Sabra dermatitis
Sabra dermatitis is a occupational dermatitis that the workers who pick the prickly pear are known to have . I live in phoenix arizona and the prickly pear are native and can be found everywhere. These things are covered with glochids that are very hard to see because they are small like peach fuzz, translucent to a very light yellow in color , sharp as razor blades with barbs like fish hooks that break off at the slightest touch and can become wind born . The workers are not allowed to pick the fruit if the wind is blowing and have to be wetted down even when it isn't. I here in phoenix have gotten into the glochids. First pain was in my foot and after having multiple spinal surgeries can not spend the day with foot in face. I went to the emergency room 2 years ago and was escorted out by security after being told I had nothing in my foot and not treated very nice by the staff. I tried for weeks to believe them the thing is I continued covering myself in these things. You can pass them person to person or your pet gets in them your pet can give them to you. I kept wearing the shoes. I can not tell you how long I did this . I was diagnosed as a skin picker . Last November after 6 months of ear infections caused by the glochids I went back for help and never got an examination. This past April I got the first of 2 referrals to remove the cactus needles and debris from deep in the cartilage of my ears but the skin picking disorder has taken a toll and I have not found a place to use my referrals. I sit here now with double ear infections , I wish that is the only place I have these. I have scars on my genitals, on my nose and they are in my tongue and when I have an outbreak my heartburn can not be stopped . I call it an outbreak they never really go away ,sometimes it is worse than others. 2 years of begging for help and that alone has beaten me down. In the past few years medical papers have been written on the subject and it says most dermatologist have never heard of sabra dermatitis or what a glochid even is. It also says if someone just shows up withs similar dermatological issues in an area that the prickly pear cactus grows ,sabra dermatitis should be considered as the culprit. I think every doctor in the southwest especially arizona should be familiar with local plants and the dangers they can pose but I assure you as 99% of the doctors here are not from here they are clueless on the subject. Glochids are tiny barb like slivers that pose more risk than other part of a cactus.. only certain types of Cactus have glochids . I still have them in my foot and the scars hurt but I truly think the ones I have injested will be what gets me . If I could use my experience to stop others from having to go through it I will gladly do so the thing is it takes someone willing to listen and actually care enough to look.
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I'm struggling. Does anyone know who treats this? Is there any doctor out there who treats this please?!?!?!