Korean Job Discussion Forums

jonski · Joined: 26 Feb 2011

Hi,

I've posted about this before. I have only been in Korea for about 7 weeks but I have had 2 outbreaks of a serious skin problem with a separate issue of added spots!

About a month back now I had an outbreak of some sore skin around my mouth. I noticed it at night and the problem got significantly worse. The skin patch spread to about a donut sized ring around my mouth. The skin turned red and went incredibly dry. Anything I put on it just aggravated it. It took about a week for it to go and I was sure it was an allergic reaction to something.

Anyway on Monday of this week, it started again. I knew it was coming back as I felt the skin turn tender once more. It's now Saturday, I am over the worst of it and it seems to be fading away. I am seriously annoyed though because I have a date with a really hot co-worker tonight and I feel like the dam Elephant Man. The skin is so dry and flakey and orange looking.

I went to the local pharmacy with a friend and they gave me a lovely tube of grease to put on my face, it soothes it but leaves me looking like I've stuffed my face with KFC. I'm trying to find a connection into what's causing it. It's got to be either something I've eaten or maybe from the fact that I tend to shower twice a day half the week.

I've started to wash my face and brush teeth with bottled water (wasting half the bottle a time) and I am avoiding all contact with Korean water on my face now. I am however not 100% convinced this is the problem. I also can't seem to find anything that I have eaten consistently which may have caused this problem. Only tuna and carrots. Everyday I eat a can of tuna (in canola oil) and usually also munch on a carrot stick. I have since cut both of these out of my diet to try and see if this has caused it, but once again I'm not convinced.

Anyway, I've made this a long one, but please help! I can't be dealing with this every weeks, its about a 7 on a scale of 1-10 of terribleness! (I have had no previous problems like this until Korea)

jonski · Joined: 26 Feb 2011

Ahhhh, sorry for the triple post on this one, the laptop crashed!

liveinkorea316 · Joined: 20 Aug 2010 Location: South Korea

Go to a skin doctor. They are called 피부과 (pi-bu-gwa) and you can find them everywhere

bbud656 · Joined: 15 Jun 2010

Maybe its herpes. Its pretty common. You know how everyone sticks their chopsticks in their mouth and then into the community bowl of food. yeah, who would have guessed that spreads germs. I would guess the rates of non genital herpes in this country are off the charts.

crossmr · Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Go to a dermatologist pi bu gwa.

If that doesn't work, see if you can find some products made with

dead sea salt. nhdeadsea.com

I used their body scub in the bath or shower and it's amazing how my skin problems clear up.

redaxe · Joined: 01 Dec 2008

can you post a picture? its pretty hard to tell what it is without seeing a pic.

jonski · Joined: 26 Feb 2011

Nah I don't have a camera. I'm over the worst of it now, it should be completely gone by Tuesday, but I am certain it will come back again, as it did once before.

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

It's probably dermatitis. When I was a kid I had it on my feet. Went to the doctor, got some medicated lotion and never thought of it again. 20 years later when I moved here, it came back.

The air, and water, and environment here is worse, generally speaking, than most of the places we come from and adding in stress, it exacerbates the situation. I wouldn't get too worried about it, but get to the doctor and get some drugs for it - usually medicated lotion.

Other things that can help are healthier lifestyle choices - diet, exercise, no alcohol, etc. Stress is another big factor.

Anyway, just my two cents. I've seen plenty of people with the symptoms, so it's pretty common (but most people just shake it off as dry skin and don't treat it). Good luck.

jonski · Joined: 26 Feb 2011

Thanks for your input, it's nearly gone now, but it has left some orangey/red marks where it was. I hope it doesn't scar lol.

I think I will wait till it reappears then go to the doctor. Bloody Sods Law though it reappears around the weekend time when I've got plans to be making moves on a girl....

I think its a bit more severe then dry skin. It was so inflamed man and I couldn't put anything on it, not even aloe vera which is so neutral! It still kinda hurts a little to open my mouth wide as the skin feels all tight!

My diet is brilliant, I eat so many fresh fruits and veggies and I have barely drunk anything in 2 months. I think its something to do with the polloution like you said, everywhere I walk around here stinks. I get wofts of pure sewage (guemcheon/ soha dong1). I also maybe think the water has something to do with it..... Who knows,

jonski · Joined: 26 Feb 2011

Thanks for your input, it's nearly gone now, but it has left some orangey/red marks where it was. I hope it doesn't scar lol.

I think I will wait till it reappears then go to the doctor. Bloody Sods Law though it reappears around the weekend time when I've got plans to be making moves on a girl....

I think its a bit more severe then dry skin. It was so inflamed man and I couldn't put anything on it, not even aloe vera which is so neutral! It still kinda hurts a little to open my mouth wide as the skin feels all tight!

My diet is brilliant, I eat so many fresh fruits and veggies and I have barely drunk anything in 2 months. I think its something to do with the polloution like you said, everywhere I walk around here stinks. I get wofts of pure sewage (guemcheon/ soha dong1). I also maybe think the water has something to do with it..... Who knows,

jjgirl · Joined: 18 Nov 2010

Glad its almost gone... I've had some skin problems too, mostly incredibly dry skin on my legs! I don't know what it is about this place, but my skin really doesn't like it

jonski · Joined: 26 Feb 2011

Update,

The doctor said it's stress related coupled with lack of sleep. Don't know how true that is as it went away to come back again in the same place (very localised). Hes given me 6 days worth of pills and 2 more ointments/creams to put on my face, yay!

akcrono · Joined: 11 Mar 2010

ajp · Joined: 09 May 2007

I ain't no doc but a generic reddish rash that recurs and seems to be related to stress sounds like eczema. You should google it and see if it matches your symptoms. Aside from topical steroids, there's a whole whack of things you can do to try and identify the trigger.

I get it mildly every winter when the air dries out my hands.