I’ve to apologize up entrance as a result of this submit is stuffed with some fairly scary pictures that I by no means supposed to be made public. However the longer I suffered with this challenge, the extra satisfied I grew to become that I needed to share it with y’all, if for no different cause than as a warning in order that none of you endure the best way I’ve been struggling for the final six week.
On the finish of July, I began engaged on the counter tops for the studio. I began constructing the one for the workplace space of the studio, acquired halfway by means of that one and determined to vary the design, after which determined to work on the lengthy countertop for the mural wall. The countertop is made out of MDF and these laminate flooring boards. You’ll be able to click on right here to see the entire DIY countertop course of, however lengthy story quick, I ended up slicing each single flooring board utilizing my desk noticed and miter noticed.
I had by no means used laminate flooring for something earlier than, so I had no thought what to anticipate. So naturally, since I had by no means used it earlier than, that implies that I had no expertise slicing it with a noticed, both. This was all new to me.
I don’t actually know what laminate flooring is product of, however I did discover that as I ran every board by means of the desk noticed, the blade slicing by means of the highest layer of the flooring boards was creating tiny little sparks. The sparks had been so small and nearly unnoticeable within the shiny solar through the day, however as a result of I used to be nonetheless slicing boards because the solar began taking place, the sparks grew to become noticeable. And it wasn’t simply the desk noticed that was creating these sparks. My miter noticed blade did the identical factor when slicing by means of that high layer.
In order that acquired me slightly curious. What on the earth was this flooring product of? And extra importantly, what was this materials I used to be getting coated in? Fortunately I remembered to put on a masks in order that I wasn’t respiration within the mud (and slicing these boards created a complete lot of mud!), however all the uncovered pores and skin on my face, chin, neck, and chest acquired utterly coated within the mud that wouldn’t merely brush off like sawdust from precise wooden does.
It took me two days to do the majority of the cuts wanted for the lengthy countertop, and every day, I did all the slicing I wanted to do, after which I went inside and instantly took a bathe to get all the mud off of me since I couldn’t simply brush it off, and I can’t stand to be coated in mud like that. However little did I do know that this was no common sawdust. I used to be coated in one thing that may tear up my pores and skin and make me completely depressing for the subsequent six weeks.
However first, the glad information. The countertop turned out nice. I’ve gotten a lot use out of it, and I’m nonetheless thrilled with the way it appears.
In order that’s the great half. Now are you prepared for the dangerous and the ugly all rolled into one? Once more, I apologize as a result of I by no means thought I’d be sharing these photos publicly, and I nearly really feel like it will be extra acceptable had I waited till Halloween when individuals are anticipating to see scary issues. However right here’s the scary aftermath of my chest being coated with that mud.
That’s not the best image (that means that it’s form of blurry) as a result of I took it at evening as I used to be sitting in mattress and watching TV, so the lighting wasn’t good in any respect. But it surely doesn’t actually matter as a result of my pores and skin actually did look that dangerous. The truth is, it was worse. Because the lighting isn’t so nice, you may’t actually get an appreciation for the sores on my pores and skin because of my fixed scratching and drawing blood. And get this. That image was taken 3 1/2 weeks after I had been coated within the mud. THREE AND A HALF WEEKS!! I’ll say it once more. On the level by which that picture was taken, I had already been struggling for 3 1/2 weeks with this horrible pores and skin challenge.
(And FYI, the shirt I had on was clear. ? It appears horrible and really unusual on the precise facet due to the shortage of lighting within the room. The picture was taken by the glow of the TV, with no different lighting within the room. However I don’t sit in my mattress with filthy garments on. That shirt is one in all my portray shirts, so it has paint splotches throughout, but it surely was clear. ? )
Not solely did it look dangerous (and oh my gosh, did it look dangerous!!!), but it surely itched like loopy and burned. I had some spots, particularly on my chin and jawline, that itched so badly I wished to claw my pores and skin till it bled. And in reality, as you may see within the picture under, that’s precisely what I did. And simply check out how bumpy my pores and skin was. I’ve by no means had pores and skin points in my life, aside from a random pimple right here and there, so this was laborious for me to take a look at, and really laborious to dwell with.
Quick ahead one other 10 days or so, and I used to be nonetheless affected by painful itching (and sure, nonetheless drawing blood as a result of I used to be scratching a lot in locations) and a few of the pores and skin on my neck turned actually white with crimson, itchy welts. When you in all probability can’t inform from the picture, all of these crimson spots had been raised and swollen they usually itched like loopy.
I had folks telling me that I wanted to go to the physician, however what may a physician do? All they might do is prescribe some remedy for the itching and ache. I had already tried over-the-counter hydrocortisone lotions. Not solely did they not assist, however I actually didn’t wish to simply cowl up the signs. I wanted the basis downside handled. I wanted no matter was embedded in my pores and skin to come back out, and a medical physician would have been lower than useful in that regard.
I assumed possibly my pores and skin would simply naturally push the irritant out (which I had decided at this level have to be one thing like fiberglass), form of just like the pure shedding of pores and skin will ultimately push out a splinter over time. However after getting no aid after a number of weeks, I lastly acquired proactive about it.
The very first thing I attempted was bentonite clay masks. These gave me some momentary aid, however largely, the clay masks simply dried my pores and skin out one thing terrible. So then for the subsequent two weeks, on high of coping with the itching and burning pores and skin, my pores and skin was additionally shriveled up like a raisin, which simply added to the ache. (Consider having dry and chapped lips the place the pores and skin pulls and hurts if you attempt to take a little bit of meals, however as a substitute of that being in your lips, it’s throughout your chin, neck, and chest so that each motion of my head pulled my dry and shriveled pores and skin and harm.)
I gave up the bentonite clay masks after a few tries, and moved on. After figuring out that the irritant have to be fiberglass, I did slightly googling and got here throughout this video. The remark part was stuffed with individuals who tried apple cider vinegar on their fiberglass-irritated pores and skin and located aid, so I attempted it. I put it on the affected areas with a cotton ball, and for a couple of minutes, my pores and skin burned prefer it was on hearth. However after the burning went away, I did get some momentary aid for about an hour. Sadly, the itching all the time got here again after apple cider vinegar functions. I attempted that about thrice, after which gave up.
I lastly discovered some lasting aid when my bonus sister Cathi acquired her activated charcoal cleaning soap prepared on the market on her web site. As quickly as she listed it, I snatched up a bar of that activated charcoal cleaning soap (you’ll find her soaps right here), and used that on the affected areas. The primary time I used it, it stung like loopy (similar to the apple cider vinegar, similar to the bentonite clay masks, and similar to every part else I had placed on my pores and skin, together with lotions, ointments, and even coconut oil). I used the cleaning soap within the bathe final Friday, after which as quickly as I acquired out of the bathe, I used coconut oil to sooth the dryness I used to be nonetheless coping with from the bentonite clay masks.
I went out to dinner with a buddy and my mother that night, and I didn’t notice it till I used to be sitting in mattress round 11:30 that evening, however I hadn’t skilled any itching or burning all night. That was the primary time in weeks that I had any lasting aid.
The following morning, a few of the itching was again (however not almost as dangerous because it had been), so I used the cleaning soap once more. Once more, it stung, however the stinging was about half of what it was the earlier time. And I seen that a few of the redness had gone away, and in addition these crimson spots on my neck had been now not puffy and swollen.
Right here’s a screenshot from a Marco Polo I despatched to a buddy this previous weekend, and you’ll see that whereas my pores and skin nonetheless regarded tousled, it was beginning to look a lot better. The roughness was going away, and the puffy, swollen spots had gone down. So at that time, I had discolored pores and skin, but it surely was largely clean pores and skin.
I used to be nonetheless coping with some itching, although. It was now not the “I wish to claw my pores and skin off” form of itching, and it was now not fixed, however it will come and go all through the day. So I continued to make use of the activated charcoal cleaning soap by means of the weekend, and by Sunday, my pores and skin was now not stinging once I put the cleaning soap on it. The cleaning soap was feeling soothing. Then I’d comply with that up with coconut oil.
However on Sunday evening, I had left my coconut oil within the van (I actually needed to take it all over the place with me and apply it repeatedly due to the extreme dryness from the bentonite clay masks), and I used to be feeling too lazy to exit and get it. And with out the coconut oil, I didn’t wish to use the charcoal cleaning soap. So my pores and skin was tremendous dry and beginning to really feel slightly itchy once more.
I stored envisioning utilizing one thing like these nostril strips that pull junk out of your pores (I keep in mind utilizing these in highschool), however a lot bigger in order that it will cowl my chin, neck, and chest. I felt like if I had one thing like that — one thing that may actually follow my pores and skin and that I may peel off whereas it caught to and drew out the irritant — I’d really feel so a lot better.
The one factor I may consider was duct tape, and I simply occurred to have half a roll of black Gorilla tape. In case you’ve ever used the black Gorilla tape, you realize it’s about twice as sticky as common duct tape. So this previous Sunday evening, I sat on the desk in my studio, and for about 20 minutes, I tore off strip after strip of black Gorilla tape, urgent it as laborious as I may onto each little bit of the affected pores and skin on my chin, neck, and chest, and peeling it off slowly in hopes that it will pull that irritant out of my pores and skin.
And have you learnt what? IT WORKED! My pores and skin isn’t 100% again to regular but, but it surely has felt nearer to regular than I’ve felt in six weeks. So for the final two days (Monday and Tuesday) my routine has been washing with the activated charcoal cleaning soap (which doesn’t sting in any respect anymore), letting my pores and skin utterly dry, utilizing the black Gorilla tape everywhere in the affected space, after which masking the realm with coconut oil.
And with that routine, my pores and skin is lastly on its technique to feeling and looking regular once more. Like I mentioned, it’s not again to 100% but (it’s solely been lower than three days since I first used the Gorilla tape), however the colour is beginning to even out, all the swelling within the remaining crimson splotches is gone, and I’ve fewer and fewer crimson splotches with every passing day. The itching is about 99% gone, and I haven’t skilled any ache or burning in my pores and skin for the reason that first time I used the cleaning soap on Friday. I’ve been doing the charcoal cleaning soap, Gorilla tape, coconut oil routine twice a day, and I’m lastly feeling regular once more.
For sure, I’m slightly bit fearful of slicing these boards once more, however I do have yet one more countertop I’ve to make with them. I’ve been placing that off and placing that off, and now you realize why. I’m scared to chop these boards due to absolutely the ache and distress I’ve been coping with for the final six weeks.
I will reduce them, and I will get that second countertop executed. However I can assure you that once I reduce these boards for the second countertop, there might be no pores and skin uncovered to the sawdust from these boards. I’ll put on a Hazmat go well with earlier than I’ll take an opportunity on going by means of this once more.
However at the very least if it ever occurs once more, I do know what to do. Activated charcoal cleaning soap, black Gorilla tape, and coconut oil. That has been the magic combo for me to get my pores and skin again to regular once more.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and beautify the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You’ll be able to study extra about me right here.
