I'm pretty sure I have lamellar ich, not vulgaris. I was diagnosed with vulgaris 17 years ago, but my research has led me to believe it is in fact lamellar. Let me know what you think:

I was a collodian baby, I don't sweat (very easily), and my hands have deep wrinkles and a shiny appearance.

But, too be honest, I'm not sure I really understand the difference. I've heard that with vulgaris you can sweat, why? And from what I've read Lamellar sounds worse? But I think my skin looks great (at this point in my life, and thanks to some great tips I've found on this board)

I would see a dermatologist, but this is Alberta, and it would take months to get an appointment. My past experiences with derms have been more than dissapointing.

Thanks.

It sounds like you have lamellar, based on collodian baby situation. Collodian baby is practically unheard of for Vulgaris.

The sweating case is more complicated for the following reasons: Yes, sweating not only comes easily for a vast majority of Vulgaris cases, but many do not have any kind of sweat disorder at all. In the mildest of mildest cases of Vulgaris, there is only mosaic lines in the lower legs between the archilles tendons and the calves. Up the severity spectrum, there would be mosaic shins and mild scales and flaking on limited parts of the body. Maybe rough palms also. The skin on vast majority of the body has no scales even during the winter. These are classic Vulgaris, 90%+ of people with Vulgaris and 90%+ of all people with ich. However, there are rare cases of Vulgaris which are much more severe. Scales can appear everywhere and there may be a sweat disorder for prickly itch, especially in the winter. But these people can still sweat in the summer and scales may virtually disappear in that season. But if someone with severe vulgaris were to live in the harsh winters of Canada, his or her symptoms, the severity of the scales, etc., may come close to the severity of symptoms of lamellar.

Also, with Vulgaris, there may be many people in extended family who have symptoms.

So, if you were a collodian baby and have great difficulty sweating in the summer, and may not have many relatives with symptoms, you most likely have lamellar.

Genetic testing is your best bet. Like you, I have not had good experience with derms in the past. At your age and my age, the proper diagnosis may not be as crucial if you have learned how to manage your skin. It would be more crucial for a parent with a child with ich to get the right diagnosis.

Hope this helps a bit.

That does help, thank you. It sounds like I have Vulgaris actually. I assumed I was a collodian baby because my parents insist I was born in the caul. Being born in the caul is so rare, but being a collodian baby is equally so.

My mother has passed away so it's difficult to say.

I live in the northernmost city in Canada. I'm finishing a degree here but do not plan on starting my career here. I'd like to move to Toronto, which is rather humid.

Oh, another thing, as a baby I overheated often, and consequently spent a great deal of time in the hospital. The doctors were clueless as to the cause. I've since concluded it was my decreased ability to sweat.

I turn beet red in the heat, alcohol and spicy food can have a similiar effect.

Do people with vulgaris have deep lines on their hands?

Hands: I have severe Vulgaris, relative to other members of my immediate and extended family. My palms are rough and dry all the time. They never sweat. The tops of the hands do not look unusual in any way. There can be scales build-up that would require me to rub off. In hotter climates and seasons I use lotion rarely. In colder climates and seasons in the past, there would be terrible splitting of the skin or cracking on the tips or joints of the fingers and occasionally on the webbing between the fingers. Hand lotion would be mandatory to manage this risk.

I can overheat too but not in the manner you describe. I never feel fatigue or fainting. I would get a terrible prickly itch which would stop if I cool down or break a sweat. The risk would be high when the scales build-up in the winter was bad (when I was living outside of the subtropics) or when I work in strong air-conditioning or drink too much beer regularly.

Good luck to you in Toronto as you start your career.

I have Lamellar ich. But, I was not a collodian baby. Just to give you an idea of what symptoms I have so that you can compare. rudy (reddish) complexion, wrinkly shiny hands, thick yellowish skin on palms of hands and bottoms of feet, extremely low heat tolerance,(unlike some people with lamellar I also have a painfully low cold tolerance too), experienced severe childhood sunburns and blisters from sunburns, flaky scalp, and light to heavy flaking on entire body that varies from day to day but flakes worse and cracks worse in the winter months. I hope this helps some.

I forgot to add that I also overheat quickly and I barely sweat like on my nose a little, not enough to help me in the heat. The climate that my skin does best is in the southeast moist climates with beaches like Myrtle Beach as long as I avoid the extreme heat and the direct sun.

[This message has been edited by wva (edited April 09, 2008).]

Hey Pixie,

We are in Collingwood(just moved from Toronto two years ago) If and when you do go to Toronto, you will find the Dr's there know a lot more. Myles (son with Lamellar) has a great Derm at Sick Kids and if you would like i will ask her to reccommend a Dr that treats adults with the condition. She is young and very knowledgeable, i feel blessed that we have such great care available in Ontario. Also you can get genetic testing. Myles just had his done (it took 4 months for results) and it seems that he carry's two TGM1 genes, one from me and the other from my husband. He has a mild case of Lamellar. You can see pics of him that I posted last month. When do you plan to move to Toronto? There are a few people in T.O that i am in contact with that have Lamellar. Would love to meet you someday.
All the best
Tara

------------------
Myles' Mom
Myles born a collodion baby
Lamellar Ichthyosis

I've never had any real support about my skin. I am truly touched. I've always felt very separate from the people around me because of my skin. It's amazing to feel connected even if it's over the Internet. So, I guess I want to say that I love this forum. Thank you.

Hi Pixie!
I just wanted to share that I feel the same way about this forum. Growing up in Winnipeg did not expose me to others with ich so I know that isolated feeling.

Good luck with the move and I hope you like T.O. (I went to school in London and had my fair share of S ON)

------------------
Sarah
35 with EHK

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AAAAAND...we have another scammer. Lovely.

Pixie, of course we can't tell you for certain what you are dealing with, but typically, LI shows up as the collodion membrane at birth, then either very fine scales everywhere where little dandruff flakes fall off everywhere you go or you have a layer of flaky skin that looks like tissue paper stuck all over, or you have thick plate scale that looks sort of dirty around the edges of each scale. It's all over the body. Some of the affected have thin or no hair because the scaling blocks the hair follicles. The kids, especially, are prone to overheating, and finally, there is nearly always ectropion - the lower eyelids pull down and show the red underneath, often causing dry eyes or long term problems with the cornea if you don't use eye petroleum.

Vulgaris is fundamentally different. I've never seen a really bad case, as Promiseland says he has. The majority have a fairly mild problem that is often mistaken for eczema. Very fine flaking everywhere, controllable with a loofah, except the shins and forearms, where the scale is thicker. The hands and feet grow deep callouses and crack and bleed on the heels and around the toes and the palms.

I think the sweating thing applies to all of us. Those with more severe types usually have extra skin blocking up the pores so sweating is difficult or impossible, while vulgaris is comparatively normal.

[This message has been edited by Hearsay (edited May 11, 2008).]