Eczema and Emotions
November 13th 2007 23:35
Relaxing by the Mighty Ganges River, Rishikesh
Alicia and I were really enjoying our time in Rishikesh; yoga 4 hours a day, meditating for 2 hours, a strict diet, massages and relaxing by the mighty Ganges River. The primary reason I was keen to learn more about Ayurvedic medicine and the benefits of Panchkarma was a skin condition I had been enduring for over 12 years. It was a fairly mild but maddening localised form of eczema, unfortunately localised mainly on my nose, resulting in angry red patches and dry, dead skin. For the last few years it had been spreading outward, claiming first the bridge of my nose, then my forehead, eyebrows and now my temples and chin, leaving the condemned areas looking like a 6 year olds birthday cake - pink icing covered with desiccated coconut and flaky almonds. Coupled with chronic and aggressive dandruff, I feared I would run out of skin above my neck before I was thirtyfive.
I had been told by dermatologists in Australia that my problem stemmed from a mixture of stress, hereditary genetics and probably diet, and that I should basically get used to it, deal with it, suffer it silently and awkwardly. I had been prescribed a temporarily effective topical remedy, a steroidal ointment, but I had concerns about the long term effects of constantly applying steroids to the face. Would I develop a muscular, bulbous nose and a gap between my teeth like Arnold Swarzenegger? I was prepared to follow Ayurvedic principals in order to alleviate my face from its furfuraceous fate, even if it meant following the Doctors instructions and avoiding snags, benders and fishy milk (ughh).
The first instruction I had to follow was to consume 20gm of butter every morning and evening, to be spread on brown bread. This was a treat; a delicious breakfast and excellent dunking material for the mung dahl and soups that I was consuming.
Mung Dahl Spinach -Yummy!
The steam bath helped remove the poisons lurking just under my innocuous looking freckled skin and was also a pleasant and thoroughly different experience.
Alica in the Steam Box
The Panchkarma was for me, becoming an emotional and painful experience. Alicia seemed to cope better than I, though this was my first real crack at detoxification. My general temperement varied with each day. At the beginning of the process I felt boundless energy and a strong feeling of happiness. I was confident in the process and optimistic about finding that long promised remedy to my dermatalogical defection. Encouraged by the confidence of the practitioners, I abandoned my use of the steroidal ointments that had sustained the skin of my face in state of rosy equilibrium, but essentially uncured. I wanted to affect an entire revival of new skin, to flush out the perpetrating toxins and enhance my complexion.
For so many years I had been self conscious of the temperamental nature of the skin of my nose, and for the last 7 or 8 years rarely unaffected by some type of dryness or redness. The positive emotions I had contemplating the Panchkarma were not to last, unfortunately. On the fourth day the skin on my nose and under and around my eyes began to redden profusely. The doctor was called and he proscribed coconut oil to be administered frequently. I suspected they were underestimating the virulent nature of my condition. The application of oil I undertook, however I awoke before dawn in terrible agony. My face felt as though it was on fire, especially around my eyes and nose. I apprehensively gazed into the mirror, afraid of the ghastly spectre that would confront me.
It was as gruesome as I had feared. It was like gazing into the visage of a burn victim. Entire swathes of flesh were peeling off like a eucalyptus shedding bark. Angry red-raw skin pulsed under the blistering epidermis, as though scorched by an internal fire. The pain was overwhelming and I resorted to filling a bucket of water and dunking my face in to cool it, while holding my breath for as long as possible. Concern, self pity and anger boiled inside me, inflaming the irritation. I recalled a surfing trip on a remote beach when I had forgotten the sun cream, and the feeling was far worse. . .
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