Semi-OT rant: My skin is killing me. - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Semi-OT rant: My skin is killing me.

Kari

Veteran

I am getting so sick of the dance between acne and massively dry skin. I'm using a gentle facewash with salicylic acid, a prescription retinoid gel on my T-zone to exfoliate and minimize my large & acne-prone pores, spot treatment to zap pending breakouts, a light oil-free moisturizer, spot treatment for breakouts, and I'm borrowing my mom's Clarisonic once a day (with a separate, clean brush head) for even more exfoliation. Then there's a relatively new birth control pill to add to the mix, too.

This combination seemed to work fine until last week when my skin started breaking out badly on my cheeks and chin, and rather than simply healing, the breakout areas went into full-blown, bright red, painfully cracking eczema. If I haven't moisturized my face within an hour or so, my face looks like a snake trying to shed a second skin, and my right cheekbone is rubbed raw.

All in all, I sincerely wish I could work from home with a bag on my head this week.

My makeup brushes are clean and my skin is not behaving the way it does when I'm allergic or irritated to a product. This eczema breakout is exactly what happens on my hands when they are washed too often with harsh soaps, which makes me think that some of the facial products I'm using are too drying. The problem is, just about any other prescription treatment available to treat acne would be even more drying, and I've had very little success with non-prescription acne-banishing products.

I'm feeling a bit desperate. There *must* be a better way to avoid throwing my skin out of whack every time an acne breakout appears. Any ideas?

General

19 replies

Latest reply was from Kari

Ele

(website)

Ouch, Kari- you poor girl. That sounds so painful and frustrating. Honestly, I agree with you that you're probably using too many too harsh products right now- when my skin acts up, I generally try to go "back to basics" and give it a chance to improve on its own.

I'd start by maybe finding a new cleanser. I've never been a fan of cleansers with salicylic acid or other "active" ingredients- I just don't see the point. They're on your skin for too short of a time to really do much, and they're drying! Try to find something very simple, non-foaming and gentle. I love Spectro Jel but it's only available in Canada (boo), but Cetaphil or something similar might be an option.

I'd keep using your prescription retinoid, but cut down on the spot treatments and maybe the Clairisonic. Obviously with retinols you do need to exfoliate regularly, but something like that seems unnecessarily harsh. Maybe just a really nubby washcloth for a few weeks, and see if it helps?

Louise

Veteran

(((hugs)))
Could it be something you're eating? I have found coke Zero brings me out in terrible bumpy spots x

Polly (thunalata)

Veteran

Sounds miserable...

I was wondering about food as well for contributing to the original acne. Dairy intolerance? (lots more people have a dairy intolerance than they realise - I have a mild one and my cousin had bad acne before she cut out dairy almost entirely). If it's causing you this much misery is it worth paying to have a food test done to see if there is anything like that?

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

My skin used to veer from super-oily to cracking dry for a long time, and I would get so splotchy and uneven and acne-prone. Then I switched to Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser, and it all evened out. Now I get a zit every once in a blue moon, and I use a dab of Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil Stick to dry it out.

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

Do you think the flare ups are hormonal?

I have suffered acne since my teen years and at 30, its still no better, but I can now manage it better and I understand it so i think I'm now at peace with it... to a degree anyway.

My flare ups start at ovulation and continue until my period arrives. I have found that sticking to a regime of cleansing, toning, moisturising and a nightly vit a cream of some description (I really don't know much about the products themselves - my brothers girlfriend is a beauty therapist and has her own salon so just sells me the things I need LOL), and not varying it seems to help. They are the Environ brand and comes from South Africa I think...

This regime leaves me with skin that is really good for 1 week, flare ups for 2 weeks, and then healing for 1 week - so still not ideal, but SOOO much better than it was before.

I can't vary the products I use though - even a tinted sunscreen as opposed to my regular one results in flare ups each time I use it. If I have a super bad pimple and need to go somewhere, I can use a spot on from the same range, but that's all. Too much exfoliation makes it worse too.

Also, when I'm a bit under my daily water quota for a few days in a row, it flares as well. Interestingly, if I am a bit low on water its usually replaced by coke zero so its probably not helping like Louise suggested.

No idea if this helps at all, but just my little story of my continual battle with my skin. It really does suck when you get older and expect your skin to finally improve and it just doesn't.

I hope you find a solution that works for your skin.

bella

(website)

Veteran

You might be exfoliating too much. When we exfoliate excessively,we rob the skin of its natural oils. To make up for it, the skin starts producing more oil and it gives way to acnes and break-outs, which sounds exactly like what happened with you.
I would go easy on the exfoliating to see if it helps.

Maya

Veteran

Ouch Kari, I'm sorry to hear your skin (and confidence) is suffering

It sounds like you are using a LOT of products and this is a particularly dry season. I'm not sure about Seattle, but here, it is one of the driest winters ever. I have been unable to wear my contacts due to issues with dry eye, which I have never experienced before. My whole body is pretty dry and flaky as well, and I have already gone through an entire bottle of lotion.

This sounds more medical than cosmetic though, so I wonder if you should see a doctor or dermatologist. It sounds like it could be an allergy, or if not, you may benefit from a dermatologist's advice anyway. Other than that, I have heard that you should really use the least amount of products as necessary. I only use a gentle cleanser for oily skin and an SPF oil-free moisturizer, both once a day. I'm amazed. I still get the odd pimple, but I haven't had a real breakout in years (and I've been off the pill for 6 months now so I was prepared for some real dermatological nightmares). My skin gets its shiny spots and dry spots but is overall pretty balanced. I can hardly believe it.

Also, if you're going to exfoliate, keep it to a minimum. You must be kind and gentle to your skin! Exfoliation is very abrasive and irritating and can actually make acne worse. I used to use an exfoliating wash and guess what: I had acne. Now I don't use it, and I don't have acne.

I hope you heal up soon! *hugs*

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

((Hugs)). I'm sorry, Kari. It's horrible to be frustrated with your skin :0(

I really think that you should see a dermatologist. It took me two years to try to sort out the dry patch on my skin myself and he had it sorted in two days.

Debbie

Veteran

Honestly I agree with Maya I would make an appointment with the dermatologist.
You don't want to damage you skin and he/she may have a solution that you would have never thought of.

marianna

Veteran

I honestly think some people will suffer with acne for their entire lives (like me). I had severe acne as a teen, went on Accutane which helped immensely, but now I *still* break out as an adult. Just this morning I noticed the crazy amount of pimples on my face that appeared overnight. I've tried everything and have come to the conclusion that I will always have acne skin and there is nothing I can do about it. I wear really good makeup that hides everything, so no one knows my little acne secret.

Sorry to be a downer, but that's how I feel about my acne skin.

8or80

Member

Delurking!

I am not a skin expert since for the most part I have good skin (occasional breakouts and dry elbows, nothing really else). But I do know that it sounds like you are way, way, way over-exfoliating. At this rate you're likely shedding off the entire top layer of skin, which strips your skin of all its natural oils. So you're going to be getting all those bad acne breakouts (due to your skin frantically trying to kick up oil production), and on top of that your tender new skin is going to be cracking and peeling like crazy, leading to those scaly breakouts.

While I agree that seeing a dermatologist should be at the top of your priority list (I mean... I am not an expert, clearly), I think it's possible you should dramatically scale back your exfoliating. It's just not good to remove so much of your skin!

It's possible that if you're looking for an acidic toner to balance your skin's pH (which might be tending towards too basic, especially with all the cleansers you're using), you should look for/talk to your dermatologist about solutions that DON'T use salicylic acid, which is a chemical exfoliant. You could even do some research into trying vinegar, which some of my friends have used after the SA started cracking their skin.

Like I said, I am speaking from very little experience here, just going on what I know about skin chemistry. Exfoliating is okay in moderation but it's a bad, bad thing when overdone, which it sounds like it is here. With the plethora of exfoliation options open to the typical consumer nowadays, people are setting themselves up for skin disasters, and unfortunately not many people realize there's such a thing as over-exfoliating.

Finally, a word of personal experience: the only time I have ever, EVER had a bad breakout was when I tried to combat a few tiny pimples on my forehead by exfoliating and using SA products. My face exploded into cracked, peeling patches, and while I recognize that correlation doesn't equal causation, I can't help but think that overexfoliation was my culprit, as well.

Long post! Good luck and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Anonymous

This sounds really bad Kari. I am no expert by any means but my first impression is that you are over doing it. Perhaps you are causing the problems with your intense regime.
I do not know what a Clarisonic is, but I have a product that uses a brush for washing the face. In using it everyday I would get little pimples. I asked the dermetologist once if it is OK to use a face brush and she said, not too often because it can cause a certain kind (cannot remember the medical term) of white head that is deeper than normal.
Maybe you should go to the Clarins counter and buy some things to sooth your poor skin.

taylor

Veteran

Oh, Boo Kari!!!. I sorta thought the same thing as Bella and others , too much exfoliation, and other harsh stuff. I have no advice here. My skin care has always been so simple and cheap my entire life, Dove soap and water, and coconut oil to moisturize at night. High end skin care...when I thought I should do more, has ended within days because of swollen eyes or ichy patches...back to soap and water:)

I have always heard exzema was caused by food allergies.

Kate

Veteran

I would definitely see a dermatologist - maybe you already are? I've been seeing a dermatologist for about 10 years, and I've found that topical treatments just aren't enough. I have super sensitive skin and almost every topical I've tried has given me very dry skin at best, and a burning sensation at worst. I now take a pill once a day, and only do a couple topical treatments daily - my face is SO much happier! It sounds like you might be doing too much topically, and taking some kind of oral medication might be really helpful. If I were you I would make seeing a dermatologist my top priority!

Kari

Veteran

Thank you so much for your advice and sympathy. Now that I've managed to calm down the eczema flare a little, my skin is at least looking human again even if it's dry in patches, so I'm not so miserable.

Yes, I've been seeing a dermatologist for years - though I appreciate the suggestion, as it's really an essential first step to figuring out any problem - and I saw her just a couple months ago when she prescribed the new medications. I think we've ruled out allergies, and previously when I tried oral antibiotics, nothing really happened - we're thinking that my acne is caused by hormonal levels (hence being on birth control) and buildup in pores (which the retinoid gel is supposed to help with.) Unfortunately, she is quite busy so I have to make appointments far in advance - unless I have the same problem for weeks on end, it doesn't seem like it would be worth it to go in again.

The previous product I was using to try to unclog pores - Differin gel - really wasn't doing the intended job, so I'm now trying a new product. The problem is, if I use it too much, I throw my skin into overdrive and it starts to try out. If I don't use it often enough, my pores start to clog - I've inherited large pores that are prone to blackheads.

I think I'm going to try quitting the Clarisonic, switching to a more gentle facewash (thanks for the suggestions!) and being ultra-careful about only applying spot treatment sparingly. I need to avoid making the eczema worse but don't want to trigger an acne breakout either, so I'm going to just baby my face a bit. We'll see how that goes. This *is* the week that I tend to get the worst breakouts, so hopefully my skin will clear up a little by the weekend.

Marianna, I completely relate to what you said about your skin. I've had acne for the past 15 years, and I've been wearing full makeup (foundation & concealer) on a near daily basis because I am so ashamed to show my blemishes and scars. I've been on birth control pills since I was 15, which helps minimize the worst of it, and every time I've gone off the pill for more than a month my skin became uncontrollable again. It's just a fact of life that doesn't seem like it will go away, like how some people have picky feet, but does it ever make me miserable sometimes.

Kate

Veteran

Kari, I'm glad you're seeing a dermatologist, and I would still recommend making an appointment to see her whenever she's available next - you can always cancel it if everything's great by the time your appointment comes around. I also like to ask mine if they can give me a call if anyone cancels so that I can try to come in sooner.

It sounds like we've been on/are on some of the same things. I hated differin, it made my face sting like crazy and really dried me out. I'm on a low androgen birth control to control my testosterone levels, and just tried spironolactone (a testosterone blocker) for 6 months to see if that would help. It didn't, but since your acne may be hormonal you could talk to your dermatologist about trying an oral medication in addition to your birth control that would help control hormones. Luckily oral anti-biotics work well for me, so I'm back on that (doxycycline at 40mg, though before Oracea came out I was on it at 100mg) even though it greatly increases my sun sensitivity.

I just googled the clarisonic and it looks horrifying! However, I'm imagining taking my sonicare to my face, and I'm sure it's not quite the same. Either way, I haven't even used a washcloth on my face in 7 or 8 years. My face gets dried out really easily, and so I barely wash it to keep it happy. At night I use a medicated pad (sodium sulfacetamide, and I cut them up into small pieces) to clean off my face, and in the mornings I let water run on my face when I shower, and that's it! I think I'm still keeping my face clean enough (I also apply Finacea in the morning post-shower, and it helps to kill germs), and I can actually go a night without lotion and have my face look fine the next day! It used to be that if I went a night without moisturizing my face would be scaly and peeling the next day (I use Aveeno's Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Oatmeal - it's pretty thick and works wonders for me, even though it's not technically a face lotion).

Anyway, I certainly don't have the answers, but maybe some of what's worked for me can give you some ideas. If nothing else, you're not alone and I wish you luck!

NK

I understand. I just had a consultation at a laser clinic to discuss my acne. The woman who spoke to me was completely sympathetic. She said people like us frustrate dermatologists because the treatments and medications don't always work. She'd been through three rounds of Accutane herself. She also recommended spironolactone (the same stuff Kate mentioned) and because of my melasma (hyperpigmentation), a treatment called Melanage.

I just haven't done it yet. I'm worried about spending all that money and not having it work.

But, man, I feel your pain. I haven't scheduled family photos for years because I've wanted to 'clear up my skin' first, or lose those last 15 pounds.

Kyle

Veteran

My skin got amazingly better with Retin A, and now I use Obaji for my agin skin. HUGE difference. However, every so often something gets out of whack. I lean toward redness and over-exfoliation is a no-no. Recently had a problem with rampant redness and peeling that came out of nowhere. I tried creams, oils, you name it, for more than a week, and it was peeling and raw. Finally we went into the yard and cut some fresh aloe. I used the aloe gel and the results were nothing short of miraculous. Everything healed so fast...the redness subsided...and it left my skin baby soft. Seriously. I'm thinking of using it as a matter of course. This is not a long term fix, I know, but perhaps it's a tip that could help.

Kari

Veteran

You are all so kind to offer suggestions and sympathy. Thank you. At the very least, I think I'll make an appointment with my dermatologist even if it is a month or so out, and I can always cancel it if my skin seems to adjust down the line. I do appreciate having a list of medications that have worked for others who suffer from acne or sensitive/dry skin so I can ask about them. My derm and I have discussed Accutane as an option, but she doesn't think I need it, and I'd really like to avoid it due to the likely side effects - it could certainly make the dryness/eczema issue worse, too.
(And for treating dry skin, perhaps I should pick up some aloe vera gel as Kyle suggested - I mean, it definitely soothes sunburns, so it couldn't hurt to try it on eczema, could it?)