What's Up with my Skin?

[kim2bhealthy 3]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to find out if what I'm experiencing is unusual... I'm coming up on my one year bandaversary on May 26th and am down 110 lbs! I'm thrilled with this, but my skin is driving me CRAZY! I noticed my face tingling and burning and itching and decided to go to a dermatologist. I was diagnosed with Rosacea.. giving Metrogel and another prescription topical med. These meds made my face worse... dry, flakey, red, etc.. But finally I think I have the Rosacea under control (by using Cetaphil cleanser and Aveeno moisturizers - after years of using expensive spa products, who knew?). Now I am experiencing another issue. I had my eyebrows waxed on Saturday by my hair stylist (who has done my brows for years). Well... MY SKIN CAME OFF with the wax and hair. YEOWWW~ that hurt! Now my skin under my eyebrows is all puckered and is definietly gonna peel.. the pain and tenderness and REDNESS is over, but now everyone is asking about my eyelids because it looks BAD. Have you guys noticed any "thinning of the skin" or anything? Could this be a lack of some Vitamin or mineral? Could it be related to the Rosacea? My stylist used wax for sensitve skin and it wasn't hot. She went to the wax for sensitive skin after I lost a little bit of skin the last time she waxed them(nothing like Saturday.. I have racing stripes under my brows!). I've been waxing for years and have never had a problem.. Thoughts?! Right now I'm afraid to ever wax again... Are my skin issues weight-loss related? Hormone related? Nutritional issues? Any insight would be great!

[tonya66 13]

I know my grandmother has very thin skin and the doctor states it is a lack of Protein.....just a thought - how is your Protein intake? I haven't heard of this before, and so far I haven't experienced any problems.

Ouch - sounds like it hurts - I sure hope it clears up.

[HelenC 0]

I can't address your skin coming off, but I highly recommend that if you aren't prone to depression, you talk to your doctor about Accutane. I spent two years doing antibiotics and topicals, until we finally went to Accutane. It cleared up my rosacea in the first month, but I stayed on it for 6 months, and I've been rosacea free for over 5 years.

[dwarden 1]

You might also want to make sure you're not getting too LITTLE fat. Some Vitamins like Vitamin E that are necessary for skin are fat soluble. If you don't get enough fat, you won't get enough of the vitamins in your system. That happened to my Mom when she was doing this <15 gms of fat per day diet. She lost weight, but she looked dreadful and had all sorts of weird rashes.

[kim2bhealthy 3]

Thanks for the help guys! I'll evaluate my diet and make sure to take more vitamins!

[oneflew 0]

Hey Kim, Ouch. My eyebrows hurt just thinking about that! I don't have any advice, but I extend my symphathies. :girl_hug:

[TracyinKS 7]

Kim: I don't know if this will help but it could be the fact that your 35....

When I turned 35 for some UNKNOWN reason mascara makes my eyes swell, and I have had to switch foundations to Clinque.. or else I break out.. I can wear Clinique eyeshadow but very, very, very little mascara... and most days I don't wear it at all... only special occassions...... this was the WEIRDEST THING.....

[Daisalana 33]

About the skin coming off during waxing.. I've gone to the same lady for 5 years, she is the only one who makes them 'perfect' to me hehe.

1/10 times I go, it peels the skin off in places. 10/10 times its red.

I didn't associate it with anything except that it was a large/thick amount of hair (like if I've waited a while to go in, and a lot has grown back), and when the hair's ripped, it just rips the skin with it.

[kim2bhealthy 3]

Thanks for the responses guys! My eyelids are almost finished peeling now.. but they look like they may peel again. I see tweezers in my future instead of the waxing... myabe I'll get brae enough to try it, but I don't think so. Thanks again!

[mommytokk 0]

I had that happen to me once also. The lady at the salon asked if I had been using any special products. I had been using Retin A, and since have found out that you shouldn't wax if you use it. Here is some info from Wikipedia:

Users of Retin-A, Renova, Differin or Isotretinoin are advised not to have waxing performed; these medications tend to weaken the skin and tearing of the skin may occur when the wax is removed.

I read of some others also, but maybe you should look at the products you have been using...there may be a contraindication to waxing.

On that note...I have now started having threading done instead. Threading originated from the Middle East...a cotton thread is used to twist around the hair, pulling it out. It smarts a little, but I am glad not to have the redness and sometimes slight scabbing that I experienced with waxing. Besides, the lady who does it for me charges me $8 for my eyebrows AND upper lip!!! Amazing! Good luck...hope this helps!

Kathy

PS...only 16 more days to my banding!!! I can't wait!

[kim2bhealthy 3]

Kathy - I'll look into the meds that I had been using for the Rosacea and see if I can find anything about waxing. Thanks! Wow, I've never heard of threading.. I'll have to do some research on it. Congrats on getting banded soon! Thoses last few days will fly by! I'm soo excited for you. Best of luck!

[Daisalana 33]

The lady who does my eyebrows does threading! She was talking about it last time I went, she said she just did some ladies upper lip (Luckily, only facial hair I have to worry with is eyebrows.. for now!). I asked what it was, so she said give me your arm, and I did.. owwwww.

She did it really quick, the rolling the thread around.. egads. It stung for a while on my arm, I wouldn't let anyone near my face with that!! It might just be what you're use to, the waxing doesn't bother me at all because it's so quick.

[Mal 0]

I have the threading done too. I have never had the wax. You should try it next time, let us know how it goes.