11 replies to this topic

[Alyssa2008.2008]

Does anyone know why your face itches in the acne areas?? What IS this???

[Adam08]

your face is irritated. i dropped cleansers a month ago and havent itched since.

[Alyssa2008.2008]

seriously? what are you using just water? what kind of acne do you have?

[Adam08]

well my skin has never been oily so that sets me apart from most people.

i used to get a breakout like each week..pustules etc along the chin and jawline but not too bad in recent year or so (so i think yeh hormones, right?) so i change my diet with a lot of success but still not quite getting clear. it took me 4 years to realise that my skin was damaged and needed repair. i didnt wash my face for 10 days. no water nothing. now water every 2-3 days. its been a bit over a month. havent itched since and havent broken out once (had the occasional pimple which goes away real quick - prob from previous clogged pores).

have you heard of the acid mantle????? i didnt have one for 4 years which made me acne-prone. thats why diet changes helped but didnt solve the problem.

i must warn you though: this approach is not for everyone. for the first few weeks (and still a bit now) dead skin accumulates like never before. it takes willpower to stick with it. my skin is healing itself

[hatesacne]

I agree w/Adam08, Alyssa2008. However, I also attribute itching, when the skin isn't red or irritated, to healing. BP facial washes(brevoxyl, for example)are too strong for me, as are some of the topical gels, such as, differin. If you're not sure what's causing your face to itch, you may have to eliminate things for a day or two to let it heal. Then begin adding things back in one at a time. My derm told me to do this. Otherwise, I'd have to have allergy testing done which is expensive and not always conclusive. I had an adverse reaction to something about a month ago. My face swelled up, eyelids became red, irritated, leathery, and my eyes began seeping. My derm dignosed me w/contact dermatitis.

[Adam08]

I also attribute itching, when the skin isn't red or irritated, to healing.

wow i experienced that too. its like an itch but not really. hard to explain. not an itch per se beause there is no rash or redness or anthing like that. but yeh, like a different feeling on the skin. prob the healing sensation. so good..

[Wynne]

Does anyone know why your face itches in the acne areas?? What IS this???

Might be folliculitis and/or irritation. Use a gentle cleanser for one. Warm or cool water when washing (not hot!)

[E17]

i got the itching in the acne areas (almost everywhere). it kills me when im going to sleep:( scratching myself until i bleed and shit, and its impossible not to scratch. Anyways, was at my determ doc yesterday, and he gave me accutane and a 3 week long kortison cure for my itching. hope things gets better in some days

[Alyssa2008.2008]

so i couldn't take it anymore and i started my pro active again...washed it with last night, actually LOVED that scrubbing sand paper washing on my face cause it was SOOO itchy, and used it again this morning...all ready my face feels tight when i open my mouth...i was using aveda tourmaline charged face wash and i'm telling you, your face feels like silk after cause the scrub in it is jojoba oil but man oh man the pimples all over my face, so tiny, i can't take it....thats why i'm back to pro active

[Alyssa2008.2008]

hey adam, so i'm doing what your doing, only letting water on my face when i shower, which is every day, this is day one and night with no cleansers.......wish me luck

[Adam08]

good luck

but note that im doing a little more than that. i dont even let the water in the shower touch my face. i do a body wash. water touches my face like every few days (if that). even water can irritate. esp hot water at high pressure..

what im doing isnt for the faint hearted. for the first few weeks the flakiness was almost unbearable but yeh all the best

[EnlightenMe]

I'm wondering if it's mites. I used to think it was healing, but it would only itch during or before acne. I've used borax and peroxide as a rinse a few times, and haven't really itched since. Borax is supposed to kill mites.