Supersensitive Skin

In severe cases, the skin can become very sensitive. There can be constant itching, and low level pain. My sister has this condition. Application of water, washing the skin, or wearing waterproof gloves makes the problem very much worse, with considerable pain. I have also experienced this, but to a much less degree.

Here is my current hypothesis of the mechanism.

1. As we grow older, the mechanisms which defend the skin become less effective.
2. Yeast growing in the outer dead (cornified) skin layer produces toxins.
3. Yeast toxins are known to be irritants to the nerves.
4. Yeast toxins slowly migrate through the dry skin.
5. When yeast toxins reach the nerves under the skin in sufficient quantity, the pain nerves begin to fire off pain signals.
6. We know that when the skin is not able to breath, that it opens channels through it. This is the mechanism used in transdermal patch drug delivery systems. Transdermal patches are a piece of sticky tape, usually circular, about 2 inches in diameter. Air cannot pass through the patch. They hold a drug on the center area of the sticky side. When they are stuck onto the skin, they prevent the skin from breathing, and channels open through the skin. The drug travels through the skin and therefore into the blood.
7. We also know that when the hands are submerged in water for a long time, they become "wrinkled." This happens because of the channels opening up.
8. Anything applied to the skin which cuts off contact with the air will open the channels through the skin. This includes any liquid, non-breathing tape such as Band-Aids, and non-breathing ("rubber") gloves.
9. When the channels open, the rate of flow of Candida toxins into the deeper layers of skin can increase rather significantly. This greater level of toxins sets off the pain nerves.

• Applying anything that cuts off air can create unbearable pain.
• Applying anything which kills yeast would tend to increase the amount of toxins being created, and thus would increase the pain.

Below are listed possible variables.

Rate of sweating

Under high heat stress, and wearing rubber gloves, sweating is quite profuse. This would produce a high rate of flow of sweat, outward through the channels through the skin. This high rate of flow would tend to prevent the flow of toxins into the skin. Thus, under these conditions there may be no increase of pain from the sweating.

When conditions are less severe, occulting the skin (preventing it from evaporating) will open the channels, but the rate of flow is not that great. As a result, toxins can flow inward and reach the nerves, increasing the pain.

Immune system activity

Immune system activity is quite variable. It can vary over short term and long term time in the same individual and between individuals. When immune activity is high, more toxins are released in the skin. This can produce more pain.

Immune system activity decreases with age.

Body temperature

 Body temperature effects how much sweating is occurring.

Air temperature

 If the air is cool, there is less need for sweating.

Amount of yeast present

The quantity of yeast growing in the skin is quite variable.

Variabilities of the skin

Skin at different location on the same person can react quite differently to the same external conditions.

Person's pain threshold

Different people have different thresholds for pain. What is only slightly painful to one person can be very painful to another person.

Nerve sensitivity at the moment

Nervous system sensitivity can be a variable.

Anti-yeast skin treatment

Applying medication may raise the toxin level enough to trigger pain, and even skin damage. Of course, most of these medications are absorbed through the skin, and thus the die-off rate in the skin is quite variable in the short term.

1. With a fan blowing on the skin to be treated, use a fingertip to apply a water solution of crystal or rock deodorant, (Potassium alum), a drop at a time. Quickly spread it around and rub it in.
2. Apply each successive drop to a new area of the skin.
3. After the initial area has thoroughly dried, apply to it again.
4. The goal is to allow the water to carry the Potassium alum into the cornified layer, but to very quickly evaporate. Hopefully, the channels will not open long enough to transport much toxin into the lower layers.
5. Potassium alum does not kill yeast directly. Instead, it inhibits growth of bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Thus it does not liberate toxins.
6. If the yeast is not able to multiply, then the body's present defenses have a better chance of slowly killing off the non-reproducing yeast. Also, as the cornified layers are sloughed off as happens normally, living yeast will be carried away with it.
7. Because this is not a treatment that would produce immediate results, it must be carried out periodically. It should be done at least once a day, or after each time the skin is washed or subjected to water for any reason.

A systemic treatment using Itreconazole or Diflucan. These drugs accumulate in the skin. Possibly if they are applied at low levels, the yeast in the skin can be killed slowly enough to not make the symptoms unbearable.

The pills would have to be cut into much smaller doses, and dosage built up over time.

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Also see the page Factors Contributing to Ca Growth in the Skin.

See Skin Syndrome discussion.

See Treatment of Yeast Lesions.

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