with thanks

Many thanks to "jaed" who left a comment in the Vile Vituperation section.

There's been no further spreading, and I continue to wash as often as possible. I think we've got this licked, though it'll be a few days before I'm back to normal.

I've been using the same brand of shaving cream ever since I came to Korea last year, so I'm pretty sure it's not the shaving cream. I was, however, wondering about soap: I'd been using a very nice ginseng soap (takes a while to get used to the unique scent), then switched to Ivory right before the flare-up happened.

I was also thinking that this rash looks a lot like poison ivy (though I still have trouble explaining why the nodules are whiteheads and not clear blisters). One of the possibilities from the Merck Manual I couldn't rule out was "contact dermatitis," a term that covers a lot of skin flareups from a lot of different causes. It bugs me not to have a better understanding of the cause of this rash, because it might happen again.

I'm washing everything down. Pillowcases, sheets, clothes, surfaces with which I'm frequently in contact-- you name it. I want this shit to END by the weekend. Maybe my face will decide to roost on my head again. Here's hoping.
_