Citric acid is from the devil

I have this allergy to/intolerance of acidic foods. I can't eat citrus fruits, pineapples, or tomatoes. I also can't use any products that contain these things on my skin or hair. This includes shit like limonene, lemonene, citronellol, sodium citrate, and citric acid.

If I eat this stuff, or put it on my skin or hair, I break out in these horrific water blisters that itch like fucking crazy. I scratch them, they pop, and it burns like somebody just splashed me with something caustic. Sometimes, if I've gotten a good dose of it, I get these cysts that look like staph infection boils. Generally, these breakouts occur on my face.

Which makes life a pain in the ass most days. Have you ever read the ingredients list of the shit in your grocery cart? Hair products are loaded with lemonene, limonene, citronellol, and citric acid. Lotions, body washes, shampoos, conditioners. Most foods contain citric acid. Foods like vanilla yogurt, potato chips, and cinnamon rolls and anything else you can think of to eat. There is citric acid in pepperoni, Alfredo sauce, sausage, maple syrup, and damn near everything fruit flavored.

If I don't read every label of every product I use and every food I eat, I'm at risk of breaking out. Sunshine loathes going to the grocery store with me, and will only go if I throw a shit stomping fit. He generally just tries to bribe me, offering money or some trinket I want to get out of krogering duty.

Please don't tell me to try organic foods. Those are even worse than regular foods. Citric acid is some sort of wonder-substance, an all-natural preservative or some such shit.

I'm ranting about this today because my face has been broken out for months. MONTHS. I get it almost cleared up, and BOOM, something sneaks by me, probably in a restaurant. Add in the fact that I am a "picker" (probably undiagnosed dermatillomania), and my face has looked like motherfucking hell since heaven knows when.

The only thing that seems to help the breakouts is salicylic acid, specifically in Clean & Clears acne spot treatment gel. Even with this stuff, it is only effective if I apply the shit every two or three hours, which overdries my skin.

I finally reached that point of insane misery with this shit where I have decided that I just don't give a shit if it overdries my skin. I'm sick of looking afflicted, like a goddamned leper or something.

Since last Friday I have been applying the salicylic acid religiously, every couple of hours, followed by neosporin to prevent scabs.

I told Sunshine that I will not eat out at any more restaurants, ever.
I just wish that I could eat normal foods like normal people.

Cheesecake. Chocolate/peanut-butter ice cream. Cheetos. Yogurt. Pepperoni. Blueberry muffins. Birthday cakes from the bakeries. Donuts. Pop-tarts. Cinnamon rolls. Ramen noodles. Salad dressing. Sausage. Cereal. Flavored oatmeal. Granola bars. Frozen dinners. Cookies. Shampoo. Body butter. Conditioner. Antifrizz serum. Liquid foundation. Skittles. Dish soap. Air freshener. Chips. Key lime pie. Baked ziti (or any other italian food with red sauce), pizza, pineapple upside down cake. Smoothies. Fruit juices. Gummy bears. Fig newtons. My dog's treats.

I could go on and on. However, I'm tired already, and have laundry to do and classes to study for.