Skin worries - can anyone relate?

[xfilme]

Over the past 8 years probably ive noticed I get these scaly patches on my face... Little dry wrinkly areas. I never thought much of it, other than the fact it was an inconvenience as it didnt look great under my makeup and sometimes made my face burn.

In the last two years its started getting worse. My face is now strangely shiny and wrinkly like crepe paper. I thought it was my soap so i stopped using soap. Then I tried washing my face with emolient. Then I changed to really expensive skin treatments. Chemical free face soaps. Almond oil. Coconut oil. Exfoliating. Not exfoliating. Right now Im trying dry exfoliating. Nothing seems to work, it just seems to get worse.

Admittedly, in the past 6 moths ive lost about half a stone and you can see Ive lost it in my face. Im wondering if it could be that thats making my face look all wrinkly? In which case, will it go back to normal after time, or will it stay like it?

Im 36 but have the skin of a 55 year old. I really dont understand. I went and asked the doc but he couldnt see anything. But as with most things, they never really try looking.

Im a bit distressed over it. If I dont try and sort it, my skin flares up with spots. If I do try and sort it, the spots clear and my face looks wrinkly.

Can anyone think of anything I can do? Maybe im just paranoid, but im sure skin isnt meant to be like this on a person of my age. Ive looked at people skin who are of my age group, and I dont see it on their skin.

I can only describe it as like a crepe texture, with a shine to it... and in little shiny patches, like theres a layer of skin missing, or an extra layer of skin that shouldnt be there. I also have it on my arms, neck and chest, but nowhere else on my body, making me feel less inclined to think its an age thing. Should I just put weight back on so my skin looks normal?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Your GP should easily be able to spot it as a skin condition as they are very common so they would have referred you to a dermatollogist or just tried some treatments first. So, unless it gets worse or won't go, I doubt it's that...but as ever, consult a GP if you need to.

Did you lose the weight because you wanted to or is it a result of illness?

I wonder if it could be because of the anxiety itself? Since mine, I've got scaly patches here and there and I don't heal as well and suffer from a lot of dry skin. So, it could just be the fact the skin isn't getting what it needs in the form of vitamins, minerals, oils, etc so it's drying out.


It may mean a diet change if you are not getting enough of what you need.

Your GP should be giving advice though even if it's just that.

I don't think you need to consider gaining weight if your weight if ok. If you are underweight, then it may be different but for reasons of health and you should ask your GP about this side.

If you are getting enough of what you need and have tried other skin products, then I think you would need some advice from the GP to see if it needs a presciption treatment.

Skin also changes greatly as you get older and you can start to need some extra care for it. As my mother aged, she needed some help with some minor skin conditions but there were all treatable. (I'm not saying your old though, you're still young, but thew anxiety may be causing some issues)

I think the ladies on the board would be far better qualified on that score though!

[Phuzella]

Have a word with your doctor. Also bear in mind that worrying about something can make it seem worse than it is.
I get a bit of rosacea on my nose and I think I look like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer but no one else notices it:)

[MyNameIsTerry]

Have a word with your doctor. Also bear in mind that worrying about something can make it seem worse than it is.
I get a bit of rosacea on my nose and I think I look like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer but no one else notices it:)

Easier to get away with it Xmas as well! :)

[Phuzella]

Very true, I can do fancy dress without hiring a costume:roflmao:

[MyNameIsTerry]

...And get away with not feeling guilty on Red Nose Day if you didn't buy one!!! :)

[xfilme]

MyNameIsTerry, I lost weight because I was trying to. I carry a little more weight than i should. Ive lost about half a stone, and I wish to lose another stone really.

My GP doesnt really look to be honest. Because in the past I suffered with health anxiety, the general tendency is to look at my notes from a couple years back, see I had HA, and assume that anything I see now is paranoia, which makes it quite difficult when Im trying to deal with a problem.

I will keep trying with my own tests, as a process of elimination to see which things work and which dont, but Im just hoping it doesnt just keep getting worse and worse.

[Humly]

I get scaly patches on my scalp and now and again on my face next to the hairline and I have had this since I was a kid. I wouldnt have thought it would have anything to do with weight loss and I can agree that worrying about it does make it seem much worse than it is and some skin conditions are made worse by stress. Why dont you go back to the doc or try and see someone else. It might just be dry skin but i'm sure that the doc can point you in the right direction if you explain how much you are worrying about it. Good luck.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I know what you mean about GP's. I don't have HA so I don't really see my GP other than for check ups at the moment and I've given up bothering. I've only asked twice and been blagged with "it's anxiety" to later find out it wasn't and was resolveable.

Have you lost weight quite quickly? Have you been folllowing a diet that involves cutting out certain things until you are where you want to be? Are you using a diet where you are greatly reducing your calories under the daily requirement?

I'm thinking it could even be a diet because some of them lean towards cutting out things that we really do need because they are aiming to get to a target weight as opposed to a sustainable weight.

If it's this, you may need a supplement to rebalance it. Some you take, some you could apply direct like aloe vera. I wonder if you could ask a pharmacist about this if it's a diet thing because you need someone who understands diets and thats definately NOT GP's in this country! Some pharmacies have check up and allergy testing services so there might be something about nutrition.

[Sallyg]

I am currently having some changes in my skin after a reaction to a face product - something that has never happened to me. I do believe stress and anxiety are contributing to the problem I have.

I just wanted to say that after the reaction, my skin was very shiny in places and I discovered that dehydrated skin can appear like this. The fine lines you talk about can also be a sign of dehydration.

Is your water intake enough? Try building up to drinking 8 glasses a day and take Omega 3&^ oils, both things will help the skin. The other thing is to keep your products simple - maybe your skin isn't liking the products and not finding it's balance of oils and moisture?

Light moisturisers with oatmeal are hydrating and maybe try a product for sensitive skin and see if it improves things.

[SP5]

Have you ever been exposed to fiberglass insulation?