Bag Balm

[wavegirl]

Has anyone got good results from using bag balm for their psoriasis?

[amusedkitten]

isn't that similar to Aquaphor?..i heard it was, but haven't tried it

[brightside]

Do you mean Bag Balm the stuff that was originally made for the udders of cows? I bought some while in Wisconsin many years ago. It kept the scales moist so I wasn't leaving a trail of flakes but that's about it. It reminded me of a very thick type of vaseline.

[desertbkr]

Hi! Yes, Bag Balm is in my arsenal against P. I use it mostly on my feet at night when I am not using topicals. It is very greasy so wear socks over it. I've actually had scales just fall off. However, I have to say that Bag Balm alone did not help until I was on some Rx medications like Olux-E foam. I hope it helps you!
Sharon

[Cheri P]

Yes, my Derm gave me a tin, although I'd used it before. In winter when the dryness really hurts my feet and hands it helps to put a layer of the stuff on and wear gloves and socks to bed. It helps keep you moisturized so you don't crack and bleed.

It doesn't cure anything, but it certainly helps prevent some pain.

Cheri

[NL]

It stinks, it's messy, but I love this stuff. It's not a cure, but it does help.

[einna]

I have a tin of it here in the house. I've never had any P on my hands or feet so I haven't needed to try it there. To use it elsewhere would be a bit messy. But I suppose under some thick flannel jammies it would work.

Dh & I use it when this AZ dryness kills our hands and feet.

My pediatrician recommended it years ago for a bad diaper rash. That's how I was introduced to it.

Annie

[wavegirl]

Thanks for all your advise. I went to walmart to pick some up and give it a try. Kim

[matty66]

Hi several years ago I tryed this it does help softning but I found using eucerin cream works better with less mess, at wal-mart they have a generic brandcalled equate next to the eucerin and I liked it better, good luck hun,

[shyjade]

Originally Posted by amusedkitten

isn't that similar to Aquaphor?..i heard it was, but haven't tried it

Anyone know the answer to this?

[partial]

Bag Balm is similar to Aquaphor in that they are both very thick and petroleum based. I think they each have their own additional ingredients, but to me look and feel similar.

I used Aquaphor, as I could get a large tub of it or under $14 at Walmart and it helped make plaques fall off pretty easily in the morning. My wife swears by bag balm whenever she gets dry skin in the winter, so maybe its just a personal choice thing and finding what works best for you.

[craigador]

I used to use it by the handful. It is your industrial strength type moisturizer. but you have to be careful as it can easily stain clothes. works well on cold/dry days but it's as thick as elmers glue.

[GitOverIt]

bag balm
The product contains only three ingredients: petroleum jelly, lanolin, and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (an antiseptic).






Ingredients:
Active Ingredients: Petrolatum (41%)

Inactive Ingredients: Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol

[TLd317]

I have used Bag Balm for years-its a bit like Vaseline but is better at removing large scales makes skin very smmoth also- i apply at night and wear long sleeves & pants...it may stain sheets so use the old ones!

I found it in walmart in the pet section!!!
Also available in Rite aid in skin care.

Best of luck!

[sarietty]

Bag balm is great for sensitive skin because it is so mild. It never really improved my P, but it didn't irritate my skin at all - the number one thing I look for in a moisturizer!

As others have noted, the major drawback is the consistency and tendency to stain. It is superthick, and I usually used it only at night.

Bag balm works great if your skin is ever chafed. I used on badly chafed skin after running a marathon, and it took the sting away immediately.

[splotchy]

Just as gooey and mildly tar smelling as other vaseliny things, but has coal tar 2%. Scales fall right off after leaving it on overnight, scaly patches go down, redness fades. It's the tar! If using for the first time on ornery skin it may intensify itchyness, but after next day use again and it soonths and continues to releive swelling and cracking.

[Caki]

A friend recommended that I give this a try, so I bought some today. Also bought some cheap socks and cheap gloves to wear at night.

[wavegirl]

Hello all, Thank you for all your of your replys. Kim

[Caki]

I used this on my hands and feet for the first time last night. I could live without the smell, but its not too bad since I used it at night. The "aroma" didn't seem to hang on long. I just rubbed it into my feet and hands well. I put on some little thin socks, but no gloves on the hands. I can tell that my hands and feet are softer. My feet are not nearly as "crunchy" as they were. Flakes came off easily. Not all of them, but enough to feel a difference. I'm going to try it some more and see what happens.

[Caki]

There is a noticable difference in my feet. They aren't nearly as dry and the cracking has improved. Its not a cure for P, but my feet feel a lot better. I rub some on my hands at night. I just rub it in well. Haven't used the gloves. My hands feel better as well. I like this stuff. Oh, and I have PPPP.

[bonnied]

You can perform a web search on the subject and find some information. I had a very bad case of ezcema on the back of my neck during the winter. Everything I tried on it only made it spread more, until I searched for causes of ezcema and found that it can be caused by potassium deficiency. I then took supplements orally plus I began painting the affected area with iodine several times a day -- which is what I believe finally cured it (the iodine contains potassium). Please note that the amount of potassium actually needed by an adult is 4.9 grams daily, and many people are deficient. The deficiency also causes dry, cracked, calloused heels. So, if you're using Bag Balm or anything else for that, you're treating a symptom rather than the cause and will be slathering your heels forever without effecting a real cure.

As far as bag balm is concerned, I used it many years ago for my daughter's diaper rash -- the rash was flaming red and terrible. A relative recommended Bag Balm; used it, and the very next morning it was almost completely gone. It was amazing. It will also cure scabies, both on humans and animals. It is wonderful stuff, much more than just lotion, even though yes it is quite sticky and thick.

best wishes for cures for all!

[RichJ]

hi bonnied,
welcome to the p family. you have meet some of the wonderful people on here and will find alot of great info. welcome and nice to meet you.

have a good night all

richard

[AnnieB]

I don't think tincture of iodine has any potassium in it. Do you mean potassium iodine? They use it for photography and I don't know if it is safe for skin. Tincture of iodine is what you buy at the drugstore, it is anti-bacterial so maybe that's why it helped?

[bloss]

they sell this at the udder balm at a sewing/fabric shop that I frequent. I've not had the courage to buy it but I've been thinking about it. It wouldn't hurt would it?

[MadCat]

Originally Posted by GitOverIt

bag balm. The product contains only three ingredients: petroleum jelly, lanolin, and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (an antiseptic).Active Ingredients: Petrolatum (41%) Inactive Ingredients: Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol

Wow. What a hideous combination of ingredients in both products.

Given that lanolin, mineral oil and alcohol are known irritants and causes of skin rashes, the mind boggles as to why they are put in skin care products.

I did briefly enquire about the bag balm a few years at my local veterinary centre but they refused to sell it to me, as it is for animal use only.

My vet said it had not been tested for humans (in fact, it had hardly been tested for animal use) and no-one really knew what the possible long-term negative health effects were for cows or humans.

Personally I would rather have and put up with P or find an alternative product, than run the risk of a serious health issue in the future (although given some of the chemical crap I have used over the years, it may be too late for me to worry about this!)

I will leave you with two final thoughts to ponder upon:

Apparently 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate is listed as a pesticide in the UK.

It has been proven that whatever you put on your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream. Chemical toxic build up in your system leads to a myriad of health issues: cancers, liver failure, heart attack, death.

On that jolly and cheering note, I bid you farewell!