or something else?

[Spireite]

My skin can do mottled, especially on the legs and face. In fact, this week my face has been 'funny' after a long break.

[star gazer]

mottled skin can be due to heat and oxygen levels so more likely a pots problem if it is sort of below the surface, if your skin has a permanent mottled discolouration then I am not sure how that relates, just know that with my pots my hands and feet get very cold and become mottled but also if i am tachy my fingers and nails can go bluish

[sheppeyescapee]

They did feel rather cold despite the room being rather warm and the rest of me feeling too hot.

[star gazer]

I get the same, body hot but extremities cold, often wear socks in bed, and still wearing winter gloves outside at the moment. sounds like it is vascular which is to do with eds of course with the construction of the veins and capilliaries etc but also pots causing the poor circulation. so a bit of both, but then both problems cause overlapping problems anyway.

[AnnaH]

I burned my wrist today, cooking. Unfortunately, this happens quite a lot and its not a serious injury, but the annoying thing is, it will take weeks to heal properly and probably scar. I also have acne (not fair, as I'm 46) and my spots also take an age to heal.

Is there anything I can do to speed the process up? Dressings I could try? Creams or potions? (anyone who suggests Arnica will be blown raspberries at).

[Blaadyblah]

I genuinely find aloe helpful with minor burns, grazes and so on and keep a plant for that purpose as it doesn't irritate my skin like some antiseptics which seem to almost burn it more - sorry - that doesn't help you much!

Fragile skin is no less fragile when it is healing and if it is being stretched at all it will take longer. Personally I find burns heal better than wounds but we're all different. I think there may be a separate topic somewhere about acne, might be worth searching for that as well as within this topic, but basic wound care is important - also treating things quickly.

I can sometimes get a bit complacent about such injuries and failed to get something looked at soon enough. If in doubt a pharmacist will usually cast an eye over something. On a day to day basis I've been known to 'frame' wrist and hand wounds with physio tape - that tells me I'm stretching the skin before the wound is tugged at all but leaves it open to the air to heal and seems to help stop me sabotaging the healing process by aggravating the tissue further.

Generally I have more trouble healing wounds than burns (scabs tear and tear), but it does take longer than average, like everything else.

[AnnaH]

I have an enormous Aloe plant so I might try pruning it next time (bit late now). The burn has gone all shiny, but not blistered or painful, so the cold water 'first aid' helped. My skin is pretty easily injured though, unfortunately.

I forgot to mention my other problem - my finger nail randomly decided to split and one edge fell off. It hurt like billio for ages but now the finger is gradually healing. I feel like I'm falling apart (literally).

I get a lot of skin infections, but I suspect it's simply because it doesn't heal quickly enough to stop the germs getting in. Like you, I am often complacent about injuries and that's lead me to some unfortunate problems when the infection doesn't heal properly. I think this is from a lifetime of having my problems dismissed (I was only diagnosed a couple of years ago) so I learned not to take them seriously. Which is not good

[nemonie]

Maybe try a tea tree based shower/bath wash to prevent the infections - QVC do one which has good ratings and comes in a litre size (called australian something or other).