Can anyone help with my skin issues?

[mothergooseof4]

I have always had whiteheads and blackheads in the T zone. With age I have gotten them all over my face. I am pushing 40. I still have blackheads in the T zone, but I have whiteheads under the surface of my whole face...cheeks, temples, jawline. I try not to pick at them, but they make my skin look bumpy so I eventually get stressed and start squeezing them all out. Then I always end up with a few that turn into pimples. But, I always have a few pimples even if I leave them alone. I also get those deep, painful bumps sometimes.

 

I have tried different makeup, different skin care, etc. Nothing makes a difference.

 

Any recommendations?

[kewb]

What do you cleanse your face with?

[mothergooseof4]

I have used a variety of expensive and cheap cleansers. Right now I am using the oil cleansing method with a combo of sunflower oil and castor oil. It is no better or worse with any method of cleansing.

[ondreeuh]

Are you doing the standard acne treatment of gentle cleanser + thin layer of benzoyl peroxide + salicylic acid gel on the blemishes?

 

Make sure you are not resting your head in your hands or otherwise touching your face a lot, and make sure you are changing your pillowcase frequently.

 

If you're already doing all of that, look into an antiobiotic treatment like Benzaclin. It's a lotion of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin that you apply to your face after you wash.

[IATeachingMom]

I'm allergic to a lot of hair products... hairspray, mousse, any type of gel/styling product. I'm also allergic to a lot shampoo/conditioner. Even "all natural" stuff, organic stuff... Aveda for sure! When I use something I'm allergic to my whole face breaks out.... usually in blackheads... sometimes actual fullblown acne. Just a thought.... think about what's going in your hair....

 

 

I also have this problem if I use certain lotions on my hands and then touch my face a lot.... or if I use certain clothes detergent. I think my skin reacts because it's on a pillow all night. Funny though, the rest of my body might be fine, but my face could break out. Maybe my face is just more sensitive?

[Sun]

Have you used Retin-A? It worked wonders to clear up my skin. Especially at 40, I would rather use it than a benzoyl peroxide cream.

[Paige]

Try adding some honey and lemon into your oil mixture and maybe it's time to ask the Dr for some help.

 

Last year, my skin kept breaking out like that for no apparent reason and I finally asked my Dr for something. He gave me a prescription that never helped me as a teen but made a big difference last year. I was at the Dr because of something else, but he gave me the prescription for the breakouts and wasn't a dermatologist. That with the oil cleaning method has kept my skin mostly under control for about a year. I added the honey and lemon (fresh) to my oil a couple of weeks ago and for the first time since middle school, I have been happy enough with my skin to not feel like I need make up. The recipe I had was equal parts olive oil, lemon, and honey but I added the castor oil as well. I squeezed 1 lemon and got much more than I needed.

[kitten18]

Have you used Retin-A? It worked wonders to clear up my skin. Especially at 40, I would rather use it than a benzoyl peroxide cream.

:iagree: Retin-A, your new best friend!

[Parker Martin]

I agree that you should check into contact dermatitis. Make sure that you aren't allergic to something that touches your face.

 

Otherwise, I would hit up Paula's Choice and buy this:

 

http://www.paulaschoice.com/product/skin-perfecting-two-percent-bha-gel/

 

Then I would go to the store and get Neutrogena's regular liquid cleanser (clear brown stuff in the bottle with the black pump) and the Healthy Skin Face Lotion SPF 15 (the front of the box says it contains alpha hydroxy acid.)

 

These will let you try a normal cleansing plus beta and alpha hydroxy acids routine without a lot of cost. Wash your face with the cleanser, apply a thin layer of the beta hydroxy acid gel all over your face, then apply the moisturizer. The beta hydroxy acid should help exfoliate within your pores, and the alpha hydroxy acid should exfoliate off the surface. (Salicylic acid is a type of beta hydroxy acid.)

 

I would try that for two or three weeks to see if anything gets better. I would do this instead of the products for teenagers because the products for teenagers tend to be pretty harsh and can irritate the skin of a non-teenager, causing more breakouts.

 

If my skin didn't get better after that, I'd be off to the dermatologist, who might find an underlying issue causing the problem or might prescribe Differin gel or some other harder hitting acne treatment.

[Oakblossoms]

Honey and oatmeal. Grind the oatmeal into a powder and use it as a scrub. You can add some honey. Otherwise use the honey once a day to wash your face or as a mask.

[Guest submarines]

:grouphug:

 

I have very similar skin. (Btw, oatmeal and honey, or just oatmeal really causes my skin to break out. Once in a while I optimistically try it, but it never works.)

 

I've also been using oil cleansing method for years--when I started it, my skin got better, but not significantly.

 

Two months ago DH got virgin argan oil for salads, and we hated the taste. So I decided to use it on my face instead. It is absolutely amazing! First of all, it goes on much nicer and smoother than olive oil, or any other oil I tried. I pat it lightly with a paper towel afterwards, and my skin looks great--not oily or shiny. So I don't even steam my face on a regular basis anymore.

 

My skin is so much smoother now! The bumps are practically all gone. And it so soft too. The blackheads seem to be improving, but they haven't been as bad lately anyway. I still get an occassional painful bump or two around my period. I use Nature's Gate Acne treatment cream on them, and they disappear almost overnight.

 

But I've never ever had smooth, soft skin before I starting using Argan oil. It is definitely worth trying. Good luck!

[ThreeBlessings]

My skin struggles with pimples, but I've finally found a routine that works for me and it is sooooo much better now. Basically a very gentle cleanser, moisturize, acne treatment, and regular exfoliation.

 

I use Kiss My Face *hand* soap (yes, the foaming hand soap-very gentle!) twice a day, in the morning followed by Jason Aloe Vera lotion, at night followed by Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel (this is the only 'acne treatment' I use), then Jason Aloe Vera lotion. I always wash in cold water as warm/hot water dries my skin out, then it produces more oil. Once a week I exfoliate gently with baking soda and water paste, then use a green clay mask, followed by Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel and Jason lotion. Once a week (a few days apart from the green clay) I wash with Alba Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub, then a rhassoul clay mask mixed with Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel, followed by Jason lotion.

 

If I don't exfoliate twice a week my pores get clogged enough to visibly see before I start to break out. I never noticed this before I started the routine, probably because they were always clogged and I was usually fairly broken out with pimples. I haven't been taking good care of my face at all because of business and only exfoliated twice in the whole month. Now I have a good sized pimple with a white head. Hadn't had one of those in a while!

 

Also, as far as makeup, I rarely wear it but when I do I use Pink Quartz Minerals from etsy.com. Her mineral foundation is truly pure minerals and is very amazing stuff.

[Vida Winter]

I've had hormonal acne for years and the only thing I have found that works are the acne.org products. My daughters are using these products as well, and have lovely skin.

[Shellers]

I recommend taking "Chelated Zinc" everyday. 90 mgs and you should see an improvement in your skin within two weeks.

[Pippen]

Clinique oily skin bar soap morning and night, plus their toner #4 whenever I feel a bit oily is what mades a huge difference for me. I worked out an inexpensive homemade version of the toner. I had to play around with the amounts to find a combination that would clean, but not burn the skin and what I usually do is make this up in small batches as needed:

 

1/4 cup water, 1/4 witch hazel, 1/4 cup 80 proof vodka plus 3-4 drops of white willow bark extract.

http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Answer-White-Willow-1-Ounce/dp/B00014H5OE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321689138&sr=8-1

[mothergooseof4]

Thanks all! I ordered samples of Paula's Choice recommendations for Anti-aging and breakouts. I am also going to schedule a facial. The last time I got one she did a mini-peel and I didn't have any issues for a few weeks. If this doesn't work, I am going to head to the dermatologist for some Retin-A.

 

I have tried Arbonne products off and on for the last few years because so many women around here sell it. I notice that everytime I try their anti-aging line I breakout worse. I can use anything else and really don't notice a difference but this stuff does make it worse. I keep thinking I am imagining it and try it again after a while only to find the same. I just looked up most of the products on Beautypedia and find that most of them are full of irritants. How can these companies get away with calling their products anti-aging and healing when they are full of junk? And, then charge a fortune for them????

[Mommy22alyns]

Have you used Retin-A? It worked wonders to clear up my skin. Especially at 40, I would rather use it than a benzoyl peroxide cream.

 

 

:iagree:

[LuvingLife]

I would go to a dermatologist and see what they have to say, I am going there on Monday to help re-treat my face because my old derm. messed up the clear face I had before.:glare:

 

So now I am going to a new one, and see how he does. If he doesn't help me then I am going to try the products at acne.org, I have heard so many success stories and rarely any failures, check it out!!:001_smile:

[Oops, duplicate account :/]

I have always had whiteheads and blackheads in the T zone. With age I have gotten them all over my face. I am pushing 40. I still have blackheads in the T zone, but I have whiteheads under the surface of my whole face...cheeks, temples, jawline. I try not to pick at them, but they make my skin look bumpy so I eventually get stressed and start squeezing them all out. Then I always end up with a few that turn into pimples. But, I always have a few pimples even if I leave them alone. I also get those deep, painful bumps sometimes.

 

I have tried different makeup, different skin care, etc. Nothing makes a difference.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Paula Begoun recommends Clinique's Mild Clarifying lotion and it has worked wonders for my skin! A bottle is $10.50 here and lasts me two months. It literally drills your pores and cleans them out removing black heads and blocked pores. I highly recommend and get the best results using twice a day-morning and night.

 

 

Mild Clarifying Lotion is the best of the bunch. No, it’s not the same as the Asian-exclusive Moisture Clarifying Lotion. Clarifying Lotion are alcohol-ridden and much too harsh. Moisture ones are alcohol-free but still contain Peppermint oil, so I don’t care about that either.

 

Mild Clarifying Lotion, on the other hand, are supposed to be irritant free. It contains 0.5% BHA.

 

 

Reviews and product info here: http://www.clinique.com/products/1573/3_step/Step_2_Exfoliate/index.tmpl

Edited November 20, 2011 by JENinOR

[AngieW in Texas]

The program that's worked best for my two older girls is from http://www.acne.org.

 

http://www.danielkern.com/

 

Unfortunately, my 18yo refused to even consider it for a very long time because it was a 3-step process. By the time she finally agreed to try it, she had some scarring. I'm hoping that the scarring goes away eventually. She hasn't had any problems since she finally started using it and she has LOTS of contact allergies.

[Joules]

I'm allergic to a lot of hair products... hairspray, mousse, any type of gel/styling product. I'm also allergic to a lot shampoo/conditioner. Even "all natural" stuff, organic stuff... Aveda for sure! When I use something I'm allergic to my whole face breaks out.... usually in blackheads... sometimes actual fullblown acne. Just a thought.... think about what's going in your hair....

 

 

I also have this problem if I use certain lotions on my hands and then touch my face a lot.... or if I use certain clothes detergent. I think my skin reacts because it's on a pillow all night. Funny though, the rest of my body might be fine, but my face could break out. Maybe my face is just more sensitive?

 

This is the case with me. I'm allergic (or sensitive) to everything! Particularly fragrances, anything that blooms, even aloe. It doesn't fall in the all-natural category, but I cannot recommend the Vanicream products highly enough. They are made for people with insanely sensitive skin. Once I switched to only those products even the acne got better. (I had no idea the acne was due to allergies. I was trying to find a product to eliminate the hives and itching.)

[Tiramisu]

I'm very much wanting to know what the oil cleansing method is. How do you do it? Rub it on, wipe it off?

 

There was an acne thread awhile ago that talked about yeast, I think, as a cause of acne. Would a probiotic help with that, I wonder, or an antifungal?