Hoping people can help me narrow my focus on what my next steps are through their own experience.
Pictures attached over last couple of months of facial ‘something’….
Had it for 9 months now, popped up quite literally on the day I turned 45!
Never had sensitive skin before, or any form of eczema. Skin type is dry/normal. Have had melasma in past – keep it in check by staying out the sun, was never a sun person anyway – but super strict now.
Started as a kind of itchy, dry patch on one side of face, that would flake off/rub off in shower, and leave a shiny patch of new skin. Gradually got bigger, and now popped up on other side of face. Same roughish texture, flaky, reddish. Sometimes has a puffy/hot look to it – like inflammation/fluid under skin (not weepy at all) that sits on my cheekbone/ malar bag, adding a weird bad filler look to me.
In the 9 months it’s flared up/down, and my skin look a bit like a deflating balloon now. Got a new odd wrinkle on the original side from it puff-ing up and down.
Went to GP Surgery back in March, and Nurse thought dermatitis, but wasn’t sure. They gave me steroid cream with anti-fungal (I questioned if fungal, so added that into treatment) , which my skin responded to, but was only allowed 7 days, which once stopped fired back up again worse than before.
I’m worried about using steroid on face for skin thinning and withdrawal (and would prefer to get to root cause).
I don’t smoke, rarely drink, eat a balanced diet, low sugar/low refined carbs/good gut health stuff, no facial tweaks, never had any allergies that I am aware of, healthy weight and exercise. Not used any new makeup/cosmetics. Not on HRT, as not got ‘enough’ symptoms that I think I need a helping hand yet.
I can get it just about under control with Zeroveen cleanse, castor oil, LRP Cicaplast Blam, Balmonds Balm,– but it never fully disappears, and every now and again flares up bigger and worse than before – the base area does seem to be growing – and the change in 9 months of how my skin looks really isn’t great – just all seems so sudden.
None sure what it is – I’m maybe thinking flushing rosacea (type 1? - but so flaky!) but there is no under the skin blood vessels or texture.
Maybe an auto-immune skin thing from allergies – but never had them before…
Maybe my age and hormones jumping about? My mum started HRT at 43, so I’m wondering if it’s just hormone decline, and I need to maybe look at HRT (got a few symptoms, but probably not fully justified on going on it)
Things I have done….
- Started a multi-strain biotic (been on for 2/3 weeks – no discernible difference).
- Started skin vitamins 6 months ago – skin overall was always good, but no difference to these areas.
- Started marine collagen – no difference
- Tried The Ordinary – Niacinamide – stung a bit, so stopped.
- Switched to one face wash a day with no flannel using Zeroveen, then simple hypoallergenic products – seems to keep it at bay to at least semi-manageable.
Next Steps considering;
- Ask GP for Protopic – seems to get good reviews of trying to get ahead of autoimmune reaction – if indeed that is what it is
- Ask GP for HRT (worried I won’t qualify, because I only have a few symptoms – I could go private too I guess)
- Take myself off to private Derm and see what they say – maybe at least get a diagnosis and take it from there – I don’t really want any more Steroids.
- Get a broad allergy test to see if there is something I can refine in my diet – that may now be a trigger.
- Gut microbiome test?
I’ve not got a massive budget, but my skin has always been one of my few redeeming features,but this is getting me down, and I feel like I can’t get control of it – or why it is happening.
Any suggestions, advice would be very gratefully received. Thank you if you got to end!