suncream, zits and wrinkles: rolling skincare thread?

KATE78 I need you!!!

Remember a while ago when you so awesomely sent me those RetinA samples? I remember at the time I started using them and got a couple huge zits and it freaked me out so I didn't see it through and stopped using it.

Because I am now officially pretty old I figured I should start on some retinoids so bought a cream and have used it approx 3 times and all of a sudden I have two zits on each cheek! They're not awful but this is really unusual for me. I don't really get pimples anywhere except my chin area. It's awful and making me feel really bad to the point of wanting to stop the cream. This is normal though and will stop, right?

:(

Yes, it is normal and will stop. The first 12 weeks or so of using retin-a/retinoid, your face will break out and look like hell, but stick with it! You may also notice some peeling/flaking. If that happens, maybe use it every other day to start and gently exfoliate. Use sunscreen. And as a reminder, retin-a is pregnancy category C drug, so it might be good to stop using it if you're gonna get knocked up.

12 weeks

TWELVE WEEKS?!

That is a long time. I'm only using it 2x a week right now as is. Hmmmm.

Oh, lol, there's no way I'm getting knocked up anytime during that time frame at all but thanking you for the tip. :)

Think of how lovely your skin will be! What are you using?
I think I sent you a link to this article before, but it's a good one: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/30/fashion/30skin.html

Hmmmm, yeah. I will try to tough it out.

I don't know if it's even any good but I bought Green Cream. I think I saw Mandee rec it on an old thread somewhere.

http://www.dermstore.com/profile_Green+Cream_500391.htm

Thank you, btw. :)

No problem! Remember to use that shit on your neck and top-boobs, too. And if you want anything stronger, just let me know.

hahaha top-boobs! I might be msging you for some advice in the near future if I need it. :)

i have always been scared of retinoids after using retin-a in my teen years and remembering how harsh it was! maybe i need to start using something more advanced now that i am old bc my skin is just... not young anymore :(

I just washed my face and this is depressing! I am going to soldier on though because I want retinoids to work for me. Overall (and before this retinoid induced freakout) I think my skin still looks pretty good but I guess the goal is to keep it like that, right? I will keep you all updated. 12 weeks. I can do this.

What is this stuff meant to do?
I have been acquiring lots of skincare stuff recently, I now use at least 4 products morning and night (one is medicated stuff though)

Retinoids are Vit A derivatives applied topically that are one of the few things actually really proven (by science!) to fight aging in skin. I believe they work by speeding up cell turnover leading to brighter skin and less fine lines etc. Retin A is the best but it's prescription strength and not sold OTC so it's expensive. There are less potent drugstore versions available, most notably the RoC line.

I bought this Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Soothing Lotion because I'm getting a little rosacea and my face is definitely red a lot and this shit stings and smells bad! Like, I put it on 30 minutes ago and it still stings! $15 down the drain!

Cerave 4 eva

I was recommended to use a glycolic facewash by a skincare clinic (I also have rosacea) and after 2 days I have the same problem as ENBB: massive zits right on my cheeks where I don't usually get any, and all sore all over my face, just horrible and I don't know whether to push on or stop using it.

take it back to the store!
xp

glycolic acid is not recommended for rosacea because of just that kind of reaction!

i was reading about Tretinoin (aka Retin-A and other brand names) for rosacea too and it seems it can work but it's all about the low dosage (0.025%) and building up. like, don't use it every day, just 2-3x week at night, after waiting 20 minutes after washing your face. seems the generic version of the drug isn't that pricey, actually... but for sensitive skin it's all about what it's formulated with, e.g., alcohol vs water base (water all the way) or whatevs. i haven't gone to a doc about it yet, but will.

I threw away the box and the receipt and filled the bag with cat poop. :(

actually, re: building up dosage with sensitive/rosacea skin, i also read that it's best just to stay at 0.025% if that's what works - don't let the doc persuade you to go up in %
xp
aw. well, maybe a friend will take it.

Oh, crap. I too have binned my receipts and the facewash was £25, will not trust stupid high-end skincare clinic again, fo sho.

Rosacea makes me IA.

I don't have any fine lines or wrinkles, I just have blackheads and enlarged pores. (Welcome to the strange world of oily skin.)

rosacea is some serious bs. and it's still kind of a "mystery," so most dermatologists and facialists don't know how to address it. like it could be bacterial, vascular, digestive-system related, etc. I find that if I eat in a low-carb low-sugar way, my skin is less inflamed. Cetaphil *bar soap* is my standby for face washing - i have tried so many things and this is the best, occasionally alternated with gentle face wash of different kinds. am currently using Spectroderm moisturizer and it's pretty good!

I don't have any fine lines or wrinkles yet either but that's why I want to start the Retin-A now - so I don't get them any time soon!

they say retin-a/retinol is specifically good for the blackheads and enlarged pores!
xps

I believe that it was first used to treat acne before anything else. Derms noticed that in addition to clearer skin, patients also got brighter and smooth skin as a "side-effect" which is how it came to be prescribed as an anti-aging treatment as well. Basically if you read any article where dermatologists are asked what is the one thing women can do for themselves in terms of preventative skincare they all say it is to use a retinoid. My mom used Retin-A for years (which I think she was prescribed initially for adult acne) and literally looked like 10 years younger than she was until she hit about 70.

I have fine lines, wrinkles, blackheads, enlarged pores, pimples, pustules, dry patches and random-ass red blemishes. I break out if I get stressed, get embarrassed, eat too much sugar, eat too much acidic fruit, go out in the sun, don't go out in the sun, wash with the wrong soap, wear perfume, wear foundation, have periods.

It does seem to be connected to anxiety, because I also do the hypersensitive blushing thing when I'm stressed, and nervous sweating, and I have insomnia and IBS.

A timely reminder about the diet rrobyn, I need to get a handle on my winter sugar & carbs addiction. I've just read a suggestion on a rosacea forum about using antihistamines so I'll give that a whirl too! it sweems like a less risky option than any of the topical treatments.

Maybe I'll look into it next fall/winter when I don't want to be in the sun. Because I plan on turning a nice golden color between May and August if at all possible.

sweems = seems

I like Lush Fresh Farmacy soap - http://www.lushusa.com/Fresh-Farmacy/00077,en_US,pd.html?start=8&cgid=cleansers - in the shower, and Ultra Bland at night - http://www.lushusa.com/Ultra-Bland/9999902749,en_US,pd.html?start=11&cgid=cleansers (I've rebought this three times since I posted about it originally). I usually use Cetphil Giant Tub O'Cream in the winter and Cerave lotion in the summer, and those work really well. I just got pulled in by the siren song of this new Neutrogena stuff. Hmph.

The lady who waxes my eyebrows is always trying to sell me on this calm skin moisturizer from Eminence but holy jesus is it expensive. I just can't do it.

I really like Ultrabland too. I haven't used it in years but I remember it being really good.

I love it so much. I can't overstate how dry my skin gets in the winter, so it is miraculous to me. Plus it takes makeup off really well.

Oh, I got a sample of this from Sephora and it dried out my face like whoa for a day, and then it was all pink and smooth and glowy - http://www.philosophy.com/skincare-exfoliatorsandpeels/microdelivery-peel-product.

I like that peel. Btw alla you smug apple cheeks can have some of my fine lines and wrinkles, they're up for grabs.

Lush is some great stuff.

Jenny, that Lush soap intrigues me! I've been using a bergamot bar that's meant for "men", I think, cos the scent isn't very floral and I love it, but I think something more soothing would actually be better.

my husb sent me this link about lush shampoo, which got me thinking about lush face products - i never knew much about them before, always thought they were just a stinky soap place?!

i used the solid shampoo when i had super short (1") hair. it's ok.

I have also used the solid shampoo and also thought it was just OK. I love Lush for all the reasons that woman stated in her article but, as much as I wish it weren't the case, their hair stuff just doesn't work for me. I'll rep for all kinds of their shower/bath and body care stuff but my hair has never taken well to any of their shampoos or conditioners.

Another face product that is great from Lush is "Angels on Bare Skin".

I wonder if neem would have any effect on rosacea. I use the leaf extract for all kinds of skin/scalp redness/itching/inflammation and it seems to work well for most of it. Also kills yeast trouble.

Um okay so reading that link to the Lush shampoo also led me to the discussion of keratosis pilaris in the comments, and if I'm judging correctly from the GIS, I get that sometimes. Also some the redness and outbreaky-ness that I fight all the time may not actually be "whiteheads" specif, it may just be little red bumps for no reason. So maybe I'll try a whole different approach from the washing-and-sterilizing one that I usually take? Starting on Friday when I get paid and can shop online for all this stuff. I'm out of everything, anyway, so it's good.

I like some Lush shampoo (using Sarah Sylvia Stout now, which I like, but I don't wash my hair very often so I could probably use anything). I dislike all of their conditioners.

Cetaphil creams are pretty great–I use the anti-eczema stuff on my body and it makes a noticeable difference.

I seem to have tried every face cream that's remotely affordable to me, and it seems like all of them suck for my complexion. I use lush dream cream on my face, and that seems to do okay as long as I scrubbed with my nutri sonic. That seems to make a big difference in the flakiness issues I have with my face.

I sometimes wonder about retinoids and the like, because my mother used those as well and always looked a decade younger. Now that she's nearly 70, she's starting to look more her age.

But my skin is so miserably flaky already. Bah.

Laurel do you mean keratosis pilaris on your upper arms? That's really common and I think that lotions with lactic acid in them (like http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_product_detail.jsp?filterBy=&skuId=367156&productId=367156&navAction=jump&navCount=3) are supposed to help.

I get it on my arms occasionally although I exfoliate like a madwoman which helps keep it away. But also I get outbreaks of pointy little red spots that aren't really "whiteheads" but have a little inflammation in them but never turn into blackheads...like they are outside of the normal life cycle of pimples...and I get them all over my neck & shoulders & behind my ears and stuff. They're the reason I can't wear perfume and why I have to be super careful to not get hairspray or styling products on my skin.

for keratosis pilaris lactic acid lotions are great, but also try coating your arms in vaseline and wrapping them in plastic wrap overnight. no shit.

i had that on my arms when i was in highschool and through some of university - the urea or lactic acid creams really do work, but so did using the cetaphil soap or a soap for babies or just a natural olive-oil based soap + shower puff thing

lush doesn't really work for me...

i think eating an avocado a day does though! seriously! avocado is a miracle food. i also think that bc it's so filling and satisfying and bc i put salt on it, i have no craving for chips or other carby snacks or sugar even. avocados!!

When I was a teen I started getting keratosis pilaris on my upper arms and my grandmother mixed salt with some water and rubbed it on my arms everyday. She said to use sugar and water and other times baking soda and water until it goes away.Once gone then use a bath brush when I shower and scrub. She said I had tough skin hence the keratosis pilaris and could stand to use a brush in the shower. I did what she said and it went away.

In college it came back and I saw a dermatologist who gave me lactic acid cream and that made it worse. I just went back to what my grandmother said and it worked. Since then I don't have a problem as long as I use a good bath soap and brush. Every now and then I will do a few days of sugar or salt scrub just because I love how it feels.

rrrobyn, avacodos are the best!

Has anyone been successful using Derma E products? Like their anti-wrinkle creams and anti-aging products?

i definitely get that on my arms! gonna try one of those lotions. exfoliating does nothing for me.

Cerave is my favorite moisturizer! *high fives Jenny*

I have been a periodic Retin-A user for I dunno, twenty years or so. I am not very wrinkly, but do have sun spots, broken capillaries, old acne scars. . . I don't break out much anymore thanks to spironolactone, and I can tolerate a 20% vitamin C serum in the a.m. and either Retin-A or an AHA cream in the evening (if I manage to take off my makeup and apply said product in the evening, which is admittedly hit-or-miss). Retin-A micro .04% is the least irritating IMO, but even then I can't use it more than three times a week!

Thanks to some other thread I am now rubbing coconut oil into spouse's upper arms for his KP! Have not been consistent, so hard to say if it is helpful or not. Makes me kinda hungry.