Anyone have recommendations for what OTC topical cream I should use for a rash? I haven’t had one since I can remember and have no idea what to get. I also have no idea where the rash came from. It’s a cluster of itchy red bumps on my forearm. Since I work outside doing political door knocking and I’m in the suburbs it could easily be from brushing up against a plant it turns out I’m allergic too or it could be bug bites. I don’t have any food allergies that I know of and I haven’t used any new soaps or detergents so I don’t think it’s easier of those things.
I’ve had it about a week and it hasn’t gotten worse but it hasn’t gotten better either so I need to something about it.
In NZ, the pharmacists used to make up basic (and cheap, very very cheap) versions of things like hydrocortisone cream. I found that their versions were just as good as the bought versions, sometimes a difference in base can mean one cream work whereas an equivalent strength hydrocortisone cream doesn’t.
Apparently hydrocortisone cream can thin the skin where you’re applying it. I’m not sure whether this is an issue for you.
I’ve suffered from eczema and contact dermatitis for years, so this advice is from my experience. I have tried other suggestions such as Alpha Keri ointment (http://alphakeri.com.au/products/ointment/) but never had the same positive outcome.
HTH.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
I’m thinking mod callout thoughts strongly now, but not for the usual reason. :
Wat? I am confused!
cloudiah, I didn’t know kitties could get acne!
pallygirl
10 years ago
Oh, for mods to answer the kitty acne question rather than to address a troll – addressing troll issues being the normal reason I try to send out my mod thoughts.
Hey, i’m doing a governmentally paid entry level course in mathematics. I’m not personally getting paid, but you can. There’s even free coffee.
I’m all for it :b
pallygirl
10 years ago
@kitteh: having re-read my comment, it could be misread as dismissive. What I meant was that you’re not the mod of *that particular* bit of knowledge, but that’s okay as there is other knowledge and you’re the mod of some of that.
There are times I wish I could communicate as clearly as how I am thinking of a concept.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
LOL pallygirl, no, it wasn’t dismissive.
I would not dare be mod of Cat Knowledge. What human would?
Fibi – I’m not getting paid (I am on unemployment benefit, for what that’s worth) but I get to do the course free, and that’s pretty good.
I second the not using plastic plates/bowls/etc. as a method of dealing with cat acne. That has worked fairly well for us, along with making sure that any plastic bags are in relatively inaccessable spaces.
When we’ve had issues with this in the past getting rid of the plastic and doing the epsom salts/warm water thing has cleared it up fairly quickly.
I’m temporarily going to feed them both off of paper plates that I can throw away, to see if that helps. If it does, I’ll get different bowls. I’m not too worried, since she doesn’t seem at all bothered and has no open sores. (But she HATES the epsom salts/warm water treatment, poor baby.) Thanks, all!
Viscaria
10 years ago
Uuuurrerergh this guy just tried to ask me out at work via email and I tried to gently deflect but he called me out on it and we had this awkward conversation and maybe I was accidentally flirting?!?!? Why don’t I know how to human? BLARGH. I’m so embarrassed I want to go straight home.
@maistrechat (fantastic name), thank you. That’s what boyfriend said too. I’m just so bad at interacting with people in general, plus it just twigs this thing from high school — I had this reputation for being this complete flirt, particularly in regards to boys with SOs, when I was aiming for friendly. Nothing like some 10 year old embarrassment resurfacing.
Eeew, who does that? Don’t ask your coworker out, especially by email! That makes everything awkward!
Viscaria
10 years ago
That comment has like 7 instances of the word “this.”
Viscaria
10 years ago
Thanks LBT :). I feel much less mortified now.
He was like “free for lunch?” and I honestly wasn’t sure if he was asking me out or not (we don’t work directly together and we don’t know each other well) so I was like “can’t today, school stuff, but maybe next week? We can invite *people who work with both of us* to come, too!” “Next week would be great, other folks welcome but optional.” “Great!” *invites others* “I feel like you don’t want to have lunch with me without chaperones and now I feel embarrassed.” DUDE I gave you the easiest out. I wish you had just taken it. :-/
serrana
10 years ago
What’s wrong with having less than perfect social skills, Viscaria? I think the only reason to be ashamed of an interaction with someone is if you were an asshole on purpose and it sounds like you were doing the opposite when you deflected the guy. If you had been direct with him he probably would have taken issue with that too. Plus, he’s the one who created the awkward situation.
serrana
10 years ago
Ooh, we cross-posted. Yeah, you definitely didn’t do anything wrong. He was being a Nice Guy and expecting you to read his mind.
We Hunted The Mammoth
Anyone have recommendations for what OTC topical cream I should use for a rash? I haven’t had one since I can remember and have no idea what to get. I also have no idea where the rash came from. It’s a cluster of itchy red bumps on my forearm. Since I work outside doing political door knocking and I’m in the suburbs it could easily be from brushing up against a plant it turns out I’m allergic too or it could be bug bites. I don’t have any food allergies that I know of and I haven’t used any new soaps or detergents so I don’t think it’s easier of those things.
I’ve had it about a week and it hasn’t gotten worse but it hasn’t gotten better either so I need to something about it.
Ooh, new Princess and Monster! <3 Judith!
@WWTH: for contact dermatitis, I use a hydrocortisone cream, normally around the 0.5% mark. This is one I find helpful: http://www.chemist.co.nz/product.cfm?ProductID=38&GroupID=1&CategoryID=148&SubcatID=33 although don’t know if the same product will be available in the US or Canada. It is readily absorbed and doesn’t keep the area wet, which can be an issue with some alternatives. Calamine lotion is another alternative (e.g. see http://www.medicinenet.com/calamine_lotion-topical/article.htm).
In NZ, the pharmacists used to make up basic (and cheap, very very cheap) versions of things like hydrocortisone cream. I found that their versions were just as good as the bought versions, sometimes a difference in base can mean one cream work whereas an equivalent strength hydrocortisone cream doesn’t.
Apparently hydrocortisone cream can thin the skin where you’re applying it. I’m not sure whether this is an issue for you.
I’ve suffered from eczema and contact dermatitis for years, so this advice is from my experience. I have tried other suggestions such as Alpha Keri ointment (http://alphakeri.com.au/products/ointment/) but never had the same positive outcome.
HTH.
Wat? I am confused!
cloudiah, I didn’t know kitties could get acne!
Oh, for mods to answer the kitty acne question rather than to address a troll – addressing troll issues being the normal reason I try to send out my mod thoughts.
Congratulations, kitteh! That sounds useful, good luck with it! Paid job training sounds almost like my personal socialist hellhole of a country. :b
I haz a sad, I am not the mod of knowledge. 🙁
@kitteh: you are not the mod of this particular knowledge.
Knowledge about how to cure cat acne =/= all knowledge
Wheeeeeeeeee logic. 🙂
Shhh, Fibi, don’t go saying the S word! We’ll have the Downunder Gopers killing off the government funded training in no time.
Hey, i’m doing a governmentally paid entry level course in mathematics. I’m not personally getting paid, but you can. There’s even free coffee.
I’m all for it :b
@kitteh: having re-read my comment, it could be misread as dismissive. What I meant was that you’re not the mod of *that particular* bit of knowledge, but that’s okay as there is other knowledge and you’re the mod of some of that.
There are times I wish I could communicate as clearly as how I am thinking of a concept.
LOL pallygirl, no, it wasn’t dismissive.
I would not dare be mod of Cat Knowledge. What human would?
Fibi – I’m not getting paid (I am on unemployment benefit, for what that’s worth) but I get to do the course free, and that’s pretty good.
Sorry, I meant that to be the same thing. Benefits. “Paid” in the sense that the course is covered by the government.
Essentially, congratulations 🙂
Thank ‘ee!
I second the not using plastic plates/bowls/etc. as a method of dealing with cat acne. That has worked fairly well for us, along with making sure that any plastic bags are in relatively inaccessable spaces.
When we’ve had issues with this in the past getting rid of the plastic and doing the epsom salts/warm water thing has cleared it up fairly quickly.
I’m temporarily going to feed them both off of paper plates that I can throw away, to see if that helps. If it does, I’ll get different bowls. I’m not too worried, since she doesn’t seem at all bothered and has no open sores. (But she HATES the epsom salts/warm water treatment, poor baby.) Thanks, all!
Uuuurrerergh this guy just tried to ask me out at work via email and I tried to gently deflect but he called me out on it and we had this awkward conversation and maybe I was accidentally flirting?!?!? Why don’t I know how to human? BLARGH. I’m so embarrassed I want to go straight home.
I’d say that this guy doesn’t know how to human. Why call someone out on a deflection? If you’re asking someone out and they deflect, THAT MEANS NO.
Calling somebody out for deflecting instead of saying no is not a nice thing to do.
Our neighbors across the street have this lovely old oak tree in their yard. Let’s call the oak tree Sudowoodo.
So funny thing happened over the weekend, folks.
Sudowoodo learned Smash.
It was super effective.
@maistrechat (fantastic name), thank you. That’s what boyfriend said too. I’m just so bad at interacting with people in general, plus it just twigs this thing from high school — I had this reputation for being this complete flirt, particularly in regards to boys with SOs, when I was aiming for friendly. Nothing like some 10 year old embarrassment resurfacing.
RE: Viscaria
Eeew, who does that? Don’t ask your coworker out, especially by email! That makes everything awkward!
That comment has like 7 instances of the word “this.”
Thanks LBT :). I feel much less mortified now.
He was like “free for lunch?” and I honestly wasn’t sure if he was asking me out or not (we don’t work directly together and we don’t know each other well) so I was like “can’t today, school stuff, but maybe next week? We can invite *people who work with both of us* to come, too!” “Next week would be great, other folks welcome but optional.” “Great!” *invites others* “I feel like you don’t want to have lunch with me without chaperones and now I feel embarrassed.” DUDE I gave you the easiest out. I wish you had just taken it. :-/
What’s wrong with having less than perfect social skills, Viscaria? I think the only reason to be ashamed of an interaction with someone is if you were an asshole on purpose and it sounds like you were doing the opposite when you deflected the guy. If you had been direct with him he probably would have taken issue with that too. Plus, he’s the one who created the awkward situation.
Ooh, we cross-posted. Yeah, you definitely didn’t do anything wrong. He was being a Nice Guy and expecting you to read his mind.