STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

ico · Dooney & Bourke

skin care question

blink · Coach

You already know that even if you have oily skin, if you use products that strip your skin of natural oils, the skin will then overreact to compensate and therefore create even more oil. Sounds like you figured out a way to balance it out by applying a good night moisturizer. Maybe you should apply a gentle moisturizer made of natural botanicals and as few chemicals as possible when you know you will have to be in the lab, sort of like a barrier?

Elle · Hermes

I find that sometimes when my skin is very upset, punishing it with hard chemicals and creams made to get rid of acne is just adding fuel to the fire. You want to heal your skin, not punish it! Also, some treatments are so drying that they will kick your oil glands into overdrive, therefore making your oily skin even worse.

I have developed quite the system for treating various kinds of breakouts, which I won't go into here to keep this post from becoming a novel. But, I've found that treating with anti-acne meds when a breakout is on the upswing (ie is still getting worse) is best. After it peaks and starts to heal, over treating with anti-acne meds will just dry the shi!t out of your skin and make the breakout really difficult to cover up, not to mention it can make scarring worse. I've found it's better to provide your skin with what it needs to heal itself (moisture, vitamins, water) and you'll heal much more easily. I've actually been known to put Neosporin on really bad ones.

I would try stopping the acne meds a day or so before you go to the lab next, and just moisturize/be kind to your skin for a couple days and see if it makes things any better.

How often have you been applying acne meds?

member · Hermes

Here's my two cents. I go to a dermatologist because I was breaking out badly. My skin is now clear and here's what I do/did for it. The doctor put me on perspription face meds - one cream in the morning, one at night. When my skin was really broken out, I was told not to use any moisterizer at all. One my skin began clearing, he told me to use my medicine only every other day as opposed to every day and to go ahead and use Cetaphil Moisterizer if my skin was dry. This has worked like a charm and I don't have a single pimple on my face. You may want to try something like this, or if you use moisterizer, go w/Cetaphil.

ico · Dooney & Bourke

Thanks girls!

spochicago: I'll try the Cetaphil. I was actually thinking of buying the cleanser too, I have read only good things about it! DO you have any experience with that?

Leah: I use acne lotions only when I break out (before my period, usually), as my skin is dry and I spend time outside also during the winter. At this point, I am thinking I should just use a light moisturizing lotions even before my period... I'll try if things are better if I put the acne med when the breakout is "developing".

Thanks again!