Bump on hip. Itchy, becomes bigger if scratched or squeezed. 1-2 weeks, isnt going away.

Hi y'all. I'm pretty much at my wits end.
I have a dermatologist appointment today but thought I'd ask around here anyway.
Backstory: I had eczema when I was really really young, honestly so young that the only thing I remembered of it was having a patch of it on my butt and my mom applying cream to it and then never really dealing with it ever again. She thought I had eczema on my face though it appeared as white patches and I vaguely remember this but for at least a decade or more I did not have eczema. My skin was perfect, genuinely so clear I didn't have to use much product on it.
Fast forward to November of 2019; I started taking hormonal birth control and noticed within a few months that I started getting eczema patches (also was having facial rashes but I thought this was due to trying out a new skincare) I went to the dermatologist who prescribed me Triamcinolone 0.1% ointment for my body rashes. I don't ever EVER remember using steroids much. I'd use it one to two days, and would stop when it starts to fade. Anyway my eczema was pretty lowkey in general and in 2021, we adopted a cat. I did notice my eczema worsening slightly ever since getting my cat but was managing with Triamcinolone (I think at this point my dermatologist prescribed me a tub of it I think December of 2021)
Again, I don't use steroid much and when I do I think it's really just for emergencies (my eczema was genuinely such a secondary aspect of my life I don't even remember much of how I managed it other than letting it ride and maybe applying steroid when needed). I remember the tub expired and I hadn't used even half of the ointment. I was also prescribed Mometasone and Fluoccionide? But I never used either of them as I didn't feel comfortable to.
In September of 2022, I caught COVID while overseas and it caused a pretty gnarly flare on the inner side of my elbows. Since I was overseas I just managed with moisturizing but I remember applying steroid when I came home. We adopted a second cat later this year.
Since then I think my eczema HAVE gotten worse, but there was a period of at least 6 months where I wasn't using steroid creams at all because I was either just dealing with it or it was barely there.
Fast forward to 2023.
I noticed a rash on the top of my right hand that I was initially managing with just moisturizing. But I remember having such intense itch on this rash that I kept itching, and at one point I itched with my shirt and it caused it to be infected. It was so gnarly, bright red, oozing, literally would not stop oozing, painful. I went back to my dermatologist 5 days later when I realized that oh this might be worse than just a regular eczema. She gave me Mupirocin and another tube of Triamcinolone (since my previous one expired) as well as a course of Doxycycline. I used the Mupirocin as directed for I think 10 days, and was not yet using Triamcinolone as I was worried about using it when it looked like there were still open wounds on it. I didn't finish my Doxy course because it was giving me horrible stomach pains. I came back to the dermatologist January 3rd and she told me it was OK to use Triamcinolone twice daily up to two weeks.
At this point I was already having eczema rash on my arms as well and some on my back but I don't think I was using Triamcinolone much on them (I'm pretty sporadic with using the steroid, I never really committed to the full 2 weeks)
Now, this is where things became a doozy.
January 5th: Caught strep, had difficulty breathing and had to go to urgent care. I was prescribed antibiotics, Prednisone (20mg, twice daily for 5 days), and Albuterol. I had asthma when I was younger and it's almost like it came back when I caught strep. My eczema was calm during this time and I thought it was because it rained a lot this week but now I realized it may be the Prednisone. Could not remember if I was using Triamcinolone as well on my hand during this time.
Sometime in early February: Went for a run and literally rolled my ankle so bad. Unrelated to everything else but my body sustained injury and looking back at old pictures I was starting to get patches of eczema on my legs.
Then I caught what felt like the flu in mid February and this is the first time my eczema flared to my face. My left eye was half swollen but at this time I thought it was from my sinus being blocked as it went away in a few days (though the rash stayed).
Early March: Got admitted to the hospital from Appendicitis. I spent 3 nights at the hospital and my eczema was literally non existent. No itchiness, just intense dryness but nothing else. I remember my friend noting my face was super dry but my rashes were slowly drying out. To be fair I was in so much pain the first day I was knocked out most the time from the pain medication they gave me and I was on a couple antibiotics due to the infection.
I came home from the hospital and this is when things start to really get insane. I got home, laid in bed, and immediately could not stop itching my neck and body. My face became swollen the next day but I was unable to take allergy meds because I was on antibiotics and had to wait for that course to be done. That eventually settled out.
I figured maybe I was having an allergic reaction to the cats (and thought maybe my mattress too, we had vacuumed it a few times and I suspected it disturbed the dust mites inside). I slept outside and on an air mattress for I think a few days, if not up to a week. The cats were still sleeping with me at this time and I was somewhat itchy but it wasn't the worst. Then I decided I was going to sleep in the bedroom again and this caused the worst flare I had ever ever EVER gone through. My face became so swollen, my left eye swollen again and it was oozing (this had NEVER happened to me before other than my infected hand) I don't know why this oozed since I never scratched my face, and my inner elbows, wrists and top of right hand got so red and puffy. At this point too my eczema on my right hand was starting to spread towards my palm. These areas also got pretty dry especially on my face. I called Teladoc Dermatology and they prescribed me Mupirocin for the oozing, Tacrolimus for the inflammation on my face and Triamcinolone for the body. He told me to apply Mupirocin first until the oozing calms, then stop and apply the other ointments.
At this point I had become SO SO SO terrified of TSW. It was all over my Tik Tok, my algorithm, I couldn't stop thinking and worrying about it and fearing that this flare is because I'm going through it. He told me to use Triamcinolone for twice daily for two weeks, then once daily for two weeks, then every other day for two weeks to help prevent rebound. I only used Triamcinolone twice daily for 5 days, then I did once daily for a few more days and by the time I saw my current dermatologist, I was using it every other day (I essentially tried to taper within the two weeks).
My current derma prescribed me Clobetasol and told me to mix 2oz of Clobetasol with 7.5oz of Vanicream or Cerave and smear myself in it once a day at night for one week, then once a day at night every other day for the second week. It was a very controlled instruction.
BUT I was SO afraid of TSW that I did not do this.
Instead, I took a one week break and I did 3 weeks of Triamcinolone, and even then I did it sporadically. I did about 10 days of once daily and then the second half I did twice daily. When I started doing twice daily was when I finally saw some improvements.
The problem is it has been a week since I last used any steroids and I have rebounded. Although my eczema rash genuinely looks so weird and I am having the dermatologist look at it properly today. My arms are constantly dry, my right hand (the problem spot since December) now have what looks like blisters on them and I never have eczema that look like this even though it's apparently common. The frustrating thing is that it feels like my eczema just keeps spreading. They are full body and it's freaking me out because it looks as if I have TSW even though I don't think I ever used steroids for that long at all, and I was only prescribed it back in 2020.
To be fair I thought I should've committed to the Clobetasol treatment because then we can see if the strongest steroid worked or not but I felt like I was going to flare again anyway and didn't want to use something really strong only for it to not work.
I had an allergy test done and I am allergic to both species of dust mites, dogs, cats, along with some other environmental things. I just don't understand why I am only now flaring uncontrollably like this. I am 95% covered in eczema. Either spots or just straight up long red rash. I am taking antihistamines daily and have been taking Probiotic pills pretty consistently (partly because I was on so many antibiotics back to back). I've been using Hyphocolorus Acid Spray as well.
On Sunday night, I tried to sleep over at my friend's place who did not have cats to test and see if my cats are my main trigger and I kept waking up itching myself, both my arms and legs and my chin and neck started oozing again. Which was INSANE as I did not itch either of them. The oozing on both have mostly stopped (I've only used Mupirocin and Vaseline to help control the infection and moisturize) but I just don't understand.
I'm scared, I have never had eczema become so severe so fast and I'm genuinely so scared. Something feels wrong but I don't know what it is. The way my eczema looks look like a combination of an allergic reaction and just a rash but I don't understand how I can have such an intense allergic reaction towards things I've been around all the time. We've lived in the same place since June of last year and the only thing I can think of is that we had the heater on almost daily in the winter and we found out end of April that our heater is incredibly dusty.
I'm getting my IUD removed next week as well as I'm confident birth control has something to do with my eczema coming back, and I plan to get allergy shots.
I'm just tired, it's consumed my life and it's causing me a lot of health anxiety. I look so genuinely terrible I can't even understand it.

Hi all.
I have been addicted to this Reddit since I was diagnosed with seb derm nearly 1 year ago. I would spend HOURS each week scouring the internet to find anything new I could try or what thing I should avoid to resolve my issues. I wanted to share my story with those out there who might be in a similar position I was in to offer guidance.
For a bit of back story/context - I had clear skin my entire life and never had any major issues aside from redness and occasional acne. I used a vitamin C serum a year and a half ago that destroyed my skin barrier. I tried everything possible to get my skin back to normal but nothing helped. I had white flakes from my temples to my mouth and my face constantly felt dry and tight. In areas around my nose and chin, I had small white sandpaper-like bumps that never went away. Before destroying my barrier, I had normal/oily skin that rarely needed moisturizer. I tried so many sensitive skin-safe moisturizers/serums but every single one broke me out or caused my face to become even more dry/flaky. I finally gave in after 8 months of struggling and went to a dermatologist who diagnosed me with seb derm. I was prescribed ketoconazole 2% shampoo, ketoconazole cream, and tacrolimus ointment. All of these things combined helped but it never fully went away. I still had flakes and dry patches all over my face. I kept reading about people who would say these products helped them and they only needed to use them during a "flare", but I never had flares, my skin was constantly irritated. After 2 months of little improvement my derm prescribed clotrimazole, but this did nothing for me. I went back to my dermatologist and was then diagnosed with perioral dermatitis and was prescribed metro cream. This, also, did absolutely nothing for me (I believe it was because I never actually had perioral derm). My last resort with my dermatologist was a 2-week course of doxycycline. After a few days, I still had the same tight/dry/flaky patches on my temples and mouth. After a week my skin was even more dry and I was experiencing the worst break out of my life. At this point, I cut every prescription ingredient out, started doing the bare minimum with my skin, and made an appointment with a different dermatologist. I threw out every product (which at this point, there wasn't much left) that touched my face/scalp that had any flagged ingredients on Sezia or included any SLS.
After doxycycline, I noticed my lash line was super itchy and I'd wake up with flakes on my eyelashes each morning. My skin was also breaking out every few weeks in painful, red, itchy bumps. My breakouts would be in places I never broke out and were very abnormal. Every time my skin would be clear for a week or 2, it would become irritated for the next week. I went to an allergist during this time to see if something I was eating/exposed to was causing my skin issues since I tried so many prescriptions without success. I mentioned the itchy eyelashes and abnormal skin problems and the allergist mentioned "could be Demodex" and didn't think anything else of it. I went down a Demodex rabbit hole after that appointment and learned about Soolantra/Ivermectin. My new dermatologist immediately prescribed Ivermectin 1% as soon as I explained my symptoms.
I'm on week 8 of 12 of Soolantra/Ivermectin. I've experienced minimal irritation or breakouts. My skin is the clearest it's been in nearly 2 years. I can finally put moisturizeproduct on my face and not break out. I can wear makeup without my skin looking like a flaky/patchy mess. I have no dryness/flakes. I am already so satisfied I can't wait to see where my skin ends up by the end of the 12 weeks. To anyone else who has tried so much or can't figure out why nothing works for them - consider asking your dermatologist about Demodex/Ivermectin.

Hey y’all,
My brother has these little bumps appearing on his skin via arms and hands (2nd pic). We’re wondering if it could be scabies.
We recently had a bed bug scare at the beginning of May and sprayed the entire apartment with Diatomaceous Earth. (1st pic) show the bites from what we presumed were bed bugs. They have healed since then but two-three weeks later he has these tiny bumps appearing.
Could these little bumps on his arms be reactions to the diatomaceous earth? They are not itchy (yet) but they keep appearing. He works as a cleaner at a church so we’re worried he caught it from there. Note: He has sprayed his bedsheets with Diatomaceous earth for these last couple of weeks.
Any advice is welcomed. Thank you for looking!!!

Bit by tick on 5/17 removed within 5 hours , yanked it off with paper towel. i know this was not correct way to remove. rash/bump developed same day. has not changed for 4 days. kinda itchy, urgent care said they don’t think it’s lyme and just a reaction to ticks saliva although i’ve never had this happen. gave me 200mg doxycycline as precaution. should i get a 2nd opinion or wait it out?
Age 33 Sex M Height 5’11 Weight 140 Race W Duration of complaint
Location WV Any existing relevant medical issues NA Current medications NA Include a photo if relevant
https://imgur.com/a/ZrkIijn

Hey everyone, I've never had a strong reaction as allergy to the sun. I usually just get a sunburn and that's it... I got strong sun on friday and had some stuff come up on my arms, then went for canooing on sunday (completely drenched in spf50 and completely covered) - but since then my underarms and chin just keeps on getting worse. Sunday it wasn't even my lips but since yesterday nearly all of my lips are plastered with tiny blisters or hives. The first 3 pictures are from this morning, 4+5 fron yesterday.
I'm taking loratadine in the morning, using normal creme to keep hydrated and using spf on top. However I feel like my usual lipbalm is just worsening my lip condition. At night my arms were so itchy I woke up several times.
Just got benzedrine bc some ppl in another sub said it helped them relieve the itch but it didn't do anything, so I just washed it down and remoisturized my skin. I'm traveling until 31/05 so I don't think I can go to a doc without paying insane ampunts of money but I haven't found a post in this sub talking specifically about face or lips.
I'm not sure if I'm doing anything to worsen the situation as some red spots that look more like the common picture people have posted here "is this sun allergy?" have started appearing in areas that weren't directly exposed to sunlight.
Thanks so much in advance everyone!!! The itchiness and open cracked lips are driving me crazy!

Location - Michigan USA.
I apologize in advance for asking this. I know you all are busy. I had a bat encounter a year ago after a storm. A flower pot blew over and I turned it and grabbed what I thought was a crunched leaf and it was a bat. I had the shots. Anyhow, to the Mods who handle and have been bitten this question is for you.
The other day I took my dog to the vet. There is a long built in seat bench in the lobby. It sits directly under a large window. The clinic had the windows wide open (no screens) and there is a lot of overgrown shrubs around the window.
I sat down and did not know the window behind me was wide open without screens. My dog was going crazy barking so a brick could have hit me and I would not have noticed. I got several scratches on my shins from trying to hold her and I did not even know I was bleeding.
Anyhow, when I left and got home I found around 3 small puncture marks a few mm apart on my elbow and it was kind of itchy. Then I realized I sat for about 15 minutes in front of this open window with my back to it. Today the bumps are painful and more red with some burning and itching. Do bat bites itch and turn red?
https://www.imghippo.com/i/QQgIb1716305675.jpg
https://www.imghippo.com/i/Mag6x1716305708.jpg

I have been using the cerave SA cleanser for 1.5 to 2 months and a couple day ago I noticed my skin seemed a but irritated because when I wiuldput moisturizer my skin would burn. I was using the cleanser almost daily and when I noticed my skin was irritated I started using it every 2 days or so. I felt like the cleanser had been working because I felt like my skin was clearing up but when it got irritated a couple days ago I got 2 cystic pimples and then like 2 days ago I got 3 slightly big white heads on my cheek and chin and today I woke up with another cystic pimple growing on my cheek. Does this sound like normal purging or is it from my skin being irritated?
Edit: I don't normally get cystic acne only rarely and it's only 1 bump. I do get white heads usually but not multiple at a time like this.

For the last week or so I've been waking up with itchy, red bumps on my torso, legs, arms and neck. I haven’t seen any signs of bed bugs like blood/dark spots on my sheets, but I found this bug in my bed last night. I'd so appreciate any help identifying it - I know there's carpet beetles in the apartment as well, but am unsure if I'm looking at bed bugs (gulp), body lice, beetle nymph, or something else. I'm in Connecticut, if relevant. Thank you!!

Again, I KNOW, i need to talk to a therapist but appointments are hard to get so until then I need some reassurance to avoid another panic attack.
Located in USA, NJ
Last Tuesday/Wednesday, didn’t see or hear anything unusual in our home. I’m usually a light sleeper lately (last 9.5 months) since my son was born- typically wake up multiple times a night to check on him just out of habit at this point since he usually sleeps through the night.
Noticed at some point on Wednesday, not first thing in the morning, that he had two little dots on his face and looked like they had bled (later found tiny blood stains on the bed sheet). Didn’t think anything of it, babies get cuts, it happens. I was up super early that day around 4:15am to start work early - from home. Again didn’t notice anything. Around 5:30ish when I was in the bathroom next to the bedroom my son was in sleeping still, my two dogs were also in the room with him. One of the dogs barked, so i naturally yell at him because the baby is sleeping. He runs to me, i tell him to stop, he goes back in the room and barked again, then stopped. I didn’t go in to see why he was barking since my son didn’t wake up from it. Since i was up so early that day, when I got home from work i took a nap on the couch and when i woke up, my thigh was a bit itchy (if i remember correctly, now doubting myself) so i start scratching then realize there’s two little bumps. Bumps have a dot of blood on them, probably from the scratching? That’s when it hit me.
I realized what my marks look like and remembered what my sons look like and that my dog barked in the morning when he doesn’t typically bark that early or upstairs often. I looked at my husband and said ‘what if we were bit by a bat in our sleep, didn’t notice it and the dogs got to it before we could see?’ He looked at me like ‘are you serious’ - knowing that I’m petrified of bats.
We SEARCHED the house. Behind pictures on the walls (thanks google), in the attic, in the storage room, all over our room, nothing. No poop, no bat.
So my question to you all is (and please be nice as i’m very very aware of i have anxiety. It gets bad when the subject at hand is anything to do with bats) - is this scenario possible? A bat flew into our room at night, landed on our bed where we were sleeping and bit us then was able to scurry off the bed and hide without my dogs realizing until both my husband and i were out of the room, in which then caused my dog to bark. I was wearing sweatpants and using a blanket, and my son’s face (where his marks were) was next to mine. Would the bat have been able to get off the blanket? Or would its claws have gotten stuck and we would have seen or heard some sort of screeching?
If my dogs were trying to eat a bat, would we have heard screeching?
If a bat bit me through my blanket and pants, would i have holes or rips in them?
If a bat was on my son’s face biting him while next to me, would he have woken up and would i have woken?
I apologize for repetitive posts…but i have had a phobia of bats ever since i was a kid. Rabies phobia didn’t start until 8ish years ago when we woke to a bat in our room flying around and had to google what to do - thats when i learned about it.
**note, we live in the same house as when we had the bat years ago. That bat got in we believe from the chimney as we didn’t have a chimney cap at the time.
ETA: also became very nervous after a doctor looked at the marks on us and said to start PEP - it felt like a confirmation of what I explained above. Since Doctor administered HRIG again after already having it once in my life, will I now not be able to build the antibodies for rabies from the vaccines?
ETA#2: the distance between the points of my wound are 3/4inch.

Hi all, Looking for both face and body suggestions for sunscreen -UK.
I'm 49 and have always had sensitive skin but it's got worse the last couple of years (along with getting food allergies to almonds and wheat and rice) and I seem to have now developed perhaps a sun allergy? Ie I get red itchy blotches/rash on my chest and neck and arms when I wear sunscreen and it looks awful. But just generally my chest area is always blotchy from normal products (even natural ones) and I get lots of large bumps (not spots)as well if I put anything oily on at all but my skin there looks dry if I don't moisturise it So...
BODY sunscreen - I've tried a few in the part including:-
No7 soltan sensitive (itchy) Tropic (brings me out in hives 😭 ) Green People (horrible to put on and leaves skin dry and white cast) Bondi sands hydra (itchy) Piz buin sensitive
Currently trying Emotopic but that takes an age to rub in and it's a small tube so the jury is still out on this one.
I was looking at the eucerin one. Im pretty sure I've had it before but there is a gel cream which I don't think I've tried but some people say it stings as it's got alcohol in??
FACE - (need something suitable for rosacea and for spot prone skin) no almonds/rice or wheat in.
I do use the rodalique one for rosacea which is lovely and doesn't give me spots but it's tinted and sometimes I just want a plain one to top up at home so I don't get super orange from multiple layers 😂 (it's anti redness).
Tried KALM but that's too orange for me and again, tinted.
Just bought the new boots no 7 future renew defence shield but omg, I get so many spots from it 😭 so now cannot use it.
Thank you so much 🤞🤞

PLEASE HELP ME I hope you can be understanding of my problem, I need to tell someone what is happening to me. I hope this is just anxiety and a panick attack but I cant convince myself.
My cat is unvaccinated, i've been postponing vaccinating her against rabies for a while, exactly two weeks ago I let her go out in my yard and she came back with a bee sting on her chin, she has a little bump where the bee stung her. She is very playful and a little agressive at times so she bites and scartches me a lot.
She seems more vocal than usual in the morning, but that may be because we moved into a new appartment.
Anyways, sunday I started feeling wierd like im floating and Im very confused, i started having diarheea and nausea and feeling very axious thinking i got rabies from her. She doesnt foam at the mouth or salivate excessively, she seems fine, eats and drinks normally. But I cant stop feeling like I got rabies from her, I try to convince myself that she sould have gotten ill in those two weeks that have passed if she actually has rabies but my symptoms are only getting worse. I cant sleep well and Im very restless, when I lay down i feel like my body Is weightless, im very confused all day and now I think im getting a fever. Sould I go to the hospital?
I need to mention that a day before this all started, I engaged in drug consumption, I feel very ashamed saying this but I need to know if this is relevant. To be more exact, I was on a mephedrone bender for a day, just before this all started.
I also have a runny nose and a sore throat, maybe from the drugs. But its been almost 72 hours since i stopped, why do I feel like this? I keep convincing myself that i have rabies and i go into full blown panick attacks. Please help me

Hello there! On Saturday (4 days ago) I had intense itching in the gap between my ring finger and my pinky. It was a strange itch that wouldn’t go away, I suffer from pretty bad eczema and I know it was not an eczema itch, it just didn’t feel the same. After about 8 hours the itch had fully disappeared, it was just a bit red and there were no bumps at this point in time.
3 days later on Monday, I noticed strange bumps on my fingers which I have attached pictures off in this post.
They are not very itchy but they do get a bit itchy at some points in time, such as last night.
When I noticed them, they had little tiny black dots right at the top of the bumps, one each, but after about 24h those dots have gone.
I would just like to ask for your opinion on the matter, please let me know if you need anymore information and I will be swift to respond.
Thanks :)

FYI; male, 22 years old, I dont smoke or drink.
They don't cause me any pain, but the itchiness they cause me can be really discomforting sometimes, The itchiness stops after i take some antihistamines.
I tried cetirizine and loratadine for 4 weeks, 2 weeks for each and no results or any improvement but they help get rid of the itchiness when i take them. https://ibb.co/rZHS8xv 01 •

i, (16 AFAB), woke up today with two red marks on my neck (will provide photo in comments (?)). i didn’t see them at first but as the day progressed they got itchy, and after a bit i looked at my neck in a mirror and saw them. i thought they were caused by scratching too hard and moved on. now 12 hours later they are still here and still itch quite bad. i also think the itch has moved to the underside of my chin. they have gotten a little smaller but they are not slightly raised.
i don’t know how much info is needed but here it is: i am currently on 200mg of zoloft and have been for around 6 months but i have hand lower doses prior. the only change with medicine i have had was that i am now on concerta (for a recent ADD diagnosis) and vitamin d (as last blood test it was low) which i started at the very beginning of May. i am allergic to the entirety of the penicillin/amoxicillin family. i am 5’5” and 270 lbs. i am not very active as i can’t leave my house much. i have a diagnosis for chronic depression and anxiety which as a result i do have less than adequate hygiene on top of both of the bathrooms in my house i am scared to use because i’m worried about them breaking again. i have also had a lessened appetite after taking the concerta. i forgot to mention that i also used to take prescribed zyrtec as i have severe allergies and am allergic to cat dander yet have a cat but i haven’t taken it for the past few weeks because i don’t have any.
so essentially i don’t know if this is something to be concerned about or if it will go away soon. like i said it’s only started today.

Hi! I noticed a large bump with a white head right above my clit while I was showering yesterday. it's a little itchy and its painful to the touch+ it looks super swollen and inflamed. it's just the one bump, I don't have any clusters of bumps. Since its just the one, I'm assuming that it isn't herpes or hpv and this is also based on the apperance of it as well. My bf and I very recently both had to test for STI''s bc I got a new IUD so I wanted to be safe and all the tests were negative. Does this sound like a cyst instead? I can't see my gyno for a few weeks so I'm not really sure what to do in the meantime. Any advice if anyone has experienced this before would be greatly appreciated!

My cat Loki went in last month for a swollen and scabby chin, it got bad so fast! My vet shaved the affected area cleaned him all up, gave him a shot and sent him home with antibiotic wipes. We were back at the vet 2 weeks later because although his chin was better he had ‘spots, like perfect tiny bumps ’ show up on the backs of his ears and he started having scabby sores on the bridge of his nose. So we were advised to start using the wipes on the ears and nose as well as the chin. So everything was going great, his chin/lips are perfect and his nose is perfect and we were almost in the clear for his ears and then today we notice that there’s tiny bumps on his back at the base of his tail! Ugghhh and our vet is gone until Wednesday. So I got a refill of the wipes to keep working on him till he can see the vet again later this week. But I am starting to suspect this isn’t just ‘cat acne’ any ideas? Hopefully the vet will have some answers!
Side note: we have 3 cats and 2 dogs. No one else has this issue. All 5 animals are on flea/tick/worm preventative monthly and all are up to date on shots, cats are inside only.

If you’re reading this post, it’s because you’re sick of having eczema. I’m sorry, I know how horrible it feels, so I’m here to share some of the products that I’m trying out.
Here is the link to her website. Take a look through her shop and try some out, or use her website to ask her any questions you may have about eczema. Or even send a quick email to ENERGGODDESS@GMAIL.COM explain your skin struggles. She would be happy to help, I asked her about a million questions. We laughed and joked together in the process. 100% a very kind business owner and very knowledge on her products. She literally told me about each ingredient and what it does. Picture your fav aunty at the family reunion, that’s her.
I’ve had eczema since I was a little kid. Arms creases, behind my knees, on my neck, stomach. I get flare up’s all the time. And as you know those are a living hell. The other day, I got a whipped body butter (Piña Colada scented) , a cocoa butter lip balm, and a bar of exfoliating black soap…oh my goodness I have never felt so clean and just fresh. After one good long scrub with the exfoliating black soap. I am so smooth. I feel nice. Relieved of itchiness. My skin is glowing. Literally shining. The black soap is so good for your skin. This info is sourced right from her website and my notes from the chat we had.
BENEFITS OF BLACK SOAP: Including ingredients containing antioxidants and moisturizing properties; provide the soap with the healing properties for which it’s known.
Helps with acne, Helps to clear eczema, Helps reduce inflammation, Helps with skin irritations, Get rid of black heads, Abundance of antioxidant, Firms and tone skin, Has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, Great make up remover.
COCOA BUTTER LIP BALM: I have patches of eczema on my chin and around my lips when the weather is dry. Dry and chapped lips are painful and annoying. Since I bought this lip balm, my lips feel…kissable. As in smooth, soft, moisturized, and they are shiny instead of dry and cracked. Raw shea butter also works too. I carry a small container of that with me every day for emergency eczema relief. Doubles as a lip balm.
I want you to feel good and look good too. Great for not only my eczema but my skin in general feels soooooooooooo good. I showered hours ago and my skin is still nice and moisturized. And I smell like a Piña Colada. I think I might have found my cure. 5 stars!!!!
Have a wonderful day🧡

Synopsis:
An engineer in another world—blending science and magic to achieve greatness in a world where skills and levels reign supreme.
—
Ethan was just a plain old engineer, but everything changed when he was reborn into a world of skills, levels, and magic. With his advanced knowledge far ahead of the time period he finds himself in, this new reincarnated life will be much different than his last, especially because he can construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct runes—something no one else can do.
But with royal politics, looming tax collectors, a mountain of debt, dungeon incursions, cults, and hostile fantasy races mixing together into a cocktail of bullshit that threatens to bury his dreams; Ethan must bridge the gap between steel and sorcery to grow stronger. — Runecrafting is slow burn. — What to Expect: - Weak to very strong progression - Hardcore wish fulfillment - A balance of action, kingdom building, and runecrafting. - MC will trigger an industrial revolution, revolutionize magic, modernize agriculture, communication, commerce, textile production, education, transportation, sanitation, weapons manufacturing, leisure & entertainment, and medicine.
First < Previous Next >

Chapter 03

-1-
"Business opportunity?" Jack blinked, amused. "Intriguing. One doesn't often hear a noble propose such a thing to a [Necromancer]."
Roland shifted uncomfortably.
Ignoring him, Ethan leaned back in his chair.
"Let's just say these are unorthodox times, Jack. And frankly, the problems plaguing Holden call for equally unorthodox solutions." He gestured towards a nearby chair. "Do have a seat, and allow me to elaborate. It concerns a matter of public health, and specifically, a rather lackluster product currently on the market. One common folk cannot even afford."
Jack raised an eyebrow, taking the offered seat. "Public health and [Necromancy]? This does get more interesting by the moment, my lord."
Ethan leaned forward again.
"I'll be blunt. It's the Blight, Jack. You're undoubtedly familiar with its unpleasant effects." He wrinkled his nose slightly. "The lethargy, the nausea…and the frankly horrendous stench that clings to the afflicted."
"The Blight has stages, my lord. But yeah, I get the gist. Though, I confess, raising the recently departed isn't exactly..."
Ethan chuckled. "Not quite, my friend. While your talents with the departed are impressive, I have a different skillset in mind. One that involves cleanliness."
Jack's smile vanished, replaced by a wary arch of an eyebrow. "Cleanliness? You want a [Necromancer] for scrubbing floors?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Not scrubbing floors, precisely. What do you know about the Blight, Jack?"
"It's more than a mere sickness, my lord. It's a clinging parasite that latches onto the unfortunate soul and slowly devours their life force. The early signs are subtle—a sickly sweet odor, lethargy, pale clammy skin."
Jack shuddered dramatically, and continued. "Then comes the hunger. An insatiable craving that gnaws at their insides. The victims start developing a craving for raw flesh instead. Their mere touch becomes corrupting, causing plants to wilt and wounds to fester. Disembodied whispers of the spirits torment them, sapping their willpower—they're like a sweet escape from their suffering. It chips away at their will to fight, turning them inward until they become shells of their former selves."
Ethan blinked. Jack had a knack for theatrics and being dramatic, it seemed.
"In the final stages, the body decays into a walking corpse driven by an unquenchable hunger to consume the life force of others."
"Okay, stop," Ethan raised his hand with a sigh. "Who does the Blight infect?"
Jack took a deep breath. "That's the interesting part, my Lord. The Blight only seems to affect those with little to no mana. It's like mana acts as a shield. Majority of peasants are mana-less. It's a common disease, my lord. Even nobles suffer from the Blight; mostly children given that their mana is still developing."
"So, mana is our solution?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think no one's arrived at this conclusion given that the Blight is such a common occurrence you'd think there'd be a cure?"
"There is a cure, my lord. But—"
"It's way too expensive."
"Indeed, that is correct, my lord."
"Regardless, our solution here is sanitation. You see, the Blight thrives in filth. The stench, the lethargy, it all stems from a miasma that festers in unsanitary conditions. It eats on people's lifeforce. And the current concoction on the market does little to combat it. There's a simple solution—people are aware of it—but sadly, it's expensive, not as effective as it should be, and frankly, an insult to hygiene."
"Oh, are you talking about soap, my lord?"
"Soap," Ethan confirmed. "More specifically, newly made soap. As soap's made with magic here, it has slight mana in it—although it's a different matter altogether that said mana dissipates. Regardless, if bought new and used, it helps with the Blight. However, we need better soap. The current offerings are woefully inadequate, and at exorbitant prices. I envision a mass-produced, affordable soap that can combat the Blight's effects, doesn't lose mana, and can invigorate people."
Jack considered this for a moment. "And why, my lord, would a noble like yourself be concerned with such mundane matters?"
"Jack," Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone turning icy. "I believe you forget yourself. It is not your place to question nobility. I suggest you remember your place and focus on the task at hand."
Jack's face turned ashen. He quickly lowered his eyes. "I apologize, my lord."
"You are forgiven." Ethan didn't particularly enjoy being a noble, but now that he was one, he needed to maintain certain boundaries.
Though Ethan had been slightly taken aback, Jack was right. Nobles seldom cared about peasants. Even less when it came to the Blight. Any and all solutions currently available for this very normal cause of death were expensive. Current brick they sold as 'soap' was inadequate, had pathetic fragrance, and performed even less when it came to hygiene. So, most peasants die due to lack of money. They couldn't buy soap, and the concoction for the Blight was too expensive.
But I don't really think like the nobles, as I am not one.
Silence stretched between the two for several long moments, and in that silence, Ethan considered the consequences.
The consequences of Ethan's plan would be far-reaching. There definitely would be a political firestorm. Soapmakers, likely well-established guilds with ties to influential nobles, would see their profits plummet and their influence challenged. They'd spread rumors about Ethan's soap being inferior or even dangerous, and might even resort to sabotage, threats, blackmail, or the like. Ethan might also face resistance from other barons who profit from the inflated price of Blight remedies.
I need to be prepared for whatever they throw at me, 'cause they definitely will.
Beyond the immediate political struggle, there could be social unrest. Slower, more expensive production methods often employ a larger workforce given that [Mages] weren't always available to make soap. There had to be a manual process discovered by the [Mages] of this world—though having tried the soap himself, it was quite lacking.
Ethan's plans for mass-produced soap could lead to unemployment among those currently making soap. He'd need to be prepared to address these concerns, perhaps by retraining displaced workers or offering them jobs in the new production facilities. Though, then again, the guilds he'd poach the unemployed people from wouldn't take it lightly.
Regardless, I need to do it. Fuck the guilds. I don't think Theo's dad will let anything happen to him—aka me now.
Theo's family was rather big. His father, Lord Alexander Lockheart, was arguably ruthless and cold, but he usually held his family's interest in his mind—knowing him and his militaristic nature, Ethan didn't doubt he'd latch onto the opportunities to make some hefty sum of money—money which he could use to fund his militaristic endeavors. The man was ambitious.
*Theo's the 4***^th child of the Lockhearts. Even aside from Theo's dad, he's got five siblings: three older and two younger siblings. Two of whom, I can easily rely on. The eldest sibling, Maximillian, or Juliana, who is the second eldest. Benson's the third child, and he doesn't like me much, so Maximillian and Juliana are my only hope—though they're kind of disappointed in how Theo behaved, they wouldn't let something happened to me*, especially knowing that I, "Theodore Lockheart", am turning over a new leaf. Not to mention Theo's mom's too soft.*
Knowing his safety wouldn't be an issue, Ethan looked at Jack. He had only spoken like Theo to make sure he could set a proper boundary with Jack. Deciding that the awkward silence had gone for far too long, he spoke with a lighter tone.
"Though, if you must know, the Blight doesn't discriminate. It cripples the poor, yes, but it also weakens soldiers and undermines trade. A healthy populace is a productive populace, one that can pay taxes and contribute to the well-being of the entire barony. Besides," he added, a sly smile returning, "imagine the profit. Affordable, effective soap for all? It would be a goldmine. I'm especially looking forward to the reaction of noblewomen. They'll be in a frenzy. They'll be begging for this soap. We'll be swimming in coin."
Which I need given the looming tax and Holden's fucked up financial situation...
Unaware of what was going through Ethan's mind, Jack tapped his chin thoughtfully. "And, with all due respect, my lord, why do you need my help? What possible use could a [Necromancer] have in the realm of soap-making?"
Ethan leaned back, a smile playing on his lips. "While your skills in manipulating life force are undoubtedly impressive, Jack, it's your less publicized talent I'm particularly interested in."
Jack's eyes narrowed for a moment. "You mean...?"
"Imbuement." Ethan said.
Ethan wasn't too sure, but given that [Necromancers] and [Witches] were infamous classes, he'd heard rumors. They often imbued objects. Corpses in [Necromancers'] case and certain objects in [Witches'] case. It wasn't mana that they imbued exactly, but something else—which he had no clue about—that let them have control over the corpse/object they imbued. But, given that these two classes were the most affordable ones that could imbue anything at all and were experts in that regard, Ethan was pretty sure Jack could achieve his goal.
That was his theory, of course. It all depended on how long they could hold the mana inside the soap. Making the soap affordable and high quality—that he could handle. Keeping the mana within it, though, and getting some decent returns? Well, that depended a lot on Jack.
Jack ran a nervous hand through his scraggly brown hair, his eyes glinting.
"What if we could imbue the soap with mana?" Ethan said. "It would disrupt the Blight's ability to feed on life force. Think of it as a sort of 'static' that interferes with the Blight's 'signal'. So, we imbue mana into soap."
Jack frowned, considering this. "That's an interesting idea, my lord. But how would we create such a thing? Soap is expensive to make; you would have to employ mages—"
"Leave the soap to me. Deal with imbuing mana instead. As a [Necromancer], you have a unique understanding of life force and how it can be manipulated. I believe that with your help, we can develop a method to imbue soap with mana that stays in for as long as possible—you are the expert in imbuement, after all. The soap would then not only clean the body, but also create a sort of protective barrier against the Blight." He leaned back in his chair, watching Jack's reaction closely. "So, what do you think? Are you up for it?"
-2-
Ethan hummed as the carriage came to a stop near the house where those infected by the Blight were being kept under quarantine, in the company of Roland. The house wasn't luxurious by any means, it was quite small really. But it had been secured to allow them to observe the tainted. Ethan exited the carriage along Roland and Jack, and soon they were greeted by a tall, slender man in robes.
"Ah, Lord Theodore. It is my utmost pleasure to meet your esteemed self." the robed man bowed. His voice was even, but there was a wariness there—clearly, the man was not comfortable dealing with Ethan, or more like, Theodore who was infamous for his... nature.
Ethan wasn't happy with how the people of Holden and everyone acquainted with Theo regarded him, a reputation that likely spread more than just this town, but he couldn't do anything about it. Logically, he'd just need to deal with it one step at a time.
"No need to be so tense... Sir Miller." Ethan briefly checked his memory to bring up the information of the man.
Miller was the head physician of Holden.
"Esteemed guest," The man was still bowing, clearly uncomfortable and unable to bring himself to stand straight before a notorious lord such as Theodore. "Do not concern yourself with trivial manners and come in. The tainted have been secured, and preparations made, so please, this way."
The man led Ethan inside and after crossing through an empty room, they reached a space sectioned off by iron grills. A group of men armed with spears surrounded the door from the outside—they were armed with spears so they could deal with anyone that reached the third stage and became a brain-dead zombie without getting near them. The tall and burly men eyed Roland and Ethan, on alert at a noble's presence.
Ethan covered his face in a mask, stepped over the grills, into the open hall with rows of beds lining both sides, where about ten people lay, most on their back. If they noticed their Lord, the people lying on the bed didn't act like they noticed anything. "Please, Lord Theodore...!" Miller said. "You mustn't get near!"
"Nothing to worry, I won't be tainted," Ethan said. He was a [Mage] after all, and unranked one, but a mage nonetheless. He looked at the patients one by one.
They do look sickly... it is one thing hearing about it, but this is far more eye opening... Sighing, Ethan turned around and walked out.
"Jack, do your thing."
"Yes, my lord." Jack said as Ethan made it to Roland.
"Roland, we need to go to the Deadwoods, you and I."
Roland appeared apprehensive but did not question Ethan's intentions.
As Ethan and Roland walked out, Jack got started on the subjects. Ethan looked ahead. Grassy meadows stretched far and wide, dotted by occasional trees and bushes. The sun's golden rays washed over the land, leaving an orange tinge on the distant mountains. To the west of Holden lay the Deadwoods—easily spotted, as it stood as an ominous expanse of darkness in the otherwise brightly lit region. A mountain range stretched behind the Deadwoods and clung to the earth, meeting the borders of Corinth.
Ethan had to admit, the place was a sight to see despite how much the Deadwoods stood out like a sore thumb amidst all this greenery. Even then, the Deadwoods held a unique allure. Ethan got into the carriage with Roland in tow, then with a light jolt the carriage started moving. It was being pulled by two horses.
"With all due respect, my Lord, this seems unwise, no?"
"It'll be fine," Ethan reassured. "We have guards with us, and I have you to protect me."
"Why, is it not better to simply let us know what you require so we may fetch it in your stead?"
Ethan smiled, but didn't answer.
The Deadwoods soon came closer as the carriage sped up, drawing near to a stretch of meadows with trees scattered every few paces or so.
The carriage rattled as it went over a particularly large bump. Ethan gave a quick glance at Roland—the man had grown quieter since their departure. Clearly, he was contemplating what sorts of heinous plans his new lord had in store.
Suddenly, the carriage lurched to a halt. Ethan poked his head out of the window and called, "What's the hold-up?"
The driver gave an apologetic bow. "There's a large rock in the road, my lord."
"Then have the guards get rid of it." Ethan's voice carried a subtle note of annoyance. He really didn't have time for delays—as a rule of thumb, he usually hated them.
"My lord," Roland said. "It's a trap. We're under attack."
An arrow slammed right beside Ethan's head the next instant.
First < Previous Next >
Patreon Discord