DAY SIXTEEN: what's up

Hey everyone,

So as you may have read I was patch testing Urea and Aloe Vera on my face to treat my full face chemical burn (this is my own diagnosis). Today I woke up and my face was no longer burning at all anywhere. Also throughout the day the burning has not come back. My face is still tight, but it is not cracking or flaky or red. It seems as though there was no real difference between applying the Urea and Aloe Vera -- I'm thinking maybe they had no effect at all?

I have been "itching" at zits a lot more; it seems as though my mind still doesn't think it is as bad as popping. But the itching is happening more and more and I am drawing blood and probably spreading bacteria. So I can't itch anymore. Nothing. Nada. Let's see if I can do it until Friday (when I get my weekly reward). I am now going to categorise itching in the same category as popping, and if I itch anymore I will have to restart my week of no picking; pushing my reward a week further! Let's hope I can do it. I am determined. I really want new runners (this week's reward); I haven't gotten a new pair of runners in years!

Tonight, if the burning sensation comes back or if there is any itching or irritation, I am going to apply Aloe Vera on one side of my face and Urea on the other; just to continue my experiment -- why not. But if my face is irritation free I will be going to bed with nothing on.

Although my skin is is covered in sandpaper clogged pores (I also still have a dozen big zits on my cheeks), my skin looks and feels a bit healthier and stable as opposed to yesterday and back in the days when I was using prescribed creams. Right now I'm not so much worried about the acne as I am about my skin's elasticity and dryness. Once those are level then I will be focusing more on the zits. I can't do anything about the zits until then without masking the problem of the dry, burning skin anyways!

So no picking -- absolutely NO exceptions -- and hopefully the burning does not come back. Cross your fingers for me!

Have a good one.

-Cavewoman