COVID Journey - Skin Issues

COVID Journey: Skin Issues
Brief Review: I’m 70 now. Mild COVID March 2020. Raynaud’s Diagnosis March 2021 at a hospital vascular clinic. My fingers and toes were having temperature regulation issues and my fingers and toes became cold if I went outside in the winter. Adjustments included staying inside when the outside temp is below 32 F whenever possible and the purchase of 800 g Thinsulate Danner “Hunting” Boots and Saranac Thinsulate waterproof Glove/Mittens. It’s a glove in a mitten. Do chemically based hand warmers/foot warmers work? No, they get too hot and because my hands and feet are so sensitive now, they overreact and I get large blisters which can break and get infected. In December 2023 the dermatologist and my PCP thought my severe hand inflammation, redness, cracks and finger bleeding were due to contact dermatitis or hand eczema. I now know that this is a COVID/Raynaud’s effect because it occurs only from late November to Mid-march and then totally disappears. My PCP agrees with this new diagnosis. I had tried everything on my hands and nothing helped. My hands survived the 2024 winter and became fine again by April 1st 2025.

From March 2020 through October 2024, I have gotten 12 bad skin infections from simple mosquito bites or cat scratches progressing to cellulitis and requiring antibiotics for 7-10 day. I have never had this before the COVID infection. In October 2024 I made two big changes. Elimination of sucralose, a sweetener which I had been using for 30 years. I now use Monk fruit powder without erythritol. And I added 1 ounce of organic pumpkin seeds a day. I grind the seeds in a spice grinder and add the powder to my pasta. Pumpkin seeds appear to be both anti-inflammatory and contain nutrients which directly benefit the skin. I have not gotten an infection since October 2024.