Best products for itchy, spots under the skin

[Pintoe]

My 22-year-old daughter has lots of spots just under her skin around her mouth, chin and between her eyebrows/forehead. Nothing seems to really get rid of them - she's currently using the Clinique sonic brush and liquid soap. Has anyone had any success with different cleansers? Thanks.

This is how her skin looks.

Thanks - I'll get her one of the Boots face masks. Streaming's a good idea as well. She had a facial some months ago and they said the spots round her mouth were hormonal, but they seem to be there all the time.

They look and sound like sensitivity spots to me! Get her the Dermalogica ultracalming kit.

Thanks. We actually stopped at a Dermalogica stand in a department store on Sunday but didn't have time for one of their in depth skin examinations. I'll have a look now at the ultracalming kit. Do sensitivity spots mean she's reacting to something she's putting on her skin - like her foundation?

efflaclar duo by la roche posy is good.

They also do a cleanser which is good, not too drying and doesn't leave your skin tight. I use this a couple of days a month as my skin is generally fine bit around my period I cleanse with this then use my normal moisturiser and use the efflaclar in a thin layer over the top and when I wake up in the morning I can feel and notice the difference.

I personally just discovered Magic Skin from 1001 Remedies.

It worked really good with acne and itchy spots. I like it because it has no chemicals and they've put quite a lot of essential oils in it so you can actually feel how nourishes your skin.

Don't bother getting the analysis done!
I think it means her skin is telling her to give it a break, those things u said she was using are too harsh in my opinion....step away from the soap and brush! I would treat her skin as sensitive/reactive for a while, maybe get kit I mentioned and use it all up then she can decide which of those products she feels made a difference and felt nice and purchase the full sizes. She won't need to buy full size of everything just decide which she likes best from using them up.
With spots people tend to recommend and go for foaming products and products marketed at oily blemish prone skin but I think that's the worst route to go down. Hydrate and calm, hydrate and calm

You might be right as some of the products she has tried dried out her skin terribly. Maybe the sonic brush is doing more harm than good. I've had a look at the Dermalogica calming kit and will order it for her to try. I'll also have a look at the La Roche Posy and the Magic Skin products. It might be a case of working out what doesn't irritate her skin. Thanks so much.

Good luck and let us know how she gets on.

Thanks! And thanks for the advice.

Here is my skin. Mine has been confirmed as hormonal too probably an inbalance in the hormones. Im going to request a hormone level test with GP. Im under care of GP currently as i was 2 years ago when my chin acne appeared. 2 years ago the route of antibiotics and a topical lotion worked. Unfortunately it no longer does. Definitely over cleansing will aggrevate your daughters skin and the hydrating and calming route is a good way forward. Some products aimed at acne are evil as they strip our skins. My skin doesnt produce oil at all in fact its hydrated and can feel tight all over even with just water. I have stepped up my drinking of water up to 3 litres a day and this does seem to calm the skin. I think chin spots too can also be associated with the stomach hence why i drink lots of water to flush everything out!

I know how frustrating it is and i hope your daughter finds some lovely products that clear it up but if she does then dont step away from what worked!! Even if slightly tempted as finding a decent product for spots is a god send. Keep us updated.

Skin is dehydrated not hydrated

Thanks - my daughter did go to the GP a couple of years ago and had an antibiotic wash but that really dried her skin. She also had oral antibiotics that worked for a bit. She's a theatre nurse so in operating theatres all day which may also dry out her skin. I think she does drink a lot of water but also a lot of coffee which may dehydrate her - perhaps she should cut coffe out. Thanks for your help - I'll let you know how she gets on with the Dermalogica set which we'll try first.

After years of experience dealing with hormonal acne and cystic acne, the following has left me with clear skin;

Cut out refined sugar, drink tons of water, start taking fish oils and vitamin D. This will make a much bigger difference than anything topical. If I eat anything sugary, like cake or whatever, I know a couple if days later I'll have spots.

Find a good oil cleansing balm rather than any harsh foaming products. Check moisturisers don't have shea butter in them as that can cause breakouts.

A second cleanse just on the acne area with Hibi-Scrub will have an overnight result. It'll calm the redness and inflammation right down. You can buy over the counter in Boots. It's prescribed in the US by dermatologists for acne and is just starting to be used for it by the NHS. It's original purpose is as a pre surgery wash for surgeons and patients, so she may have come across it at work, (also used in pet care!).

Caroline Hirons has an excellent acne 'cheat sheet' that might be a good starting point.

Best of luck to her. She looks like she had beautiful skin generally btw.

CH acne sheet cheat.

www.carolinehirons.com/2012/05/acne-cheat-sheet.html?m=1

*Looks like she HAS beautiful skin.

Thank you, Wagglebee! It's great that you've managed to clear your skin successfully. My daughter does drink a lot of water but also will eat sugar and I'm sure cutting this out would help her tremendously. She doesn't eat it all the time but will eat loads when her period is due. I'm going into town today to look at buying her some products and will get the hibi scrub and look at oil based cleansers and the Dermalogica range. I'm beginning to think that the Clinique sonic brush isn't doing her any good as I think the soap does foam up a little and I'm not sure what moisturiser she uses. I think she does take fish oil tablets but not vitamin D so that's another thing to look at. It is probably a good idea to take vitamin D anyway as she doesn't see much daylight in her working day. I'm going to look at the acne sheet now. Thanks so much.

The cheat sheet is really good! I've forwarded it to her! Thank you.

I had skin like hers from my late teens to early-mid 20s. My diet never made a difference. The only thing that worked was to go on the pill, but a special one the doctor can advise on (can't remember it's name, sorry). You can't stay on it forever and I was very anxious when I came off it after a few years and switched to Yasmin that my skin would go terrible again but it didn't. I get the occasional spot but the horrors of hormonal acne are long goner end when I was off the pill for 16 months while having a baby. If you want my advice I would get your daughter to the doctor, hormonal acne cannot often be treated by topical solutions and the longer you leave it the more scars she'll have - I have heaps - now I don't care but it knocked my confidence for a long time. I only sorted myself out and got on the pill when my dear Dad begged me to go and said I was ruining my skin. Good luck!
Ps if you do buy some things for her to use go for the most gentle possible, forget all that Clearasil stuff.

Might need a course of oral antibiotics to clear it? Could be peri oral dermatitis-something I have suffered from a lot!

What about taking fish oils? They help my skin loads. Agree with people who say to calm it down and keep it simple.

As she's a nurse (if I've read it right) could it be to do with the face masks?

And just wanted to say what a lovely looking girl she is, even just seeing the bottom half of her face! X

Ooh, just remembered I was going to say that Clarins do a serum (used to be called sos) which is brilliant for rubbing into any pink marks left by spots. I'm pale and these marks are just as annoying as the spots! It's not cheap but it's in a little pump bottle (white bottle, peach lid, part of their sensitive range) and you only need one pump so it lasts for months.

Thank you so much JickChick! I definitely think fish oils will help her and will get some. Fatpony - she's went on the pill a few years ago but it really affected her mood (not in a good way! ) so she came off it. I can't remember which one it was, so she could go back and ask specifically for one which would help her skin. Sksk - she's tried oral antibiotics for quite a long time but they seemed to stop working after a time. She was pretty spot free until about 18 so maybe this is all hormone related. Thanks for all the help and good ideas.