Page 4 | Bad reaction to facial

Teaandchocolate2222 · 2025-01-31T07:00:14+00:00

I had a facial on Tuesday and my skin felt fine all that day and night. I woke up the next day to a bit of redness and itching on my face and neck. My therapist said to just drink lots of water. It was worse yesterday with more swelling, redness and itching. It felt like a bad sunburn with itching. Today I've woken up and can barely open my eyes from the swelling. Everything is so red and sore. Wondering if I need a GP. I've taken an antihistamine but nothing is helping. Any ideas - am I overreacting to go to the doctor? What could they do to help?

Original poster

Teaandchocolate2222 · 02/02/2025 09:58

My regular moisturiser just burns whereas the stuff she gave me is not so bad. I need to put something on there as it's just so dry! I read the ingredients in the skin recovery and it doesn't contain any of the ingredients I'm suspicious of like phenoxyethanol or alcohol. A bit risky but desperate really!

OP posts:

LoafofSellotape · 02/02/2025 10:03

Teaandchocolate2222 · 02/02/2025 09:58

My regular moisturiser just burns whereas the stuff she gave me is not so bad. I need to put something on there as it's just so dry! I read the ingredients in the skin recovery and it doesn't contain any of the ingredients I'm suspicious of like phenoxyethanol or alcohol. A bit risky but desperate really!

Go and buy some Cerave or use Vaseline or plain Aveeno.

purplehue · 02/02/2025 10:10

Maybe, try something natural like coconut oil on your face. Warm it in your hands first until it melts and then apply it.

PinkyBlueMe · 02/02/2025 10:31

Aw OP - I really wouldn't use anything from the therapist. There are several of us on here who've reacted to Dermalogica but none of us know what to. Sometimes the worst reactions can take 24-48 hours. Also the steroids might be stopping you reacting but the damage might be happening still. After my own Dermalogica facial my skin looked fab and it took around 12 hours to see the swelling and later the cracking and peeling.
As I mentioned before, and others have suggested, Cerave helped me a lot. I think it's likely too soon but understand the desperation because my skin cracked and peeled too - what she's suggesting about this almost being a good thing is bollocjs btw - your skin is badly damaged, much worse than a deliberate peel process! She's misleading you.
I'm trying to remember what I did and think before Cerave I just put on my usual stuff where I had to but only because I knew I wasn't allergic to it.
You could even try olive oil - that's fine for the face.
I hope this eases quickly for you, I can honestly say I know how this feels.

Original poster

Teaandchocolate2222 · 02/02/2025 10:57

PinkyBlueMe · 02/02/2025 10:31

Aw OP - I really wouldn't use anything from the therapist. There are several of us on here who've reacted to Dermalogica but none of us know what to. Sometimes the worst reactions can take 24-48 hours. Also the steroids might be stopping you reacting but the damage might be happening still. After my own Dermalogica facial my skin looked fab and it took around 12 hours to see the swelling and later the cracking and peeling.
As I mentioned before, and others have suggested, Cerave helped me a lot. I think it's likely too soon but understand the desperation because my skin cracked and peeled too - what she's suggesting about this almost being a good thing is bollocjs btw - your skin is badly damaged, much worse than a deliberate peel process! She's misleading you.
I'm trying to remember what I did and think before Cerave I just put on my usual stuff where I had to but only because I knew I wasn't allergic to it.
You could even try olive oil - that's fine for the face.
I hope this eases quickly for you, I can honestly say I know how this feels.

Thanks that's a good point about the steroids possibly masking further damage. I'll stop using it. I'm trying to just live with the peeling and only moisturise when my face freezes. I've found almond oil is ok but doesn't really moisturise. Just allows me to mobilise the skin a bit! I have some cerevae but I react to soft parrafins which rules out quite a lot of stuff!

OP posts:

PinkyBlueMe · 02/02/2025 11:15

@Teaandchocolate2222 if you Google olive oil it can be used for skin.
None of the Dermalogica products stung or burned when they were put on me - the damage appeared later, presumably as it worked through the layers. Swelling was quicker but you're less likely to swell now you're on steroids.
My skin did make a full recovery in the end though. I only used Cerave for a long time and gradually reintroduced.
These things happen, therapist can't predict what people will be allergic too, and I've never reacted like this before or since that facial although I do have sensitive skin. The key thing for me was how my therapist reacted - she was disgraceful and treated me like a nuisance simply insisting it wasn't the Dermalogica when it clearly was and being obstructive in telling me what she used. At least your lady is being pleasant but it's irresponsible for her to suggest more of the same in an allergic reaction situation.
I really hope you're feeling much better soon, it's really miserable. Scarves and sunglasses were essentials for me when I had to leave the house! I saw you're the same.