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Thin skinned??

Posted , 13 users are following.

lynda62707
lynda62707

Hi all, I keep reading about many who've experienced thinning of skin. I'm a bit unclear as to what this means. Showing of veins? Prone to more bruising? Over the past month or so I've been experiencing very soft and Very Smooth skin, almost like a babie's "tookus"! Lol....Anyway, what are the negatives of this happening? Thx

0 likes, 18 replies

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  • Anhaga
    Anhaga lynda62707

    Posted

    You can prevent skin from becoming fragile (easily broken when bumped, instead of just bruised) by keeping your skin well moisturized and making sure your diet includes all those things containing nutrients which are good for the skin, you know, the usual, Vitamins A and C, protein, that kind of thing.  Making sure you remain well hydrated internally as well as with skin creams should also help.  I've had no skin problems to speak of.  Not all of us get the same side effects.  This disease and its treatment must drive the doctors crazy - we are all different!

     

    • Elijo
      Elijo lynda62707

      Posted

      Maybe you worry too much about little things.  I don't mean an insult, but sometimes we can get caught up in worrying about every little detail or happening.  Things just happen, and we can't take all of these things too seriously, sort out what is really important. Then focus on that.

  • Elijo
    Elijo lynda62707

    Posted

    Hi Lynda,  Bleeding very easily at the slightest scrape, not being able to use tape on skin since taking it off pulls off the skin.  When I was getting abrasions on my shins I had to use "stockinette" type covering that slipped on to my leg and over the bandage.  Tape would have pulled off my skin, and then another abrasion to deal with.  This had become a fairly common problem with me.  Even I no longer have PMR, I still have to be careful, I don't think the skin ever goes back to it's former texture, especially as we get older.  I sincerely hope you don't experience this, and so far you seem OK!

    • Silver49
      Silver49 Elijo

      Posted

      I think you have just intimated what I had hoped would not be the case. I haven't had too much problem apart from bruising and I drink lots of water and moisturise daily but my skin looks like crepe paper. I thought that once I came off Pred it would improve. I'm not going to lose hope. 

    • BettyE
      BettyE Elijo

      Posted

      I'm in exactly the same position. I got off relatively lightly re side effects. Very little weight... just had round instead of my normal hollow cheeks. But the thinning skin has persisted and I take my own dressing to the surgery when I have blood tests as they will use micropore and it just rips off a strip of skin.  My skin certainly has not gone back to normal but I can cope with that. Luckily, even when I do get damaged it has never, so far, become infected but I do take care. Always stop and wash immediately and slap on a blob of good old fashioned Germolene and cover it. Works for me. Do bruise easily but I'm fair skinned so, of course, it shows.

    • Elijo
      Elijo Silver49

      Posted

      Too often when we age, our skin does resemble crepe paper.  I personally do not think pred causes that?  How old are you?
    • Silver49
      Silver49 Elijo

      Posted

      It wasn't like that before Pred. I'm 70. 

    • Sue_Ellen51
      Sue_Ellen51 Silver49

      Posted

      I've been in remission for 1 and 1/2 years and off prednisone. if I bump into anything it tears my skin and bleeds a lot....also takes a while to heal.  I take vitamins, use lotion etc....think I'm stuck with the skin issue the rest of my life!  At least I have my life back.

    • lynda62707
      lynda62707 Sue_Ellen51

      Posted

      How true, but oh my....that's a pretty crummy thing to be left with!

    • EileenH
      EileenH Elijo

      Posted

      Mt MIL had very delicate skin in her later years, she died at 84 - never took pred in her life! My skin OTOH is still pretty tough after 9 years on pred. One of the things pred is said to do is speed up the aging process - so I suspect that if you do develop delicate skin you probably would have done eventually anyway, it just came sooner. A few of us who don't have problems think it has some to do with the fact we don't use soap of any sort at all - except to wash hands. Anything that foams, whatever the manufacturers claim in advertising, will strip the natural oils from the skin and dry it out - which makes it more delicate.

    • Elijo
      Elijo EileenH

      Posted

      We are all so different, different genes, DNA etc.  I am older than 84, am very fair and probably would be prone to more delicate skin anyway.  On the PLUS side, my papery thin finger nails have become thicker and strong, can grow much longer without splitting or breaking.  When I was in rehab for over a month recently, my nails grew quite long, never split or broke.  I personally like my nails to be short, but strong!
    • Elijo
      Elijo Sue_Ellen51

      Posted

      Hi Sue Ellen,  Me too!  I've been in remission for several months.  Yes, it's great to have a life without PMR interferring!

    • EileenH
      EileenH Elijo

      Posted

      Yes, my nails are better on pred than ever in my life! When I got to a lwoer dose they started to split again!! 
  • kate50809
    kate50809 lynda62707

    Posted

    My skin has also become very soft and smooth but my face and arms often feel a bit hot and tight as if they are sunburnt.. I have always used a moisturiser on my face but now I am careful to use body lotion regularly as well and a moisturising barrier cream on my hands. So far no problems!
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