Hi all,
Since around November I’ve had very dry skin all over my body, frequently finding flakes, etc on the inside of my clothes when I take them off.
Over the last 6-8 weeks this seems to have escalated a notch to the point where the skin on my upper body is peeling off in sheets like it would if sunburnt. It can be itchy, but that’s not a primary feature.
I’ve no redness, inflammation or anything suggestive of eczema or other common skin complaints.
I’ve tried exfoliating, aggressive moisturising, cooler showers, less frequent showers, etc. In terms of moisturisers I’ve tried cocoa butter, cocoa butter but in an oil form, O’Keeffe’s Skin Repair, Cerave, Aveeno Skin Relief (the blue strong one), Korres Elasti-Smooth Body Butter, Boots Sanctuary in shower moisturisers, Korres in shower body oil, etc etc etc. I’ve got a bottle of Doublebase and a Korean wash cloth being delivered today to try and different combo.
I’m 36 years old, periods are still regular, although short and scant. I’ve had my AMH checked and it was 0.8 - very low for my age (it was 6.2 in Jan 2020). Also had antral follicle count USS which showed three follicles on one ovary and a corpus luteum cyst on the other - suggesting I am still ovulating, but my low number of follicles is in keeping with the AMH and poor ovarian reserve. So premature ovarian failure looks likely at some point in the next few years, if not currently the case right now.
It’s just really embarrassing, I’m currently single and dating (with some urgency due to the fertility stuff - although looking at making some embryos with donor sperm for insurance) and I can’t really entertain the idea with getting intimate with someone new while my skin is peeling off left, right and centre.
Spoke to GP this morning, and I’ve just been to the surgery to have bloods taken to check for any nutritional deficiency (although I take all my vitamins every day!), Thyroid, Oestradiol, FSH and LH - so I guess I’ll know more when the results of those are back. Although the Gynae at the fertility clinic said she wouldn’t expect any change to the endocrine bloods yet if I’m still producing 3+ follicles a month.
Can anyone relate to this description of my dry skin in terms of it being a symptom of Peri? Or do you think there’s another direction I should be investigating?
Just at a bit of a loose end!
Thanks!