Ichthyosis and Pregnancy

My bump is growing bigger and bigger by the day. Unlike my first pregnancy which I looked hideously large, this time I look like a normal-size mom (almost that I don't look preggy at all except for the large belly). I don't have any flaking either. In fact, I have great skin throughout this pregnancy, must be the hormones. My linea negra didn't appear on my belly, my hair is fab, not dry and I have no stretch marks this time.

Unlike before the stretch marks and the flaking would go hand in hand. It looked awful. In between the cellulite, the cracks would appear and the really dry areas would crack open forming little cuts. Similar to diabetic patients when they have cuts on their garter-belt areas near the belly. The pain is tolerable, but just makes the whole pregnancy a bundle of discomfort.

The Ichthyosis Vulgaris during pregnancy is quite bothersome near the legs if you have edema or swelling, the skin stretches and you feel everything so tight around that skin area of the legs (like a sausage stuffed in a tight casing). You see more of your veins underneath and the flakes are drawn out flat because its fully stretched out.

I just hope my second baby, won't have Ichthyosis. A very mild form of it would be a blessing, the way my youngest sister is (just hyperlinear palms and no flaking). My eldest son is also the same no flakes just hyperlinear palms and feet.

But now I'm just stressing over it and I'm really hoping the genetics lottery would be kind to my baby.

Airline bans Woman with Psoriasis from Boarding Flight

Sad, but true. This is the kind of discrimination skin sufferers of genetic conditions such as Psoriasis face.



On March 11, 2010, A professor named Magnolia Mendoza was on her way to Manila but was blocked from boarding the plane by Cebu Pacific because of her Psoriasis. I guess they thought she was contagious.

If I Molt, would you Bolt?

Dating and Ichthyosis was never an issue for me as long as I kept one away from the other. Ha!

Well, if you date a guy long enough, every thing will go beyond skin deep. Eventually you realize some human beings will see you as a real human being and not a walking contagion. I guess I got lucky in that department, the guy didn't bolt when I molted. I think I held the fort long enough to cover my Ichthy past the third date, so I got around to it and told him so.

Okay, so honey, that ain't my dandruff on your shirt, but my skin.

He smiles. So you molt like a snake, so what?

I guess one can never fully realize the sense of relief that comes after. Now when you're beyond the Ichthyosis and whatever other issues. Its time to really focus on the relationship and the more serious and sometimes mind-numbing issues between two human beings like love.

Oh yes, love.

There is enough love in the world for people with Ichthyosis, you just need to get out of your flaky shell and find it :) Goodluck!