Nightmare skin.. Please help!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:29 pm

I'm 22, and completely hopeless when it comes to taking care of my face. Sad

I have had acne for at least 10 years, have facial scarring from it, pores that look like swimming pools, and every single pore on my nose is filled with gunk. I'm sure that I've scarred it as well from picking at it with a pore tool to force the stuff out. My skin coloring is very uneven, and I'd like to see a dermatologist but my father took me off his insurance.
I wanted to post pictures for the brave of how bad it is so you can give better advice but your website won't let me do it.
I've tried everything. Benzoyl peroxide cleaners, Stridex pads, Biore strips, mud masks, toners, exfoliating, cleaning masks, gentle skin cleansers, you name it.
I'm sick of looking so bad all the time. I need a daily routine to tackle all the issues with my face, but I need the right combinations. Nothing I do seems to take care of everything at once. Can anyone help?

Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:08 pm

Sounds like you need to get to a dermatologist a.s.a.p!! No one can help you through this forum simply by your description. Lots of good products, but only a dermatologist will know what you need.
Mary Smile

free skin care · Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:52 pm

oh mona, I feel for you so much! It's so difficult to say what will work without seeing your condition; I wonder if you've been using products that are too harsh for your skin? Gentle really is the way to go.

Some of the things you haven't mentioned are Vit A [retin-A]. You may want to consider incorporating green cream into your routine, start it slowly - avoid irritation at all costs. Start by changing your pillowcases every other day and use a different washcloth every single day. These are simple things you can start doing for absolutely free!

It takes patience, don't worry others will start chiming in here as well!

free skin care · Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:03 pm

I agree with mlarsen: you definitely need to see a dermatologist to see if your skin needs a prescription topical and/or medicine. At the same time, I can provide you with a bit of personal experience as far as seeing derms goes. It is very difficult to find a derm that actually sits with you and listens to all of your skin woes and concerns. In general, derms look at your skin and conclude--rather quickly--that you have acne and that you should start by using some sort of topical such as differin, retin-A, clyndamycin (sp.?), benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid (sp?), some form of antibiotic, or a combination of all of the above. They may also suggest a new cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide and/or salicylic acid and give suggestions on a moisturizer that might work for your skin. From personal experience, they MIGHT send you home at this point and ask that you come back in a month or two to see if there has been improvment. If you return a few months later and you have no improvment, derms MIGHT perscribe an oral antibiotic such as tetracycline, minocycline, and/or a sulfur based one in conjunction with the topical stuff. At this point, derms MIGHT send you home and ask that you return a few months later. From my personal experience, the antibiotics worked really well for my skin during my teen years but your system does become immune to the antibiotics and, if your acne is persistent, your acne will return. Tetracyclines didn't work very well for me but the sulfur-based one did and I was on it for quite some time. However, I continued to get huge nasty cysts on my chin during my period and my chin was becoming seriously scarred. My derm. finally put me on accutane. Accutane is a last resort drug for either severe cystic acne or persistent acne that has not reacted to every other method. Accutane, for the most part, worked for me. I no longer get the huge cysts on my chin but it did cause quite a few other side effects. During my course with accutane, my skin became extremely dry and sensitive. Even after accutane, my skin is still extremely sensitive and I have to remind myself all the time that I can't pick at my skin. My skin is by no means perfect--which is why I am currently on my second course of accutane--but the drug has helped me out tremendously. Everyone's experience with accutane is very different.

Just for you information, I have never had severe acne. I admit that I am very anal about my skin and that every little bump and mark bothers me. The antibiotics that I took, for the most part, allowed me to accept the painful cysts that I got on my chin--until they became a huge problem with scarring. See a derm and let me know if my experiences correlate to yours. Hope things get better.

free skin care · Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:43 pm

Sweetie, I really feel for you, but I agree that you need to see a dermatologist. In the meantime, there are a couple of things that might help: change your pillow cases every couple of days, keep your hair away from your face, drink lots of water, resist the temptation to pick at blemishes, use a gentle cleanser (and don't wash your face more than twice a day), don't forget to moisturize, and, above all, be patient.

Athena made a great point about being gentle. Sometimes we think that we need to be agressive when treating acne, but I've found the opposite to be true. Try not to use products that are too drying. But definitely see a doctor.

Thu Oct 26, 2017 2:54 pm

There's a Youtuber by the name of Holistichabits who cured her acne and scarring. If you go to her Youtubes she describes how. It took her awhile but she did it. Cleaned up her diet, used cleansing oils and then for the scarring she used microneedling. Her skin is beautiful now. So if the derms don't help, go check out her website and see what she did.

free skin care · Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:52 am

In my early twenties I was in the same boat as you. I have thin and very hyperactive skin. In college my skin was a mess and I was so embarrassed to go outside. My suggestion to you is simple - give you skin a long rest.

Think of your skin, with its clogged pores and breakouts, as a muscle that you have been exercising too hard in order to try and clear it up. The products you have been told to look into - acids and retinoids - are just inflaming your skin more when it just needs a break. Its overacting to compensate for the barrage of active products.

Dermatologists never helped me and always gave me products that made my skin more angry. Look online and purchase Bioderma's Atoderm Shower Wash. It is a gentle lathering wash for dry and sensitive skin. It contains zinc oxide and is meant to be anti-inflammatory. Simply wash your face day and night (nighttime twice to get all makeup/sunscreen off)for a month. Then add in a gentle toner for sensitive skin to further guide your skin back to normalcy at a slow pace. I use Bioderma's sensibio tonique only at night.

Avoid acids or chemicals for the first month - that wash is excellent at emptying pores without AHA or BHAs. People say food plays no part in skin - they are wrong. Bowel health and digestion are directly tied to the skin organ. Minimize sugar - it is a skin killer. Avoid spicy or acidic foods and minimize dairy if possible.

Lastly, your perception of yourself influences your body and its actions. Try talking to someone or look into mindfulness meditation. When you have a negative self-image, that affects your mental and physical health. You are beautiful and this too shall pass. Just treat your skin to some TLC until its back to normal. It will take a couple months, but don't give up!

free skin care · Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:01 pm

The harshness of some of the ingredients in the products you have been using may be making the situation worse. Having a dermatologist have a look at your skin is not a bad idea. If your skin is reactive you will need a less aggressive approach to skincare. I understand that you want results ASAP or sooner, who doesn't, but what you get with a rest is that the skin gets to reset to a less angry state.

I had breakouts even into my 50s, and both my sons had horrible acne into their 20s. As many others on the Forum have done a LightSim blue LED light unit was purchased. This was before you could get LED light therapy units just about anywhere. It worked wonders, was non-chemical, easy, and kills the bacteria beneath the skin. It worked equally as well on my sons acne.

Another suggestion I would make is to go to the Skin-Actives website Community Forum and read the acne articles.
http://www.skinactives.com/blog/?p=629

I hope you find something that works for you.

free skin care · Sat Feb 02, 2019 9:38 pm

To combat uneven skin tone, try a toner with niacinamide (Olay Regenerist) and a Vitamin C serum, non acidic if possible (eg Martiderm Photo Age)

Don't need benzoyl peroxide for post acne.

For the gunk from the one pore, just extract it weekly and keep it clean.

A clay mask once a week will clarify the skin (but don't expect permanent results). Try Lancome Empreinte or Caudalie Instant Detox Mask.

Like the others have said, BE GENTLE.

Fri Jun 05, 2020 9:34 am

Relax.

I know how bad things can seem but I promise you it will get better if you follow this advice.

First off, you want to follow a skincare routine that is simple enough for you to follow.

This means consistency.

Try the CTM method of skincare (Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize) and from there SLOWLY start adding in other products as you see their effect.

By slowly I mean don't add or remove a product from your skincare routine until 40 days have passed.

This and you might also want to consider your diet.

Improving your diet has a very real effect on skin's health.

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.