Skin Conditions on the Trail

[halvedspeed]

Hey guys, I'm attempting in 2017 and I have a few questions about skin care.

To start off, even with 2 showers a day, fresh clean clothes, disinfecting wipes, prescription steroid cream, and not hiking everyday, I still have consistent but bearable folliculitus or something very similar.
If I do not keep up with skin care I have about 1 week before my whole body is covered and I have to go get steroids and antibiotics to fight it. It snowballs out of control and I end up in the hospital in extreme pain. Also, eating unhealthy foods, sunscreen, bug spray make it worse.

In my attempts to prepare I got prescriptions enough to last me the whole trail, Dispatch bleach wipes which I will be using in place of baby wipes, and am phasing out showers.

I do not want to fail this because I have wimpy skin.

Can anyone with weird skin tell me how they made it? Does your skin just get used to being filthy? Am I screwed?

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[FreeGoldRush]

Hey guys, I'm attempting in 2017 and I have a few questions about skin care.

To start off, even with 2 showers a day, fresh clean clothes, disinfecting wipes, prescription steroid cream, and not hiking everyday, I still have consistent but bearable folliculitus or something very similar.
If I do not keep up with skin care I have about 1 week before my whole body is covered and I have to go get steroids and antibiotics to fight it. It snowballs out of control and I end up in the hospital in extreme pain. Also, eating unhealthy foods, sunscreen, bug spray make it worse.

In my attempts to prepare I got prescriptions enough to last me the whole trail, Dispatch bleach wipes which I will be using in place of baby wipes, and am phasing out showers.

I do not want to fail this because I have wimpy skin.

Can anyone with weird skin tell me how they made it? Does your skin just get used to being filthy? Am I screwed?

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just a thought, but you could consider a non traditional thru hike where you sleep in a real bed most nights and have a real shower. The AT has lots of road crossings. I am considering hiking the AT with more than average nights off the trail.

[greensleep]

Hey guys, I'm attempting in 2017 and I have a few questions about skin care.

To start off, even with 2 showers a day, fresh clean clothes, disinfecting wipes, prescription steroid cream, and not hiking everyday, I still have consistent but bearable folliculitus or something very similar.
If I do not keep up with skin care I have about 1 week before my whole body is covered and I have to go get steroids and antibiotics to fight it. It snowballs out of control and I end up in the hospital in extreme pain. Also, eating unhealthy foods, sunscreen, bug spray make it worse.

In my attempts to prepare I got prescriptions enough to last me the whole trail, Dispatch bleach wipes which I will be using in place of baby wipes, and am phasing out showers.

I do not want to fail this because I have wimpy skin.

Can anyone with weird skin tell me how they made it? Does your skin just get used to being filthy? Am I screwed?

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Check out "Don's Brother Method"; this fellow hiked the entire trail sleeping in hostels, motels, homes, and hotels almost exclusively. Had a shower and clean clothes almost every day. He spent very few nights on the trail. It is an expensive way to do it, though.

[Slo-go'en]

Seeing that a shower is the most transitory experience on the trail - typically 10 minutes later it's like it never happened - your probably screwed. With the extreme skin conditions you describe, I think doing any extended hiking is not a good idea. Have talked to your dermatologist about this? Have you tried doing a summer hiking trip where you weren't able to shower for 3-4 days and only have one set of clothes to wear to see what would happen? If not your taking a big risk.

[rafe]

Your condition sounds serious. What hiking experience have you had so far? How did it go?

[halvedspeed]

1. I have a tight budget. No way I can afford a hostel every night haha.
2. Hiking 3-4 days in the summer without a shower isn't as bad as it gets, but I did swim/go through waterfalls almost every day.
3. Yes to the dermatologist, she said good luck.
4. I've done a 4 day stint in summer. I've nearly completed the AT in PA as a weekend warrior.
5. Yes I'm taking a risk but I don't care what it takes. Ill go to every town and bathe in concentrated bleach in the mornings and then night hike. I don't care.
There's a chick named 'raven' who is starting the same day I am and she has ataxia and double vision from getting a brain tumor removed.

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[halvedspeed]

I shoulda specify, I have prescriptions (prednisone&keflex) in hand for whenever this blows up. But I'm going to try and avoid using it.

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[Five Tango]

Wishing you the best and trying to be helpful.
http://www.emuaid.com/folliculitis-solution-b

No,I have never used this product nor suffered with the disease.

[Greenlight]

When you say "skin being filthy" you're talking about the majority human experience during the majority of human history. But it isn't really filthy if you take care of the areas that can get out of control. On a human being, that is mostly the pits and the groin. Most cultures have had ways of dealing with pit stench, and seriously a lot of bad pit smell comes from diet. Since we cover our nether regions, we experience some nasty sh!* down there. Your wipes will probably be most helpful there. Can your body handle Body Glide or Gold Bond anti-chafe? That takes care of a lot of it. But your main skin surfaces: your trunk, your arms and legs, etc. should produce a natural colony of helpful bacteria. In daily life, we scrub and wash these bacteria away and preen and moisturize ourselves into an unnatural state. It's unnatural but it's the expected norm and most of us comply with it.

There are natural products for pits, even durable salt stones that work pretty well. You could try hiking commando with a kilt and see if that keeps things down there from becoming a problem. I've actually mulled this over a bit myself but don't know if I could do it LOL.

All that said, I'm not a dermatologist. I simply don't know.

You might do some section hikes mimicking the hygiene you plan on practicing on the thru hike and see how that goes.

In the end, you doctor and you will more than likely be able to come up with a strategy that will work for you. How expensive it'll be, I have no idea.

[Dogwood]

With recurring folliculitis a qualified Dermatologists should be able to order tests that indicate the cause(s) or, at least, narrow the possible causes. Once the causes are known then you can move forward addressing the condition. Folliculitis has several different causes: viral, bacterial, fungal(external as well as internal like Candida albicans), parasites, etc.

[tour-kid]

Try taking less showers as pre-hike training.
Our bodies can be trained to do amazing things, maybe it will help build up some immunity to the condition.

[Dogwood]

Did the dermatologists specifically say it absolutely is bacterial or allergy caused? Is your immune system depressed or do you have an underlying causal medical condition?

[Dogwood]

I shoulda specify, I have prescriptions (prednisone&keflex) in hand for whenever this blows up. But I'm going to try and avoid using it.

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I don't blame you. Taking corticosteroids and antibiotics regularly or over the long tern can sometimes cause more problems than it solves.

[MuddyWaters]

Had a springer spaniel with folliculitis once, . Nothing helped except cortisone shots at the vet. Inflamed , oozing, skin. Heat and humidity aggravated it. Vet suggested moving to colorado.

[Dogwood]

thinking along the same lines. do a COOL BREEZE or alternative thru where the itinerary involves cooler weather.

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home...ng/alternative

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...eeze-Itinerary

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ze-Thru-Advice

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...lip-flop-route

https://thetrek.co/alternative-thru-...lachian-trail/

[halvedspeed]

They said its normal staph bacteria. My immune system is great and I have zero allergies.

I like the cool breeze idea. Thanks

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[daddytwosticks]

Have you ever hiked in Georgia in the heat of the summer? Summertime conditions on the AT can be miserable on the skin for any hiker. Good luck with your adventure.

[rafe]

I think it's not too off-base to anticipate hygiene issues and skin problems while thru hiking. Sweat, grime and DEET form a noxious combination. Lack of daily shower (after a long and strenuous exertion) is something to be reckoned with... It's a real problem.

First line of defense... carry extra bandannas or a small washcloth or two. When you get to camp, swab yourself down as well you can. Foul weather and or lack of water may conspire against you. Please make sure you do all this at some reasonable distance from the water source itself.

[Five Tango]

I shoulda specify, I have prescriptions (prednisone&keflex) in hand for whenever this blows up. But I'm going to try and avoid using it.

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How often do you have it blow up? When you're not having an "episode",what sort of shape is the affected area in?How long has it been going on?It sounds like you have a reasonably severe case despite the best efforts of your doctor and your strict diet so I am wondering if you should seek treatment somewhere like the Mayo Clinic?