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Fri Aug 31, 2012 5:18 pm |
Hello Ladies and Gentleman!
I've recently gone on an aggressive skin care regimen due to noticing my face "falling" a little. I am only 22, but I underwent a problem with depression last year, causing me to lose facial fat and adopt a poor diet (cravings for tons of caffeine + sugar, late nights, poor hygiene)
Needless to say, my skin and face is looking like poop! It never really "recovered" after I lost weight in the face (for a second time after another period of depression), and now my skin sits there looking slightly sagtastic. Eye troughs, slight NL depressions, etc. Now, usually I would be gung ho for trying any non-surgical method to fix this, however, I am a bit nervous to try facial exercises because my skin also became dehydrated during this year/months that I sort of "let go." I do not want to aggravate any expression lines because my skin's dehydration is slowing the process of them going away.
I would love some advice for a gentle cleanser, etc, for someone who was deficient in fatty acids for several years (up until last month!)As well as any advice for moisturizers, hydration, etc. I noted a few posts back that I was using several sunscreens before that seemed to exacerbate the problem of dehydration. In fact, I see more dehydration lines all the time! I have been pretty harsh on my face, did a lot of hot water and improper soaps.
Dermatologists have not been very helpful. Because I look young, they seem to not believe that my skin could be damaged. One dermatologist said stress and caffeine could NOT have contributed to my dry skin! She then prescribed me rosacea medicine with benzyl alcohol ingredients and told me that it could be hormonal. I have sensitive skin, but not rosacea, although it does tend to "flush" when I put anything on it.
Best described, when looking up (very) close at my face it appears "pitted," as if there are small chunks missing out of it. To the touch, it feels soft, but grainy. It is not moist and "fatty" the way it used to be.
My questions: Should I focus on normalizing my skin before I try facial exercises to lift my cheeks? And do you think they will be helpful? This is the only area I want to concentrate on right now.
Does anyone know a good cleanser and toner for sensitive, dehydrated skin? I have been using just water + either grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, or CerAve PM (both derms I went to gave me a sample of this, though honestly the dehyration seems to be worse after using. The 'line patterns' beneath my eyes are particularly bad!) I obviously have a damaged skin barrier if it appears "pitted" and I can see dehydration lines, but use of CerAve PM for one month does not yield much difference.
I am now taking a multivite + flaxseed powder + Fish Oil
I am on medication to ease my depression, in case depression is contributing or causing my dry skin.
I have tried exfoliating once or twice, but what is the position on exfoliating with dehydration? It seems that one cause is overexfoliating, so I'm a little nervous to try any of this at the time.
I was given an Rx for topical vitamin A, but quit after several uses, as it felt dry as sin when I put it on. I may use this again once my skin is normalized.
Even my lips are now regularly dry/dehydrated! I do not want to resort to fillers/peels for a year of lax health, but my skin does not seem to be normalizing, and it has been aprox. a month and a half since I reduced sun exposure, cut down on sugar, and cut out most caffeine.
What should I do to encourage the skin on my face to return to normal (I do not feel much of a 'lipid' layer when I touch it, and it is never moist for very long!) - products, etc
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Facial exercises yay or nay? And wait until face is normal again or no?
Thank you in advance! |
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Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:00 am |
You could definitely benefit from a toning regime. But I think it makes sense to get your skin in shape first. You may find that as your health improves, and your skin condition improves, that you don't need facial exercise after all!
As you get healthier (and good for you for taking the steps to leave bad habits behind) your skin will improve. In the meantime, why don't you stop using soap altogether, and switch to the oil cleansing method? There is a ton of info on these boards about it, usually abbreviated as OCM.
It's simply a mix of castor oil and another oil such as olive, almond, etc. I use olive and castor at about a 50-50 ratio. Massage it in with gentle strokes and then use a hot washcloth to steam for a minute or two and rinse. You can use a gentle cleanser at this point - I do it at night before the shower and use a super SUPER superfatted soap to wash it all off.
Hang in there - 22 is young enough that you have plenty of time to correct the damage! |
_________________ Derminator, phytoceramides, Retin-A, DIY Vitamin C serum, Ageless if You Dare and Pilates! |
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Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:53 pm |
Thanks so much for your support!
Will definitely check out the oil cleansing method - I'm sure the soap I was using prior was terrible.
This all came on so suddenly that I almost thought it was medical! This time last year I had no dark circles, they developed in Fall and seemed to disappear, and then sunk down even lower over the summer! I also developed several broken caps in both cheeks - along the smile lines and a few scattered nearby along my jawline.
I get a lot of breakouts on my forehead but rarely anywhere else.
I have several folds of extra eyelid skin on both eyes which I didn't have a month ago (I know because I was observing carefully!)
This was all accompanied in winter by a decline in mood (very irritable but prone to crying).
I thought maybe it was the tons of caffeine I was drinking, but there are a million things that could have caused it, like my lack of vitamins.
Then I thought it might be hormonal, because I also had increased facial hair growth along with everything else. The area under my eyes had thinned and sunken so much that the glands are visible! (I have always had slight TTs because of my prominent eyes and may have a negative vector orbit) But it's never been this awful before.
I am sure caffeine, bad diet, stress, and slight weight loss/gain can cause some of this, but dang. My skin was in -pretty- good condition last year at this time, or at least a few month prior to this time. Or perhaps I wasn't observing closely enough!
Does this sound like it could have just been caused by stress/etc/bad diet/little exercise or does it sound like something more? I am sorry to bother you all, just wondering if this was normal or sounds fishy.
I have regularish periods that tend to be light but not too light, last 2-4 days. |
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Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:53 pm |
Bless your heart, you've really been going through some trials, it sounds like.
Yes, stress can have effect on the skin, very much so. I believe that body and mind are not separate, but two parts of the same whole, and when one is sick, so is the other. That is probably what has happened to your skin. Also, when you're depressed, if you eat you tend to eat things that aren't very good - like you said, caffeine and such.
If I were you, I would try to eliminate as much stress as I could, start trying to eat healthy (I have just discovered green smoothies, great way to get your green on) and get plenty of rest! I would do all this before I started spending money on treatments and such. After a few weeks, maybe about 3 months, reevaluate.
Above all, be patient! It's hard to stay on a healthy regime at first, because the results aren't immediately apparent. But I think that it would be very much worth it for you.
22 is way too young to worry like this! If you think you might be depressed, maybe you should talk to your doctor. But it may be that once your health improves, so will your outlook.
Best wishes to you sweetie! You can do this! |
_________________ Derminator, phytoceramides, Retin-A, DIY Vitamin C serum, Ageless if You Dare and Pilates! |
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