20 replies to this topic

[Titaniumacne]

Hey peeps... Long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm 42 female and have suffered from at least a decade of terrible terrible adult acne. Nothing seemed to work (don't try facial oiling... Did almost as much damage as mural did).

Long story short, I had a failed root canal 1.5 years ago. Had tooth removed, and waited 6 months per protocol before getting the titanium implant. Got implant, each day I felt worse and worse-- more and more pain. Finally on day 4 post implant, I told the oral surgeon if he didn't take it out, I would take it out myself. He took it out.

The protocol for failed implant is to wait 6 months and try again. I waited 9 months and had the implant replaced last Thursday. By Sat I wanted to kill someone because I was in so much pain, so I called the surgeon and met him at the office and had it removed. He gave he implant to me (100% titanium) so I can follow up with my allergist.

Have allergy appt. At 2:30 tomorrow. There is nothing you ca do for a titanium allergy except remove the product. I do want to get tested though, because this would affect if I ever need a new knee, hip or even a stent or titanium rods in body. No can do.

Well...

Guess WTF is the main ingredient in nearly all commercial make up-- and that god forsaken bare minerals?

TITANIUM DIOXIDE

You bet your bottom dollar that I'm asking about this tomorrow. I threw out all my bare minerals because even if it isn't that, my skin certainly hasn't been good the whole time I have been using it (using it because it is supposedly so pure, etc).

Signed,

BW

Edited by Titaniumacne, 06 September 2011 - 05:10 PM.

[gemmyjunebug]

That's baffling. Wow! Really? Any allergy is possible. I'm allergic to nickel. Found that out when one of my rings almost ate away at my finger. Several studies show that titanium alloys contain traces of nickel as a result of the production process. This can pose trigger health problems for people with a nickel allergy, and also means that a reaction may be falsely attributed to titanium itself. I raise this point because 12% of women have an allergy to nickel.
Found this interesting. If you truly are allergic to Titanium here are a couple other things you can toss along with your Bare Minerals:
# Sunscreen agents: Finely ground titanium dioxide will block the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.
# Confectionery: Used to make candy look brighter and adding a crunchy coat to for example chewing gum.
# Cosmetics: Used to brighten and intensify the color of make-up. It is regularly found in shadow, blush, nail polish, lotions, lipstick and powder.
# Toothpaste: Used as a pigment agent to make the toothpaste whiter.
# Paint: TiO2 will improve the durability of coatings and gives white color.
# Plastic carrier bags: Improves durability and gives white color.
# Medical pills and vitamin supplements may also get their white coating from titanium dioxide.
# Piercing & Jewelery: For example watches and all types of body piercing. Less people are allergic to titanium than for example to nickel.
E171 is the chemical 'name' listed as Titanium on most food products. So I would guess Skittles and M&M's are a big NoGo for you as well? Post your results. I am very curious.

[Titaniumacne]

I definitely will update this post as I go along. I had the oral surgeon check to see if the implant was titanium alloy, and it is not an alloy. It is 100% titanium.

God, I hope this is it. I tossed a few more products and ordered a sample makeup from www.christopherdrummond.com which is 100% TO free. It is pricey, but I am definitely willing to try it and pay for it if it works.

This would also explain how my face is such a wreck each year at the beach.

I also suspect a general metal allergy as well. I have never been able to wear cheap jewelry and I even have to take my platinum and diamond studs out after the occasion because my right ear turns red and the earring hole gunks up, etc.

Specific metal allergies would explain a lot....

Ill update when i know more..

BW

Edited by Titaniumacne, 06 September 2011 - 07:14 PM.

[Titaniumacne]

Ok so I had the appointment with the allergist and he is interested. However, he says there is no reliable blood test for titanium allergy and would prefer if I do a skin patch test, which falls under a dermatologist's practice.

He said this would be very very very rare, though possible, and so there isn't much medical research or documentation on it. He also concluded that my "acne" could be reaction to titanium and not actually acne.

He supports me pursuing testing. We live in a smaller city, and the one dermatologist here doesn't do titanium testing (saying titanium is inert and therefore won't react). The allergist's assistant is going to call around and find a dermatologist who does this testing so that I can pursue it.

Heck, maybe I'll tape the implant to my skin for a few days and see what happens. Lol.

I am willing to drive about three hours to figure this out.

Meanwhile, day one with no makeup/ no titanium dioxide has gone well. Perhaps my eye decieve me, but I find my face seems calmer and less angry.

I'll keep you all posted,

BW

[Titaniumacne]

I forgot to add that I asked the allergist "in the meantime, if I need a new hip or something, what do i do?". (you know, would a titanium allergy do different things internally... Like would a hip be o.k. When a dental implant wasn't?)

He said he recommends that I don't use any titanium medical devices.

Interesting.

[CoolGuy68]

I don't think your theory is too much of a stretch, I'll tell you why! A couple of weeks ago, I decided to give up antiperspirant, and go with an unscented straight-up deodorant. I've also given up drinking anything out of an aluminum can, and told my wife to refrain using aluminum foil. So, after all these years of dermatologists, antibiotics, topicals, cleansers, supplements, and crazy diets, I may have pinpointed the cause, for myself, anyway. I also added in taking some probiotics, as well. Could it have been that I've been "poisoning" my system for all these years with aluminum. I'm clearer than I've ever been in 30 years, and all existing acne has dried up. I've even started using Dan's BP, which I tried a long time ago, and did not work, but is working now! The aluminum theory is aluminum enters your lymph nodes through your armpits that toxifies your system causing acne, or that the use of antiperspirants do not allow you to sweat proprerly, and therefore traps toxins within your body which then comes out through your skin in the form of acne, lesions, and cysts.

[Titaniumacne]

Thanks for replying! You know, my sister lives in N. calif and has always been so cautious about chemicals and we all thought she was extreme,

Not any more! I decided yesterday to eliminate all metals in the house. My teen daughter has the same problem with jewelry, as does my mother. So I want to assume it is some genetic thing and I am going to tue grocery today to read labels. No metals or metal oxides!

Thanks for the aluminum can and foil idea-- honestly didn't occur to me, but you are absolutely right.

My Husband is a physician and he had an "a ha" moment when I mentioned about the make up. He asked an orthopedic surgeon if he has ever run into titanium allergy and everyone's first reaction is that I am reacting to nickel in an alloy. Everyone gets stumped when reminded that the implant is pure titanium. They way I look at it is I have an opportunity to inform the doctors in this city about metal allergy. I sort of have some "clout" behind me as I am a "doctor's wife".

[CoolGuy68]

I just turned 43 last week, and have suffered with 30 years of acne! In the past 4 months, I've conducted "vitamin experiments" on myself to no avail! I've also been on a crazy diet for the past couple of years - no dairy, no sugar, no gluten, no caffeine, etc., etc. I'm on Day 17 of not using antiperspirants, or using anything w/ aluminum, and I gotta say, I don't think this is any fluke! Furthermore, dermatologists are NOT going to help you, there is no money in the cure, just look at all the people with cancer!

[Titaniumacne]

UUGH! I just got back from Target and had to settle for Tom's deodorant and toothpaste, which has zinc in it so it isn't ideal but will have to do until I get to the big city and whole foods (aka whole paycheck).

I found no make up at Target, which I sort of figured would happen. Even Loreal mascara has titanium dioxide in it.

I took a photo of my face yesterday and will do so again tomorrow. Oh, I keep forgetting to add that last week I started drinking 100 oz of purified water a day.

Let's see what happens with my face!

BW

[Titaniumacne]

Thanks for replying! You know, my sister lives in N. calif and has always been so cautious about chemicals and we all thought she was extreme,

Not any more! I decided yesterday to eliminate all metals in the house. My teen daughter has the same problem with jewelry, as does my mother. So I want to assume it is some genetic thing and I am going to tue grocery today to read labels. No metals or metal oxides!

Thanks for the aluminum can and foil idea-- honestly didn't occur to me, but you are absolutely right.

My Husband is a physician and he had an "a ha" moment when I mentioned about the make up. He asked an orthopedic surgeon if he has ever run into titanium allergy and everyone's first reaction is that I am reacting to nickel in an alloy. Everyone gets stumped when reminded that the implant is pure titanium. They way I look at it is I have an opportunity to inform the doctors in this city about metal allergy. I sort of have some "clout" behind me as I am a "doctor's wife".

I'm telling ya, I think we are on to something. And I agree, there is no cure for metal allergy so why diagnose it. And then they call it "rare".

[Titaniumacne]

Update: my face continues to clear up. Nothing new has popped up and what I had is healing. I still have red marks, in other words... But overall everything is calmer and clearer. For once I have hope that by the end of next week my face might be totally clear aside from the dark patches from where acne was.

I do realize that some people do clear for a week or so and then it comes back, so I'll update to let you all know if this is a trend of a fluke.

All I do is wash twice a day with purpose face wash and then use their moisturizer... Both purchased at Target.

BW

[gemmyjunebug]

Fingers Crossed for you!! Yay!!

[sweetheart]

Wow, I hadn't really thought about the titanium/metal allergy idea, but I had some absolutely horrible experiences with some eye makeup products from Physician's Formula. They had some type of "pearlescent" properties to them (supposed to make me look prettier, yeah, right ), and I had the most massive breakout of thousands of small whiteheads/pimples I have ever experienced in my 37 years of acne.

Problem is: where to find any makeup products that don't contain metals. I currently use the Physician's Formula Talc free powder and Clinique Advanced Concealers. I'm sure they both contain Titanium, and I know the powder contains it because it has an SPF of 15. Since Dan suggested that sunscreens aggravate acne, I have been looking for anything without them, but the powers that be don't want me to decide whether or not I want sunscreen! I gave up liquid makeup a while back because I also have Seborrhea on my face and it is so sensitive now. I'm truly a mess to look at.

And don't even suggest going without; my acne is severe enough that I'm considering accutane, and I even got to bed with makeup so I don's scare myself or my husband in the morning...no kidding.

Any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated. I haven't been around for a long time, but I really need the support now. My acne has gotten so bad since my perimenopause/menopause (almost 51 now). I was just at my derm's office today, and broke out in tears when he left the room because I just don't think anything can help me at this point in my life, but I can't imagine living like this the rest of my life either. I spend too much time trying to look presentable and even more time picking and washing...I just can't stand it anymore.

Thanks for listening!

[gemmyjunebug]

Wow, I hadn't really thought about the titanium/metal allergy idea, but I had some absolutely horrible experiences with some eye makeup products from Physician's Formula. They had some type of "pearlescent" properties to them (supposed to make me look prettier, yeah, right ), and I had the most massive breakout of thousands of small whiteheads/pimples I have ever experienced in my 37 years of acne.

Problem is: where to find any makeup products that don't contain metals. I currently use the Physician's Formula Talc free powder and Clinique Advanced Concealers. I'm sure they both contain Titanium, and I know the powder contains it because it has an SPF of 15. Since Dan suggested that sunscreens aggravate acne, I have been looking for anything without them, but the powers that be don't want me to decide whether or not I want sunscreen! I gave up liquid makeup a while back because I also have Seborrhea on my face and it is so sensitive now. I'm truly a mess to look at.

And don't even suggest going without; my acne is severe enough that I'm considering accutane, and I even got to bed with makeup so I don's scare myself or my husband in the morning...no kidding.

Any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated. I haven't been around for a long time, but I really need the support now. My acne has gotten so bad since my perimenopause/menopause (almost 51 now). I was just at my derm's office today, and broke out in tears when he left the room because I just don't think anything can help me at this point in my life, but I can't imagine living like this the rest of my life either. I spend too much time trying to look presentable and even more time picking and washing...I just can't stand it anymore.

Thanks for listening!

You might be sensitive to bismuth in the eye shadows. That pearly look is from the bismuth. I cannot use bismuth. Gave me hundreds and hundreds little sandpaper like pimples all over my forhead,side of face-everywhere. Took weeks to clear that mess up. I found Boots eyeshadow at Target. Those(or some) do NOT have bismuth in their formulation. You can also order them on line. I use Hello bronzers as an eyeshadow sometimes as well. Check http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ for helpful info on ingredients.
I hear ya on the makeup. I do the exact same thing. There are days when I just dread washing my face to see what's underneath the makeup. I work myself into a panic most days just thinking about the idea of a new pimple addition to the family that has made itself at home on my face. I'm fairly new to acne as well. Came out of no where around 25 and I'm now 34.
What did the derm suggest for you? Is accutane the course of suggestion? I know many people think it's the last solution or at that rate a bad solution...but feeling that way is no fun either. Hang in there! It's hard to think positive but remember your not alone in this. So,so many people struggle with acne.Take care!

[Titaniumacne]

The titanium dioxide free make up is expensive, organic, vegan and no parabens. I ordered four sets-- two have come a little while ago in the mail.

The four brands I ordered are:

http://www.christopherdrummond.com (his foundations are TIO2 free, which is a blessing because foundations are the hardest to find TO free, his velvet foundations is a creamy powder, but a little goes a long way (seriously) and the trick is in layering to get the effect you want. So far, I love the velvet foundation. Some of his products have TO, so you have to read the labels. I am sure I will reorder from him.

http://www.coastalclassiccreations.com These are small sample sizes of mineral powders with No TO. Their mascara seems good (though I had to use a blow dryer to dry it), but I am finding the rest of it to be difficult to get the hang of. My jury is out on this one.

http://www.rejuvaminerals.com I haven't gotten this one yet, but I was also able to get sunscreen from here that is TO fee .

http://www.foodsforyourskin.com (consultant Melissa Jaynes). I ordered the 100% pure blue box set for 65.00 and a primer. I just ordered last night, so I haven't gotten this one yet either. The brand's name is 100% pure. Their foundations all have SPF so all have TO in them.

BW

Edited by Titaniumacne, 15 September 2011 - 03:25 PM.

[Portis]

Make up I could understand, but I've never heard of an allergy showing up only on the face. I don't use make up as I'm a male, but I'm sure TO is in my toothpaste and deodorant. How does contact with it show up only on my face? Wouldn't there be signs of an allergy in the areas that had direct contact? Like under the arm pits?

I really want there to be merit to what you are saying, but common reactions don't have this isolated effect.

Last weekend I didn't do any real grooming and my skin seemed to be clearing up, but over the course of a couple of days when I had to clean up for class I have had a few new breakouts. I'm going to try and do the no grooming again this weekend and see how my skin reacts.

Edited by Portis, 17 September 2011 - 03:28 PM.

[dvw1986]

@Titaniumacne: What's your latest status on this? I am convinced this has what has been causing my acne. I just haven't been able to put the make-up down and now I know that this is probably what has been causing it.

I have been desperately trying to cure my acne for so long and when I was on benzoyl peroxide my acne was pretty manageable, it got to the point where I was so clear that I didn't need make-up. But, being the female that I am I still liked to wear it to work and on special occasions. I recently had been trying the whole holistic approach to clearing acne and although it was risky because I quit using the bp, I'm pretty sure that this ingredient is an allergen for me too. I am purchasing the Christopher Drummond make-up today. I can't believe I never put two and two together. The clearest my skin has been is when I was on bp in morning and aha at night and not wearing make-up. When I start to wear make-up my skin freaks the f@#! out. I've had about enough of acne at this point. It's literally caused a lot of issues in my life. I really never even thought that the make-up was the culprit. I'm praying the Christopher Drummond stuff works and does not flip my skin out.

P.S. The 100percent pure foundation caused breakouts pretty badly for me. I thought it was healthy, but it has caused the most issues for me. It does contain TO so beware.

[Titaniumacne]

hey there! Here I am. My "acne" is just about all gone. So for me, I think it wasn't really acne but an allergic reaction. I can't believe after at least 15 years of this,, it could be over!

DVW, did you get the Christopher Drummond make up? Do you like it? They have a friends and family promotion today through sunday (October 14 for 3 days). Code CDBFF25 25% off entire purchase.

I love his make up foundation. I bought a starter kit. The 100% pure blue box that I ordered is wonderful! It doesn't have a foundation in it (yes, 100% pure foundations all have titanium dioxide in them). The blue box has a mascara (terrific), blush,, eye liner, two brushes, eyeshadow and a lip color. So between the CD foundation and the 100% pure box, I feel like I have real make up.

People have been commenting that they can't believe how great my face looks. I still have some bumps on my jaw that seem to be in no hurry to clear, but they are getting better. My forehead and cheeks are totally clear now.

For those still struggling, The way I look at it is this: try no make up for a week and see what happens. This at least costs no money.

p.S. I do not care for the rejuva minerals and the coastal classic creation make ups. They are more like just powders and not like real make up. they are better than nothing, yes, but not for me.

I also love the 100% pure revesterol (sp?) make up primer. It also has no titanium in it and my skin has had no reactions to it. I think make up always looks better with a primer.

https://www.christop...covery-Kit.html

That is the starter kit I purchased. Now, I forgot to mention,.. The concealer DOES have a small amount of TiO2 in it, which I discovered when I went to order a regular size of it, so I am currently not using it. I think anything liquid is going to have it in it. It says on the web site that a small amount was needed for adhesive purposes.

Some of his products do have TiO2, so like the 100% pure products, you do have to double check the labels.

Take care!

[the uphill battle]

I'm so glad you mentioned Bare Minerals! It has always broken me out. I kept trying it though because I thought I must be crazy...It can't break me out, it's so "natural, pure and so good for your skin you can sleep in it" but without fail, it broke me out everytime. Come to find out, it has a bunch of junk in it that can cause acne. So since I love the look of mineral makeup, I went for a search of legitimately natural makeup. I finally found some! I can't wait for my order to arrive so I can try it out. It's a company ran by a nice lady (who herself struggled with acne and finding a makeup that wouldn't perpetuate the problem), not a huge corporation using all the fillers they can to save cost. Here's the link if you're interested:

http://www.barely-th...es.php?pageid=3

[Acne-Fighter_Cel3ne]

i had an allergic reaction to aluminum~it was a contact allergy...so i think yeah...anything is possible ^-^ i had to be hospitalized...it was bad!