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Readers Contributions (PT 2)



  1.                         ‘Readers Contributions’ (PT 2) 

                                                         


    1.  The ‘Readers Contributions’ Post was created to facilitate
       all comments being in one place, easily accessible to all visitors
       and to Help find as much information as possible about MYF ailments
       through the benefit of sharing experiences.




      To View All Entries  please click on link:

      1) ‘Readers Contributions’ (PT 1)  

      3) ‘Readers Contributions’ (PT 3)  

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          i

      30 Nov 12

      Hi Sonata,

      This is "RUNNING".

      Sorry I have not written.  Hope you are truly doing well, could not tell by your blog.
      I am much more relaxed than at the beginning of this year.

      Fingers crossed, but I have been doing well.

      I have been symptom free since late spring.
      I still do not lead a normal life though.
      Still taking precautions, just not as rigid.

      1)  I do boil my white socks and and throw in anything white while I'm doing that.
      (BIG POT).  Also I boil my bed sheets most of the time.  Next time I will buy WHITE, and maybe I can get away
      with HOT WATER and lots of BLEACH instead of the energy draining, tedious, boiling. I never go barefoot,
      always wear flipflops in house. My next Washing machine will have the Sterlize equivalent setting.


      2) I am using Nioxin Shampoo which has a lot of Tea tree Oil, and follow with Tea Tree Oil Conditioner. 
      In fact, I try to use a bit of the Tea Tree Oil conditioner as a body lotion.
      Nizoral did work, it took months, and dried out my hair terribly after months. 
      But I still have hair, so all is well that ends well.

      3) I still dry my hair and body using PAPER TOWELS. 
       I just feel those are the safest and am trying to keep myself FREE of these pests.

      4) I no longer wear the Insect Shield Buff Headwear at night.

      5) Still have TV remotes in bags, keyboard covered, use phones on "speaker"
       to keep phone from touching face + hair.

      6) I had spent months boiling all my clothes, or throwing them away. Ruined plenty but oh well.  
      I then put everything in zip lock bags in my drawers.  When I don't have enough energy,
       I put clothes in the freezer for a about a WEEK or IRON them.  I feel best if I wear clothes that are boiled.

      7) I paid quite a bit $ and sent many clothes to Insect Shield to be treated.  Did not have $ to have everything treated. 
      I needed to do this to keep my sanity and have some level of safety. 

      8) What I feel worked for me was:
      Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleanser ( I use this daily!)  (Thank you Sonata!!!!!)
      Colman's Double Superfine Mustard Powder Treatments
      Insect Shield Buff Headwear that I wore night + day for about 3 months - REALLY WORKED!
      Cut my hair short, bob.
      Waxing around forehead.
      Tweezing most of hair out of nostrils regularly
      Nizoral Anti-dandruff Shampoo - Full strength and let is sit on head for loooong time...
      Dragging as much as I could outside when it was below freezing.

      I am wearing make-up again.  I buy OIL-FREE.  Asked  for OIL FREE FOUNDATION at  Cosmetics Counter
      at a fancy store since box did not say OIL-FREE.  She said, all the BETTER Makeup brands ARE OIL FREE, 
      they no longer print it on the box.  Still, I ask before I buy any "New" product if I can find an clerks.

      We have taken a trip and I bought Insect Shield Bed Sacks for sleeping in the hotel
      and I bought extra for sitting in the car.  We ate along the way and sitting in restaurants
      with non-stop travellers sitting.... well they I doubt they can keep everything as clean as I feel comfortable with. 
      I also felt this was added protection for me and for my car. 
      So far we have done this a few times and I have not picked up anything.

      Traveling by car, I keep everything in PLASTIC BINS, not suitcases.
      All my clothes in ziplock bags.  Gives me confidence what I am wearing is not contaminated.

      I wipe down my plastic bins with bleach when I get home.  I don't feel I could get all the nooks + crannies 
      of luggage bleached to my satisfaction - would probably ruin them anyway.

      Soooooo,   compared to last year at this time:
      · I am symptom free. 
      · I do not feel contagious.
      · I do leave the house.
      · I avoid sitting when I go anywhere.
      · I usually shower when I return.

      Do I feel normal?  No, but I am 90 % more myself.  I will never have the same care free attitude
      when going anywhere or being around people.  I avoid any physical contact with people. 
      If they think I am standoff-ish that's even better and stay away - great! 
      I hate it when people in line have to be right on top of you and give them my BACK OFF look.

      Going to a restaurant, hotel, church, library is still stressful. 
      I prefer getting Carry out Meals, not sitting in the restaurant...I  stand till order is ready. 

      At least I am doing things. 
      I am leaving the house. 
      I don't do things as often as I used to. 
      Why stress myself out on this? 
      On the bright side, I am saving money!  LOL 

      Good Luck to everyone out there!
      I agonize for people still struggling.
      Keep trying !!!!
      Keep up all your hard work, it will pay off.

      Thank you Sonata for all your research!!!!

      RUNNING, now RUNNING CLEAR  LOL

                                 * * *

      Hello! Hello! Hello! RUNNING!

      I have been thinking of you very frequently wondering how you have been fairing.

      I am so very glad to hear that you have finally achieved some lasting relief.
      It is the greatest and most encouraging piece of news for a long time.

      I am nearly as lucky ---- yet not quite as such...

      I have found a couple of very helpful substances for controlling the symptoms
      and minimising presence and  effects, and something has been finally changing
      in my body steadily the last few months and i am near 98% Lesion Free
      but not Malassezia Free despite having achieved a tremendous reduction
      of presence and symptoms compared with what it had been three years ago.

      My problem unfortunately and a general one that very few people realise
      is not finding a temporary topical solution but how to stop recurrence and proliferation
      which i have now, after three years of careful observations and recurrence of patterns,
      confirmed and established that originates internally.

      That solution / cure i have not found yet, due to the nature of the problem
      which is not just Topical, Linked to the Immune System, a Natural Part of the Body Flora, 
      and produced and fully Surviving Both Internally as well as Externally
      and highly recurrent even after Prescription Medication.

      I am constantly searching, thinking, experimenting and hoping that either luck,
      chance or a miracle may deliver the answer to me before i am gone
      which at this stage seems pretty unlikely since, unfortunately
      additionally to the yeast problem recent acceleration of my Lung Illness (Atypical TB)
      has taken a lot out of me and hope and believe i will not be here for very long
      but while i breath and can think i keep trying for the best achieved outcome
      and discovery even if it might only help others...

      * * *

      HHiya!  Hiya! Hiya! Sontata!!!


      I think about you often, too!!!!!!


      Sonata, I don't know what else to say, except you have been a BIG INSPIRATION.
      Without your  "experiments" and INSIGHTS, I would not have gotten this far.
      You sure are creative + scientific.

      I think your success with the Salt Water is compares my "good" results with Epsom Salt?

      We were also trying Herbal Supplements.
      I used the Neem caps + Neem oil when I was "hoping" to stay clear...so maybe it did give extra protection or kill of the last of them?

      I think it is continuing process.

      Wish you the best, because  YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!!!

      Peace, ‘RUNNING’

      * * *

      Below completed version of ‘RUNNING”S’ latest treatments and maintenance,
       for the benefit of Readers, Followed by Sonata’s reply:

      Hi Sonata,



      "RUNNING"   Update  November 30, 2012

      I have been symptom free since late spring. 
      What worked? 
      Hard to say as I was trying many things, idea being:  Attack! Attack!

      As I felt this was also internal, I used some Herbal Supplements:

      Olive Leaf caps 150 mg
      Neem Leaf caps (Azadirachta indica) 950 mg
      Neem Oil, 1 T Neem Oil with 4 T Olive Oil = applied to active areas  (does smell)
      Echinacea for building up my immune system
      Acidophilus  2 before each meal + 2 before bedtime.

      It took 9 months; 
      3 months lost as dermatologist did not seriously believe all my symptoms;
      then the next 6 months of research, trying different products, and hard work.
      Ultimately,  the washing machine water was not hot enough. 

      Hot water tank was at the highest setting. 
      My washing machine, on hot water setting ADDS cold water for the first 3 minutes. 
      Resulting water was just not hot enough to kill off whatever pest I was battling. 
      Progress started when I BOILED clothes, bedding.  

      BTW dermatologist insisted this was not necessary....WRONG!  That was when I started to make progress. 
      The bad part is by then I had contaminated ALL my clothes. 
      Also against Dr's advice, threw away all my makeup + lotions (a nurse posted that idea.) 


      I still do not lead a normal life.
      Still taking precautions, just not as rigid.
      I don't feel as terrified + stressed as before.

      This is my AFTER    "CLEAR"   ROUTINE:::::

      1)  BOIL white pillow cases,  underwear, socks.
          Also boil bed linens most of the time. 
      (Next time I will buy WHITE bed linens, and maybe I can get away with HOT WATER
      and lots of BLEACH instead of boiling). 
      Hopefully, next Washing Machine will have the Sterilize / Sanitize setting.  
      Yes, outrageously high priced, but lost more $ than cost of that Washing Machine.

      2) After BOILING clothes, stored in ZIP LOCK BAGS in my drawers.
          Drawers: used small hand STEAMER and

      3)  Now use Nioxin Shampoo (for color treated hair); has a lot of Tea tree Oil, and their Tea Tree Oil Conditioner. 
      Also use small amount of Tea Tree Oil conditioner as a body lotion.  Nizoral  worked 80%, it took months,
      but it was the INSECT SHIELD BUFF HEADWEAR that I feel did the real killing.

      4) No longer wear the INSECT SHIELD BUFF Headwear at night.
          (This was the MAGIC that cleared my scalp, the shampoo was not enough.)

      5 ) Still use PAPER TOWELS to dry my hair and body. 
          I just feel these are the safest; buy bulk.


      6) I paid quite a bit $ and sent many clothes to INSECT SHIELD to be treated. 
      Did not have $ to have everything treated.  I needed to do this to keep my sanity and have some level of safety. 

      7) Still have TV remotes in BAGS, keyboard covered, use phones on "speaker"
      to keep phone from touching face + hair.

      8) Bought a Respirator (Paint/Pesticide) for vacuuming.

      9)  Wearing OIL-FREE FOUNDATION. Cosmetics Counter clerk said,  "better" Makeup brands ARE OIL FREE, 
      they no longer print it on the box.  When in doubt, ask!

      10) Bought INSECT SHIELD BED SACKS for sleeping in the hotel.  Bought extra BED SACKS, to sit in car.  
      We finally visited friends.  Even thought I had been clear for 2 mths, we stayed at a hotel.
      Am still concerned about sitting in restaurant. Felt this was added protection for me and for my car.

      11)  PLASTIC BINS, not suitcases.  All my clothes, individually in ZIPLOCK BAGS. 
             Gives me confidence,  what I wear is not contaminated.

      I wipe down my plastic bins with bleach when I get home.  I don't feel I could get all the nooks + crannies 
      of luggage bleached to my satisfaction - would probably ruin them anyway.

       What I feel worked for me was:

      Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleanser ( I use this daily!)  (Thank you Sonata!!!!!)
      Colman's Double Superfine Mustard Powder Treatments
      Insect Shield Buff Headwear that I wore night + day for about 3 months - REALLY WORKED!
      Cut hair short, bob.
      Used Curling Iron from scalp to ends
      Waxed hair around forehead.
      Tweezing most of hair out of nostrils regularly
      Nizoral Anti-dandruff Shampoo - Full strength and let is sit on head for loooong time...
      Dragging everything I could outside when it was below freezing.
      Epsom Salt long soaking Baths periodically (maybe the SALT kills it?...like Sonata's salt water swims?)
      Flip-flops inside house - never barefoot!
      Sunglasses not on top of my head

      Soooooo,   compared to last year at this time:
      I am symptom free. 
      I do not feel contagious.
      I do leave the house.
      I avoid sitting when I go anywhere.
      I usually shower when I return.

      Do I feel normal?  No, but I am 90 % more myself. 
      I will never have the same care free attitude when going anywhere or being around people. 
       I avoid any physical contact with people.  If they think I am standoff-ish that's even better and stay away - great! 
      I hate it when people in line have to be right on top of you and give them my BACK OFF look.

      Going to a restaurant, hotel, church, library is still stressful. 
      I prefer  Carry Out Meals, not sitting in the restaurant...I  stand till order is ready. 

      At least I am doing things. 
      I am leaving the house, not as often as prior. 
      Why stress myself out on this? 
      On the bright side, I am saving money!  LOL 

      OTHER THOUGHT: 

      1) I feel I have a genetic weakness for this. 
      Vaguely recall my father having something...
      Therefore, I feel I am prone to getting it again; so I must be EXTRA careful.

      2)  I think I had a MIX OF BEASTS.  Not all the same symptoms all parts of the body.
      I think this is what confused the dermatologist, who was looking for ONE explanation, ONE BEAST.
       It finally dawned on me, I could have MORE THAN ONE, like Sonata wrote in her research. 
      This is why this is so confusing.
      https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif 
      Good Luck to everyone out there!
      I agonize for people still struggling.

      Keep trying !!!!
      Keep up all your hard work, it will pay off.

      Thank you Sonata for all your research!!!!

      RUNNING, now RUNNING CLEAR  LOL

                             * * *

      Hello! RUNNING!

      Thank You so very much for your very kind words, they certainly make me feel good
      but the reality is that You were way ahead of me in your own battle and discoveries
      and although i used my Blog as a Diary,  a Record and a way of expression
      and a means of coping with all that was going on in and on my body,
      it was your own frenzied determination that gave me a good prop up
      and hope to continue on a Battle that i had assessed  very early as unwinnable
      –even before i knew what the devil i was dealing with was.

      Reading your first emails i had thought :

      ‘Only a person like Me can believe that this ‘Running’ person
      is not a neurotic insane running from imaginary devils
      and if I can believe that and can understand what they are going through,
      then I am not a neurotic insane person running either ...
      -you tend to start believing that something may be wrong with your mind
      despite lesions and holes on your body, falling hair and other symptoms
      that are screaming about a tangible physical reality and not a psychological
      or neurological one as the doctors try to make you believe due to their
      oblivious ignorance.

      So, its Me having to Thank you more than You do!


      Re:

      “ I think I had a MIX OF BEASTS.  Not all the same symptoms all parts of the body.”

      I believe you are correct in your assessment because Malassezia is Lipophilic
      i.e likes Oil and it Grows in it –this not just my belief, or finding but comes direct
      from the medical/research text books, mine just confirmation discoveries-
      and if you had Malassezia the Oils you have been using –and sounds rather abundantly-
      would have proved detrimental rather than beneficial, no matter being antifungal
      as when the antifungal effect fade the yeast is back with a vengeance for the oil.

      Here is a good link about Malassezia (mentions its Lipophilic qualities) a reader kindly

      Many packets of Epsom Salts have not done anything for me either nor natural
      Celtic Sea salt  or Pool salt other than just Pure Fresh Seawater from down the Beach
      while they seem to have proved effective for you.

      Perhaps that’s why it is Important for each person to achieve as early as possible
      identification of the ‘creature’ creating their symptoms
      so that the treatment is specialised and effective
      but unfortunately there are not many –if any- co-operative dermatologists out there
      and most have to guess and go by trial and error...
      I was lucky and eternally grateful to a gentleman that helped me identify it.
      and my man who insisted get in us those Microscopes  and dismissed the costs.

      So, whatever the case might be, what is important and great
      is that you have won over whatever devil or devils had been giving you trouble.


      So, Keep up the good work, i.e  a good weary eye, all maintenance you believe necessary
      and all precautions to protect  your great body freedom even it is does not extend
      to freedom of mind...which is a small price to pay!

      And Keep RUNNING CLEAR! :) :)  (I like that! :))

                  Sonata

      2 Oct 12

      bananaapple has left a new comment on your post "Readers Contributions (PT 2)":
      -------------
      Hello bannaapple,

      Hi Sonata, I just wrote you a really long reply but then my computer lost it! :( The main part was that last night I felt movement on my skin - a kind of gliding. So I put some neem oil on my skin and saw a red mark through my lighted magnifying glass (x30 magnification I think).

      Thinking it was just one of the many red pinpricks I'm getting I tried to touch it, and then it moved! Each time it moved to avoid my finger. I put some sellotape on it and caught it. Looks like a tiny red dot to the naked eye.

      I thought this was maybe the liquid form. But then when I looked at it under my microscope (x100 magnification), I saw that it's a red fibre ball! Really similar to the other clumps of fibres I've seen before, but red. Have you ever experienced this?

      Yes, i have seen the Malssezia fibres/hyphae under the Biological Microscope.
      They appear in different colours, depending at the stage of development:
      Red –when they may have just drawn blood
      Dark Maroon when not fresh
      Black or blackish maroon when hyphae likely dead
      Gray and with a dendrite appearance when dead and disintegrating

      Under Digital Micro –lower power of magnification- only Black ones are visible.
      Unfortunately, our camera cannot pick up all details of what is visible under the BM
      such as the spores surrounding individual or hyphae balls etc.
      Here is one successful photo –already published in the Photos section!- where
      the just developing unfolding hyphae are visible and the red ones.

                                    


      Then the capture and software cannot pick up with adequate clarity what he photos
      have picked up such as which ones are red or gray but the eye has seen all the details!

                                           
                   In this photo some red ones and many in varied grays are visible.

      Thank you for your kind wishes, especially regarding my daughter. It's my worst nightmare that she might get this, so I'm desperate to find something that might work for me, so that I know that it would work for her too, if we needed it to. I thought neem oil was working ok but my experiences last night show me that it's not working on this red-clump stage... Might try the neutrogena. They don't seem to sell that particular one in the UK but I can get it from Amazon.

      One word of warning about Neutrogena:
      I have Not expressed Any certainty that it may kill M/yeast – if you do have M/yeast.
      It is good in clearing dry dead skin that Myf Grayish Sticky spraying has damaged.
      It contains Salicylic Acid which is a Blood Thinner and should not be used extensively
      or left on skin for a long periods of time.
      I am working on the next entry for the October “Daily Tips and Updates” which will publish
      in a few days and may be helpful and a better alternative to Neutrogena for extensive use
      -depending on what Your purpose is for giving it a try – or alternating with it.

      Re: parasite tests, none of the doctors I've seen believe that parasites can get under your skin (not in this country anyway), and as soon as I mention the crawling sensation their eyes glaze over.

      LOL! ... i know exactly what you mean...

      So I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get any tests done.

      I'm not sure how to photograph what I see under my microscope. I only have a cheap kids microscope which isn't electronic. And my lighted magnifying glass. If I figure out a way I will let you know. Thanks so much for the offer to look at my samples.

      Interesting that you feel internal symptoms too. What's going on in there?? I also get pain deep in my bones/joints/muscles, this lasts a short while and then moves on to a different bone/join/muscle.

      Thank you for all your help, and for putting this information out there. Thanks also for the link to your kids website, she will love it! 

      My Pleasure, thanks and hope you find your way through.
      Kind regards
      Sonata


      -----------
      30 Sep 12

      bananaapple has left a new comment on your post "Readers Contributions (PT 2)":


      Thank you for your replies. I've been through your posts and read them all. Very interesting reading indeed, and I can relate to lots.

      As for me, I'm still thinking that I have some kind of parasite. A few times very late at night (I've got into the unhealthy trap of staying up late examining things under a microscope/lighted magnifying glass), I think I've seen some worm-like things moving under my skin and into my pores.

      But then the next day I question myself. I reason that it was very late and I haven't slept properly for a long time, so I'm exhausted. Also the lighted microscope I used does tend to make things zoom in and out, so that sometimes creates the illusion of movement. Plus I want it to be something that I imagined, rather than to be horribly true...

      I also feel movement inside me, not just in my skin but deeper inside, like in my chest and stomach. But not sure if this is something else and I'm just getting a bit carried away with the whole thing. I can imagine a doctor's reaction to all of this... :(

      I haven't been to the dermatologist yet. Mainly because I'm scared of having yet another doctor tell me it's nothing, and think I'm crazy. But also because I have recently come across a doctor who treats skin hypersensitivity and morgellons. At least he would believe me, or at least have an open mind about what's happening.

      Just so confused still. I know that comes with the territory, (lol!) I'll let you know when I finally decide what to do, and when have done it!

      I wanted to ask you, have you ever been tested for Lyme disease? Seems to be connected in many cases, well, to Morgellons anyway.

      Another question is about contact with family. It must be so difficult to have limited contact with your kids and grandkids and only meet in open spaces. But I get that this is better than to not meet at all.

      I wonder, if you'd had this condition when your own children were young, would you have limited contact with them then? My daughter's only 6, and when this first started I didn't kiss her or cuddle her for a while, and it was horrible for both of us. And she started to become anxious that we all had this deadly disease. So now I do hug her, but I try to always wear lots of clothes so she's not in contact with my skin. But then she is in my environment. While we're in the same house of course she will be.

      Hmm, that's all for now. Sorry to hijack your comments section for my wittering! I'd love to hear your views on all these things, but don't worry if you don't get the chance to. I'm just in a wittering mood tonight, when I should really be in bed! 

      -------

      Hello bannaapple,

      My heart goes out to you, i understand what you are going though and how you feel...

      One of the hardest parts is getting the right tests and a correct diagnosis.
      I suggest if you believe you have a parasite, you do talk to your doctor
      and they should direct you for the tests –and hopefully you may get confirmation
      of something.   Do not go there with your theories of what it is/may be as they seem to
      block off –rather describe the symptoms and show any physical signs such as lesions
      pumps, rash, redness etc. and see what tests they suggest you do.
      There are parasite tests that can be done –then it is a matter of luck.

      If you are using a digital microscope it does cast some light reflection and illusion of
      movement, so try to keep the lens as still as possible for some time.
      By the way, MYF in the liquid form as you would have already read, does move
      on and under the skin. I too refused to believe that i had whatever was moving on my skin
      but holding still after a while it returns to the surface and then due to the light it retreats
      again, so it becomes difficult to ignore it for long.

      Can you get any photos of the parasites while viewed on Microscope?
      If you can and wish you may email me one /some to have a look

      You are not crazy, keep an open mind, searching and observing

      I had no patience or belief with doctors and tests ordered
      and all failures and disappointments and i put aside the need to ‘naming’
      or categorising it the creature and concentrated observing its behaviour
      for myself and experimented with different substances and checked results.
      I was lucky i got help by one qualified person and from then on with patience
      persistence, observations, growing understanding and targeted efforts
      i have achieved some tremendous results.

      In regards to contact with your young daughter i believe you are doing
      the right thing trying to protect her with wearing a lot of clothing
      as well as not depriving her physical affection so vital for her age.

      Ask your daughter if she experiences any symptoms and have a look to see
      if there are any physical signs on her body similar to yours.

      Bear in mind that IF you have Malassezia your daughter probably already has it
      as practically everyone has it and since she is –i assume, as you do not mention-
      healthy with a normal immune system, contact should not affect her much
      especially with your taking precautions.

      I am not in a position to comment about the possibility of you having either
      Parasites, Morgellons or Lyme disease, and what you should or should not be doing
      regarding close contact with your girl.

      You are asking what i would do if had been confronted with such situation.
      In reality i do not know. I believe i would have tried frantically to find out
      if what i suspected i had a) was a fact and b) if it was contagious or not
      and if so if there were any safe ways for close contact.

      I understand how tough all this is for you and i hope you do find the right solution.

      ( By the way, feeling symptoms in your chest and stomach
       –in my case also burning sensations and pain in small intestines,
        ovaries and uterine area, are a frequent occurrence )

      I would like to hear your news when you have any and wish to share.
      You may do so either thought the Readers Contribution channel
      or privately at sonatas.story@gmail.com


      There is something i can offer for your daughter too that will delight and entertain her:
                    
      Visit a Blog i created for my grandchildren with illustrated stories i wrote for them:

        Teeny-Tiny-Paws *

      (Link also available  on " My other Blogs" list on right side menu of this Blog.
      If you look to the right side of your screen as you are reading this line
      you will see the Blog and a little mouse picture)

      (If it does not load properly all pictures try refreshing the page )


      Kind regards
      Sonata



      * * *

      16 Sep 12

      bananaapple has left a new comment on your post "Readers Contributions":

      Thanks for your reply. So much interesting information!

      Hello bannaapple,

      Please read below my replies itemised according to your questions/comments:

      Sorry if I didn't explain the Google thing properly. I meant that while the bits that I find on my skin are identical to yours under magnification, when I search for "Malassezia" or "malassezia furfur" on Google images I get these photos: 



      Thanks for providing the Google Photos link - i have seen all of them before
      and i can see your point but i cannot give any definite answer as to
      why they are different or whether they are the same Malassezia yeast, or other.
      I can only speculate on certain facts that i can think of, such as:

      * Different sub species of Malassezia?
      * Different stages of Development when photos were taken
      * Different appearance when in a petri dish than on the body samples
        (certain ‘mediums’ are used in Labs –such as oils- to see and /or grow it)
      * Different types of Microscopes
      * Different magnification levels
      * Different ‘mediums’ used when viewed under the microscope
        (we did not use anything other than the samples themselves)
      * Possible wrong identification and categorisation of samples
         depending on ‘who’ published and thought it was ‘what’
      * Different Bodies, immune systems, skin defence levels, appearance etc
      * Different types of (microscope) cameras –and /or processing of photos
         (we used an i phone camera that was not able to display the ‘meatball’ spores
         surrounding the developing hyphae – some  with red / blood(?) filled
         some shredded as dried and disintegrating etc)
        Just to name a few....

      I'm also interested that you believe that you have mites as well as the yeast. Have you found any mites? I have found various tiny ones in my house, which freaked me out. But not sure if they are present in everyone's house. They are tiny and are hard to spot unless looking for them. Also not convinced they are biting me. When I feel a bite I don't find them on me.

      Your understanding about me having mites as well i believe might be based
      on reading one of the earliest entries where i was in the searching stage
      before the microscopes and before the identification of Malassezia.

      I've recently changed my diet with quite good results. I've given up sugar and wheat and started eating lots of garlic and chilli. Also taking diatomaceous earth, vit C and probiotics. Since then I've seen a reduction in the intensity of my itching. But every day feels different. Sometimes it feels like worms are under my skin biting me, other times feels like mites, and sometimes it's more like I have an electric current running through me. Maybe all these things are true???? The biting/stinging feeling is quite consistent though.

      Please read: http://malasseziayeast-mypersonal-battle.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/48.html

      I'm uncertain about lots of things still, like how contagious I am, whether my daughter's infected, how 'close' I should be with my husband, whether I should have people round to my house and how much cleaning I should do exactly..

       I know exactly what you mean!


      I'm going to see a dermatologist next week, have to think about what to ask her. All the GP's I've seen just think I'm mad, and just prescribe anti-histamine and steroid cream. I fear she might do the same. Maybe I'll mention malassazia and see what she thinks, I haven't tried that before.

      Please read: http://malasseziayeast-mypersonal-battle.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/42.html

      Thanks again for sharing all your research. 

      --------------------------

      bananaapple has left a new comment on your post "Readers Contributions": 

      Here's a question I've been wondering about. Do you think that lots of other people have white/black specks on their skin and grains of sand but they just don't notice them?

      I'm quite an observant person, I notice things where other people don't, plus I've also been a bit obsessed with my health, even before this all started! So it's made me wonder if these problems might be a lot more widespread than people think. My husband, for example, says that he probably doesn't notice half the stuff that's on his skin.

      (Although as it seems to be coming out of my skin rather than being simply on it, and sometimes it hurts like hell when it comes out - especially the salt/sand-like grains - then maybe he would notice that aspect of it..)


      I understand and deeply sympathise with what you are going through, the questions,
      the confusion, the uncertainties and so on – i have been through it all and not able to find
      neither answers nor solutions i needed, prompted me to start my own Blog and Research
      on my own Body and its Symptoms.

      It is impossible for me to tell with any certainty -and from distance- what symptoms
      other people experience may indicate.
      Even my husband experiences it differently, with some flare ups but less intense itching
      and milder appearance lesions etc.

      The symptoms described as well as photos –where stated- in my entries are all of
      and on my own body and i leave it with each reader to compare and judge the similarity
      to their own.

      Two and a half years on and even i am still looking for more answers and solutions
      and will not stop until there is a defining end either of the problem, the solutions or my life.

      If you read through all entries patiently starting from the beginning in the order presented
      in the side menu, it may help develop better understanding and answer some of your many
      questions.

      Starting in this order: See list Below: in Complete Reply



      ----- COMPLETE REPLY -----
        
      Hello bannaapple
        


      Thanks for providing the Google Photos link - i have seen all of them before
      and i can see your point but i cannot give any definite answer as to
      why they are different or whether they are the same Malassezia yeast, or other.
      I can only speculate on certain facts that i can think of, such as:

      * Different sub species of Malassezia?
      * Different stages of Development when photos were taken
      * Different appearance when in a petri dish than on the body samples
        (certain ‘mediums’ are used in Labs –such as oils- to see and /or grow it)
      * Different types of Microscopes
      * Different magnification levels
      * Different ‘mediums’ used when viewed under the microscope
        (we did not use anything other than the samples themselves)
      * Possible wrong identification and categorisation of samples
         depending on ‘who’ published and thought it was ‘what’
      * Different Bodies, immune systems, skin defence levels, appearance etc
      * Different types of (microscope) cameras –and /or processing of photos
         (we used an i phone camera that was not able to display the ‘meatball’ spores
         surrounding the developing hyphae – some  with red / blood(?) filled
         some shredded as dried and disintegrating etc)
        Just to name a few....

      Your understanding about me having mites as well i believe might be based
      on reading one of the earliest entries where i was in the searching stage
      before the microscopes and before the identification of Malassezia.

      I understand and deeply sympathise with what you are going through, the questions,
      the confusion, the uncertainties and so on – i have been through it all and not able to find
      neither answers nor solutions i needed, prompted me to start my own Blog and Research
      on my own Body and its Symptoms.

      It is impossible for me to tell with any certainty -and from distance- what symptoms
      other people experience may indicate.
      Even my husband experiences it differently, with some flare ups but less intense itching
      and milder appearance lesions etc.

      The symptoms described as well as photos –where stated- in my entries are all of
      and on my own body and i leave it with each reader to compare and judge the similarity
      to their own.

      Two and a half years on and even i am still looking for more answers and solutions
      and will not stop until there is a defining end either of the problem, the solutions or my life.

      If you read through all entries patiently starting from the beginning in the order presented
      in the side menu, it may help develop better understanding and answer some of your many
      questions.

      Starting in this order:

















                          


                   























      Eventually progressing into the “DAILY TIPS and UPDATES” entries
      will bring you up to the current time and progress achieved.

      If you still have any questions after reading all the suggested material
      please feel free to ask.
      Thanks for sharing your story and if you also feel sharing your experience
      of your dermatologist visit and results you are very welcome to do so.
      I wish you the greatest of luck in this regard and hope you receive good help.
        
      Entries relevant to specific questions asked above:






      Kind Regards
         Sonata