really bad skin, help!

[MrsMuskett]

Ok I had great skin as a teen til I was 26 then I started getting a few spots around mouth area...now its like a pizza.... I could cope with the odd spot, but since having my son my face is a war zone, constant outbreaks all over face, red itchy patches, dry flaky skin. If I use anything to oily it makes my skin really greasy and just sits on top and doesn't soak in, if I use anything too light I'm constantly dry. Im currently using nivea sensitive moisteriser which is ok, but having to apply a few times a day, but so far it doesn't aggregate my skin. Nivea combination skin wipes and combination face wash. Tried a toner but that drys my skin too much. I seem to have combination spotty dry sensitive skin....no such product exists. I've had a few b problems 'down there' since having my son and have polyps which are bring removed this week, I had a blood test to rule out everything and my hormones are fine so don't think its acne...so confused, can anyone help??

Lay off the wipes mrs musket, they wreak havoc. Drink 2 L water every day. No sugar.

Try and do the three step programme by Clinique, or wash with Quinoderm, tone with Clinique number 2 and moisturise with dr organic royal jelly moisturiser.

Also take a very good multi mineral and vitamin supplement like Solgar Female. You sound like you're deficient in zinc and manganese, and could do with the B vitamins.

Also try and get 8 hours sleep, so make yourself go to bed at the same time as your DS for a while.

Keep your hands away from your face, and make sure your towels are clean.
Boil wash all your bedding, especially pillows- acne is caused by a bacteria.
Keep your hair off your face as well for a while.

If none of the above works, think about going on the pill. Cilest sorted out my acne totally, but dianette made my boobs inflate like I had a foot pump in my shoes- literally up two cup sizes in a month. (Not great actually)

Good luck with it, and hope it works out.

You might have rosacea-in which case some metronidazole gel could help (prescription only). My skin got progressively itchier/red/bumpy recently, but the itchiness made me google and that's when I realised I probably had rosacea rather than acne. The metrogel has really helped, especially with the itching, which was awful!

I like Caudalie's SOS serum and Avalon Organics vitamin C oil free moisturiser. I wash with la roche posay's effaclar face wash. I don't go near toners-they just aggravate my skin.

Agree with all the above re diet, vitamin supplements etc.

Thanks guys, will try. Its like fighting a losing battle and hard to know what works/aggravates the skin. I've just brought some multi vits thinking they'd help do I will start taking them, can't really afford clinique but will defo look into the other products you mentioned and I will consider the pill xx

Hope it gets better soon.

All the best for the polyp removal next week.

I've been there, word for word.

Check out Caroline Hirons' blog. Ditch any foaming face washes, and try cleansing twice (double cleanse), especially if wearing make up.
Do you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day? You might be dehydrated. Tea and coffee don't count.
Also eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

If nothing else works, you may be intolerant to wheat or milk. You can cut either out for a month to see, you might see an improvement sooner but a month is good to be sure as that's how long it takes for the skin to renew itself.

Might be worth asking the gp specifically about it - I only say this as I had a similar problem start about 3 months ago and mentioned it at my last dermatology appointment (thinking it was related to my other skin problem) who diagnosed a type of dermatitis.

He described it to me as a kind of middle aged acne (I can tell you I was not impressed at the middle aged bit of that sentence!!!) but prescribed a 6 week course of antibiotics. 7 days in to the course and thankfully its clearing up dramatically.

I do drink too much tea, lol, but I do eat very healthy losing post baby weight. I do have a milk intolerance but drink uht as that doesn't upset my stomach. I have tried cleansers but they don't seem to make my skin feel clean. I think it is 'middle age' skin problems, at 31 lol, never had any as a teen and just used to use dove soap and nivea soft twice a day til I was 26...panicked and tried everything when the spots 1st started coming, prob made it all worse, but since having my son its gone crazy and I have no clue how to solve it. Think I'm gonna go see my gp and see what he says. Read up on that Dr organics and think that might help, read some terrible reviews on clinique, and its so pricey xx

Google peri oral dermatitis. It could also be rosacea with peri oral dermatitis (been there got tshirt).

And go to GP to be checked out. Peru oral dermatitis requires treatment. It won't go away on its own

Rosacea can then be treated with metro cream or finacea cream or oral ABs.

And don't use wipes. Ouch. Makes my face itchy just thinking about it.

Rosacea made my face itchy. At times I wanted to claw my face off. It was also sore and sensitive at the same time. Ugh.

If you do have rosacea. Also try Dermalex cream. Over the counter at Boots. So soothing. Actually works better for me than finacea or metro gel. No more itching or sore ness and redness is now minimal.

Right, I think you need to reconsider just how clean your skin needs to feel! It's possible that you're stripping all the oils out until it's squeaky clean, but actually that is way way way too clean so your skin overreacts.

Do try a gentle cleanser. Not wipes. I find foaming washes ok ish for me, but they are drying. A nice balm cleanser with a clean flannel every day. Currently im using a superdrug one whoch is great. And no clearasil or anything like that -just cleanse, and moisturise, twice a day. cleanse twice if you have makeup on. Separate eye cream if you like.

Double cleanse using the body shop's Camomile balm or aloe calming cleanser.

Aloe night cream is fantastic.

No wipes, face washes or soap of any description.

Cleanse using a warm muslin cloth not cotton wool.

Yes to Dame's and zebra's advice. I should have clarified, I don't use cleanser on cotton wool. I massage it on with finger tips (lotion or balm), then clean off with a flannel wrung out in warm water. Squeaky clean, I promise, but in a soft and comfy way :)

I need to know more about this Superdrug cleansing balm? Is it as good as the REN one?

What cleanser are you using? Use a micellar water, nothing foaming or astringent.

Have you been to the Drs? I've been this morning and have been given antibiotics and a cream. Fingers crossed!