What are your beauty banes and can anyone solve?

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

Mine :

Had endless blackheads on my nose since I was 12. Nothing works.

Facial hair. Chin. Lip. Now Neck too. Nothing works permanently. Always have at least one hair or bristly feel

Mascara, always end up with, from my right eye, black marks under the eye, eyelashes on that side have gone weird, really long, won't curl.

What do others struggle with.

@toiletpaper - hate to say it, but with PCOS, unfortunately you’re a slave to the hormones. You probably have insulin resistance which makes losing weight more difficult AND makes you much more sensitive to the oestrogen that is produced by your actual body fat. This in turn inspires your adrenal system to produce unnecessary amounts of testosterone, hence the facial hair, greasy hair and problem skin. This is why low-carb diets are recommended for sufferers of PCOS (and why you are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you gain weight 🤬). It really does help in the long run, but you still may need medical intervention (spironolactone) for the hair/greasies as well. *From personal and anecdotal experience, this kicks in with a vengeance during perimenopause, and hairloss is often another symptom. I have lost 60kgs and am taking spironolactone and HRT now. Skin better than ever. Wish I’d started years ago. The diet thing I’m on forever. I have accepted that it is a lifestyle choice, as I don’t want the long-term health problems I could envision if I continued down the path I was headed.

@justilou1 wow such a good explanation of it, thank you. Oh god I don't know if I could manage a low carb diet, I'll see how I go with what I'm doing now (eating less crap between meals and eating more homemade food) but if I struggle I'll have to chance my lifestyle. I didn't know spironolactone helped with all this, I thought it was just a potassium sparing diuretic

Here is a much better description of his Spironolactone helps with PCOS (although it focuses on weight loss, it explains about androgens too.)
youngwomenshealth.org/2014/02/25/spironolactone/

It is a rather dumbed-down description, so please Google further

Blackheads - try BHA exfoliator, like this Paula's Choice, but Skintheory is also not bad.

Hooded eyes - before you consider plasma pen, check several threads here on S&B where people complain about permanent scarring. I got mine done, upper blepharoplasty, no pain, back to work in a week. Can recommend if they really bother you.

Greasy hair - use dry shampoo when the hair is clean and not when it's already an oil slick.

This is a great thread, thanks for all the advice, off to raid Amazon!

@bananabob have you tried the magnetic ones? I’ve never been able to apply normal false eyelashes to myself but once you get a hang of the magnetic ones they’re so easy. You can pick them up in Boots

I have a video consultation with the York surgeon coming up for my developing jowls

My eyebrows always look a bit wild, they will not lie flat - I've tried brow gel but it's not strong enough. I don't really want to get the pritt stick out, does anything else work?

@justilou1 thank you very much!

@hollyandkit have you tried cutting your excess eyebrow hair with nail scissors? When I tidy mine up I brush them up and cut the excess hair off and it always looks a lot neater. It's very easy to go overboard though so be careful of that.

Thanks toiletpaper. I do trim the worst bits but I'm guilty of over plucking in the past (damn the 90s!) so don't have that much to work with - what I do have seems to grow outwards. Just one of those things I suppose!

@hollyandkit have you though if getting them laminated?

floofycroissant - is that an actual thing? Anything to stick the buggers down!

Extra strong hairspray on an eyebrow brush?

@KatharinaRosalie

Blackheads - try BHA exfoliator, like this Paula's Choice, but Skintheory is also not bad.

Hooded eyes - before you consider plasma pen, check several threads here on S&B where people complain about permanent scarring. I got mine done, upper blepharoplasty, no pain, back to work in a week. Can recommend if they really bother you.

Greasy hair - use dry shampoo when the hair is clean and not when it's already an oil slick.

Can you tell me more about your eyelid surgery? I'm thinking about booking in for january subject to Covid etc thank you

For flyaway hairs, hair finishing stick. I got mine from Amazon but I think they're all much the same.

For blackheads, acid exfoliation - BHA or I like the First Aid Beauty pads. When I remember to use them, no blackheads, as soon as I forget they're back.

My beauty bane is rosacea. Nothing really works, tried all the different treatments including laser. I've sort of given up at the moment because mine is made worse by heat and wearing a mask really upsets it. But in terms of covering it up, the IT cosmetics bye bye redness concealer is really good.

Has anyone successfully got rid of sunspots, or maybe they are age spots? It looks like I have little dirty patches on my face. I've recently started using retinol and it might be fading them a little. I've tried various serums like Clinique and a few others but they didn't help at all. I use spf most days too.

@DelphineWalsh

Hooded eyes. Absolutely no point in eye shadow or eye liner which I suppose saves a lot of time and money. Just means I don't really have a fun colourful look for going out out.

Instant fix is eyelid tapes. Cheap, quick and effective. Permanent fix is upper eyelid surgery.

No no no NO!!!!!

Blepharitis and dry eyes have made make up a thing of the past, sadly. I use a heat mask and Blephasol but can't get back to wearing makeup without it kicking off again massively.

@Turnedouttoes

I have little cuts on either side of my mouth that happen in very cold weather. I used to get an anti fungal cream from the doctor which cleared it up but apparently they don’t prescribe it anymore. I’ve tried literally every over the counter remedy and nothing helps. I’ve had it now since February. Any ideas?

Have you tried Eucerin Extra dry cream, if I have anything that it particularly dry or cracked it works miracles

Electrolysis for the facial hair would be best. I’m also fair skinned but annoying jet black hairs Laser helped for a bit, than more came back. I’d totally recommend electrolysis as it’s permanent. Takes slightly longer, but oh so worth it.

@OrinocoGlow

Has anyone successfully got rid of sunspots, or maybe they are age spots? It looks like I have little dirty patches on my face. I've recently started using retinol and it might be fading them a little. I've tried various serums like Clinique and a few others but they didn't help at all. I use spf most days too.

Lasers or the obagi nu derm regime, which is mainly about tretinoine and hydraquinoine.

Yes I was about to say lasers for age spots, I think a lumea might work, does anyone know?

Hair loss. I had the thickest head of hair. I’m losing hair - it comes out in chunks. I take iron and vitamin d. I think it might be stress related. It really gets me down.

I have general unremitting ugliness. Sadly there is no cure.