Desperate help needed before wedding

[Worstworker]

I’ve got myself into a state right before my wedding. My skin has been absolutely awful for the last few months and thinking I had nothing to lose I started dermatica a few weeks ago. I’ve been careful only putting it on my chin (worst area) but the skin around my eyes is suddenly red raw. I’m wondering if I’m touching my face and rubbing it there somehow.

Im getting married in 3 weeks, I’m going to look like shit I know but I desperately need something to help my eyes. I can’t stop crying over it which is making it worse!! Can anyone recommend any product to help?

I'd see a dermatologist tbh.

Try Lush Ultrabland. It's super gentle but has totally cleared up my skin.

I massage it on dry skin, then remove with a warm flannel. No scrubbing, just gently remove. After that I use the bog standard Nivea sensitive moisturiser, the one that just costs a couple of £, but you might like to use the dry skin version.

I had really bad eczema just before my wedding out of nowhere, I think it flared up with stress - was on my neck and eyelids! I used eczema cream with 1% hydrocortisone, just a tiny bit on the eyes, and it cleared up within a few days. You might want to go in and speak to your local chemist. Good luck, I'm sure you will look amazing on your wedding day no matter what!! X

I had a bad reaction to SPF moisturiser, red sore blotches around my mouth, chin and eyes and red eyelids. A pharmacist diagnosed peri oral dermatitis and recommended Dermol. It cleared up within a week of washing with just water and using the Dermol as a moisturiser.
I've had the dermatitis flare up since and Dermol seems to sort it every time. It's about £5 available over the counter in pharmacies.

What else are you using on your skin?

I don't think there's anything wrong carrying on with the Dermatica but you need a mild cleanser, moisturiser and maybe only use the Dermatica every few days. Also use a thick eye cream as a barrier, eg Body Shop Vitamin E eye cream.

Also I know what it's like to want to cry over your skin. Try not to get more stressed as it will make it worse. Drink mint tea, reduce dairy.

Stop putting stuff on your face apart from some very bland cetaphil moisturiser

I would try La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baumé @Worstworker. It won't make any other areas of your skin worse, and help with the raw skin

Have they started you on tret? If so you do have a period of purging/flakiness and vvvv sensitive skin. Go back for a consult with them. Meanwhile, healing moisturisers and spf50 daily.

When I damaged my skin barrier I used the Inky List Oat Milk Cleanser then the dermatologica barrier repair. Then the La Roche Posay baume after 4 days. Nothing else. Be very gentle!

I’ve just used hydrocortisone cream under my eye to clear up redness. My GP friend recommended it but said to be careful not to get it in my eye. It took about 3 days.

Thanks everyone. My skin has been awful since coming off the pill in the summer, I’ve had acne before about 8 years ago and I’m taking lymecycline again. I don’t think there is any tret in the dermatica I think it is benzoyl peroxide and niacinamide and adalapene. I already don’t eat much dairy or sugar for this reason and I just use a cleanser and moisturiser now so I don’t upset it. The dermatica does seem to be clearing my spots to be honest but the eye redness is a new thing so I will have to stop it again. I will try some of the barrier repair creams above.

@Worstworker I would stop the dermatica ahead of the wedding, if it's causing you other issues. I'm hesitant to recommend anything else as would hate for you to react to it. I would really recommend brands like La Roche Posay and Avene- I've not reacted to them. I've used Effaclar Duo for spots in the past and have found it to be good. Some people find their skin purges a bit on it and they get more spots whilst it settles down but I've not found that personally. I have combination skin, very few spots these days, but if my skin 'reacts' to something in tends to be in the way of spots rather than redness or soreness etc.

I really would recommend the Cicaplast stuff- I think you have time to get the skin round your eyes healed before your wedding. I would concentrate on getting your skin in as good condition as possible to be covered by makeup if need be- gentle, non-clogging skincare, keep your skin hydrated and moisturised with no dry patches. And no picking of spots! You'll be a million times happier if makeup can help and in photos it won't even notice.

Adalapene is still a retinoid like tretinoin so I think I'd be nervous of using that before your wedding, as you could still be getting used to it by then.

What you can do is only leave it on for a short amount of time, this is meant to be just as effective with less side effects (look up 'short contact therapy') - you put it on, leave like 30 seconds - 5 mins then wash your face.

I'd definitely suggest speaking to Dermatica for advice, but with so short a time I'd be wary of just adding more problems rather than helping the current ones.

If it's mainly acne you were trying to solve, then maybe benzoyl peroxide on its own could give some improvements with less risks of side effects. You can get a tube of Acnecide cream over the counter, slather it on in a morning, give it a few minutes then wash with a gentle cleanser. The short contact method is very good for benzoyl, plus has the added bonus of not bleaching all your towels/clothes/pillowcases etc.

I'd focus most on treating your skin gently though, and that redness should clear up before the wedding. Stick with moisturisers you know work for you, if it does need something extra then I second the reccommendation of the LRP Cicaplast Baume.