My skin - I'm in despair

[GiraffeFluff]

For the last seven months I've had patches of extremely dry, red, flaky skin on my face. Now it's spread and it looks awful. The red areas are down the whole 'middle' of my face - between eyebrows, around nose, chin and between mouth and nose. Makeup helps a bit but the foundation or concealer sits in the dryness and looks flaky (but less red than without any makeup).

I've been to the doctor three times and had the following:
Betnovate cream (did nothing)
Hydrocortisone cream (helped for a while but now does nothing)
Metranidizole cream for rosacea

It doesn't look like rosacea to me as it's not raised or lumpy. If anything it looks like eczema or dermatitis.

I've also tried - sudocreme, E45, Elizabeth Arden 8hr cream, vaseline, Aveeno and nothing makes any difference.

Help!!!!!

Could be guttate psoriasis? Are you stressed out? Google it and see if it fits. If it is, go back to the gp and ask to be referred to dermatology. In the meantime moisturise with coconut oil, drink gallons of water and perhaps take a vitamin d supplement.

It’s horrible when you have a skin condition but ten times worse when it’s on your face and you can’t hide it with clothes. Hugs to you. Sometimes I feel like I want to shed my skin like a snake and start again but normally it’s nowhere near as noticeable as I think.

Hi puddleducks and thank you so much for replying. Yes, I would dearly love to shed my facial skin and start again!

I've googled guttate psoriasis and it's not what I have. I'll try to attach a photo to show my red, flaky skin while remaining anonymous!

Terrible photo and a bit blurred - it's the bit between the eyebrows - very red. The flakiness (boak) doesn't show as I'm slathered in E45 right now.
I'm really down about it and it's squashing my self confidence.

Strange question......do you ever suffer with thrush? I have seen this before, I can't remember the name (no time to dig out books) but it's caused by Candida. On the face it tends to be around nose, mouth, chin and where there are any creases. You have a shallow crease btw your eyes.

I have similar and I have to be careful with what I use.

Eucerin 10% urea is fantastic. I use The Body Shop cammomile oil to remove make up with a tepid flannel and that it. No face washes,soap ,NOTHING.

Weird I know but milk on a cotton will pad smoothed over the flakiness really helps- it's the lactic acid in it that helps.

What make up do you use? It could contain bismuth which really irritates.

There is a range called Dermalex which have different creams for different skin conditions. There is a cream for Rosacea which has had excellent feedback in terms of reducing the redness. It is a bit pricy, I think about £20 or thereabouts. It's available in Boots. I have recommended to quite a few people so far.

Ps. Unfortunately not available on NHS prescription

And cool water in the shower too,never have it too hot.

You need a referral to a dermatologist now - would def avoid putting more sterioids on before you see him/her.

I've had similar to this around my eyes and nose & find Aquaphor cream from Eucerin works really well to calm it down. You get it in Boots, it's around a tenner and has a Vaseline type consistency.

Agree it could be Candida type thing.

Cooled chamomile tea is very soothing, cleansing and acts are an emmoillent. It also reduces inflammation. Dip cotton wool pads and gentle cleanse the area after you have used your usual cleanser to remove make up. But I still think you should go to GP again.

Sebhorrheic dermatitis? DH was diagnosed with this which looked similar, though eventually they decided it was rosacaea. I believe the sebhorrheic dermatitis is a fungal / yeast thing so similar to candida as other posters have said.

I feel your pain- although mine is definitely rosacea.

I'm currently using azaelic acid. It does nothing but I live in hope.

I'm 100% sure my skin issues are caused by whatever also causes my digestive problems- I have an imbalance in my gut. I'm doing all sorts to clear it.

I also recently realised that my multivitamin triggers my symptoms so I've stopped taking that.

At our GP surgery there is a doctor with a specialism in dermatology, may be worth asking if there's anyone like that at yours although I would hope they'd have already made sure you were seeing them if there was. Perhaps time to push for a referral to dermatology at hospital if not.

Thanks all. I really appreciate these replies and I'm sorry for anyone who is suffering from the same!

The first cream the doc gave me was indeed for fungal infections - I used it for a month and it made no difference so I don't think it could be thrush.
I'm going to try the Eucerin 10% urea.
I currently use Cetaphil to cleanse (no water, just Cetaphil and a cotton pad). Then a cream from La Roche Posay for dry skin. Make up is Clinique foundation and Clinique loose powder.

Giraffe It sounds like you are being really sensible with your skin care already. Cetaphil and La Roche are both great choices! Hope you find something that works soon 🤞🏼

I used to have this. I'm sensitive to cetyl alcohol/cetostearyl alcohol which is in most moisturisers, cleansers and prescribed creams. You could try asking for them as ointments instead. I use ThisWorks clean skin to cleanse, precious cacay oil to moisturise and BareMinerals makeup. Can't use Clinique.

I've heard hibbiscrub is great for that kind of thing. I use a lotion called dermol. It's an antimicribial. I reckon it knocks off excessive skin mites which I've heard can be a problem.

I get that, though not quite as bad as you. Have them check your thyroid levels, my sister gets it too. We both have low thyroid function. I don't know if it's the thyroid or the dermal which made a difference, but I'm not giving either of them up!

Hibiscrub would set the OP's face on fire!

why not ask your GP for a referral to a dermo? Honestly, it's the best move. Even if you have to pay for a private appt as an NHS referral can be 6 months. I'd rather hand over £200 and get sorted.

Both my DCs had skin issues (different ones) and a dermo dealt with it far better than a GP

Gps are pretty hopeless with skin stuff on the whole; they try something and if it doesn't work, they try something else.....

It looks like eczema. The steroid creams may work for a while but they won't necessarily cure it. Dermos can prescribe something that is different and can be use safely on the face, if it is eczema.

What are skin mites

DONT USE HIBISCRUB!!

Sorry, remember someone saying it was good for people inclined to irritations. I'm a Dermol fan myself. So much less irritated using that.

We all have skin mites. Everyone. But if they get over enthusiastic they can cause problems.