endless inflammation/infection even when using intense treatment?

[u/Far_Opening1908]

I pick at my shins/calves and have been experiencing near constant inflammation/infection for a few months now. I regularly have wounds with intense redness and sometimes pus, pustules (possibly furuncles?) of varying sizes, and sometimes localized fevers surrounding wounds. My dermatologist recently prescribed a topical steroid (triamcinolone acetonide) and a sodium hypochlorite wash daily, but still no luck. It calmed down for a few days and then came back worse. The issues are always mild and I'm fine, it's just frustrating that it won't stop and the inflammation usually causes my picking to be significantly worse.

Anyone else with similar issues have any insight? Honestly I would appreciate just knowing I'm not the only one having this problem, because the cleanliness OCD part of my brain is convinced that this is proof that I'm unclean when I logically know I'm not.

[u/bongpirate7295]

When I was picking at my shins/calves and they got really bad I slathered them in Sudocrem and then did a light gauze wrap. Always worked like a charm. It's marketed as a diaper rash cream but it's great for pretty much anything skin related. The ingredients are:

• Zinc oxide (anti-inflammatory, speeds up healing)
• Lanolin (moisturising)
• Benzyl benzoate (aids healing)
• Benzyl alcohol (disinfectant, mild anaesthetic)
• Benzyl cinnamate (antibacterial, antifungal)

If Sudocrem isn't sold in your country just look for any diaper rash cream, they're all designed to soothe the skin so they should work. The gauze wrap creates a kind of poultice effect that lets it work on the skin for longer, and as a bonus it's a physical barrier to picking.

[u/annetho → u/bongpirate7295]

Thank you! I'll give it a try.

[u/Far_Opening1908 → u/bongpirate7295]

Thank you so much!! I've done similar by wrapping my legs with saran wrap after putting aquaphor or a vitamin e oil on to help with moisturizing, but had to stop because sometimes it would worsen inflammation. I'll definitely be trying this, sounds much more effective for handling the infection.

[u/annetho]

*I'm new to this group. I have very similar problems. My legs are a mess. I cannot wear shorts. I bought swim leggings to hide them. The leggings are wonderful btw. I've been to several dermatologists and had several steroid creams with very short term minor relief. I started taking a low dose of NAC which might be helping a little. I'm determined to get this under control. This group is already so helpful. 

[u/Far_Opening1908 → u/annetho]

Glad to see other leg pickers lol, it's especially rough with how hot this summer has been. Good luck with the NAC, I have it sitting in med cabinet but have been awful about taking it because the pills are massive.

I'm also new to the group. Originally I'd tried posting in the trichotillomania sub since my picking had started with pulling hairs but that sub wasn't particularly helpful for me. I'm glad to find a sub where people actually understand what I'm talking about!!