Factors affecting healing
Why do I take longer to heal than others?
Note: Please read my first article on how topical steroids affect our skin first so that you may understand fully the explanations below.
Healing rate is based on many factors, and therefore it is confusing. TSW is so difficult, naturally we all wish to estimate how long more it would last and when we can expect to heal.
Factors affecting healing are:
Usage of topical steroids: Duration, frequency, amount and potency of topical steroids used. The longer the duration, the more frequent the usage and the higher the potency, the longer it takes to heal in general.
Management of the 7 flare factors: In my previous post, I mentioned 7 factors that can cause a flare: allergens/irritants, lack of rest/sleep, mental and emotional stress, monthly periods, falling ill, alcohol and other environmental factors. Any flare up takes time to calm down and heal again. Since there so many factors that can cause a flare up, the time for healing is unpredictable as well.
Family/caregiver support: One of the 7 factors causing a flare up is mental and emotional stress. And family/caregiver support or the lack of it directly affects your mood, general outlook and confidence in your own healing. I hope to write a page on family/caregiver support - how you may communicate with family members to get their understanding, and tips for family members/caregivers on how to support your loved one going through TSW.
Hardened skin: Hardened skin occurs with prolonged and heavy moisturiser use on broken TSW skin. Hardened skin requires Moisturiser Withdrawal for healing, and reducing hardened skin takes a lot of time on top of healing the TSW skin. To read more about how hardened skin develops, please click here.
Infections: Fungal infections and bacteria infections are very common and can go undiagnosed for long periods of time during TSW. They can be difficult to detect as they present differently on TSW skin or can look similar to symptoms of TSW skin. Detecting and taking action to heal infections quickly will prevent prolonging your healing duration. Click here more information on fungal infections and how to deal with them, and here for more information on bacteria infections and how to deal with them.
Poor protein intake from dieting: Many people with TSW avoid lots of food with the idea that these foods are triggers to the skin. It is important to note that cutting out too many foods, including protein sources like meat, can delay healing. The skin requires large amounts of energy and protein to heal and it is pertinent to eat enough in the day to sustain healing.
It is difficult to give an estimate on how fast one will heal from TSW. This is because healing duration is a mixture of factors we can and cannot control. Someone with a longer usage duration may recover faster than someone with a shorter usage duration if he/she is able to manage their 7 flare factors well and have family support.
It is not about how long it takes, but how you embrace your journey
TSW takes a lot of time and it is excruciating. A lot of the time it is more of a mental battle than a physical one. The best advice I can give is to not worry about your timeline - stay in the present and do not worry about the future. Take care of your skin daily and always have the faith and confidence that you will heal.
Make the best of the condition you are in now - if you are currently bedridden and unable to do anything, lean on others for help and do not feel guilty about it. Remember that you need this time to rest and you deserve it. Focus on things you can do no matter how little it may be, such as watching Netflix in bed.
When you are a little better, celebrate the little victories of simply being able to move about or do simple things like holding a conversation with a friend, or being able to open up your mouth fully to eat! When you take each day at a time and focus on what you have to do for your healing, one day you will find yourself physically able to make plans for the future again. Right now, focus on the present moment and do not compare your healing timeline to another person’s.