Why is it you can look good 1 week then bad the next week
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free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:34 am

Hi there i go through the same torment every month i get to the middle of my month and start to look totally c**p.I am today thinking why do i bother doing anything to my skin when the outcome is this.But last week i thought i was looking quite good .I just get so disheartened with all the stuff that i do like tua trend ,collagen light therapy,clarisonic,vaculift.I use NCN trans retinol,ecg caps,dna serum,karin herzog vita a kombi 2 and eye cream.I derma roll every 6 weeks and a week after that do a glycolic peel .Dont get me wrong i love Ncn skincare and i do think it has made a great difference to my skin its just that i feel the results just sort of stop for a time then start up again ,that dosent make sense does it really .I guess what im saying is there is no magic potion that ive ever found .I have been looking after my skin since i was 20 and feel that nothing has halted the aging process no matter what ive done.I just feel i am constantly looking for the next best thing to come along .I feel also that i have to accept the way i look and stop focusing on whats wrong with my face and neck and maybe try and see the positives .I do find this really hard at times i must admit.Anyone have these bad days where you think why do i bother ?

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 6:19 am

I can realate to that! Some days I get a good night sleep, drink plenty of water, gently exfoliate, and do all the things that are recommended but my skin still looks tired and dull. Then again some days I do the same thing and I like my reflection in the mirror. But I believe that there are so many factors contributing to the way that skin looks, especially in women with their monthly hormonal changes.

But I belive that those days when you actually like the way you look are worth all this trouble we go through with topicals, gadgets and skincare routine Smile

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 6:42 am

I'm sorry you are feeling so down Marcia. ((((HUGS))) To answer your question, yes, sometimes I look in the mirror and think I look pretty good and other times I think what the heck happened??? Especially if I am in direct sunlight, I can be quite critical of my flaws. I also do light therapy, facial exercises, retin A and serums. I also eat pretty well and exercise. But I think sometimes we can do too much to our skin. Use too many products that our skin may get stressed from time to time.

I think if we did not take care of ourselves, we would look like completely different people. And not for the better.

One thing that happened to me, to give you an example. I got into serious exercising and eating well and doing skincare routines since my mid thirties. By my early forties I was in the best shape of my life and I looked youthful. Mid-forties I started remodeling my fixer upper. That took so much time and energy that I did not follow my exercise, eating, and skincare routine. Well let me tell you, all those years that I looked youthful just grinded to a halt. I had aches and pains that I never had before, my weight ballooned, and my face looked 15 yrs. older. I looked and felt like cr@p.
It was like a before and after, but in reverse!

That convinced me to never again take my self-care for granted. I am now 20 lbs. from my goal weight, but it has been a long, slow process bc of my age and perimenopause. But I don't care bc self-care is a lifestyle for me now. So even though some days I don't like what I see, I know that it could be far worse if I didn't do anything.

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 9:43 am

I think we all have our good and bad days. Also we are usually our own worst critic's!
I think it takes constant work and dedication, especially as we get older.
It's hard to know sometimes!! I know its just in my nature to go kicking and screaming all the way.

I wish you luck too!

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 10:05 am

Same here, some days I think, well not too bad, other days it's horror when I look into the mirror. But strange enough other people don't seem to notice!
My guess is that, apart from having had not enough sleep or things like that, your own state of mind plays an important part in how you see yourself. Something like a 'half full/half empty' thing.

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 1:12 pm

Thanks so much for your replies it really helps to know that its not just me feeling like this.I too also think its hormonal sometimes .Dont get me wrong i am so gratefull to have my health and i know things in life can be so much worse than worrying what i look like but sometimes it really eats away at me.I think yes i do to much sometimes and i do back off but then i start to worry that im not doing enough lol i really cant win.xx

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:53 pm

marcia36 wrote:

Thanks so much for your replies it really helps to know that its not just me feeling like this.I too also think its hormonal sometimes .Dont get me wrong i am so gratefull to have my health and i know things in life can be so much worse than worrying what i look like but sometimes it really eats away at me.I think yes i do to much sometimes and i do back off but then i start to worry that im not doing enough lol i really cant win.xx

I remember those hate my face/hair ect.days all too well, however post menopause that has really stopped for me (just my experience)I do chalk a large portion to hormonal insanity A.K.A. PMS. Smile

I strongly believe when it comes to the too little-too much you need to find a routine that strikes a balance and works for your individual skin. My skin is super normal and tolerant so I can get away with harsher treatments than say someone with dry/sensitive skin. Just listen to your skin and remember it is trial and error finding what works for you. What is right at one age will often change with age so hang in there. Smile

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 6:54 pm

I ask myself this very same question...frequently! Laughing

Seriously, it can be a day by day thing with me at times...then I have those good streaks where I like my face for a week or so, then it's back to bad.

I think it depends on lots of things, sleep, drinking habits, stress, eating habits, time of the month etc...but I do notice my face looks its worst the week before my period. Around ovulation time it usually looks fabulous...but even that's not a guarantee it seems.

free skin care · Sat Mar 03, 2012 9:38 pm

marcia -- I think every one of us have felt this... and I think life has it's own flow with us...some days when i think i should look awful, i look super pretty....and vice versa...

probably not what you want to hear, but i think genetics, ego and culture play a huge role in how we feel about our looks.....

free skin care · Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:37 am

Thanks again guys for your replies .I totally look worse a week before my period no doubt about that .Thats the time when i start to think maybe i need to get something else or change my skin routine ,which is not good as it is hormonal and i should just wait it out.My face at this time looks older slacker and dull and no matter what i do nothing makes it look any better.But about 5 days after i start to think hey maybe all this stuff i do to my face is working and thats how it goes on every month .If there is reincarnation im coming back as a man lol x

free skin care · Sun Mar 04, 2012 9:54 am

IMO, your skin will reflect what's going on inside.

Your health, your diet, your sleep, your stress, your hydration, and your hormones will impact your appearance.

If you're sick, you look it.

If your diet is lacking you look it.

If you don't sleep, you look it.

If you are stressed, you look it.

If you're dehydrated, you look it,

If you hormones are out of whack, you look it.

If you've taken on these problems over time, it's like wearing stretch pants every day, and not noticing you are gaining weight, and your skinny jeans no longer fit. Some of these problems happen so slowly and gradually you don't realize they exist. No one suddenly ages one day. It's just one day, your brain suddenly processes the visual change.

I'll address sleep. I've been heavily sleep deprived for the last 7.5 years. My sleep, to the best of my knowledge, went to hell when I was pregnant with twins. Then the twins never let me sleep. Then one of the twins had his own sleep issues, and he seriously kept me awake for what felt like about 4.5 years. When he finally started sleeping through the night, I finally started sleeping more. I felt SOOOOOO much better. HOWEVER, it turned out I still had a sleep disorder that I was completely unaware of. I was easily in bed a solid 8-10 hours a night. Seemingly sleeping. I could easily report, yes, I get 8-10 hours a night. With an uneducated absolute confidence. Then,it was brought to my attention I wasn't breathing. A person NEVER knows that is happening. Prior to an actual sleep study that showed me in bed, seemingly asleep for 7 hours with only 2 hours of actual sleep, I had NO IDEA. I was averaging 2 hours of sleep a night for likely the last 7 years!!!! This has negatively impacted so much.

I had been told by my MD.. Sure you're tired. You have twins. You just need to improve your diet and exercise more. ZERO energy. And I do sleep! I even took naps.

Well, now I'm on a treatment plan. And WOW! Totally different person. I didn't even know people could feel this amazing. My sleep is AMAZING now. And there is a HUGE change happening in my skin, the way I feel etc.

I highly recommend you investigate ALL the things that contribute to appearance. Don't assume you are doing it all right.

You may think your diet is balanced. Do you KNOW you are not deficient in vitamins and minerals?

Do you KNOW you sleep solidly.

Do you KNOW your hormones are in a normal range?

Do you KNOW that you are disease free?

The issue is not, that you're not using enough amazing products. The issues is likely MUCH deeper.

free skin care · Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:27 am

HI CLAUDIA you have said a some very intresting points.Firstly i do eat well take plenty of vitamins and do excercise .Sleep, well that is a different matter ,not that i dont sleep well i think i do but for the last few years i have woke up nearly every third night gasping for air and or a a very fast heart rate which is all very frightening .I was told this was panic attacks but i have always questioned sleep apnoea wether i am breathing properley or not.I am during the day very anxious and do tend to hyperventilate without realising.I also have twins boys aged now 8years.I basically never slept through the night until they were 2.I have asked my doctor about having a sleep study done but he insists its all panic.Maybe i need to really look in to this further xx

free skin care · Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:44 am

it happens to the best of us...unfortunately

During certain times of the month due to hormones and menstral cycle my skin will break out and look bad with big cysts. But, i notice my skin at it's best a week before my period.

free skin care · Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:12 pm

.. weird... i wake up gasping for air - not always but maybe once week... i always fall back to sleep and sort of forget about it... guess i should google sleep apnea

(ps i didn't sleep for years either...twin boys age 15...still catching up, but maybe not!)

free skin care · Sun Mar 04, 2012 4:48 pm

moongoddess wrote:

.. weird... i wake up gasping for air - not always but maybe once week... i always fall back to sleep and sort of forget about it... guess i should google sleep apnea

(ps i didn't sleep for years either...twin boys age 15...still catching up, but maybe not!)

Yeah, I would notice this once in a while. But for the most part, I was completely unaware. I had nearly 400 sleep events. THIS IS BAD!!!!

I'm not suprised anyone would wake up to a racing heart either. That happened to me all the time.

This is a death sentance untreated. Worth DEMANDING a study!

Sun Mar 04, 2012 10:38 pm

Good question, I find myself asking that frequently. My eyelids droop, then they magically spring back and look like when I was in my 20's, length of sleep doesn't seem have any effect. Not sure if hydration is an issue, not a water drinker.

free skin care · Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:29 am

Interesting there are so many of you with the same issue!
I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and mild Narcolepsy about 6/7 years ago. I would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for breath, heart racing, it was horrible....and when these episodes occurred, right after I would wake up, I would always look at the clock. Typically, my episodes would occur within 30-60 minutes after falling asleep. I also sometimes suffer from what is known as "sleep paralysis" where I am coming out of sleep and partially aware of what's going on around me, but I cannot move anything. I hate when that happens.

For years I had always attributed it to anxiety or panic attacks, until a sleep study said otherwise.
My problem was/is due to how my body progresses through each stage of sleep once I fall asleep. Apparently I go through stages way too fast, which interrupts my breathing pattern.

I don't fit the typical apnea patient MO, I am not overweight and I don't snore...so I am not sure why it chose me. But, I have noticed that my episodes of waking and not being able to breathe are associated with stress....the more stress I am under, the more episodes I have. I don't get them very often any more....but when I was married, I got them often.

True story: I haven't had an "episode" in ages. I had to spend the night at my ex husbands house last weekend (and I didn't want to be there) due to car issues and being without my car for the day so I could get the kids off to school. That night while sleeping, I had one of the worst episodes I've had in a LONG time....coincidence? Laughing

free skin care · Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:52 am

Not sure how old you are Marcia36 but women do change throughout their menstrual cycle. When they are in their fertile phase they are at their most beautiful.

The reason we know this is that a study was conducted in a strip club where the dancing girls were asked to record all their earnings and the days of their monthly cycle. On average the women earnt significantly more when they were in the fertile stages of their cycle compared to when they were not.

free skin care · Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:38 am

I have found that I have to take a break (3 or 4 days) from using peptides. They work well for weeks and then I get that grey, washed out look I hate - so depressing when I work so hard to keep my skin looking good. I start back using them again after a short break and my skin looks good.

I don't know if it's my chemistry or if others have the same problem.

free skin care · Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:26 am

Mood plays the most important part in how I look. If I go to bed happy and wake up contented, I find myself looking 'prettier'. My face appears rounder (less haggard), smoother, younger, and no eyebags! In fact, the change I observe is not so much from week to week but morning to night. If the day becomes stressful, I look like shit by the end of the day. lol.

I read a book once, where the author claims that moods (or life's happy and depressing moments) follow a regular cycle. By marking the days you feel awesome, the days you feel average, and the days you feel awful for a few months, you will begin to see a pattern and thereafter, not feel so bad about the not-so-good days.

free skin care · Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:20 am

What a brilliant idea Chloes. Am goin to start doing that as I go through such changes in mood so often.

free skin care · Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:21 pm

Hi i have been away for a week its great to see all the replies and that im not alone in this .I am going to look into the sleep apnoea but i find this happens to me more when i am falling asleep its very frightening .Last time i had it i woke up and could hear a banging noise and realised it was my heart beat it was going 160 per minute it calmed down after 10 minutes but it was terryfying its happened a lot over the last year, my doc and hospital say its panic.On a more cheerful note i have just completed a course of 10 noveau a-lift treatment and my skin looks great firmer,younger and more radiant .Really pleased with the results xx

free skin care · Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:33 pm

There could be many things going on, and you got some really good answers already, but I would like to recommend you to try making/drinking Kefir (fermented milk/water).

A person's health starts in the gut. It's really your second brain. Controls your mood, your hormones, your energy.. Homemade (don't recommend store bought) contains about 500 billion good bacteria and yeasts(kills candida, detoxifies liver) in an Ounce (!!), and is very nutrient dense, very high in readily available and absorbable B Vitamins, magnesium, calcium, enzymes... and very high in Tryptophan. Tryptophan is a natural amino acid that calms you. Very good for anxiety, stress..

Many people's health has been restored on this really old beverage and probably that is why the Bulgarians lived to 120 because they ate so much fermented food. Eating good whole food is always preferable to supplements.

Anyways, google it, if you are interested. There's lots there. Take care

free skin care · Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:43 pm

Hi thanks for that i will look in to it .xx

free skin care · Sat Mar 10, 2012 2:33 pm

Marcia, I wanted to add also, that if you are allergic to milk, or don't like dairy, you can try alternatives like coconut milk Kefir or water Kefir..

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