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PUPPS Relief - Actual Results (scroll down for tl/dr)

archi35archi35 member
edited May 2014 in October 2014 Moms

Hi All!  So I'd had what I thought was a strange rash on my breasts and butt for a few months now - about 8 weeks total.  At first it did nothing but spread, and it was both squiggly lines and half circles.  The doctors thought it might be a yeast problem, then a fungus, then they just straight didn't know.  Awesome.  But DH didn't get it so I felt strongly it was pregnancy related and not some communicable grossness picked up from a clothing store or something.  Sure enough by week 5 it started to itch - not horribly but it was a prickly itch - cue dramatic music for PUPPS.  I have really sensitive, pale skin that is very reactive to topical treatments, so I feel confident that the results I've gotten with this combination are okay for other people with sensitive skin:

Weeks 4 to 6:  Straight 100% Pharmaceutical Grade Tea Tree Oil on a cotton pad, wiped over areas twice a day.  The smell is really strong and you may possibly irritate your family, but it feels really good and tingly especially where its itchy.  This will dry out all the scales - do not put moisturizer on it after as it will only reactivate the rash.  Note: My rash looked like it got worse before it got better since the drying caused it to become darker red at first.  It also started to itch after I'd been doing the oil but again I think that the oil was bringing it out so that it went through its process quicker.  The itching lasted only a few days since I was drying it out already, I think.

Week 7 to current: Grandpa's Pine Tree Soap twice a day, Tea Tree Oil only at night.  The smell is really not amazing - full disclosure.  My husband is complaining that it smells like Bonnaroo every night in our bedroom.  BUT!  The scales that were slowly going away with the tea tree oil are fully sloughing off with the pine soap.  I'm even probably going to stop the tea tree to see if the soap does the trick from here on out.  My skin was trying to start a new patch on my stomach Saturday afternoon, but after washing and applying that night, by Sunday morning it was gone!

Couple of points:

1) I asked my OB and she co-signed both products.

2) It seems that drying it out is the only thing that is helping this rash - I read some other blogs online that say the same and I can testify that this has indeed worked. If I moisturized or washed with regular soap or scrubed at the rash, it seems to make it worse for me.  I would not recommend doing any of these things.  Its a trade off, because depending on where it is you then aren't able to put any stretch mark cream on but its worth it IMO for day to day comfort.

3) The oil and soap have not dried any other areas of my skin - this was a super key point for me as I mentioned other topicals tend to dry out my skin type.  Also, it has actually helped some of my chest and back-ne as well (not gone, but better).

Of course nothing is perfect for everyone but I hope some of you can get a bit of relief with this process. :)

Good Luck!

(TL/DR: Straight Tea Tree Oil & Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap - doesn't dry unaffected skin and worked!!)

Native NYC-ers living in Switzerland - First time parents - 36 + 37

TTC: 8 Months / BFP: 2/8/2014 / EDD: 10/20/2014  

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Re: PUPPS Relief - Actual Results (scroll down for tl/dr)

  • angeltennis3angeltennis3 member
    ...I am a little confused. If you have had it for 8 months, how could it be pregnancy related...
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  • archi35archi35 member
    angeltennis3 said:
    ...I am a little confused. If you have had it for 8 months, how could it be pregnancy related..
    Hahaha - that would be my crappy typing - thank you for this though b/c it certainly would be confusing.  It should be 8 weeks not months....arg.

    Native NYC-ers living in Switzerland - First time parents - 36 + 37

    TTC: 8 Months / BFP: 2/8/2014 / EDD: 10/20/2014  

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  • LCSC1980LCSC1980 member
    I have had Pupps now going on 2 weeks since it fully exploded all over my body. I'm 37 wks pregnant with a large baby boy. I'm a teacher and I have had to miss the last 2 weeks of the school year because this rash is so debilitating. I'm starting to find ways to manage it-I hope. I tried V8, milk thistle, pine tar soap, Eucerin lotion and cream, Benadryl tablets and cream, Methylprednisone, a Hydrocortisone cream, Sarna lotion. What has helped most is taking a lot of 20-30 minute baths with colloidal oatmeal-doesn't matter if it's Aveeno or not, making a mixture of a handful of plain oatmeal, water (enough that it's soupy and I use cool water), and a couple teaspoons of olive oil. I rub the mixture on my rash let it dry and let the oats flake off. Another very helpful remedy is chamomile tea bags, I drop them with some coconut oil in the tub. Also I keep a jar of tea and cotton ball with me throughout the day reapplying as needed. The oatmeal and all the bathing can be extremely drying , so I find St. Ives colloidal oatmeal lotion helpful-it doesn't have parabens or pthlatates (sp?). It's very light.
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