For the past week, I have been troubled by a hidden ailment. I have contact dermatitis.

I was cleaning the little garden in the front yard over the long weekend. Being the reckless human being that I am, I pulled out certain weeds of unknown species, without using a glove. To make it worse, I scratched and wiped off sweat and a crawling red ant from my face without washing my hands first. By the time I realised it, it was already too late.

I did not experience any immediate reaction. Hence, I thought I was fine. The agony started by dusk. I was showering with warm water when I felt an intense itch all over my face. I did not think much of it. Furthermore, my face looked fine upon looking at the mirror, although the pruritus lingered till bedtime. I applied my usual lotion and went to sleep.

The next morning, as I washed my face, I felt that the skin texture was rough. Although there was no visible urticaria, my face did look slightly sunburnt. As I leaned closer into the mirror, I could see little tiny bumps on my face. Almost like the goosebumps effect on the skin you get when it is too cold or when you’re in fear.

Treatment

I had the utmost confidence that my skin would be repaired with mere local ointment. That was what I did for the first 3 days, when I just used hydrocortisone and aqueous cream. The itching and hyperpigmentation got worse. I succumbed to eating prednisolone after much coaxing from my friends. The rash got better in 3 days.

However, I did experience side effects.

I felt fat. Steroids are known to have water retention effects, but I wasn’t expecting them to start having such an effect on such a short course. I could feel my boobs feel a bit tight in my bra. Not only that, I was also experiencing indigestion, especially at night. I had to sleep with my pillow propped up slightly to avoid throwing up.

My rash healed just in time for the annual dinner. My skin felt as smooth as it was before, with minor acne. I could apply my sunscreen again without the sting. There’s no need for hydrocortisone cream anymore, and I am just on aqueous at the moment.

I have to be more careful when I do my gardening next time.