Erratic Skin changes?
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Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:52 am

Do you find that your skin has pretty dramatic swings in how it appears from one week to the next, even one day to the next?

Last week I was looking in the mirror and in despair about my skin, I just felt I looked so ill and old and that nothing I was doing was making any differance to my skin which was a mess of irritation, open pores, bumps and fine lines. Now this week it seems mostly smooth calm and even and looks much better.

To be honest I think my skin has always been like this even when skincare as been very consistant as well as diet and supplements etc it has always had "mood swings" so to speak.

Possibly due to hormonal fluctuations and now as I get older I just panic about them more!

Anyone else notice these or have any ideas how to get more consistantly good skin, something to balance out hormone levels naturally?

free skin care · Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:16 pm

Skin dehydration can contribute to lines, enlarged pores and irritation. My skin did seem to change at random at one time, but with the benefit of hindsight I think there were sound reasons for much of it. Over-exfoliating (for me) and/ or using sulphate surfactants often left my skin poised to freak at the next chemical assault (frequently a moisturiser). I'm not convinced my skin likes consistent skincare, I think it prefers responsive care.

Maybe start a detailed diary tracking your mood, stress levels, the weather, sleep patterns, TOTM or hormonal issues, all meals snacks and drinks, skincare and hair care regime, work patterns, social life etc. You may find there is a pattern with a specific food or cosmetic item, you are not eating healthy or drinking enough when busy, the irritation starts two days after you use fresh bedlinen ... Doing this as you go along can be a PITA but works so much better than recall, research proves that.

For hormone balance be sure to keep your blood sugar stable, get plenty of essential fatty acids, sufficient fruit, veg and other fibre so you use the bathroom twice each day (sorry TMI, but it sweeps out waste hormones Embarassed

). Be physically active daily - 10,000 steps - and manage your stress levels! Nutrition is surprisingly same-y from one health concern to another.

HTH!

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:44 am

I honestly believe your skin is a HUGE indicator of what is going on inside. Sadly, it doesn't tell us EXACTLY what is going on.

If you are experiencing changes week for week, I would be suspicious of hormone issues that have yet to manifest in other areas. I would have them checked. Edit: It could be that you've had a life time of slightly off, but not devastatingly so hormones. As you get older, and approach menopause (could you be peri-meno, in your 30's or 40's) this may become more evident.

Edit to add: Have you ever had your allergies tested? You don't have to have a stuffed up nose to show the signs. For example, do you have down pillows/throws? These won't necessarily cause itching sneezing. But rather swollen eyes, and such.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:06 am

On (I hope) a similar note, does anyone who only uses tretinoin say, twice a week, notice their skin looking kind of saggy, or 11's appearing if they wait too long before using it again?

I used it every night, or other for a year, then pulled back. I've had the flu this week and looked particularly haggard after all the coughing, with 11's which I thought were gone(!) appearing, but today after using tretinoin last night - beautiful! Laughing

I've noticed this without the flu too, round about the 3rd or 4th day.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:37 pm

Lori, I would attribute hagard looking skin to being ill. There's no reason you'd look your best hacking up a lung.

I imagine you're feeling better... now that you're pulling out of illness. And therefore reason to looking better.

I think if you sat in a mirror while coughing you would see that you are probably frowning working the corrugator. Therefore working your frown (corrugator).

Now you know why chronic frowners have frown lines. They are ALWAYS working their corrugator. And they never work muscles that would help pull in the opposite direction.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:43 pm

Thanks Claudia (I'm Canadian, but I always say that name like my Italian friends used to! Lovely either way)

Yes, don't ever stand in front of a mirror coughing, my 11's were certainly in FULL EFFECT the other night!

But I'm fairly certain I start looking a little droopy after skipping multiple nights normally too. Its just hard to believe that tretinoin is THAT effective in doing its magic, and what they say about your face going back to what it might normally have looked like without it, THAT soon, could be true. I'll inspect more carefully in future just in case it may really be my mind playing tricks on me.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:57 pm

Hope you are on the road to recovery, LoriA. Sad

People tend to eat less and get dehydrated when they are unwell, which can make us look a couple of years older overnight unfortunately! Retin-A can cause subtle irritation/ inflammation, might be this which is slightly plumping your skin out?

ClaudiaFE: some people just have expressive faces!! I am known for being positive/ enthusiastic/ cheerful/ friendly at work (honestly!) but frown when I am tired or concentrating so have the dreaded elevens. My father is just the same. Laughing

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:41 pm

Firefox7275 wrote:

Hope you are on the road to recovery, LoriA. Sad

People tend to eat less and get dehydrated when they are unwell, which can make us look a couple of years older overnight unfortunately! Retin-A can cause subtle irritation/ inflammation, might be this which is slightly plumping your skin out?

ClaudiaFE: some people just have expressive faces!! I am known for being positive/ enthusiastic/ cheerful/ friendly at work (honestly!) but frown when I am tired or concentrating so have the dreaded elevens. My father is just the same. Laughing

Oh, yes... you're absolutely right. I didn't mean that you if you have 11's your always upset or anything. However, you are likely a frowner if you've got 11's. Meaning, you definately work this muscle quite often. I'm actually quite similar. But for some reason I don't frown very often regardless of anger or concentration. You'll laugh that I actually had to learn HOW to do it as an adult.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:34 pm

Bet you wish you never learned to frown, I know I do!

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:28 pm

Firefox7275 wrote:

Bet you wish you never learned to frown, I know I do!

LOL! I've been fortunate... With exercises and not being a natural frowner, I don't have any 11's, nor have I battled them... Edited: You would have laughed at me learning too... I had an easier time learning how to do a tourjete... http://youtu.be/ywkuaIPsVBA

I'd say my personal battle is with the lack of sleep and therefore tired eyes. I'm working that out... it's quite exciting! Mostly my energy level is freakishly through the roof! Do people feel this way EVERY DAY???? Wow!

free skin care · Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:29 am

Back to the original posters issues: I always used to say that my skin was bi-polar Laughing

because it could be terrible one day, perfect the next and dull and average the next Wink

I've always put this down to stress, what I've eaten, if I've had enough water to drink, hormonal fluctuations and definitely the amount of sleep I've had...

I think it's fairly normal for skin to swing wildly from one extreme to another going by various forums, threads, people I speak to Wink

free skin care · Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:38 pm

Yea i know what you mean. One week i'll feel as though my skin is smiling, and another week if i feel my skin is having temperemental outburst!

Especially if i dont drink enough water or sleep enough, my skin really shows! Or when its the hormones acting up!

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