Sudden outbreaks after years of perfect skin
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Tue May 18, 2010 5:28 pm

Hi,
I would appreciate any insights because I am really struggling with this. I am 32 and have had perfect skin for the past 7-8 years - NO zits, nothing. The only time I've had major outbreaks in the past was when I went off the Pill for a couple month about 5 years ago.

Well, I am still on the Pill and my skin has been HORRIBLE for the past 2-3 months. I am trying to figure out what could cause sudden major breakouts after years of perfect skin.

Is it my age? Could it be hormones?

I had been doing the Tanaka massage for about a month before the outbreaks started. Could it be related? The thing is I'm still broken out even after laying off the massage. I haven't been using any different products.

Has this ever happened to anybody? It is SO frustrating because my skin used to be my greatest asset - and now it looks so bad!!! I just wanna cry.

free skin care · Tue May 18, 2010 5:35 pm

It could be hormones, and I hope you don't object but even with the pill pregnancy can happen (and yes at times you can have a normal cycle for a while) I would check with a doctor to rule those things out since it's so sudden and has already lasted this long. JMHO

free skin care · Tue May 18, 2010 6:11 pm

hi lucitabonita!

pretty name, by the way! may i ask what you are using for the tanaka massage, i.e. oil, cleanser, etc.?

--avalange

lucitabonita wrote:

Hi,
I would appreciate any insights because I am really struggling with this. I am 32 and have had perfect skin for the past 7-8 years - NO zits, nothing. The only time I've had major outbreaks in the past was when I went off the Pill for a couple month about 5 years ago.

Well, I am still on the Pill and my skin has been HORRIBLE for the past 2-3 months. I am trying to figure out what could cause sudden major breakouts after years of perfect skin.

Is it my age? Could it be hormones?

I had been doing the Tanaka massage for about a month before the outbreaks started. Could it be related? The thing is I'm still broken out even after laying off the massage. I haven't been using any different products.

Has this ever happened to anybody? It is SO frustrating because my skin used to be my greatest asset - and now it looks so bad!!! I just wanna cry.

free skin care · Tue May 18, 2010 7:46 pm

lucitabonita wrote:

Hi,
I would appreciate any insights because I am really struggling with this. I am 32 and have had perfect skin for the past 7-8 years - NO zits, nothing. The only time I've had major outbreaks in the past was when I went off the Pill for a couple month about 5 years ago.

Well, I am still on the Pill and my skin has been HORRIBLE for the past 2-3 months. I am trying to figure out what could cause sudden major breakouts after years of perfect skin.

Is it my age? Could it be hormones?

I had been doing the Tanaka massage for about a month before the outbreaks started. Could it be related? The thing is I'm still broken out even after laying off the massage. I haven't been using any different products.

Has this ever happened to anybody? It is SO frustrating because my skin used to be my greatest asset - and now it looks so bad!!! I just wanna cry.

What pill are you on? That could be the problem. I've been on Orthocyclen 6 years with great results, my adult acne was very severe. Also have heard good things about Yasmin. HTH.

free skin care · Wed May 19, 2010 8:27 am

hi lucitabonita,

i have experienced some break outs due to the tanaka massage...BUT only if i go too hard/vigorous. i believe this issue was covered in that thread. if you have sensitive and weak skin such as mine, i believe it will take many slow months of slow progress with the tanaka massage. i love the massage and have reaped HUGE benefits with it, and i continue with the massage... however, even now after 7 months i still have to be gentle and not become over-ambitious/greedy. i think this is mainly to due to the fact that my skin was in poor condition when i started.

during mini episodes of breakouts with this massage, i have noticed that my breakouts were some old tiny cysts that became inflamed and came to the surface. so this is plus!

now my skin is sooooo much healthier and prettier... and i do "spot hard massage" on any difficult acne that i suspect is trying stay buried. this spot massage aggravates them and somehow brings them up to the surface so that i may fully extract them and get rid of it entirely.

i'm not certain if we have the same skin type... mine is dry sensitive, very fine pored, clear complexion, with light freckling. it was in extremely poor and weak condition when i arrived at EDS. i think good quality topicals, the tanaka massage, sleep, and overall more investment in myself has helped my skin recover.

if you're breaking out badly now... irritataed and inflammed skin, sore acne... perhaps give the tanaka a rest.... and sleep much more so that your body will be able to fight off the breakout and heal.

perhaps, go back to the tanaka later when the breakout has resolved...and then only start gently with the tanaka every other day.

i'm sorry about your skin condition... but have faith, it will heal quickly and you'll get your beautiful skin back shortly.

all the best!

Wed May 19, 2010 8:43 am

Thank you, ladies, for the comments!

Looking back, changing the oil I used for the massages *may* have been when the breakouts started. I started out with Squaline oil and switched to almond oil. I ordered more Squaline and will go back to that.

Llina, thanks for the suggestions. Great to hear that the massage helped your skin in the long run. Yes, I think I need to ease up, take a break, and get more rest.

Gretchen, I am also on Orthocyclen and have had great results with it. That's why these breakouts are so baffling.

free skin care · Wed May 19, 2010 4:06 pm

i read briefly on what "tanaka massage" is (i was gone from the forum for a bit) and it might just be the oil you're using. a couple years ago, i was using camellia and jojoba oils (considered light oils) and massaging every other night or so as OCM or just soften the skin. i had the worst break outs under my jaw for awhile and had to have regular facials to undo the problem.

you may want to get regular facials to unclog your pores and follow a very clean skin care regime with minimal products.

free skin care · Wed May 19, 2010 5:28 pm

Yeah, you guys have to be careful with oils! They rarely ever have preservatives and can easily go "off." I had a similar nightmare incident brought on my use of rancid castor oil. A friend who used the same oil had the same exact prolonged reaction.
Clindamycin helped clear me up, maybe lucitabonita, you should try that!
Oils can be lovely but can also easily sensitize the skin when combined with vigorous massage. i try to limit my ocm moments to post-workout showers, when i use jojoba to remove sunscreen.

--avalange

skincareaddicted wrote:

i read briefly on what "tanaka massage" is (i was gone from the forum for a bit) and it might just be the oil you're using. a couple years ago, i was using camellia and jojoba oils (considered light oils) and massaging every other night or so as OCM or just soften the skin. i had the worst break outs under my jaw for awhile and had to have regular facials to undo the problem.

you may want to get regular facials to unclog your pores and follow a very clean skin care regime with minimal products.

free skin care · Wed May 19, 2010 6:36 pm

lucitabonita wrote:

Gretchen, I am also on Orthocyclen and have had great results with it. That's why these breakouts are so baffling.

Gosh that is baffling. Shock

I don't know. Orthocyclen has been such a godsend; I'm on the generic Sprintec now which works just as well. My feeling is it's gotta be the pill, maybe switch or go off it entirely for a while. Why the Ortho would do this to you though is quite mysterious. I would recommend using just progesterone ten days out of the month but I don't know how that is going to address your acne. It's the estrogen in the pill that helps activate the SHBG that binds up the testosterone. Ortho is a low androgenic pill. I hope it works out.

Wed May 19, 2010 10:28 pm

I'm thinking it MUST be the combination of the oil and the massage. I haven't noticed anything to suggest that my hormones are off after so many years of great result results from Orthocyclen. I'm going to stop the massages completely and see if my skin clears up in the next few weeks.

Thanks for the info about the Clindamycin - I will look into it! (Is this a prescription drug?)

free skin care · Thu May 20, 2010 5:36 am

lucitbonita,

clindamycin is indeed prescription only. it's uncontroversial and easy to get, and won't hurt your skin, so it is worth a try. it might take a couple of weeks. oh, and it's cheap!

--avalange

lucitabonita wrote:

I'm thinking it MUST be the combination of the oil and the massage. I haven't noticed anything to suggest that my hormones are off after so many years of great result results from Orthocyclen. I'm going to stop the massages completely and see if my skin clears up in the next few weeks.

Thanks for the info about the Clindamycin - I will look into it! (Is this a prescription drug?)

free skin care · Thu May 20, 2010 3:26 pm

I almost guarantee that having the massages done on a regular basis has contributed to your skin problems. Regular facial massage is great for mature skin that lacks proper circulation. When you over stimulate normal, healthy skin you may end up creating a massive detox reaction, hence the acne. I have VERY reactive skin that will break out if over stimulated via massage, exfoliation, or changing my products (not to mention internal issues that also contribute). When I was studying Aesthetics, the daily facials that we had to receive as we were training, caused my skin to go CRAZY!! It took over three months afterwards for my skin to finally clear up!!! If you just go back to your normal routine, your skin will clear up again.

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