879 replies to this topic

[LionQueen]

I've concluded that Head & Shoulders is too drying to use daily ... am going to use it once every 2-3 days.

And I'm going back to Green Cream. My skin needs it! I'm going to alternate between GC and Finacea at night, I think, with mandelic and Spin Trap in the AMs ... plus a little Finacea on my cheeks if they're red.

honestly, Finacea is amazing ... I can't believe how quickly it takes the redness out!

[LionQueen]

Dramatic improvements since my last post. Green Cream improves my overall skin quality so much .... what was I thinking, not using it for so long?

[Eryka]

Welcome back to the fold, heh heh.

Speaking of our beloved retinols, I has a question. While I love what they do, I am none too pleased about the constant redness and line of demarcation along my jawline. Does that fade with time and useage or am I stuck looking like a sunburnt lobster?

[LionQueen]

Eryka, I think you might be overdoing it with the retinoid a little. But I need you to fill me in on the whole picture.

Is GC the only retinoid you are using? What level are you at, how often are you using it, and when did you start with it? Are there any other active products in your regimen? How do you cleanse your skin, and how often?

I'm inclined to say: take a couple of days off from GC and see what happens. But I'd like to know more about your routine.



For me: Improvement continues. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I have the distinct impression that GC helps to reduce the folliculitis bumps. I'll keep an eye on it.

[Eryka]

Yeah GC is the only retinoid I'm using right now. There was a week when I used a 10% Glycolic Cleanser but, I stopped it because it was making me even more red.

Been using GC Level 6 for about 4/5 months. I've been using a full pump one night and then half a pump the next and alternating that cycle. My skin isn't sensitive, just red and flakey. Not as bad when doing BP mind you, but I HAVE to wear makeup to make my face and neck look slightly similar. I can post a picture of it at the bottom.

As for washing, pretty standard I suppose. 2 times a day with Aveeno Ultra Calming Foam Cleanser. Can't get much more gentle than that. If my face is really dry I use some Emu Oil. I exfoliate with a scrub once a week or so to kill the flakes.

Personally, I would think after 4/5 months my skin would be adjusted by now but, apparently not. I drink a decent amount of water, no soda, clean diet, etc.

This may not be relavent but, I used Retin-A gel about 7 years ago and the damn doctor didn't tell me how to use it. So I wound up using about a finger full 2 times a day. Needless to say my skin and me were miserable. Did that for 6 or 7 months. Ever since then my face has been pinky, even when "resting". Is it possible I gave myself a chemical burn? Or would the skins natural shed cycle take care of that?

(Bear in mind with this picture that I have on SPF 85 and a good dose of green color correcting powder. Redness abounds.)

Attached Files

•  face_small2.JPG   50.13K   24 downloads

[LionQueen]

Hmmmmmm .... I don't know about lasting redness from Retin A. Seems to me it would go away with time, but I can't say that with 100% certainty.

As I recall, my face and neck were different colors for awhile during my first months on GC. I don't recall it as redness so much as a "tan" look on my face. That went away as my skin adjusted.

I have two suggestions for you to consider:

First -- Try washing with cleanser only once a day, at night. This is when you really need to use it, to get rid of makeup, sunscreen, and the accumulated grime of the day. In the mornings, just splash your face with lukewarm water to rinse off the GC residue, and then pat it dry. Try to avoid getting hot water on your face in the shower, and don't rub your skin with washcloths or towels.

Second -- Try taking some time off from GC and see if things improve. If the redness clears up in a day or two, then start using GC again ... but maybe only every other day, or 2 out of 3 days. If the redness comes back, cut back again.

I have found that my skin's tolerance for retinol has increased enormously over the years, to the point where, even after several months away from GC, I have been able to jump straight back into nightly usage of Level 9 with no redness or flaking.

[Ariventa]

You can try this if you still want to stick with the pyrithione zinc since H&S is too drying. Pricey, but may be worth it.

It's also 2% so it's stronger than H&S (1%, I think?).

DermaDoctor Cleanser - Born to be Mild.

[LionQueen]

Thank you, Ariventa! I am definitely giving that a try .... just ordered some.





random observation ... it is very hard to type with a cat lying between me and the keyboard.

[Eryka]

Thank you, Ariventa! I am definitely giving that a try .... just ordered some.





random observation ... it is very hard to type with a cat lying between me and the keyboard.

Yes, and they are aware of that little fact. Mutinous felines.

Thanks for the advice LionQueen. I'm going to be doing GC every other night for now. Its just odd that after almost 5 months of using Level 6 and 4 months of using Level 3 that my face would still be "adjusting" Retinoids have a mind of their own, I swear.

[SMT12483]

I have been really enjoying your log and wanted to give the Green Cream a try. The website you suggested in your earlier posts I can't access. Does the website still exist or do you order it from somewhere else now?

Thanks!

[LionQueen]

Yeah, I heard that Linda Sy went out of business .... too bad, she really made some good products.

You can buy Green Cream on Amazon.com now ... that's where I usually get it.

[Eryka]

I get mine from ShimmerSkincare.com She gives free shipping and great samples.

[Yvette2]

Hi LionQueen,

Visit your regimen log periodically - always informational and helpful. I noticed you ordered the Anti-fungal kit from BioNutrients. How are you liking the products? Do you feel they are helping some? How do you like the Green Sweep and probiotics? Anything else that helps?

I ordered the UGN and caprilyic acid about a month ago and it seems to help with the folliculitis flares. I recently ordered the apple cider vinegar and garlic (though I do have a garlic supplement thought this one was a good combination). I also take probiotics as well. I have Rosacea too, so it's still hard finding the "right" topicals to prevent flares without making me redder/peely. I was using Finacea for awhile but it was too drying over time. Now, I'm using Evoclin (clindamycin phosphate foam) - it works okay. At night, a few times a week, I Atralin (mild hydrating prescription retinoid) and it works fairly well.

Are you still taking maintenance Accutane? My Derm. says I can do that - but a little nervous to start back on. I lost quite a bit of hair toward the middle-end of my Accutane course and have thin hair as is... It probably would better help keep the acne and folliculitis in check. hmm....

Many thanks for your feedback!

Regards,

Yvette

[LionQueen]

Hi, Yvette --

My folliculitis is fairly quiet at the moment, but that may just be cyclical. I have been taking the antifungals for more than a month. Can't be sure if they're helping or not.

I do think that the cleanser Ariventa recommended is making a difference ... the existing bumps dried up very quickly as soon as I started using it, and I haven't developed new ones. It makes my skin awfully sensitive, though.

So yeah, still trying to strike the right balance with all the products.

[Yvette2]

Hi Lionqueen,

Thanks for your note. Sorry my original note was a little jumbled or what not. I typed it at work and had to be quick.

I have the DermaDoctor cleanser, but really don't use it anymore. It's really rougon my skin and it does have SLS in it. My skin is very sensitive to SLS. But I'm glad it works for some.

You are right the folliculitis seems cyclical. For me, it comes on more around my period (hormonal) and if my skin gets aggravated by a new skin care product. My skin is very reactive and will get more bumps with AHA's, though I can tolerate BHA's occassionally.

By the way, are you still taking the maintenance dose of Accutane?

Many thanks and let's hold on to these nice "clearer skin" days while we have them.

Yvette

[LionQueen]

Yes, I'm still on a maintenance dose of Accutane ... now down to 10 mg every 8 days. It's still doing the trick for me as far as acne and sebum production.

Damn folliculitis.

[LionQueen]

The DermaDoctor cleanser is working wonderfully for me! Irritated red patches on my cheeks which have been there all winter are entirely gone. Bumps are all gone. No new ones have come up. Flaking around my eyebrows is gone.

I love this stuff.

[Yvette2]

Hey Lionqueen,

That's great news about the Dermadoctor cleanser! I just found a milky cleanser made by Epionce that has a little zinc pyrithione in it. Not as active as Dermadoctor, but it doesn't have SLS in it which my skin doesn't tolerate.


I will be seeing my Derm. in a few weeks for a Vbeam treatment. I'm going to ask about her again what she thinks of my skin and if I should still go on low dose Accutane. She recommended it a few months ago but I wasn't so sure. I know it would help, but thought I'd go do without. I'm still getting occassional folliculitis on my forehead/hairline/jawline and mild acne at "that time of the month". My face is a bit blotchy with this and having Rosacea.

Thanks for your updates.

Yvette

[dwhaa]

LionQueen,
I looked at dermadoctor after seeing your results with it... Yvette above says it has sls in it but amazon says it doesn't? I have perioral dermatitis, hope it helps as I have been on doxy for a month again because of it. I have under chin acne right now - wonder if it will help.

I use GC9, Nucelle and alpha hydrox 12% souffle... metrogel for topical meds for the pod.

Your thoughts on it being a good cleanser, not just treatment? (I know you don't wear alot of makeup)

thx,
Dawn

[LionQueen]

Hi, Dawn! Well, I really don't ask much from a cleanser ... as you say, I barely wear makeup, just eyeliner and a little powder tint. This works fine from my point of view.

Why not see if you can get a sample size? The full tube is quite expensive. (Also quite large, I think it's going to last me awhile .... you don't need to use very much of this stuff at a time.)

I'm going to go find my reading glasses and take a look at the list of ingredients.