8 replies to this topic

[snowpea]

Somebody respond, I am at a total loss here.

In August I used 0.025% tretinoin gel on my face a grand total of two times.

The second time I put it on, the left side of my face started burning like crazy after 20 minutes and I washed it off immediately.

Since then, the left side of my face hasn't been the same. It becomes irritated just from washing with gentle cleanser. It becomes irritated at random. It's all pimply now because I can no longer put BP on it. The derm gave me clindamycin which I can tolerate but it's nowhere near as effective as BP and seems to be working less and less.

I was a moron for trying this stuff. had I stuck to BP I would have been fine. Instead I've suffered for 5 months because I decided to try Retin-a ONCE.

Even though I put the retin-a on my whole face, it's just the left side that has suffered. I look at the right side of my face and know that I could have clear and healhty skin if it weren't for retin-a. Before you try retin-a, try something else or you could end up like me.

[snowpea]

So I've been doing more research. It turns out, when I went to the derm and complained about the burning on my face, he gave me Locoid (hydrocortisone butryrate 0.1%) which I just found out is a potent steroid that causes acne, extreme sensitivity, and permanent/long term damage to the skin. It is generally beleived not to be suitable for application to the face unless, and then it is only supposed to be used for no longer than seven days (I used it for 9 days). I wonder if this could be the cause of my problem? I feel like I got screwed big time here.

[Timehealsall]

snowpea, on 01 February 2012 - 03:14 AM, said:

So I've been doing more research. It turns out, when I went to the derm and complained about the burning on my face, he gave me Locoid (hydrocortisone butryrate 0.1%) which I just found out is a potent steroid that causes acne, extreme sensitivity, and permanent/long term damage to the skin. It is generally beleived not to be suitable for application to the face unless, and then it is only supposed to be used for no longer than seven days (I used it for 9 days). I wonder if this could be the cause of my problem? I feel like I got screwed big time here.

do you have any photos? Corticosteroid can cause permanent damage such as redness of the skin, atrophy, etc... but from my understanding, it usually happens from LONG-TERM use of corticosteroid. I highly doubt 9 days caused permanent damage.

Regarding your corticosteroid that you used, how high of a corticosteroid is it? Is it higher than bethamathesone?

I tried luxiq foam (bathemathesone) for 2 weeks on my eyebrow area for seborreheic dermatitis and it did not have a negative or positive effect.

Also, i actually don't think you have done permanent damage to your skin. If anything, you probably caused a new skin problem (either eczema or seborrheic dermatitis)... and i suggest not to use ANYTHING on your face for a while, no chemicals and see what happens.

http://www.merck.com...Table_110-1.pdf

the dosage you took seems to be mild to me

[snowpea]

I appreciate you sharing your experience with corticosteroids. It makes me feel less scared and alone . it seems that your luxiq foam is two classes stronger than what I used.

I've got no photo, but if I showed you one you'd see nothing but a few pimples/red marks. The only visible indication that anything is wrong with the left side of my face is that it gets more oily/shiny than the right side and it is more prone to acne. however, like I said is been prone to stinging, dryness, burning, etc seemingly at random but especially in the presence of other substances even mild ones like cetpahil gentle cleanser. the clindamycin lotion is the one thing that does not seem to bother it at all.

I found the following personal account posted on a few websites; it matches my experience:

Quote

i used locoid ointment for one week on a lot of dry cracked broken skin on my face... and my skin has gone haywire ever since ! it's better than it was a couple of months ago but my skins just not the same as it used to be ... im breaking out and my skins weirdly dry, tight, and oily at the same time whats happening, and has it happened to anyone else ??

[RPembroak]

My misstep

Edited by RPembroak, 03 February 2012 - 05:49 PM.
URL and inappropriate wording removed

[snowpea]

I know you're trying to help, but if you read my post correctly you would see that I only used retin-a twice and then I stopped. So telling me not to use retin-a doesn't make sense; I'm already not using it.

More importantly, while you probably didn't mean for your statement to be taken as such, I am nontheless offended by your implication that acne is some kind of punishment for bad things [one is] doing and thinking." No offense, but that is B.S. Even if acne in some cases is caused by human error (e.g. trying a treatment and having a bad reaction to it), it's an honest mistake, not some transgression. People on this board read and share knowledge extensively, consult doctors, and learn from painful experience to make the best-informed decisions they possibly can in order to avoid acne. If you make a mistake along the way, you have to forgive yourself, becuase acne causes people enough regret and low self esteem as it is. Having some moralistic platitude thrust on them is kicking a man while he's down. Although your argument is couched in the language of sympathy, it depicts acne sufferers as poor lost souls who shall receive divine karmic punishment for not accepting your ebook as their personal savior.

Despite the dramatic wording of this post, I am not angry. I know you mean no ill will and I bear none in return. I appreciate hollistic approaches to health. But I would suggest that you reword your pitch a little diffferently, for reasons given above.

[RPembroak]

Misstep 2

Edited by RPembroak, 03 February 2012 - 05:49 PM.

[RPembroak]

My mistake for misstepping into snowpeas topic. You know, I tried to offer a helping hand, but it got batted away, so don't wonder why you are suffering from acne when you attack the people that try to offer you help... Goodbye snowpea

Edited by RPembroak, 03 February 2012 - 06:10 PM.

[snowpea]

Hey, don't take it personally. Like I said, I'm not upset, I just feel obligated to point out the serious problems in your rhetoric. If you rephrase the part about acne sufferers bringing it on themselves you will have much better success reaching people, trust me. This is a sensitive topic and you have to choose your words carefully, especially if you come on here with the intention of building a following.

To say that I reject people who try to help is a generalization. You are one person trying help. Have some humility and stop invoking acne as punishment for disagreeing with you.You like to give advice; take this as advice, not as an attack, and you will benefit from it.