For Jacqueline R. Telfer, thick skin was a nightmare

How one self-proclaimed ‘creative scientist’ cured her hyperkeratosis

BY: Geena Lee

Having thick skin is usually seen as a good thing. But for Jacqueline R. Telfer, it was a nightmare.

Around the age of six, Telfer started noticing that something was “wrong” with her skin when her hands, feet and parts of her face became much colder than other areas of her body. She was soon diagnosed with Hyper Palmo-plantar Keratosis Keratoderma, a disease that causes an excessive accumulation of keratin in the outer layers of the skin — making it thick, scaly and unsightly.

Hyperkeratosis can occur anywhere on the body, but most commonly forms on the extremities. There are many types of hyperkeratosis, the majority of which are painless.

However, Telfer’s case was quite severe. She says the constant pain and irritation almost drove her crazy because “it’s like someone constantly tapping you on the shoulder … never stopping.” The visibly discoloured skin also made her self-conscious.

“I wore very long sleeves that would cover my arms, and I’d always wear turtlenecks or scarves,” she says. “It really put a damper on daily life, like any illness would.”

However, Telfer kept a positive attitude about her appearance and told herself she was beautiful. She even entered numerous beauty pageants and was awarded the first runner-up title in Proline’s 2003 Miss Soft & Beautiful contest. “I didn’t win those competitions the skin condition was obvious,” she explains. “But it was something I did to make myself feel better.”

At age 26, with her illness advanced to a near-cancerous stage and still interfering in her life, Telfer sought a way to ease her affliction. She tried various creams and ointments but, alas, not even petroleum jelly or topical steroids penetrated her thick skin. Telfer refused to take steroid pills because of the side effects and because they can actually make the problem worse. As a last resort, the self-proclaimed “creative scientist” concocted her own treatment, using a variety of products, along with some Jamaican-based home remedies.

“After much research and experimentation, I found a combination that worked. The cream helped to relax the skin, making it feel less irritable and dry. It even took off some of the layers, as it exfoliates as well as moisturizes.”

After five years of using her invention, all evidence of Telfer’s hyperkeratosis disappeared, except for minor scarring, and she achieved a clean bill of health from her doctor. Ecstatic that she found a way to cure herself of the disease, Telfer is eager to obtain a patent, share her findings with medical scientists and even cites an interest in connecting with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as well as cancer research networks.

“I want to bring together a group of doctors and get funding, so we can turn it into a treatment. If you wait too long with this, the build-up of the skin can become cancerous,” she says. “I’m hoping to get help with [the cream], so that people can get the help they need.”

- if you suffer from this condition, contact Jacqueline Telfer at 416-565-4727 or E-MAIL [email protected]