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Sore face from dry skin

28 replies

Whengcame · 24/09/2022 22:58

I was experiencing dry skin and flakes on my face all summer. Just within the past week, my face has become sore. It feels tight and dry. It doesn't matter what I use to help. Currently I am using baseline after a wash. Then after the baseline I wipe that away and use a serum. I have a 40 spf face cream.

I think I am more than likely peri menopause now too, if that will help make a difference.

What do you think I can use on my face to help with the dryness and the pain. I think the pain is from the dryness. It feels very tight no matter what I use.

OP posts:
IndianSummer78 · 24/09/2022 23:22

What is "baseline"?

I use a very gentle face wash with exfoliating beads in it, think it's Nivea. Then serum (Vichy), face oil (anything), gel cream (Clarins), ordinary cream (Simple), sunblock cream (Olay). My face is a desert without it.

Whengcame · 24/09/2022 23:37

IndianSummer78 · 24/09/2022 23:22

What is "baseline"?

I use a very gentle face wash with exfoliating beads in it, think it's Nivea. Then serum (Vichy), face oil (anything), gel cream (Clarins), ordinary cream (Simple), sunblock cream (Olay). My face is a desert without it.

Sorry, I don't know what happened there. Maybe autocorrect. That's supposed to be vaseline.

OP posts:
ouch321 · 24/09/2022 23:44

Drink lots of water

Overnight use a facial oil layered with a thick gooey creme eg Nivea Original or Cerave Cream. I also use a salyscic (sp?) acid facial soap bar from Revitale, around a fiver on Amazon and an old fashioned flannel to get rid of flaky skin.

QS90 · 24/09/2022 23:44

I have suffered with dry skin since I was born, sadly, so know your pain! Baseline is as good a moisturiser as any, but there are a lot of other factors which make a difference ime. These are some tips I have picked up over the years... Hopefully some are helpful!

I think moisturisering frequently throughout the day can be as important as which moisturiser you put on. It sounds like your skin barrier might be impaired atm as your skin is having a hard job keeping it's moisture in - see "emollient therapy" as a way to fix. Not very easy to do though if you wear makeup.

Maybe let the Bassline soak in rather than wiping away if you have time? As I think wiping off moisturiser can be drying in some circumstances. Or use the Baseline at night, and something less greasy in the day, that you are happier to use. " The best moisturiser is the greasiest one you will actually wear" (eczema.org).

Have you looked into the other side too - drying factors? For example, what you are washing your face with? Maybe whatever you usually use is too harsh / drying for the moment?

Silky pillowcases can be helpful to prevent cotton sucking moisture from your skin (and hair) at night. You can get them made from silk or bamboo, but I have just sateen and they work well for me.

Hydration and diet can effect skin moisture too, if you haven't already thought of it. I did a low fat diet once, years ago, and looked like a lizard within a couple of weeks. Healthy full fats are the way to go ime.

Having hot baths or showers can be very drying to skin. Warm is better, with something called Oilatum or colloidal oats if possible. Make sure to moisturize within a few minutes of getting out of the bath or shower, as your skin is especially vulnerable to drying out then.

Depending on how bad it is, consider "wet wrapping" - probs fiddly to do on the face (I have never done it there), but extremely effective for basically forcing moisture into your skin.

QS90 · 24/09/2022 23:49

Sorry, I thought you meant "Double Base" when you wrote "Bassline". Emollients are better than the nice moisturisers / lotions that you get on the main shelf at Boots, if you have very dry skin. At least that's what I have found.

GingerFoxInAT0phat · 24/09/2022 23:59

I tried using Vaseline and it made my skin sore.

I use cetaphil as a gentle cleanser. Then The ordinary Retinol/lactic acid (different days) The ordinary rose hip seed oil then Aveeno moisturiser.

They are pretty much all the brands my skin will tolerate. I can also use the very plain things from Lush but rarely go in because the staff are so annoying.

dontgobaconmyheart · 25/09/2022 00:08

Switch to a good cream cleanser and then moisturise with a good moisturising cream - I would really recommend Eucerin 5% facial cream which is absolutely amazing for dry skin without being greasy.

I would ditch the exfoliating beads for a plain cream cleanser, anything with beads in will just be aggravating the skin. Vaseline has its place but that is not before you put on a serum. If the serum contains hyularonic acid then it needs to be put onto damp skin and a water based moisturiser on top or it can make dry skin worse.

With dry skin I wouldn't bother using a gel cream. You shouldn't need to layer all those things to get a result and I think it could be achieved for significantly less effort and cost eg- Cream/hot cloth cleanser, serum on damp skin (if you want to use it), a good moisturiser with ceramides (eg the Eucerin 5% urea), then a moisturising SPF (nothing mattifying). Oil I would save for the night time but would add drops to my moisturiser for the day if I felt I needed it.

Stevie6 · 25/09/2022 00:30

CBD range from The Body Shop has been a game changer for me

Whengcame · 26/09/2022 18:24

I washed my face yesterday and applied serum and moisturer. Woke up to flakes on my face. I washed my face again this morning and the same thing happened. More flakiness. This is a picture. It doesn't reflect the true extent of the dryness and flakiness. I ordered a supply online.

Sore face from dry skin
OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/09/2022 21:27

My DD gets dry patches , I bought her an oatbased cream (I'll try and find the name) - oat based with lavender and a mint scent ( don;t know what that does but the oat/lavender is soothing)

She uses BodyShop camomile balm in a generous layer , massaged in then removes with a soft flannel wrung out in warm water to exfoliate the dry flakey areas

QS90 · 26/09/2022 22:23

Is your skin still sore? And is it actually dry to the touch or just flakey? Looks to me like it's aggrevated (maybe also dry). I really wouldn't be putting anything scented on there - just very, very gentle things at least until it clears up :(

Whengcame · 26/09/2022 23:03

This is my face tonight. Its usually worse than this. I will wash my face soon and put on a moisturer but it will be flakey again tomorrow morning.

Sore face from dry skin
OP posts:
Whengcame · 26/09/2022 23:05

QS90 · 26/09/2022 22:23

Is your skin still sore? And is it actually dry to the touch or just flakey? Looks to me like it's aggrevated (maybe also dry). I really wouldn't be putting anything scented on there - just very, very gentle things at least until it clears up :(

It's not as dry today. It used to be worse. It used to be red as well last week. There was something aggrievating my face but I don't know what. Its not as dry or as sore today because of a moisturing mask that I used over the weekend. The flakes are unreal though. Due to the pain that I experienced I won't be able to use an exfoliator wash.

OP posts:
haribonoyoudont · 26/09/2022 23:09

OP, this doesn't just look like dry, dehydrated skin, but something closer to (eg) eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, or maybe something fungal. Can you get yourself to a GP for a check-up?

Until then - as @qs90 says, please don't put anything perfumed on it until it's been checked out. I've had eczema on and off for years, and when it's bad I used DoubleBase (paraffin-based emolliant) on my skin and Oilatum in the bath; also antihistamines to take the allergic reaction down. But you might also need (eg) steroid cream, antifungals etc.

haribonoyoudont · 26/09/2022 23:15

Meant to say too - when skin is just dry, it'll get red and crack; but when it flakes like this, it's the body's way of trying to get rid of some kind of damage, whether from an environmental irritant or from something autoimmune.

Whengcame · 26/09/2022 23:24

haribonoyoudont · 26/09/2022 23:15

Meant to say too - when skin is just dry, it'll get red and crack; but when it flakes like this, it's the body's way of trying to get rid of some kind of damage, whether from an environmental irritant or from something autoimmune.

Thanks. Yeah, it could be something autoimmune. My knees/joints are sore and I am having issues with my colon. It's not an autoimmune condition in the colon but something else. Probably something autoimmune. More than likely.

My face was very red last week but its much calmer now today but its still very flaky.

OP posts:
TabithaTittlemouse · 26/09/2022 23:34

Have you seen a doctor? I think it’s more than just dry skin.

Do you suffer from ulcers?

itsnotmeitsu · 26/09/2022 23:36

I'm post-menopausal. Before I go to bed I cleanse my face with a micellar water (Nivea). In the morning I only use water on my face and will usually use Bio-oil afterwards. Sometimes I use a cream moisturiser underneath the oil as I've read that's the best way to use the two, ie cream first, then oil. It may be absolutely nothing to do with this routine, but my skin is much better than it was when I was in my 20s, 30s, 40s. These days I only wear make-up at the weekend, but I use the same routine throughout the week, make-up or not. I have no proof for it but I think rinsing my face only with water has helped my skin to sort itself out, and I add the layer which protects it from the elements.

QS90 · 26/09/2022 23:37

Oooh no! No exfoliator 😬Sorry you are having such a rotten time of it. Bad skin, especially on the face, is a pain.

Whengcame · 26/09/2022 23:39

TabithaTittlemouse · 26/09/2022 23:34

Have you seen a doctor? I think it’s more than just dry skin.

Do you suffer from ulcers?

I've been to the do to doctor and was referred to the hospital and had a colonscopy and I was diagnosed with a different issue in the colon. No ulcers.

OP posts:
Whengcame · 26/09/2022 23:40

QS90 · 26/09/2022 23:37

Oooh no! No exfoliator 😬Sorry you are having such a rotten time of it. Bad skin, especially on the face, is a pain.

It's really disheartening. I wish my face was fresh.

OP posts:
SchittOnIt · 27/09/2022 06:15

I am suffering with this at the minute too. Usually have oily skin (and still do, still getting spots etc.) but have this awful flakiness happening. No redness or cracking at all. I’m wondering whether it’s a health condition issue rather than a skin issue too….I’ve had problems with low iron since having my little girl 18 months ago and I’ve got quite a lot of symptoms of thyroid issues too. Having a blood test next week so hoping that might spot something that can be sorted. I do get eczema on my hands and that’s been flaring up quite a bit recently, but it seems to be a different type of thing 🤷🏻‍♀️ No helpful suggestions I’m afraid but just a message of solidarity!

urbanbuddha · 27/09/2022 06:50

Eucerin Urea cream will help, but you need to see your GP. That's not just dry skin.

GettingStuffed · 27/09/2022 09:36

I use the inkey list polyglutamaic serum, it's supposed to be more hydrating than hyaluronic acid .

Apparently drinking water is a myth and only works if you're not drinking enough, it doesn't need to be water and even eating juicy fruit and veg counts.

bakermummy21 · 27/09/2022 10:00

I think you could be reacting to one of the products you're using. Try something very gentle with few ingredients like aproderm ointment put on over night as it's a bit greasy but really helps my dry skin.