Today is March 2024 and I'm pleased to report that I have recovered from TSW! It was a really long ELEVEN YEAR journey, but I made it. 

I know everyone's body is different, but I truly hope that the information below can help shorten someone else's TSW journey!

Background

Throughout my TSW journey, my wife and I researched and explored countless holistic approaches that might help my condition. 

We tried them all:

elimination diets (gluten, dairy, salicylates), red light therapy, Chinese herbs, natural creams, probiotics, bleach baths and supplements. But I continued having nasty flares that were relentless. I still wasn't addressing the root cause of the issue.

We found something that worked!!!

In November 2022 my wife found some herbal "activators" - these were difference from supplements because they were formulated using specific nutrients that were proven to positively impact gene expression in the body. According to the info, I could expect them to up-regulate antioxidants in my body, improve the energy in the individual cells and help with overall detox. 

After trying absolutely everything in the past, I was *very* skeptical that it would do anything. But I had nothing to lose and my wife was sure it could help. I’ll admit that I kind of just took them for her.

Within 3-4 weeks I noticed my hands were essentially perfect. I couldn’t believe it. I was on them for about 6 weeks. 

Then I ran out and noticed my hands started to flare again within 2 weeks! Being scientific I figured there was a correlation, so I started back on just the Protandim nrf2 and things got a little better but not clear like they were before. 

I found out that the three Protandim products work more effective together, so I went back on all three and my hands came right within 3 weeks! 

I know that these products are working and helping my immune system stay in check and allow my body and my skin to heal.

It's now March 2024 and my skin has been stable and perfect since early January 2023 - That's OVER A YEAR! I don't remember the last time every in my life that my skin was like this. 

If you're still searching for a solution for you skin, I would highly recommend trying the Protandim Tri-Synergizer pack. I don't mean to sound like an advertisement but they have a 30-day money back guarantee so there is nothing to lose and a lot of relief to gain! Honestly I wish I'd found them 11 years prior!

Here's the link where you can get them: https://nutrigenomicactivation.lifevantage.com/

Here's what my hands look like before and now!

 

 

Preface

Update: March 2024

I'm really thankful to say that I am now TSW-free. It took 11 years, lots of heart ache, discomfort, and a tonne of research, but I found something that worked for me. You can read more about it here. 

 

2019-08-15 - like a light-switch turning off, so has the watery, hot, weepy mess that are my arms

Almost next day after my flare on the 12th, the redness in my skin died down and my skin started healing. Here we are only 3 days after the red, raw, weeping mess. Such a relief:

2019-08-12 - another flare for 24 hours.

Similar to the one a week ago. Really red, itchy, weepy.

2019-08-05 - Dark day. Open weeping.

Worst it's been for a long time.

Openly weeping. Left arm has started to get as bad as right arm (can see red scratch mark).

Pics taken after getting out of soaking in bath. Skin is peeling off. Feel like a burn victim. 

2019-08-06 - Going downhill fast

Right arm the worse, getting severely itchy and weepy. 

Up to now, I would go through flare-up's and die downs roughly every week since May. At times, when it died down, skin would almost be perfect, but for last week, has just started to get steadily worse day after day.

2019-07-03 - Itchy as heck

2019-05-20 - The peace is over :-(

Almost 5 months of great skin has come to and end :-(
Starting getting itchy and red on the inside of my elbows again, starting about a week ago.
Getting steadily worse each day:

Right arm a bit worse:

Have some dry, sometimes itchy patches on fingers/knuckles as well. That actually started up a few weeks ago, before inside of elbows starting flaring: 

2019-01-07 - 4 years of TSW and 2 months of really good skin!

Last couple of months have been really good skin wise, such a relief!
Still a bit dry from time to time, but a bit of moisturizer after showering and all good.
Some really minor patches on my finger knuckles. Sometimes the odd tiny split still.
Very little redness now.
Fingers crossed, 4 years and my skin has recovered...?!?!

 Still a stubborn bit of tough skin on my right hand below my little finger. Slowly getting better though:

2018-11-05 - relief continues!

Last few weeks have been really good. So nice having relatively great skin!
Still dry around inside of elbow after showering, but fine after a quick bit of "baby butter" on it.
Real relief also, not having splitting skin on my finger knuckles. The side of my right hand below small finger still has some tough skin there, still a few wee spots of dry pink skin, but nothing major.
Fingers crossed that things will continue well...

2018-09-15 - 90% OK now...

So I've just gotten back from the USA after being away for two weeks.

The past week, my skin has been amazing, relatively speaking. 90% back to normal.

Although still have a few pink patches on my skin, and it can still get a bit itchy, it's nowhere near as bad as it has been for most of this year.

Big bonus being that not only is the skin on my arms OK, but my hands are mostly OK as well. Normally when skin on my arms comes right, skin on my knuckles starts splitting.

Lets hope that my skin remains good now that I'm back in NZ. Often I start flaring again when I'm back. Not sure if that's environmental or family related stresses of raising two young boys... We'll see...

2018-08-22 - a year of itchy arms so far

Been a frustrating last few months. Arms can get extremely itchy.

Looks relatively OK in these pics, but back of wrists and inside elbows can get really itchy at times.

Haven't really had a reprieve this year. Been a day or two in the past few weeks where things have subsided significantly, only for things to flare up again. 

Flares are getting weaker and weaker, so there's hope...

2018-06-04 - Skin starting to heal after past 6 weeks of being really bad

Last few weeks have been really bad in general (since last post, end of April). Very itchy, very red, weepy. Skin on hands in patches, splitting, bleeding, cracked. Horrible.
Left NZ for USA on the 26th May and I started noticing my skin getting better. Not sure if it was change of environment, change of stress levels or what. I did also start covering my arms in SudoCrem and tubular bandages at night and sometimes during the day. That certainly helped relieve some of the heat and itch.
Feels like I'm going through waves of flare and peace, with things slowly tracking better. Fingers crossed I'm coming out of it after nearly 6 months...
Red sleeves:

 

 Fingers and top and sides of hands appear to be healing after splitting for weeks, but still really itchy:

2018-04-29 - Flare still lasting. Has gotten worse last few days

Right arm is the worst. Really itchy, raw at times, especially in last few days:

Top/side of wrist is really bad, been bad for weeks:

 Fingers pretty bad:

Left arm not quite as bad, but still gets damn itchy. Annoying around bottom of wrist, can't wear watch:

 First finger top knuckle worse:

2018-02-06 - Flare continues

Not as bad as the last flare yet, but still gets itchy as heck from time to time.

Some splits on fingers, but not terrible. 

Inside right elbow worse.

2018-01-22 - Another inside elbow flare has started.

Well, it was a very enjoyable few weeks of my skin being pretty perfect. In the last couple of days, however, another flare has started :-(

Itchy as: