Should I persevere with moisturizers that irritate?

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

As I've stated previously, my skin is so sensitive I can't use

anything but lukewarm water on it. At home I never have heaters on

as it plays havoc with my face but I have been visiting my Dad in

hospital recently and the heating caused my skin to become shockingly

irritated and dry. It is screaming out for moisturiser but when I

have used them in the past they have caused big problems. I have

tried every moisturiser recommended always with the same result.

I know Dr Nase's advice is to discontinue anything that irritates

one's skin but I'd like to hear from anyone who kept using a

moisturizer even though it caused problems, as I'd like to know if

it's possible to gradually desensitize the skins reaction to an

irritant.

Regards,

Anne

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

As I've stated previously, my skin is so sensitive I can't use

anything but lukewarm water on it. At home I never have heaters on

as it plays havoc with my face but I have been visiting my Dad in

hospital recently and the heating caused my skin to become shockingly

irritated and dry. It is screaming out for moisturiser but when I

have used them in the past they have caused big problems. I have

tried every moisturiser recommended always with the same result.

I know Dr Nase's advice is to discontinue anything that irritates

one's skin but I'd like to hear from anyone who kept using a

moisturizer even though it caused problems, as I'd like to know if

it's possible to gradually desensitize the skins reaction to an

irritant.

Regards,

Anne

[Guest guest]

have you tried something like:

pure jojoba oil?

s.

[Guest guest]

have you tried something like:

pure jojoba oil?

s.

[Guest guest]

Anne, I would recommend avoiding any moisturizer that causes

irritation, for this reason: when skin is irritated, the normal

protective barrier that keeps moisture in is disrupted, making skin

more dry. And the disrupted barrier allows greater absorption of

products that caused irritation in the first place, so the irritation

progresses. The likelihood that irritating moisturizers may improve

the skin temporarily is offset by the disrupted protective barrier

and consequent increased drying the next day.

I too have sensitive skin. My face has improved so much by

discontinuing all products I thought were doing good, but in reality

weren't. I didn't appreciate this until after I stopped using them.

Two products I've found helpful: ceaCare's cleanser doesn't

irritate -- a pea's amount really cleans my face and doesn't leave it

feeling particularly tight. The smell of cheap perfume blows the

experience for me <g>, but otherwise I recommend it.

Second, applying a drop of Dr. Sy's Moisturizing Oil after cleansing

also does not irritate my sensitive skin. ly, I don't know that

it does much good -- even just one drop on a wet face leaves it

feeling oily rather than moisturized. but at least it doesn't

irritate. I've learned to stop regarding it as a moisturizer, and

more to augment my protective barrier as it heals, although I don't

know that it's helped in that regard either. But ask others on the

board to discuss their experiences with all types of oils, many here

have found greater benefit than I have.

I hope your dad feels better soon. If your hospitals are being

heated, you must live either Down Under or in the Antartica Science

Station. <g>

Good luck, and let us know what you've discovered.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> Hi all,

>

> As I've stated previously, my skin is so sensitive I can't use

> anything but lukewarm water on it. At home I never have heaters on

> as it plays havoc with my face but I have been visiting my Dad in

> hospital recently and the heating caused my skin to become

shockingly

> irritated and dry. It is screaming out for moisturiser but when I

> have used them in the past they have caused big problems. I have

> tried every moisturiser recommended always with the same result.

>

> I know Dr Nase's advice is to discontinue anything that irritates

> one's skin but I'd like to hear from anyone who kept using a

> moisturizer even though it caused problems, as I'd like to know if

> it's possible to gradually desensitize the skins reaction to an

> irritant.

>

> Regards,

> Anne

[Guest guest]

Anne, I would recommend avoiding any moisturizer that causes

irritation, for this reason: when skin is irritated, the normal

protective barrier that keeps moisture in is disrupted, making skin

more dry. And the disrupted barrier allows greater absorption of

products that caused irritation in the first place, so the irritation

progresses. The likelihood that irritating moisturizers may improve

the skin temporarily is offset by the disrupted protective barrier

and consequent increased drying the next day.

I too have sensitive skin. My face has improved so much by

discontinuing all products I thought were doing good, but in reality

weren't. I didn't appreciate this until after I stopped using them.

Two products I've found helpful: ceaCare's cleanser doesn't

irritate -- a pea's amount really cleans my face and doesn't leave it

feeling particularly tight. The smell of cheap perfume blows the

experience for me <g>, but otherwise I recommend it.

Second, applying a drop of Dr. Sy's Moisturizing Oil after cleansing

also does not irritate my sensitive skin. ly, I don't know that

it does much good -- even just one drop on a wet face leaves it

feeling oily rather than moisturized. but at least it doesn't

irritate. I've learned to stop regarding it as a moisturizer, and

more to augment my protective barrier as it heals, although I don't

know that it's helped in that regard either. But ask others on the

board to discuss their experiences with all types of oils, many here

have found greater benefit than I have.

I hope your dad feels better soon. If your hospitals are being

heated, you must live either Down Under or in the Antartica Science

Station. <g>

Good luck, and let us know what you've discovered.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> Hi all,

>

> As I've stated previously, my skin is so sensitive I can't use

> anything but lukewarm water on it. At home I never have heaters on

> as it plays havoc with my face but I have been visiting my Dad in

> hospital recently and the heating caused my skin to become

shockingly

> irritated and dry. It is screaming out for moisturiser but when I

> have used them in the past they have caused big problems. I have

> tried every moisturiser recommended always with the same result.

>

> I know Dr Nase's advice is to discontinue anything that irritates

> one's skin but I'd like to hear from anyone who kept using a

> moisturizer even though it caused problems, as I'd like to know if

> it's possible to gradually desensitize the skins reaction to an

> irritant.

>

> Regards,

> Anne

[Guest guest]

Marjorie, could you explain this a bit? What do you mean you *thought* the

products were doing good, but they weren't? I'm confused. I mean, did these

products seem to help the rosacea but caused long-term problems? Or did you

think they were moisturizing or something, but they were really the reason you

were breaking out?

The reason I want to understand this is that I'm using some products I think are

helping, or at least not hurting, yet I still have frequent unexplained

flare-ups of my rosacea. Like this morning, I have papules all across my

forehead, cheeks, and nose, yet yesterday my skin was fine. I'm wondering if

something I'm putting on my face might be aggravating this, although I'm not

aware of anything I'm using causing a problem for me.

Naomi

-----Original Message-----

From: emarjency

Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 3:14 AM

....

I too have sensitive skin. My face has improved so much by

discontinuing all products I thought were doing good, but in reality

weren't. I didn't appreciate this until after I stopped using them.

....

[Guest guest]

Marjorie, could you explain this a bit? What do you mean you *thought* the

products were doing good, but they weren't? I'm confused. I mean, did these

products seem to help the rosacea but caused long-term problems? Or did you

think they were moisturizing or something, but they were really the reason you

were breaking out?

The reason I want to understand this is that I'm using some products I think are

helping, or at least not hurting, yet I still have frequent unexplained

flare-ups of my rosacea. Like this morning, I have papules all across my

forehead, cheeks, and nose, yet yesterday my skin was fine. I'm wondering if

something I'm putting on my face might be aggravating this, although I'm not

aware of anything I'm using causing a problem for me.

Naomi

-----Original Message-----

From: emarjency

Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 3:14 AM

....

I too have sensitive skin. My face has improved so much by

discontinuing all products I thought were doing good, but in reality

weren't. I didn't appreciate this until after I stopped using them.

....

[Guest guest]

> Marjorie, could you explain this a bit? What do you mean you

> *thought* the products were doing good, but they weren't?

Naomi, I stopped using everything in my regimen twice over the past

year -- different regimes stopped for different reasons -- and both

times I was surprised that my skin improved short-term: less red,

fewer papules, less irritable to the touch within 24 hours.

In retrospect, my skin was reacting with a mild irritative contact

dermatitis that I didn't suspect at the time because I had no itching

or burning. When I stopped the regimes I noticed that my face didn't

hurt -- it felt nothing, which was a new and pleasant experience. So

I had a low grade burning that I didn't notice until it stopped.

Yes, I also had overnight increases in papules, which I call

breakouts, and the sudden breakouts stopped when I took myself off

all products (though I still have my red rosacean bumps).

Over the past two months, without the ongoing irritation of products

except ceaCare cleanser and Super City Block sunblock, my skin

has become healthier -- definitely less dry and red. The trade-off

is that my pores have grown appreciably. Also, while my skin is

better moisturized naturally it no longer feels soft to the touch, my

lines are more noticeable, and it doesn't " glow " like it did when I

was using products.

So, I'm in the process of trying an retinol product. I'll give a full

report when I have a better sense what's going on.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

[Guest guest]

> Marjorie, could you explain this a bit? What do you mean you

> *thought* the products were doing good, but they weren't?

Naomi, I stopped using everything in my regimen twice over the past

year -- different regimes stopped for different reasons -- and both

times I was surprised that my skin improved short-term: less red,

fewer papules, less irritable to the touch within 24 hours.

In retrospect, my skin was reacting with a mild irritative contact

dermatitis that I didn't suspect at the time because I had no itching

or burning. When I stopped the regimes I noticed that my face didn't

hurt -- it felt nothing, which was a new and pleasant experience. So

I had a low grade burning that I didn't notice until it stopped.

Yes, I also had overnight increases in papules, which I call

breakouts, and the sudden breakouts stopped when I took myself off

all products (though I still have my red rosacean bumps).

Over the past two months, without the ongoing irritation of products

except ceaCare cleanser and Super City Block sunblock, my skin

has become healthier -- definitely less dry and red. The trade-off

is that my pores have grown appreciably. Also, while my skin is

better moisturized naturally it no longer feels soft to the touch, my

lines are more noticeable, and it doesn't " glow " like it did when I

was using products.

So, I'm in the process of trying an retinol product. I'll give a full

report when I have a better sense what's going on.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD