3 replies to this topic

[DM37]

So the other day I scrubbed too hard and now my face is very dry, flakey, and has this weird numb feeling. I am using Desquam, Benzeclin, and i started the clean and clear advantage spot treatment about three days ago. I was scrubbing a spot on my face and now the pimple looks raw and red, almost like a scrap you would get on a knee. My face is completely dry, tight, and flakey. It looks fine after washing, but when i open my mouth and fight the tightness it gets flakey and starts peeling. I have started putting neosporin on the raw spots that i scrubbed to hard. I am looking for advice in fighting this tightness, dryness, and flakiness. FAST. (also advice on the raw spots) I start 11th grade in a week (Aug. 8th) i am wondering how i can get the raw spots to heal up, and the flakiness, tightness, and dryness to subside. I normally put Proactive green tea moisturizer on it but it seems to not help this amount of dryness. I was using Aloe Vera and that seemed to help for about two-three hours and then the flakes showed up. I exfoliate, and every time i exfoliate the flakiness is there. For now I am just using Benzeclin, and neosporin on the raw spots. I have a week, so I would love any help and advice you have! The picture seems to want to stay upside down, and I don't know how to rotate it. Also, my facial redness and overall complexion seems to look worse in the photo... My guess is the flash.

The picture was taken after washing with benzeclin and applying neosporin on the raw spots, and a lip treatment made by neosporin as my lips have become chapped from all this as well. (don't know why.. haven't got any acne product on it)

anyways, i hope you can help me! Thanks!

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[Luminareo]

I remember doing something like that, just way stupider. I had no idea how to deal with my acne, and I wanted it to be gone. So in the shower one day I spotted a pumice stone... a piece of rough volcanic rock that people use to remove the calluses on their feet. I remember scrubbing at my acne with it until I made my face bleed. I had huge bloody sores on my face for weeks afterward. I had just started my first part-time job... and everyone kept asking what it was. One guy asked if I had been in a fight.

Anyway, in the future watch the scrubbing. You're not really supposed to scrub at all. Not only can it cause rawness, but it can definitely irritate your skin and make your acne worse.

For the time being, don't touch that spot on your face. I would cut out the exfoliation until it's healed a bit. Over-exfoliation can aggravate your acne as well. Just keep it moisturized. This will fight the dryness, tightness, and flakiness. Perhaps put Polysporin on once a day. Remember that it's time, and not products that will heal this one. Just leave it alone for the week, and you should be good by the time school starts.

Also... have you checked out Dan's regimen? Poke around the site here and you'll find some good advice on fighting your acne. Worked for me.

[DM37]

I remember doing something like that, just way stupider. I had no idea how to deal with my acne, and I wanted it to be gone. So in the shower one day I spotted a pumice stone... a piece of rough volcanic rock that people use to remove the calluses on their feet. I remember scrubbing at my acne with it until I made my face bleed. I had huge bloody sores on my face for weeks afterward. I had just started my first part-time job... and everyone kept asking what it was. One guy asked if I had been in a fight.

Anyway, in the future watch the scrubbing. You're not really supposed to scrub at all. Not only can it cause rawness, but it can definitely irritate your skin and make your acne worse.

For the time being, don't touch that spot on your face. I would cut out the exfoliation until it's healed a bit. Over-exfoliation can aggravate your acne as well. Just keep it moisturized. This will fight the dryness, tightness, and flakiness. Perhaps put Polysporin on once a day. Remember that it's time, and not products that will heal this one. Just leave it alone for the week, and you should be good by the time school starts.

Also... have you checked out Dan's regimen? Poke around the site here and you'll find some good advice on fighting your acne. Worked for me.

I will keep it moisturized with the green tea moisturize day and night, and i will just wash my face with benzeclin with my hands. (or would a regular hydrating body wash be better? Thanks for the help! I'm glad to know I'm not the only person with this issue! I have been struggling here lately. The spots don't bother me as much as the flaking. Thanks again!

[scottb2185]

As the previous poster said, definitely cut out the exfoliation for a bit. Using anything with physical exfoliants seems to be (in a general consensus statement) really damaging to inflammatory acne. I am 25 and have used lots of different products, including several physical exfoliants. My experience with them has been that they typically make your face feel really smooth and great, but then they cause pretty bad inflammatory acne to rise up shortly afterwards. As for the dryness and tightness, definitely stick with just moisturizing for a little while. I had a very similar issue when I was about 18 and using Dan's regimen. I got to a point where I was breaking out and using benzoyl peroxide (2.5%) and moisturizing but my face would not stop being flaky and was just a disaster; red, irritated and really depressing. I was leaving for undergrad around that time and I remember being so depressed about it and fed up that when I arrived for orientation, I just said to myself "eff this. I'm not using anything except for a moisturizer and I don't care." And it was wonderful. My face immediately felt less dry and tight, flaking diminished and though it took a week or so for the redness to diminish, it felt so nice to be free of that awful tightness in my face.

Clearly, I'm on acne.org so I didn't vanquish my acne altogether, however, my main point is that sometimes giving your face a break can do wonders. Let your body heal itself temporarily. Then, when it feels more normal, go back on your typical medication (Benzeclin, etc.). That would be my advice! I don't know about widespread use of antibiotic creams either...I mean in isolated cases e.g. one particularly affected lesion, I suppose it's alright, but long-term use is definitely not a great idea. Too many issues with bacterial resistance.

Oh, also, definitely don't use a hydrating body wash on your face!!! That sounds like a recipe for disaster as they are typically not formulated to be non-comedogenic (non pore-blocking) and are simply not designed for the face.

Edited by scottb2185, 01 August 2012 - 03:19 PM.