Yesterday I wrote about my son’s purchase, a 1971 Jeep, and his challenge of getting a car that was as old as his mother, to be made road-worthy again. He knew ahead of time that there would be a risk in buying this car, but with the resources available today, getting this vehicle on the road and working would likely be an easier and faster process than when my husband and I were his age. Back then, we’d have to rely on mechanic’s manuals, local neighbors who had the know-how, and phone calls to our hobbyist uncle.
And then it dawned on me: it’s much like problem-solving your own skin care issues.
Let’s say you have unexplainable bumps on the back of your arm. What do you do? (Let’s make the FDA happy here and insert that you’d certainly head to the doctor if you needed to.)
- Start with your parents. Is it genetic? Finding out that a skin condition is genetic will save you a lot of time. It’s why the doctors include it on their health history questionnaire. As for my son and his Jeep, other than our experiences of car issues, we wouldn’t be much help in showing him what part does what with his Jeep. So he had to move on…
- Look at your own history. Have you had this condition pop up in the past? Could it be related to a food you’ve eaten, a place you’ve been, or a stress trigger? Same with cars… start with what you know, and go from there.
- Are there people in your direct circles that may have advice for you? I love that I can reach out to my local friends when I have questions. My son was able to chat with a neighbor who lent him a compression tester tool to test a misfiring cylinder.
- Of course, you’ll Google your issue. Just be as specific as possible with your keywords. I often use descriptive keywords and then hit Google Images to first “see” and then visually identify, the potential problem.
- Something that was a huge help for my son, and it’s what I use for finding help to skin-related questions I have, is to look at forums. He found a Facebook group specific to owners of CJ5 Jeeps and he found out why his engine was flooding. A couple groups I’ve found helpful in the past with skin issues is Dr. Mercola, Dr. Axe, Gwen’s Nest: Herbal Chick Chat, Using Essential Oils Safely, Naturally Crunchy Betty. Obviously, take what you read with a grain of salt, but many can be helpful, especially if what is described defines your problem as well. Use the search button feature in the Facebook group/page to search for past discussions related to what you’re looking for.
- If you’re already in the health and wellness mindset and have some trusted sources where you buy healthy products, ask for advice. My son learned by asking at the auto parts store that different types of oils had different functions.
- Now that you’ve done some research, if you haven’t yet solved your problem, by all means, visit a doctor you trust. You can report what you’ve already tried so that your doctor can make a proper evaluation.
In the end, my son was able to get his Jeep fully running without taking it to a mechanic to fix. He had multiple issues to work through, with a lot of trial and error. It took some time, but he learned a lot, he knows how to troubleshoot car issues, and he can now keep it for fun or sell and make a profit from it. What did he do next? He bought a fully functioning 1995 Ford Ranger pick-up truck that he’ll use for his business.
Getting a Jeep means your sister gets to pretend to drive it.
7 Steps to Problem Solve your Skin Issues:
Check your family history
Recall similar past experiences
Ask local friends if they had similar episodes
Google Image search using descriptive keywords
Check relevant Facebook groups to search or ask on
Ask at places where you shop health and wellness products
Ask your doctor or dermatologist
