My skin is ruining my life and I’m only 27

[pipsqueak7]

Sorry for gross pictures.

It’s been the same for years. I have tried absolutely everything. I’ve stuck to strict skincare routines, but it hasn’t helped. I’ve recently had a round of 3 chemical peels, extractions and LED light therapy but it’s made zero difference. I was then recommended to have microneedling but can’t afford £350 for 3 sessions right now, and I’ve heard it’s not effective anyway.

I always see people upset about one spot or one red patch on their face and I feel awful. I look like a pizza, I have redness and holes and sagging skin and bobbles ALL over my chin. It’s got to the point I’m avoiding taking pictures now because you can see craters in my face and sagging skin like I’m old.

I feel like giving up. What can I do 🙁

Have you tried Skin + Me? Or dermatica?

See a good dermatologist and save for the treatment they recommend op.

See your GP and ask for a Dermatology referral

Microneedling would be the best for you (I’m an aesthetics practitioner). Morpheus 8 is incredible but has a hefty price tag per session - if you can find someone that uses a derma pen for microneedling that is a really good alternative and should be more effective (you can buy these online for home use too, check our dr pen) also they do a needle roller that you can do yourself at home. It’s manual and not electric but could be a good place to start!

OP I don't see sagging skin. I see irritated skin with acne. I started having skin problems in my 20s. The only things that have really helped is the contraceptive pill and another time the off rx use of spironolactone. You need to treat it from the inside with a prescription. Sometimes RetinA can also be very good but speak to a doctor first. It will get better!

Everyday Minerals powder is the BEST and most forgiving foundation I have ever found for covering uneven skin problems and it's not expensive.

Have you ever tried Skinceuticals CF?

Whereabouts are you based for dermatology? I really like Dr Ien Chan - he's based in London, not sure if that works for you. I think it's better to go private if you can afford £2-300... the waits for NHS Dermatology are bloody awful.

Oh lovely, as someone who has suffered for years with facial eczema, and used to tear holes in face in my sleep, I hear you. I used to have to take sick days as I couldn't look at myself amd what I'ddone in my sleep. Do speak to a dermatologist, please. I'm out the other side now in my forties, but it's horrible to live with, so do seek help. You may need to try lots of things, in my time I've done uv treatment, immunosuppressants, steroids, you name it. But you need to ask for help if it's making you unhappy.

Try cosrx - snail mucin. It naturally contains some amazing things for your skin & isn't remotely irritating or astringent.

Fwiw - you'll see your skin as being far worse than other people will, I know it won't stop you seeing it as you do but try to remind yourself of that 🙏

Not an immediate solution, but it may improve in time - as a teenager until early 30s I paid a fortune for skin care, was always at the GP for acne & spots on my face and scalp.

Currently cringing in pain from shingles, but other than that, once I hit my 40's, my skin got incredibly clear; shingles apart, I cannot remember the last time I had a spot or oily pores. - and very minimal skin care regime.

Multivitamin and mineral supplement, (and make sure it contains zinc) helped me in my late thirties). Maybe worth a try?

It's looks very irritated. Have you seen the gp? I would say you need acne treatment. A low dose antibiotic made a huge difference to my skin.

Okay, I had similar skin. It was perfect until I hit my 20's and then I had a decade from hell.

I tried everything and this is my routine I've had for the last year and my skin is FINALLY clear and more even.
I stopped all the facials and interventions and stuck to this.
Consistency and simplicity has been key.

Morning -

• Cleanse with Revitale Salicylic Acid Soap bar (Wet hands and rub soap bar to lather between them).

• Moisturise with Cerave for very dry skin.

• Sunscreen - Supergoop Glowscreen

Night -

• First Cleanse with Super Facialist cleansing Oil.

• Second Cleanse with Revitale soap bar.

• Wait for face to dry.

• Apply pea pea-sized amount of Tazorac (purchased from Tretinoin World).

• Apply Azelaic Acid from Dermatica (in their ready to buy section).

• Moisturize with the Cerave

• Layer on top Egyptian Magic Cream. This locks in the moisturizer and was a game-changer for me. It does NOT clog pores. I was a bit flaky and dry from the Tazorac before adding this to my routine.

...
The Tazorac for me has been incredible. I've tried retinol and Tretinoin from Skin & Me for 2 years. Made zero difference.
The Tazorac changed my skin within about two months.

I started with twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) now I do every night.
I built up over about 6 months.

I saw some people recommending Snail Mucin. This gave me cystic acne and looking on Reddit it appears this has happened to a lot of others.

The key is picking really simple products and sticking with them. Let your skin rest, relax and the Tazorac and Azelaic Acid will do the work for you 💗

Edit: I can't find the Azelaic Acid on Dermatica site so they may have stopped it. I think Tretinoin World do one also. I use 20%

GP and dermatologist. You may need tretinoin, spironolactone or accutane. You may need to start or change the Pill to one that reduces acne.

You need a dermatologist. Don't waste any more money on these treatments and store bought products.

Roacutane

You need prescription ingredients. Have you tried Skin and Me or their new brand And Begin?

Ask for a referral to a dermatologist.

It looks like you are doing a bit too much to your skin atm it looks really irritated. I would work on letting it calm down first before any more peels or harsh treatments.

I burnt my skin with tret and centella was amazing for healing it up. I would try centella, niaminacide and try an oil cleanser with a foaming wash, it’s effective and cleaning and removing oils without being too stripping.

Then dermatologist.

Has your GP referred you to a dermatologist? Look at the NICE guidelines online for acne and if necessary take a copy to your GP and insist on a referral. You may need to try antibiotics (oral or topical) or similar first from the GP but I'd say a dermatologist would put you onto spironolactone, possibly tretinoin or roaccutane.

Get a GP referral to dermatology and Roaccutane will fix this for life

Good skin starts with the gut.

I had terrible skin with horrible acne until I improved my diet and minimised stress. What cleared my skin was:
Cutting sugar out - including alcohol. I rarely drink alcohol now.

Eating a plant-based diet with lots of good fats (nuts, avocado, very little dairy, no meat but I do eat oily fish).
Drinking plenty of water and herbal tea.
Exercise including daily yoga which helps manage stress.
Taking vitamins - a good multivitamin plus collagen and fish oil.

In terms of skincare, all I use is a potent high vitamin C /niacinamide/ferulic acid serum twice a day . Moisturiser blocks my pores.

Use a cleanser like Cerave twice a day and let your face dry naturally - towels harbour bacteria. I clean my teeth while my face dries, then put serum on and SPF if I'm going out.

Please please see a dermatologist don’t try anything else (certainly not home dermaplaning).

I suffer with rosacea which started in my 20s. The dermatologist was amazing and prescribed an amazing cream, but the other key thing was giving up dairy/alcohol.

Niacinamide from the ordinary. Your skin will purge and it will be worse before it’s better.

I suffered from acne in my 20s and I realised that all the products I was using was causing the flare ups as my skin was so sensitive.

So I started this routine-
Simply splash face with very cold water in the morning and dab dry. Use a sebum control moisturiser.

Evening- use garnier 3 in 1 facial wash but don’t scrub. Simply pat it on and rinse it off. Then sebum control moisturiser again.

I would use a toner maybe once a week to get rid of any dry skin, but very gently.

It’s also worth going on a pill for hormone control. It was Dianette in my day but that may well have changed.