Fix my skin!

[blotchylady]

I'm 36 and my skin has always been a problem - severe acne in my teens and twenties which only cleared up when I was on a certain BC pill, now I can't take that pill anymore because of stroke risk. The mini pill brought my acne back full force and now I'm TTC and off the pill so it's worse. The acne has always been hormone related. If I were still in my twenties, at least I'd just have to deal with the acne. Now of course, I'm aging and dealing with a lot of stress and other health worries and it's showing on my face. Basically I have teen acne and middle age wrinkles!

Unfortunately I'm loath to go straight to retinol or anything because my skin is very thin, pale and sensitive and has got worse over time. Pre-Covid I went for a chin wax and the beautician was horrified at how thin/papery my skin was and how it went bright red after one wax strip - she sent me home and I later had it threaded instead. I have hooded, crepey and drooping eyelids (I am considering blepharoplasty) and the skin is loose around there and my temples, I am also underweight (slowly increasing weight, this is due to health problems) so this doesn't help. You can see straight through my temples to the blue veins and I also have wrinkles there/at the eye corners. You can see a very prominent blue vein in the pic which makes everything look bumpy. Concealer and foundation don't hide it and it shows in all pictures.

Elsewhere I have orange peel skin and huge pores which I seem to have inherited from my mother. The edges of my nose have deep creases. I am also getting nose-to-mouth lines which are becoming deeper all the time and my face looks like it is being dragged downward, I think my jawline will be next.

The acne, I will probably eventually go on meds for because nothing helps the rough texture of my skin (I've tried everything over the years, currently exfoliating with muslin cloth and cleanser).

But can anyone help with the other issues? I tried the Ordinary Buffet and it burned/stung my skin the first time so I didn't use it again. But I'm conscious I will have to try harsher things to prevent wrinkles. I use the Ordinary caffeine stuff under my eyes and it has some effect but otherwise I'm a little lost and considering Botox! I have looked at Inkey List too but am scared of buying a bunch of products that burn or make my skin flare up.

Photos included to see problems. The centre pic is of my forehead.

Bumping in hope!

Try something with ceramides in which will help your skin barrier. Maybe have a look at beauty pie - the gentle stuff
Once you've done that then I would go for a skin and me prescription which will hopefully deal with your other issues. I wouldn't suggest spending loads on something until you've sorted out the reactions you have to 'actives'

This sounds like it all comes from medical issues which have perhaps resulted in prematurely aging skin. I don't think trying harsher products is the answer. You skin sounds too sensitive. Maybe your best bet is to see a cosmetic surgeon and discuss what options are available for you. Whether that's surgery or other less invasive treatments. You could also try some sort of personal shopper or style consultant type person who could overhaul your whole image, so how you look becomes less about just your face. And if necessary maybe some counselling or similar to help you come to terms with the unfortunate hand which it sounds like mother nature dealt you. I'm on my phone and your skin doesn't look horrific to me, I'm just going from how you've described it.

I've got sensitive skin and I don't use any anti aging products, my skin hates them. I use basics which focus on moisture, layers of products because there's no one thing that's enough. Finish off with foundation always, because that's the only way to smooth over my open pores that I've had since puberty. I had teenage hormonal acne and I still get breakouts if I don't keep my skin scrupulously clean. Anything other than a daily wash off exfoliating cleanser in the evening isn't good enough.

Hope you can find some sort of solution that enables you to feel ok about yourself.

It's hard to judge without knowing your full skin routine but perhaps look into Azelaic Acid (not really an acid)

I have sensitive skin.
I shower in evening.
I wash my face with water only. Unless I have dirt/grease on my face in which case I’ll use a mild facial cleanser with tea tree oil in it- maybe once a week. (I don’t wear makeup as I find the chemicals in it are aging and cause my skin to flare up)
I moisturise with 100% pure aloe Vera gel
I then put on spf 30 face sun cream each morning.

Sun cream is the only proven way to prevent wrinkles as wrinkles are caused by sun damage.