Well, Belle, I experienced that, too.
And mine looked the same and were like parhanas in the tub.
Another person suggested salt baths.. just plain salt
, and enough in the tub (2-3 lbs or 1 and 1/2 kg) to make saturated salt water. Water is saturated when no more salt will dissolve in it.
The first baths were hard to do because of the 'things' coming off my skin; like I said, swimming with paranahs.
I quickly learned to take a good shower using cupfuls of salt water before the baths to get as many of the 'things' off my skin as I could before climbing into the tub.
First salt baths were short, about 15 minutes. Sometimes, so much of them came out of my skin that I drained the tub, scrubbed and rinsed it out, and took a second bath.
After a week I could stay in the tub for half an hour.
I found that soaking my head and scalp and hair was helpful.
Leaving the salt water to air dry on skin, scalp and in hair has proved to be really helpful.
I also learned NOT to eat prior to these baths: What your mother did tell you about no swimming after lunch was TRUE!! Once, during a salt bath, I found myself flopping around in the tub, unable to get out, unable to reach for the plug or do anything more than writhe in cramped agony arms and legs imploring the Four Directions : not a pretty sight and no fun.
I can laugh now....
I tried baking soda, but found it less helpful than salt.
Epsom was not something I tried, owing to the cost and only small packets are available in the UK.
I discovered that any old salt worked for me, the cheaper the better.
I now only take showers, but continue to use salt every time; I mix it up in a plastic cup as I go and still leave it to air dry on skin, scalp and in hair.
Hope this helps, and you're not alone with all this weirdness.
I used to really enjoy taking baths, hot showers, just the process of getting clean and feeling wonderful afterward such a simple life pleasure. Now I hate baths, showers and the whole process of immaculately wiping down everything after use, all of it a real chore and time-consuming. That said, salt baths restored my skin and scalp, and keeping things tidy reduced the population of 'monsters' in my environment, and fewer returned to my skin to torment me.
Most days, I think of the time when I will be well again, having put this whole bad nightmare behind me. But I really think that after this, I will never be quite the same.
Nope.