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Mild Eczema AND Acne-prone/Oily Skin?! (Pictures)

MemberMember
0
(@its-asong422gmail-com)

Posted : 05/19/2020 1:12 pm

Hey, everyone! This will be a very long post, so I apologize in advance!

Although I have very oily and acne-prone skin, I also have this annoying patch of red, dry, itchy skin on my eyebrow bone/forehead that™s been there for the last few months with barely any improvement. Sometimes it™s on my chin as well. Having experienced issues similar to this in the past, I scoured the internet and WebMD for the source of this (may not have been the best idea haha) and have basically self-diagnosed myself with mild eczema.

Some background on my skin...

I™ve had acne since I was about 12 years old and I am 23 years old now. I have always had very, VERY oily skin. I™ve tried and researched everything to treat my acne: salicylic acid spot treatments, salicylic face wipes, drugstore acne face washes (Clean and Clear, Neutrogena, etc), prescription benzoyl peroxide treatments (I forgot the names, but one was called Differin), literally ALL the at-home treatments you can think of, even Accutane last year! Nothing really worked for me in the long run. Acne.org was the only thing that basically saved my skin when I started the regimen in 2016. My acne subsided so much, although didn't clear completely. Now, I only use the benzoyl peroxide treatment for bad cases of acne flare ups. During the past few years, I would get the occasional dry patch that I would, of course, associate with the benzoyl peroxide, so I would usually use jojoba oil with my moisturizer or less of the treatment itself for a few days and it would be fine. 

As for my œeczema episodes.. A couple years ago, I had a severe red, itchy rash all along my neck under my chin. At that time, I didn™t think of eczema at all. I used an insane amount of aloe vera to try and fix it (I come from a very traditional family where aloe is the go-to skin cure). It took about a month or so before it actually went away, and I don™t really remember how it happened. But it was stressful and embarrassing, and I had to constantly cover it with concealer, which probably made it so much worse. Also, and I know this is bad, but there was a time I actually used hydrocortisone cream on my face in the dry spots to relieve my itchiness¦ I didn™t know using steroid products on my face could be damaging, so maybe that affected my skin?

***

Back to the present. I™ve researched what types of creams/lotions to use for my "eczema" and kept running into the Aveeno Eczema Therapy moisturizing cream. When I first started using it, I saw a difference in the dryness, and the red patch went away completely on my chin. It™s been almost a month now since I started using it, and that stubborn red/itchy patch on my eyebrow/forehead never went away. It™s still red, and it™s still so itchy. And now, my eyelids are starting to get itchy! I find myself washing my hands and applying the Aveeno moisturizer on the itchy areas at least 4-5 times every day. 

For the past year, I've been using the Vitamin C facial wash from Soap&Glory, Thayer™s witch hazel toner, the Acne.org benzoyl peroxide treatment, this Lilyana Naturals eye cream I bought from Amazon, and Cetaphil oil control moisturizer (until switching to Aveeno a month ago). A couple days I go, I switched to using micellar water (nightly), CeraVe foaming face wash, Acne.org treatment, and the same eye cream with the Aveeno moisturizer in the hope that the products would be less harsh. 

The thing that FRUSTRATES me is that I have acne-prone, oily skin AND these red, dry, itchy patches!!! If I want to get rid of the acne, I have to use my benzoyl peroxide treatment, but I have that fear that I™m actually making my dry patches worse with it. And recently, since I™ve been liberally applying this Aveeno moisturizer, I find acne flare ups in those places I apply the cream! So right now, I have both acne AND dry, red patches. It just seems like I can™t win!!! What do I do??? 

* * *
TLDR; I believe I suffer from mild eczema (recently self-diagnosed) and also very acne-prone, oily skin for the past 11 years. I have dry, red itchy patches on my face. If I moisturize too much, I get acne. If I get acne, I use benzoyl peroxide, which I feel exacerbates dryness. I'm lost as to what I should do at this point. Any advice would be much appreciated!!! 

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MemberMember
6
(@penthotal11111)

Posted : 05/20/2020 3:02 am

Hi.

Did you try antiandrogens (for example Spironolactone)? They could help you decrease sebum-oily skin and therefore acne... Since thatyou are a girl, you should consider it and discuss it with adoctor.
It doesnt look like eczema. Most likely your skin is just very sensitive. Anyway I believe people with oily skin shouldnt moisturize (in my experience it makesthe skin condition much worse...).

 

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MemberMember
568
(@leelowe1)

Posted : 05/22/2020 4:50 am

I have eczema and acne too! It sucks. It has limited the type of topical products that am able to use .

 

I have been on spiro for a few years and in the first few years, it helped reduce the number of bad skin days I was having. Im in the process of seeming down and my skin is not a happy camper. You may have to try something internal since your skin is so temperamental. A derm may be able to provide some options

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MemberMember
17
(@gutskinaxis)

Posted : 05/23/2020 10:51 am

Eczema and acne is a clear sign that you have a food intolerance

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