Crepey cheeks. Help!!!!
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:05 am

Im new here so please by gentle with me!

Im 39 and though I have always looked younger than my years my face seems to be falling apart all of a sudden. I dont have many wrinkles...yet. However I have thin skin and my cheeks look really crepey. What can I do to reverse and prevent this. I cant even wear my mineral make up as it just exacerbates the problem. Please help!!!!

Thank you

free skin care · Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:13 pm

What skin care do you use now?

I would say to start with the basics, meaning a retinoid at night and a C in the morning, and sunscreen every day. You might want to try the facial massage posted by critic. Not sure if it would help that or not, but it's free! Very Happy

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?tid=35925

free skin care · Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:11 pm

I would probably go with vitamin c and a nice hydrating cream in the am followed by an spf.
Then at night perhaps a cream containing AHA's as this will start to smooth your skin as its gently lifts away the dead skin cells and also allows other products to penetrate better.

Wed Dec 09, 2009 4:09 am

Thanks for your replies rileygirl and pal. Ive just read all 22 pages of the lymph drainage/bone massage post and will give it a go. It cant do anyharm and like you said Rileygirl, its free!!!

My routine

AM I've just started using a homemade vit C serum and a base cream I obtained from SAS which I have with marixyl, ibedenone and argiriline.

PM I alternate between CP and emu oil (been doing this on and off for a while but no improvements noted) and the above base cream mixture. Sometimes I also use some bioferment from SAS too.

I use the Nuskin galvanic spa at least once a week which does improve the skin but doesn't help with the sag. I also have the diamond peel microdermabrasion machine which I got recently to help with exfoliation.

I've tried a few home peels but generally what happens is the skin on my face looks like it has a thin plasticy coating on it for ages and the dead skin takes yonks to come off and when it does it looks nice/better for a day and then its back to what it looked like previously.

I'll give retin A a go given that everyone raves about it, and will start some facial exercises. I have just purchased Ageless. My cheeks dont have any substance to them at all and Ive definitely got some NS lines going on mainly due to the sag.

Lets see what happens to my cheeks in the next few months eh?

Thanks again

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:20 am

Good luck, happytobe. Not sure if you are aware, but some have had issues with copper peptides. You may want to do a board search for that.

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:27 am

Happytobe, my dear, dear sister....welcome to my boat Laughing

I of course do not mean to make light of your situation, but to have someone exactly my age (well technically I will be 39 in 12 days..ugh) that seems to be experiencing the same issues as I, I have a feeling we may become close on this forum Wink

Myself, yes really no concrete wrinkles to speak of sans a few "finey" invisible lines on the forehead I don't consider full blown "wrinkles" ha ha...I always get pegged for much younger than I really am and people literally freak when they hear my oldest child is 18 years old...

It seemed my turning point was last year, mid-way through my 37th birthday when it appeared as though my face were falling off it's "support structure" Shock

...at the time I didn't realize what my issues were stemming from, but the only thing I was obsessing about were these friggen NL's that seemed to come out for a visit like over night!!! So that is when I joined this forum just over a year ago....over this time period, I have managed to actually figure out my facial sagging and NL's were caused by volume loss in my once prominent cheeks....not sure why I didn't realize this before, but it was kind of a eureka moment any way...

Of all things I have used over this last year, the best products I have discovered via EDS have been Retin-A .05%, first and foremost the single best thing that has done some amazing things with my skin, vit C serum, which has made my skin so clear, switching to a lower PH cleanser which has completely made my dry skin do a 360 in the dryness department (although it still needs lots of moisture) and the daily use of the supplements MSM and Hyaluronic Acid...

Of course, none of those has addressed the sagging issue, but I plan on getting a dermal filler in a few months to puff out my cheeks again which in turn should lessen my NL's and bring a bit better symmetry to my face...I did have a few rounds of Juvederm in my NL's over the last year and I have to say the stuff is amazing....but now I realize that bringing the fullness back to my cheeks will remedy, to some extent, the root of the problem with these NL's....

So that's my story...if you need some advice, wanna share tips or just want to chit chat just PM me Very Happy

...I am here....

And I noticed that you said "eh" at the end of your post....you wouldn't happen to be a Northern girl would you?? Laughing

Myself, raised in Upper Michigan where "eh" is a normal part of the every day vocabulary Wink

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:54 am

Bren, what cleanser did you switch to? Are you still using the MSM cream? And, last question (for now! Laughing

) how much MSM and HA are you taking daily?

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 7:09 am

Hey Riley...I use Phisoderm for Normal to Dry skin. I was using Cetaphyl but found it too runny and it didn't feel like it was cleaning well. Phisoderm is much thicker in consistency and I feel it cleans a lot better.
Still using the MSM/Vit E cream and I just LOVE it! I'm on my 3rd jar... Some moisturizers out there seem to just sit on my skin and not soak in leaving this shiny, oily appearance...the MSM cream has this mattifying effect on me and soaks right in. Moisturizes me to no end and I don't think I will ever change it unless, being the product whore that I am, want to try the latest and greatest...This stuff is cheap too, under $5 at VitaCost.com, although the jar isn't all that large...2oz, it does last for a while though...
As far as the MSM and Hyaluronic goes...I take 100mg of the Hyaluronic daily and a teaspoon of MSM daily...if I get a dry spell with my skin which happens in the winter, I will up the HA to 200mgs

Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:30 am

Hiya Bren,

Its weird isn't it? The way that our cheeks have suddenly kinda avalanched down our face one night? I think I may need a gallon or two of filler to do the trick and a I dont have that kind of money to throw around every 4 months or so I am going to have to look for alternatives like facial exercises and massages.

I even considered DMAE but that cant be used long term. I will give myself a few month with my current routine and see what happens.What are you doing to try and bring back the fullness to your cheeks?

By the way I'm actually southern, and very very English! Very Happy

Riley, I dont think my face has sagged since using cp's. I cant really say its done anything but I need to use it more regularly. That massage is lovely by the way and very quick. Thank you.

Right then, guess I shall go and get me some retin A then.

Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:51 am

OOh I've just realised that both of you have tried the easy eye solutions. I ordered that a couple of days ago and apparently its now on its way to me. YAY!!!!

Due to my cheeks sagging my tear troughs have become more prominent. That combined with my NL' means I look more like a blood hound every day!!!

Did either of you noitice the easy eye solutions pulling up the cheek area when it tightened the eyes?

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:12 am

Ahh yes....good old Easy Eye Solutions! How can I forget about that! Second only to retin-a as the best products I've discovered here at EDS...

Due to my cheeks sagging, my tear troughs became deeper and more pronounced accented by those lovely crosshatching marks....my troughs actually started extending down in to the middle of my cheek accentuating my lovely "in your face" NL lines....

What the tuck serum alone has done for me: (I have the ICream but I only used it for a week or so) it has diminished the depth of my troughs and reduced the crosshatching immensely....it also sucks up my extended trough that goes down my cheek enough that it's not so noticeable. I no longer get the white flaky residue...I started using easy eye around March or April of this year and it took perhaps a good 2 or 3 weeks to get it right I think. But this stuff is the total BOMB!!! It is truly a miracle in a bottle....this and retin-a are the only 2 things I can concretely say I will NEVER EVER get rid of...

As far as the filler goes, you'd be surprised in the cheek area how little can be used...my surgeon stated 2 syringes would be plenty to plump up the cheeks to make a difference...and the filler in the cheek area lasts quite a while from what I've read. Typically any injected around the mouth area will dissipate quicker due to a lot of movement and vascularity in the mouth area....although my last injection of Juvederm was in February and it's still holding up quite well in the NL's.....Nothing I think will help with my sag but getting it filled up a bit with a filler..so I am willing to fork out the dough and give it a try at least once....because my next step is a mid-face lift....if I can ward that off for a few years with an occasional jolt of filler then I am all for it Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:13 am

happytobe wrote:

Did either of you noitice the easy eye solutions pulling up the cheek area when it tightened the eyes?

Not in my case, happytobe. I love the TUCK, totally wipes out my darkness/lines when I apply it (don't like the eye cream as this emphasizes my wrinkles!).

Thanks for the info, Bren! Glad to hear your skin is doing so well!

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:39 am

Yes I should specify that the tuck didn't in my case lift the cheeks either...it just sucked up that trough enough in my cheek area so it's not so noticeable.

Thanks Riley;)

Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:29 am

Thanks ladies. I have such hopes for the eye tuck..a little too high from the sounds of it. Still, I cant wait for it to arrive!

Im going to post on one of the facial exercise posts to see if anyone has managed to get rid of their crepey cheeks using this method. I know I wont be a FE girl because I really dont have the time (I cant imagine who does!). However I am willing to give some cheek exercies a go and will report back to you if I get any good tips and any success.

If not I guess I will be forking out for fillers in my cheeks. I'd be interested to know how long the fillers last in your cheeks or anyone elses.

Bren, what benefits have you noticed from taking MSN and Hyaluronic if you donr mind me asking?

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:38 pm

welcome happytobe! Very Happy

yes, what's with our age frame? i've been having major problems with my skin for past 2 years. it has totally changed on me... it is now very dehydrated, thin, sensitive, red irritations,and have fine dry wrinkles just below the tear duct near the cheek. i stumbled upon EDS a couple of months ago and i'm so happy i did. EDS is so wonderful and the ladies in the forum are absolutely fabulous! i've been a online junkie ever since! Very Happy

the great thing about this forum is that there is sooo much to learn... different methods and approaches, from hair to skin, almost endless.
what i would recommend, highly, is the valmont line. my main concerns were overall dry skin and the dry skin just below my tear duct-cheek which was so dry that it was wrinkling and forming a darker patch. i've been using valmont dermatosic serum and over it the soothing dermo cream. in a few days i saw the difference and improvement. i think i've been using it for a week or so, and now after a shower without any product on my skin, my face is soft and hydrated. i now use the whole line and have backup bottles and jars so that i don't run out. i'm a true valmont freak cuz it has saved my skin.
whatever you choose i hope it works! and have fun on the forum! see ya!

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:01 pm

Your welcome and good luck with your experiment, I think you should definitely see results with what you plan on using Smile

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:27 pm

hi happytobe. I think you wrote that you use argiriline. Does it contribute to sagging skin? I thought I had read somewhere that some people found this to be the case for them.

Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:08 am

Bren, you are a bad bad girl!!! I've been researching all about fillers and implants for the cheek area and have been amazed by what I have seen. Just need to start a saving for it now. I cant tell that you are going to be a very bad influence and I am sure that parents wouldn't approve of our association! Very Happy

llina - Thanks for the suggestions. Valmont is bloody expensive though isnt it??!! Think I would rather have sculptra injected for that price.

Harriet - I blody hope its not associated with more sag. I Shall do more research and apply it sparingly in the meantime.

Pal - Thanks for the support x

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 5:29 am

Ha ha ha....I know Happy, I am a very bad girl. Bad Grin

But you must understand, I've been on this forum for a bit over a year now and have learned from some of the best damn gals in the business! Laughing

Like I said before, I have a bit of experience with fillers over the last year. My first round of Juvederm back in Sept of last year was truly a life saver for me...I was so down in the dumps and had a lot going on in my life back then. It seemed as though my NL's appeared out of nowhere and it's when I really noticed that age was setting in....After I had my NL's zapped with the Juvederm, my life really did a complete turn around. It looked soooo good! It is then I started taking care of my skin and the attitude changed for the better and it's been getting better ever since.

I saw a well respected plastic surgeon back in May of this year and he had suggested to me either implants, a mid-face lift or getting dermal filler in my cheeks. I was going to opt for the mid-face, but he suggested if I wanted, that I try the filler first as it would give me a better idea as to what my face would look like after the more expensive procedures, without being permanent. So this is what I am going to do...I honestly believe giving more volume to my face will give me back that more "youthful" appearance as my face is lacking that youthful symmetry that I used to have. I have become heavier in the lower face, which has thrown my balance off way too much. So much, that it seems everything else I deem as a problem is magnified a 100 times more. Which brings me back to the root of my problem....if I take care of the root problem, everything else will seem lesser of a problem....at least that is the method to my madness and I hope I am correct! Laughing

As far as the supplements go, they have done so much for the appearance and feel of my skin and hair. Everything is much softer, hair is really shiny and healthy. My skin looks smoother and I have less dryness issues.

If you are just starting out doing research on facial rejuvenation, I recommend doing a search on Dr Lam out of Dallas....he is a big advocate for replacing facial volume and it being the biggest key to a more youthful appearance...He has a lot of informative videos out there and many are on Youtube....

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 6:38 am

bren21 wrote:

I saw a well respected plastic surgeon back in May of this year and he had suggested to me either implants, a mid-face lift or getting dermal filler in my cheeks.

Bren, I have seen your picture. I don't think you need anything done!

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:09 am

I have been told that Riley, by many people....but, you have to understand I have mastered the art of the half smirk while going about my daily "public" routine and in pictures. You would be surprised how well the old "half smirk" can perk those cheeks back up to where it looks as though you do still have them.
Believe me, while my faced is pleasantly in the relaxed pose, my loss of volume and sagging is quite apparent and it's not all that pleasant looking...I'm not just talking out my ass here and not being at all neurotic about my appearance...and I don't mean to sound bitchy about it Riley, as it's the last thing I want to do to my dear friend and I don't mean this directly towards you personally....but I hear that all the time from people who have only seen my photos and I get tired of it...it's just that I NEVER have my photo taken with a relaxed face, ever...because the sagging bothers me that much.

My goal is to have the appearance of plump cheeks without having to have my face smirked all the time. This face gets a bit tired in that pose Laughing

Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:14 am

Thanks for the tips Bren. I shall have a look on youtube and do some more research on the internet.

Im about to make my first order re retin A. I shall go for .025% I think. Now, since the biggest cost is the postage,which I reet given how cheap the Retin A is, I am going to stock up for the year. How many tubes shall I get?

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:19 am

bren21 wrote:

I have been told that Riley, by many people....but, you have to understand I have mastered the art of the half smirk while going about my daily "public" routine and in pictures. You would be surprised how well the old "half smirk" can perk those cheeks back up to where it looks as though you do still have them.
Believe me, while my faced is pleasantly in the relaxed pose, my loss of volume and sagging is quite apparent and it's not all that pleasant looking...I'm not just talking out my ass here and not being at all neurotic about my appearance...and I don't mean to sound bitchy about it Riley, as it's the last thing I want to do to my dear friend and I don't mean this directly towards you personally....but I hear that all the time from people who have only seen my photos and I get tired of it...it's just that I NEVER have my photo taken with a relaxed face, ever...because the sagging bothers me that much.

My goal is to have the appearance of plump cheeks without having to have my face smirked all the time. This face gets a bit tired in that pose Laughing

Totally understand where you are coming from. I know we all look different in pictures as opposed to "real life"! (Though I still think you look great - at least in your pictures! Very Happy

)

free skin care · Fri Dec 11, 2009 5:34 am

Ha ha...thanks Riley Embarassed

....at least I can still make myself appear I have the chubby "where they should be" cheeks. But you'd think will all this muscle flexing I do in my face those damn things would just stay put one of these days! Laughing

ahhh, a girl could only hope.....

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