dry patch on cheek - face moisturiser recommendation

[enidroach]

My 18 year old DD had devloped a persistent dry patch on her left cheek (i think the skin has peeled off) she has very pale, delicate skin and had eczema ( on her body, not face) as a child (asthma now). She has been freaking out as she now can't really use blusher as it sticks to the patch and she thinks everyone can see it.(she is also stressed with her A2 exams)

She is an obsessive cleanse, tone , moisturiser twice a day slave. She uses clinique (paint stripper) toner!!! which I think has caused the problem - she has agreed to stop using it- but has only stopped using it around the oustside of the patch.I think she doesn't need to tone at all. She used to use all clinique but now uses Liz Earle or Boots expert sensitive cleanser and either the clinique yellow moisturiser or a Neutrogena SPF 20 one.

Can anyone recommend a really good moisturiser or something to clear the patch up. I have suggested a very thin smear of hydrocortisone cream mixed with her old eczema moisturiser (diprobase) to no avail. I am worried that her moisturiser is stinging it and making the now slightly inflamed looking patch worse.

Thanks

eucerin cream is fab for dry patches

She is using products that are obviously way too harsh for her skin. Cleanse, tone, moisturise IMO is a bit of a myth. A sensitive soap and some good moisturiser should do.

I use nivea visage and have done since I was 16. Sometimes though it is trial and error....

Stress can also bring on a multitude of things....

Could it be psoriasis?

I had similar, used facial oil with great results - the ones I used were by Decleor and Trilogy.

I would definitely skip the toner. I have been using Vichy Micellar cleanser- it looks like water but cleanses v gently & effectively. Actually Trilogy does a lovely range for sensitive skin. There is a serum called something Calming Fluid that has really saved my face when it's sensitised.

HTH

I suffer from chronic eczema and have quite dry skin even as a teen (never had a pimple though, that was the only benefit for me). For years I avoided any moisturisers with petroleum byproducts as their ingredients as they seemed to make eczema flare up. I used Olay Regenerist on my face for the last few years (you can order free samples of a few Olay facial moisturisers every now and then off their website to try them out) because they don't seem to aggravate my skin condition. Only problem - they either don't seem to moisturise enough so skin goes dry quite soon after, or they feel too greasy or heavy for my liking. Recently I tried smoothing a few drops of Johnson's Baby Oil on my dry cheeks in winter, because I was feeling experimental although I did notice that my skin seemed to have changed a little and I was no longer allergic to certain moisturisers like Nivea, that used to give me a bit of problem before. I found to my surprise that Johnson's Baby Oil worked best to moisturise my dry cheeks. Its not a permanent solution, the effects go away after my face is washed. But when it goes on, my cheeks stay soft and moisturised until I wash them. Not sure if this will work for you though, and I have to say my cheeks aren't at all at the peeling stage, just very dry and tight especially in cold weather, but I hope you find something that works. By the way if its psoriasis it can get really bad, I know someone who has this on her elbows and they look really dry, peeling, sore and raw. She had been seeing the hospital dermatologists for years and tried all sorts of creams, steroid creams, etc. and found no joy.

I have a couple of small dry patches which is psoriasis (stress / pmt related) I have to use cream from doctor small amount of dovebet or dovenex, nothing else will work

I should add that I have not followed a cleansing/toning regime ever because they just seem to dry my skin out even more. I clean my face with water only, on days when I don't use makeup. And if I do use makeup then I cleanse my face once with Cetaphil (the one which doesn't require rinsing) before bedtime, that's all.

Thanks everyone - have written the recommendations out and will investigate. I agree that she should not c, t and m and that the products she uses are way too harsh for her skin - but she is 18, buys them herself and will not usually listen to me. She told me I could ask here and she is going to post on Student room so hopefully she will take note of the concensus.

Can easily get Eucerin at the local chemist and I have usedShu Umera oil in the past (when I was better off) to cleanse which was great so will look at at trilogy. Maybe she will agree to see GP after her exams when she goes to her asthma review and ask about psorasis or if the eczema has returned.

Bio Oil?

i second bio oil, sorted out the dry patch on my face.

And don't forget that MN favourite waitrose baby bottom butter, I'd put it just on the dry patch at night, it's just simple oils and v kind to skin.

Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter is magnificent stuff.

I also like Body Shop Vitamin A stuff.

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream - its fab, I often get dry skin patches on my face and this sorts it. best applied overnight as quite thick.

Calendula cream (its homeopathic) has been great when I've had dry patches - the one I buy is by Kiwiherb. Good for rashes and things too.

I have psoriasis and dry skin, and I would advise that as far as applying make-up, she should apply a nice thick layer of moisturiser, let that soak in for 10 mins, then another dab of moisturiser on the dry area, then a thin layer of foundation, then use a cream blusher. When I have psoriasis on my face I can pretty much completely cover it, in this way. =]

And I agree with the above tips that she should put a nice thick layer of moisturiser on at night.

Oh and if she generally has dry skin and not prone to spots there is absolutely no need to cleanse/tone etc. I wash with Oilatum emollient and I have very clean skin but it's not stripped of its natural oils etc.

But after exams she definitely needs to get herself to the doctor because it could be eczema, psoriasis or something else entirely, so it's worth knowing - and they might give her a mild steroid like hydrocortisone cream to get rid of the stubborn patch.

hope this helps.

oh and forgot to say, Eucerin is brilliant, but when she goes to the Dr's she should ask them for Cetraben on prescription because it's just as good and you can get a massive dispenser tub just for usual prescription charge, rather than the extortionate prices they charge for Eucerin.

Aveeno cream. It has something in it (oatmeal?) that makes it sink in rather than sit on the surface like most creams. It really works.

aveeno from me too.

Trilogy Rosehip Oil is fabulous. All Trilogy products are lovely, very mild and nourishing.

I used to be a Clinique girl, but have gradually weaned myself off to Simple cleanser, Trilogy oil and moisturiser and my skin is looking miles better.

Oilatum moisturiser is really good too. Or La Roche Possay, the one I use for mega dry skin is called Hydranorme but I get that from France. I have a feeling the name is slightly different in the range they do here but you can check with the pharmacist or read the boxes and see what they recommend. They sell it in a lot of independent chemists and some branches of Boots, I think. If you prefer the idea of organic products, Dr Haushka's rose cream is very good.

Clinique have a reputation in the beauty industry for their skincare products being overly harsh (especially the toner!) so getting her to change brands would be a good start. If she really doesn't like the idea of going without a toner then just give her a bottle of Witch hazel to try. It will freshen the skin but it's very gentle and soothing to the skin. For cleansing very dry skin I would recommend either cleansing oil or something like a Cold Cream Cleanser followed by Witch Hazel.

I wouldn't recommend Simple skincare personally, just because I've had so many clients comment that they reacted badly to it.

Wow, thanks everyone - so many great tips - will get her to read them tonight after her exam this afternoon.

emovate cream

sudocream

Burts bees ,baby bee ,original buttermilk nourishing lotion.

Aveeno is great as an every day moisturiser (it's what I use) but when I get a dry patch I need something a bit stronger so I do a combo of nivea cream if it's not TOO bad and just needs a bit extra creaminess (overnight) and then if it's not shifting I use eumovate cream. You're not meant to use it on your face over prolongued periods so I only use it to get rid of a persistant dry patch and it does the job.