Skin Getting Me Down

[xblondyx]

Well, I have two job interviews this month and my skin is awful. I've tried everything to try and get these spots away but nothing works.

 

I've got tablets from the doctors - two or three different types that i have used over a year, cream from the doctor, other random tablets and creams from the local Boots the chemist and now the ProActiv solution. I guess some of them have helped a little bit but right now, my skin just looks sooo bad. It's all red lumpy and dry and looks horrible.

 

I need to give a good impression and when my skin looks this bad i feel depressed and don't even want to leave the house. What are my potential employers going to think when i turn up for an interview looking awful? I know i should just be happy, not judge myself on my looks but every time i look in the mirror i want to cry.

 

Also, i leave school on friday forever and everyone will be taking photos and i will look awful on them another thing is that my friends and i are going for a drink after school and i'm worried in case i am going to look a right mess and won't be able to cover my spots (my mum has to help me to do my makeup as when i do it, i make it look even worse - a 17 year old girl with her mother helping her to do her makeup - pathetic!)

 

Anyone got any advice on what i should do?

[ElektraHere]

Blondy,

 

Sorry to hear the ProActiv isn't working for you. The one thing that can make skin react terribly is stress. You are going through a major life change right now. You are graduating from high school and deciding what you want to do in the future.

 

Do you pick at your skin? I know that does not help the healing process. I would also check with your DR about possible food allegeries. Are you drinking alot of soda pop? Sugar, wheat, or even dairy can be a bad culprit too. Also what about your makeup? What kind are you using? Cleansing how often do you wash your face? Sometimes too much washing makes skin even worse.

[ehm doubleyou]

A home solution that worked for me was the egg yolk treatment....google it ...its basically a face mask treatment and skin feels great after its done. Although you need to do it everyday for a bit then just do it every couple weeks and then once a month. When you apply it to your face...it can be messy, but it will dry out and you will feel your skin tightning up....after 20 min....start flexing your facial muscles and it will crack...then just remove it with water...it really makes your skin feel great.

[xblondyx]

Do you pick at your skin? I know that does not help the healing process. I would also check with your DR about possible food allegeries. Are you drinking alot of soda pop? Sugar, wheat, or even dairy can be a bad culprit too. Also what about your makeup? What kind are you using? Cleansing how often do you wash your face? Sometimes too much washing makes skin even worse.

 

Yes i guess i do pick at it a bit but when i find myself doing it, i try to stop myself. I drink more water than soda pop recently. Makeup hmm i think i'm using Almay makeup which is meant to help the skin. And also Avon Clearskin conceler.

I wash my face every morning and every night. I read somewhere (possibly on here) that you should not wash it more than 2 times. Sometimes i do wash it around 5 o clock if i'm going out anywhere and then reapply makeup after.

 

- ehm doubleyou - i am going to google it to see how it all works. Thanks

[ElektraHere]

Don't pick at your face. That only makes it worse and leads to permanent scarring. Also dont touch your face too much or if you do wash your hand first. The dirt from your hands can make your pores clog. If you have to rest your hand in your face put a tissue between your hand and face. Also how do you apply your makeup? Sponges, powder puff, brushes? They really need to be cleaned thoroughly if not the bacteria from open sores spreads causing more spots. If you use hair products sometimes if it gets on your face it can cause breakouts. Another thing is your pillowcase that should be changed because of all the products and oils from your hair.

Just tips of things I can think of

[xblondyx]

When applying my makeup i just use my fingers as i find that sponges just soak up the makeup. I wash my hands before though. I change my pillowcase either every weekend or every other weekend. Thank you for all of your advice.

[CarnelianButterfly]

Are you on birth control, I started taking it and now I get a zit once in a blue moon. One of my remedies is to put cortisone cream on it to help reduce the swelling and itch or some Bikini Zone to reduce the redness and swelling.

[Jonboy582]

I have/had a similar problem but it is clearing up now.

 

I suggest, the obviouse cleansing with a face prodcuct that contains salycilic acid but not an exfoliant as this irritates the skin more. I use "Clean and Clear, Deep Cleansing Face Wash". Also you say your face is dry, try moisturising with an oil free moisturiser. Do this once a day and in a VERY thin amount as not to clog your pores. Also make sure all producs are OIL FREE ! ! ! I cant stess this enough.

 

Also I have found changing bedding very frequently helps so much. Say like use each side of your pillow for like 3 days then was the pillow case, also change bedding atleast once every week. Before I did not bother with this but now I do, am my skin is looking great (for me).

 

One final thing DIET, drink lots and lots of water, make sure you drink atleast 2 litres of pure water a day this flushes out alot of inpurities and hydrates the skin. Also cut out alot/ reduce intake of fatty and sugary foods, also bread which has been linked to increase in acne, the bread (if you are in America is alot worse than over here in the UK aswell, because they add sugar to it for some strange reason).

 

Hope this has been of help and not said loads of times (I could not be bothered to read all posts because im lazy sorry).

 

Jon

 

EDIT : Just skim read the posts and people already suggested pillow case, but do it with ALL beddig as that comes in contact with face alot. Ohh and CLEAN towls like every 3 or 4 days. Ohh wear make up as least often as you can. I even though am a bloke, decided to use cover up which was meant to treat things aswell, but it always makes it worse.

[butterfly_kisses]

I had the same problems until recently too. After reading two books "The Beauty Bible" and "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter without me" both by Paula Begoun, I learned so much about my skin. She also has a website link removed. She has plenty of useful information about how to care for skin as well as what make up and beauty products are best for you. Read this information and stick with it for a while. It will take time to see improvement in your skin.

 

I agree with the changing of pillow cases every week (the whole set of sheets should be changed weekly). One other thing I do is change the towel I use to dry my face with every day. I bought a package of washcloths actually and use a clean one every day. The package came with about 25 washcloths and was less than $4 so I always have a clean one and I don't have to do laundry so often.

 

Hope this helps...