Rant: I HATE MY f***ing SKIN!

[Mara]

Specifically, I hate its f*ckin' oil glands, which go into overdrive around this time every year and don't quiet down until the weather cools in late October/November. Because of the seasonality of it, I have started calling it "summer skin", and it's one item on the long list of reasons I hate summer.

 

I am tired of having my face look, by 11am or so, as if the Exxon Valdez ran aground on it. I am tired of constantly having to wipe/blot/apply powder over and over. It's mostly my forehead, and it's really icky if I don't do the blot/powder thing for a few hours and my bangs get stuck in it.

 

I don't break out much at all, thank God. It's just nasty, nasty grease. Everyone has been telling me for 20 years, "oh, you'll be glad when you are older, because you'll have really young-looking skin." Like how much older? I am 41 now, and I HATE having the skin of a hormonal 14 year old. At some point a few lines and crow's feet are normal. I'd take them any day over this mess. I can see where these people are coming from, because my 2 grandmas (one is 90 and the other 88) look about 20 years younger than they are.

 

I have tried everything. I do not use moisturizer ever (I LAUGH at moisturizer) because then I sure as hell would be breaking out. Very hot or very cold water, tepid water, harsh soap, straight-up isopropyl alcohol. I celebrate those first cold days in late fall when I reach up and feel the absence of oil: "All RIGHT! Dry skin! Yay!" Dry and tight and flaky is cause for celebration for me!

 

I am thinking about doing 2-3 months on Accutane, which I know is normally only for people with severe acne. It does shut down oil production, which would be SO worth it for me even though I don't really have any acne to speak of.

 

Am I whining over nothing? Anyone else have this problem? Ideas? I suppose I could move to the Arctic circle, but that seems extreme. . .

[Janie]

Mara, you crack me up! I would talk to a dermatologist. They have the best stuff and will know exactly what you need.

 

I'm guessing you don't wear makeup? What products do you use on your face?

[Mara]

Actually I do wear makeup. Not a lot - I never have, it's just very light foundation with salicylic acid in it (supposedly for oil control), some powder, and a little eye makeup. My cheeks and chin aren't too bad at all, though they could be better. It's mainly the forehead and temples.

 

I used to use those little Stridex pads but I think they actually made the problem worse, as did the foundations that claimed to be for oil control. So, it's just plain old soap, which might be Irish Spring, or Zest, or whatever happened to be on sale when I had to purchase soap. (Just keep that Dove shit away from me. I doan need no stinkin' moisturizer). And benzoyl peroxide. If it's really bad I'll swab down with rubbing alcohol. I don't scrub, just use my hands, no washcloth or anything. When I was in my teens I used to routinely fill the sink with scorching hot water and alcohol and plunge my face into it. (Seemed like a good idea at the time).

 

Interestingly, I do not have particularly oily hair. It does need a daily wash, but it generally looks as nice and clean at the end of the day as it did at the start.

 

From what I've read, Accutane does seem to be my best bet. The side effect during treatment suck, and you have to be really careful about sun. But I won't be getting pregnant (it causes birth defects), so that's a non-issue.

 

ETA: I think I'll pass on the Accutane. Common side effect listed is thinning hair - and this is permanent.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Mara

[Sir Lerxst]

DONT use Accutane. I was on it, on and off for 4 years, and now my hair is really thin around the edges, and has a slight shade of grey in it. Im 16. I can take a photograph to show what it does. And, to add insult to injury, I still have some acne.

 

I dunno if it will work for you, but this is what I do when I get greasy skin. Sun Cream.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Sir Lerxst

[Sir Lerxst]

This is with hair dye.... Excuse the pose, its a long story. It f*cked with my hair around the edges (where the hair is naturally thinner anyway).

 

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp141/Sir_Lerxst/guitarpose2.jpg

Edited April 24, 2009 by Sir Lerxst

[GhostGirl]

I have the EXACT opposite problem. My skin and hair are dry, dry, dry.

 

If I don't grab moisturizer directly out the shower, I feel like I'm going to crack into a million pieces.

 

My hair is naturally curly and I cannot wash it every day or it dries out and frizzzzzzzzes.

[Mara]

QUOTE (Sir Lerxst @ Apr 24 2009, 11:38 AM)

DONT use Accutane. I was on it, on and off for 4 years, and now my hair is really thin around the edges, and has a slight shade of grey in it. Im 16. I can take a photograph to show what it does. And, to add insult to injury, I still have some acne. I dunno if it will work for you, but this is what I do when I get greasy skin. Sun Cream.

Sun Cream? Not familiar. It may be one of those things we don't have here!

 

And yes, the "thinning hair" warning definitely put me off Accutane. That's on my short list of "shit I can do without"!

[Tarkus406]

I dont really have any grease problems but I HATE my skin for other reasons

 

I'm so sick of having freckles and moles everywhere

[treeduck]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Apr 24 2009, 10:52 AM)

I have the EXACT opposite problem. My skin and hair are dry, dry, dry. If I don't grab moisturizer directly out the shower, I feel like I'm going to crack into a million pieces. My hair is naturally curly and I cannot wash it every day or it dries out and frizzzzzzzzes.

I get the hair frizz problem and some of the dry skin and I get a red rash - little patches all over the place if I consume any dairy products...they can be pretty annoying...

 

[thesweetscience]

I have psoriasis really bad so I feel everyones pain. Bad skin sucks!

[Steevo]

Yep, I've learnt to stay away from dairy products. Generally stable otherwise.

[librarian]

Mara,

 

Can you skip the foundation and just use powder on your forehead? I think it's a combination of the bangs (and any product in your hair) + the foundation + the powder and the humidity/weather.

 

That combination for me starting about now with temps of 75 and above leave me with not only a yucky shiny forehead BUT an extremely itchy forehead and temples - I want to rip my forehead off my skull and it looks like I have the measles or hives or something.

 

What I usually end up doing is putting a light dusting of regular Ammens powder on my forehead and temples after I wash my face, and then I skip the foundation for summer and just use face powder with an SPF.

 

I've been using this cleanser for 10+ years now, it takes all makeup off in one shot and it smells kind of nice - Basis Cleaner Clean Face Wash. It's about $5-$6 dollars, but you'll have it for months.

 

hope you try it and it works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sir Lerxst]

QUOTE (Mara @ Apr 24 2009, 06:41 PM)

Sun Cream? Not familiar. It may be one of those things we don't have here!

Sun Tan Lotion I think its called in america.... basically a cream to prevent sunburn.

[Mara]

QUOTE (Sir Lerxst @ Apr 24 2009, 04:02 PM)

QUOTE (Mara @ Apr 24 2009, 06:41 PM) Sun Cream?  Not familiar.  It may be one of those things we don't have here! Sun Tan Lotion I think its called in america.... basically a cream to prevent sunburn. Ah, yes, sunscreen! Really? Interesting - is there a particular brand?

[Mara]

QUOTE (librarian @ Apr 24 2009, 03:42 PM)

Mara, Can you skip the foundation and just use powder on your forehead? I think it's a combination of the bangs (and any product in your hair) + the foundation + the powder and the humidity/weather. That combination for me starting about now with temps of 75 and above leave me with not only a yucky shiny forehead BUT an extremely itchy forehead and temples - I want to rip my forehead off my skull and it looks like I have the measles or hives or something. What I usually end up doing is putting a light dusting of regular Ammens powder on my forehead and temples after I wash my face, and then I skip the foundation for summer and just use face powder with an SPF. I've been using this cleanser for 10+ years now, it takes all makeup off in one shot and it smells kind of nice - Basis Cleaner Clean Face Wash. It's about $5-$6 dollars, but you'll have it for months. hope you try it and it works.

Nice to know there's at least one other person for whom it seems to be seasonal.

 

I am considering skipping the foundation on my forehead, at least. What's the point of using it on my forehead when it's all slid off by mid-morning anyway?? I do like the way foundation evens out my skin, but I have just enough bangs to hide the fact that I left my forehead bare. So yeah, I can do the naked-forehead thing. But nights and weekends, when I am often bare of war paint - I STILL look like someone sprayed my forehead with PAM cooking spray.

 

The foundation I used to use that seemed to work wonderfully at controlling oil was L'Oreal QuikStik - it went on kind of like a powder. Odd, because it wasn't advertised to control oil, so maybe it was just a coincidence or something. But of course it's been discontinued - phooey!

 

Fortunately I can rule out hair product as a problem! I have a near-violent aversion to the stuff.

 

And I drink a crapload of water/day. Of course, I also drink a crapload of caffeine, but believe me, I'm far from being dehydrated.

 

[Janie]

[Rushman14]

 

http://www.honeyshop.co.nz/images/Propolis-Ointment.jpg

[Sir Lerxst]

Any brand works for me... Only issue is it makes you look a tad shiny, but it feels 10x better. I guess it would smudge makeup though.

 

Don't try acne treatments, most of them are horrible to your skin, and would, in my opinion, cause more problems than its worth. A bit of grease is nothing compared to the damage you could cause to your face if you do it wrong, especially the stronger stuff.

[Rolinda Bonz]

QUOTE (Mara @ Apr 24 2009, 01:30 PM)

Of course, I also drink a crapload of caffeine, but believe me, I'm far from being dehydrated.

it might just be the caffeine, Mara.

 

i was a little surprised to learn that the girl in the deli downstairs at work never drank soda.

 

really? why not? i asked.

 

it makes my face oily, she sez,,,,the caffeine does it.

 

oh? as i stood there dripping and sipping. hmmm. there may be something to that.

 

so if you ever quit caffeine, let me know if its true

 

 

[Mara]

The time has come to hie myself to a dermatologist. Apparently it's not uncommon in women in my age range to get oilier (though I never really stopped getting greasy, except in cooler temps). There appears to be a wide range of options, so why keep fretting about it? Bummer is that it takes several weeks to get an appointment with one here. . .

 

Here's hoping to an end to "summer skin"! A friend told me earlier today, while I was mid-fit in the bathroom at work as I degreased myself for the 20th time, that if I were a Hollywood celebrity, my skin would be called "a dewy complexion"! Riiiiight.

[MCM]

I feel your pain Mara, my skin is oily year round.. only mine comes complete with breakouts..42 with zits, it's very charming! have you tried one of the mineral powder foundations (Bare Minerals or the Serious Skin Care line are best). These seem to wear better for me than any liquid/spray/solid foundation. I use a basic soapy cleanser called Purpose made by Johnson & Johnson, you find it at the drug store for about 5 or 6 dollars. Sea Breeze makes an astringent with Salicylic Acid in it.. love that stuff. Exfoliate regularly, this helps me also, I use the old standby St. Ives apricot scrub about three to four times a week. I've tried all kinds of expensive products, but I keep coming back to these inexpensive drugstore lines for skin care.

 

Whatever you do, don't skip the moisturizer around the eyes.. no oil glands in that skin.. got to keep the wrinkles away.

 

Good luck with the Dermatologist!

[Mara]

QUOTE (MCM @ Apr 25 2009, 10:00 AM)

I feel your pain Mara, my skin is oily year round.. only mine comes complete with breakouts..42 with zits, it's very charming! have you tried one of the mineral powder foundations (Bare Minerals or the Serious Skin Care line are best). These seem to wear better for me than any liquid/spray/solid foundation. I use a basic soapy cleanser called Purpose made by Johnson & Johnson, you find it at the drug store for about 5 or 6 dollars. Sea Breeze makes an astringent with Salicylic Acid in it.. love that stuff. Exfoliate regularly, this helps me also, I use the old standby St. Ives apricot scrub about three to four times a week. I've tried all kinds of expensive products, but I keep coming back to these inexpensive drugstore lines for skin care. Whatever you do, don't skip the moisturizer around the eyes.. no oil glands in that skin.. got to keep the wrinkles away. Good luck with the Dermatologist!

This is not fair. The whole skin problem thing was supposed to be over after the teen years, then we were supposed to get some sort of reprieve until wrinkles started. (So far - crossed fingers - haven't really seen those yet).

 

But - I have recently (yesterday) learned that the hormonal balances start changing again when women hit their 40's. The estrogens start to decline, leaving the male hormones to do things like give us greasy skin. Dermatologists see many women over forty with this complaint, and there are lots of options. So I'm takin' advantage.

 

I don't know why mine is seasonal. Winter I have no problem whatsoever. But come late spring, it's as if someone turned the faucets on.

[Tarkus406]

Everytime I see this thread title for a split second I think it says "I HATE MY f***ing SON!"

[Ya_Big_Tree]

At least you dont have something called Purpura. Which is an inflamation of blood vessels because your immune system is workign too well. I have developed this recently and let me tell you it's such a bitch! Been so damn annoying trying to get this under control. It's like red dots on my legs and arms. Making it very hard for me to wear skirts and short sleaves. I really hope this goes away soon. Or I might hit the tanning salon to see if I can go darker to hide it. It's just so embarassing. I hate how people look at me and how I have to wear so much clothing to hide it.

 

The doctors say there's nothing I can do except wait it out. Stupid auto immune disorder! Has anyone else had this happen? It's more common with younger kids... I guess I not only look like a child but I also have the physiology of one.

 

So ya... I hate my skin too!

[izzy]

I'm just white as hell and my skin is pretty see through... which is cool I guess, I like to look at veins. But I haven't had much trouble with break outs or anything... I guess I have some blackheads on my nose and chip but nothing really happens to them other than the monster zit. I used this cream my boyfriend is prescribed for acne, and I swear to god this burned through my skin! Ya it killed the zit, but it burnt like hell and my skin was all pealed where I put it on... so I'm never trying anything new again. I used to use this stuff called clindoxyl that my doctor gave me and it worked pretty good for mild acne and it didn't burn... but now I'm too lazy to clean my face and put whatever special crap on, I just wash in the shower.