Eczema and military service

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concernedincanada
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2017 2:28 pm
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by concernedincanada on Sun Apr 23, 2017 2:47 pm

Eczema and military service

Ey.

I don't know what category the contents of this post would fit under so I'm just going to drop it here.

So, I'm 19 years old and I've had mild to inconsequential eczema for my entire life.

I'm fortunate in so much as my eczema doesn't itch, it doesn't cut open, get infected and doesn't spread to very visible spots of my body. It's only noticeable because of the fact that, well, it's just there. And, it isn't socially obvious to other people.

To put things into perspective: my elementary school and junior high school were well known for bullying and nobody picked on me for my eczema there because they didn't even notice it.

I myself only ever notice it if I see that it has flared up or has popped back up for no particular reason, such as right now.

With the above being said, my eczema has never actually caused me many problems in my life.

I've had far worse problems due to other factors such as my dysfunctional family and many abusive interpersonal relationships with individual family members over the years.

But, my eczema may end up being problematic right at this moment. And that's only because I plan on enlisting in the Canadian military before I turn 20 at the end of the year (I'm pretty much 20 on New Year's) and my eczema is as worse as it has been since I was 15 - 16. I haven't used the topical cream, whatever it was, since I was 15 - 16 because I didn't see a need for it. That medication is since inaccessible and gone, as it is at the residence of my abusive parent who I have been estranged from since my relationship ended with them as a 17 year old.

Eczema, along with other skin diseases, is grounds for a medical rejection from the Canadian Armed Forces. If the MO, aka Medical Officer, in Borden, Ontario decides that my eczema is incompatible for military service, then I will receive a medial rejection letter in my mail during the recruitment process as well as a chance to appeal the decision. But, I won't be able to appeal the decision unless the eczema's severity is made lesser than it already is.

I don't want to be dependent on medication for the rest of my life. On that note, and with all of the above in mind as well, are there widely known natural remedies for eczema? Such as using certain soaps or taking cold showers? Creams which can be store purchased, such as Aveeno? I want to be able to regulate my genetic skin disease using natural remedies without having to rely on expensive medications (that I can't afford now anyway, so natural remedies are a necessity).

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Marcie Mom
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 3:30 pm
Location: Singapore
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by Marcie Mom on Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:17 am

Re: Eczema and military service

Hi... I'm not too sure of natural remedies, but few things that I can think of are:
- Good skincare - no soap, use bath oil e.g. Aveeno, QV, no hot or long showers, moisturize right after shower
- Figure out if there's new allergens that you're in contact with > sometimes it's the teen years that worsen eczema, or it could be a change in your environment, food or things your skin come into contact with
- Actively reduce staph bacteria on the skin > use chlorhexidine gluconate wash (usually sold in hospital pharmacy)
- Diet with less sugar, trans fat as association with more severe eczema

Not all careers are suitable for those with eczema.. not sure what military service in Canada entail or whether say the sweat and the sun is a trigger for your flareup.. wishing you the best,
Mei
Mei
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jamielee
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Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 5:39 am
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by jamielee on Thu Jun 08, 2017 5:44 am

Re: Eczema and military service

Kind of ironic hearing that eczema is grounds for dismissal in Canada. I have some friends in Asia who have 1-2 years of mandatory military service. Despite how bad their eczema is, they are NOT excused from such service!

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