What is going on with my skin lately, friends?!?!
I am having some serious skin drama, is what.
It’s tempting for me to blame everything on the bottle of Kirkland-brand body wash I bought the last time I was at Costco. (It was obviously enormous, and also there were two bottles per package, so it was not my smartest purchase.) I tried the body wash and noticed the next day that my legs were itchy and a little bumpy. So I didn’t use it for a few days, on the off chance the body wash was causing a rash. When I used it again, sure enough: RASH. And this time, my legs were so intensely offended by the body wash, I got an immediate flaming red, itchy, bumpy rash all over my legs. It took more than a week before the rash went away; I had to pull out the big guns, which is a tube of high-intensity corticosteroid that makes my skin both greasy and sticky.
Fine. Body wash induced leg rash is one thing. But now I am having a rash on my neck and something is going on with my face. It’s not a rash, but it is itchy and there is redness and a lot of teensy breakouts.
I used to suffer from eczema, when I was a kid. As a result, I am very careful about what I put on my skin as it is extremely sensitive. But I have had several decades of little-to-no trouble, so I don’t know that this is eczema. I suppose I don’t know that it ISN’T eczema, either. But I cannot find a cause of whatever is happening.
I swear to you that – outside the Kirkland-brand body wash, which I used for three days – I have not introduced anything new. I have been using the same face oil I’ve been using for at least half a decade now. I infrequently wear the same amount and brands of the same minimal makeup I’ve always worn. I wash my face in the shower with the same Clean and Clear face wash I’ve been using since the early aughts. I haven’t changed perfumes or body lotions or laundry detergent. I have been washing my sheets and towels regularly, in the regular detergent with the regular moderate amount of regular fabric softener.
Okay, I have had a good investigative think, and there are two other things that are new-ish to my life that could be potential culprits:
- New-ish Medication: I changed birth controls – a decision my insurance company made for me, when they decided out of the blue that they no longer wished to cover the bcp I had been on for MANY YEARS. I hate it, thanks. It’s not quite as bad as I anticipated (I have had some scary times with oral contraceptives in the past), but I do fall into a pit of despair for about a week each month, and also my skin is overall much more blemish-y than it has been in the past. But I started this new medication in April? May? Awhile ago; seems unlikely it would be causing an issue NOW.
- New-ish Skincare Routine: I have been trying for months now to transform my “skincare routine” to a more environmentally sustainable one. I feel so ashamed to tell you this – but I am going to tell you anyway, on the principle that no one is perfect, and that each of us has room for improvement – but my skincare routine for the past few years has been a nightly regimen of wiping my face with a disposable Neutrogena wipe and then wiping my face with a disposable Noxzema wipe. I know. I am cringing so hard. Then I would slather my face with face oil. The end. This was an improvement, skin-wise, over my previous routine of leaving all the dirt and makeup on my face while I slept and then only washing it off in the shower the next day. But! I am horrified by all the waste this routine produces, so I have been weaning myself off of it. Change and I are not close friends, so the weaning process has involved many months of me a) looking into alternatives and b) reading other people’s recommendations and c) adding products to my online shopping cart(s). I finally procured some reusable facial pads and my husband (I think?) bought me a reusable face wipe. After trying them a few times, I realized, first of all, that I have no idea how anyone washes their own face without getting water EVERYWHERE but especially down their sleeves, and secondly, that I needed something on which to stow my pads and wipes. So I bought a little stand-up towel rack on which everything hangs. I have been using Pond’s cold cream and Neutrogena face wash, and I have been pretty regular about it since around September I think. But again, that’s nearly two months of no issues, so I can’t see why this new routine would suddenly bother me.
This is all to say: I do not know what is going on with my skin, but I hate it so much. I have resorted to slathering my entire body, including my face, with Eucerin. It’s so light and so soothing that it doesn’t seem to exacerbate the issue, but nothing – NOTHING – seems to be soothing the itch. Not even my old buddy Benadryl. And I’m sitting over here with an itchy, broken out face and neck with lots of red blotches and scaly patches and I don’t know what to do.
Perhaps I could call my dermatologist, but… a) I don’t think I will be able to get in to see him any earlier than January, and I already have an appointment for then, and b) I am afraid he will just prescribe Retinol again, which he suggested when I complained about my face several years ago. I cannot do Retinol; it is agony.
So I am hoping that you, my dear Internet lovelies, have The Magical Solution. Or at least have some Skin Drama tales you can tell in commiseration.
My skin has been breaking out more lately, too, which is so frustrating because I haven’t changed anything. I was on a course of steriods for my hearing loss caused by COVID; maybe it was that?
I feel like I will be zero help in this area but imagine you’ll get a lot of tremendously helpful input from the interwebs!
I’m lazy and hate washing my face. I use coconut oil to loosen my makeup and then rub it all off with one of those makeup remover clothes (which I ADORE). Then I put a bit more coconut oil on as a moisturizer.
That’s it. I literally don’t own a single face cream…but I’ve seen the laugh lines around my mouth lately and it might be time to up my skin-care routine…
I keep hoping that it is because of “a change in the weather,” but we’re going on two weeks of itching now so that seems less likely. I love your coconut oil routine! That sounds simple and I bet it smells amazing.
Skin drama over here, too…. Any time I so much as walk past the soaps at tjmaxx or Marshalls, my skin gets itchy. Last year, after a routine dentist appointment, I had a rash of hives on my neck get so bad that I had to take Prednisone for a week. Did the hygienist have lotion on her arm and accidently touch my neck? Did the lead blanket for the x-ray machine have residue from some other patient’s face cream? I will never know.
Over the summer, I was stung by a jelly fish. I had huge swollen red rashes all over my ankles and feet. Nothing typical could touch it…. The only thing that provided any relief was Prednisone. I hate taking them, but oral steroids seem to be the magic bullet for me in solving skin rash problems.
Ugh, steroids are the worst but also the best. You were stung by a jellyfish!!! That sounds awful!
Oh, that is so hard. I’m sorry that you are dealing with this. My skin is also very sensitive and here are some things that work for me. I read a good tip – instead of using body wash, lather bar soap onto a shower puff/mesh loofah. It works surprisingly well and avoids plastic waste from the body wash containers. I use Dove sensitive skin bar soap, and it also helps to apply lotion as soon as I dry off from my shower.
For the itch, you might try CeraVe moisurizing cream. I use it on my face and neck. My dad uses CeraVe on his whole body to deal with eczema at the recommendation of his dermatologist. Aveeno is my other go-to for body lotion (I’ve never used it on my face). Both of these are pricey, but perhaps cheaper than a dermatologist. Take good care.
I swear by that Neutrogena ultra gentle daily cleanser. I found it during the lockdown phase of the pandemic and am a convert forgoing my doctor’s Skinceutical suggestion.
As for your problem, could it be that your water is coming from a different source? That happened here a few years ago when the township reconfigured the water lines. Suddenly we had harder water than before.
Also where did you get that device that’s holding your products and washing thingies? I’ve never seen anything like it and love it.
When I was breaking out in hives last year, I went to see an allergist and he did a skin test and I came back allergic to almost everything when I never had been before and the allergist said he doubted I’d suddenly developed dozens of food and environmental allergies. Nothing but daily antihistamines worked until 7 months later when the hives spontaneously went away. He said it just happens like that sometimes. This was probably supremely unhelpful.
This sounds awful. WHY does skin just suddenly decide to rebel?!
I’m so sorry you’re having skin drama! It’s the worst and really hard to pinpoint why (my guess is the new pads/cloths, though). I hardly ever use cloths – just my hands and water, and yes it does kind-of get splashy. I guess I’m just used to it. Definitely roll up your sleeves, lol.
My favorite skincare products are BeautyCounter, even though it’s suuuuuper expensive. I find their stuff mild, it smells amazing, and it really feels like I’m taking good care of my skin. I love the CounterTime face oil and the entire CounterTime system, tbh. I promise I don’t sell it. Almost wish I did, maybe then I could afford it.
Looking forward to more advice from your smarty readers.
Oh, I also like Aveeno Positively Radiant daily cleanser, and their night cream.
Yesssss I love BeautyCounter. That’s the face oil I use daily — their brightening oil. It makes me very happy except now, when it isn’t working its magic.
I’m no help for the weird skin, but Costco will allow returns for the rashy body wash.
YES! I need to do this.
I have terrible eczema and I use Neutrogena wipes to clean my skin every night and don’t worry about the environmental cost because any time I’ve changed it, my skin has gone insane.
Also, one time my husband changed HIS body wash and because I touch him and his clothes and the sheets, I broke out into a rash. Once he changed back, it was fine. So. Maybe check to see if your husband has changed anything? Also, could someone be using one of your washcloths/towels for something else (drying their hands, etc.)?
I don’t really have any idea what’s going on. Could just be regular old body changing things, too. (A recent trip to the gynecologist started with the doctor saying to me “as our bodies get older,” and I wanted to weep.)
My husband DID recently change his body wash!!!!!!! I am going to see if he will use something else and see if that helps!
I wonder if stress is part of the culprit here? My understanding is that stress if bad for eczema or can result in flares? And you have had some stress this fall from the intense activity schedule/etc? But I am not much help. Like Lee above, I exclusively use beauty counter products. I have a reusable towel for taking my make-up off and then I use counter control products because I am acne prone and then their charcoal cleansing bar in the morning. Both are working really well! But they are pricey.
But omg, I can’t imagine using retinol when you are struggling with things like break outs!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!
From what I’ve heard, Waxelene is the best product for eczema. I don’t wash my face at night, only use Cetaphil to wash my face in the morning and I’ve never had outbreaks my entire life, and I’m almost 60. I don’t have wrinkles either. I think the beauty companies try to make use think we need all these products and it just overkills our skin. Less is more in my opinion!
Oh wow, you must have amazing skin genetics! I am so envious! And I completely agree with you that the beauty companies overemphasize what we need. I would use plain old soap and water if that didn’t already make my skin itch.
I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, but how often do you wash your reusable cloths and wipes? Like, in the washing machine? Someone (…totally not me…) once thought that you didn’t really need to do that, since you’re soaping/cleansering them up every night, but actually running them through the machine is a totally different clean.
Yes, this sounds like something I would do as well, but alas (alas because I would love it to be so simple a solution!) I do wash them regularly. (In fragrance free detergent with no fabric softener.)
I’ve got zero solutions as usual, I’m just here to commiserate. Hopefully others will have some useful advice;-) I nearly threw my computer across the room in rage when I read about your insurance switching your BCP…grrrr!!!! I’ve had issues with this in the past but luckily I’ve never had any push back on the brand that works for me.
Also what is up with retinol? I’ve had nothing but misery from it but everyone seems to think that it’s the Holy Grail.
Hello! As a midwife who writes for BCP all day long, it’s totally acceptable to tell your provider and insurance that you can’t tolerate your new birth control. This happens ALL THE TIME with birth controls. It’s a pain to get a DAW prescription (DAW can be used for a specific generic too) and need a prior authorization, but it’s totally worth it. You should be happy with your birth control! If your current provider won’t jump through these hoops for you, sometimes switching pharmacies can help (I know locally the ones that will do prior authorizations for me and your provider probably knows your local ones too). Good luck!
I like the Aveeno calming stuff. I have rosacea , and it is the only stuff that doesn’t irritate my skin– I use the face wash and the lotion when I can find it.
That is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, isn’t it? I have sensitive skin too and don’t try to change too many things lest I break out in a rash, too.
My suggestions also would have been that it could be stress, something that your husband changed in his routine, or just a freak change of hormones (as women are prone to experience – harhar).
Ugh, sorry to hear this. I have never had eczema, but I have had acne and it’s so hard to pinpoint the causes! I have that exact Neutrogena cleanser, and I use it in the morning. My skin is not super-sensitive so I’m all about the Retinol, and I have like a five-step nightly skin care routine. It takes a little while, and honestly, who knows if it helps, but I like feeling like I’m doing something for my haggard crypt-keeper face!
You mentioned scales – which immediately made me think of psoriasis (sadly to say, I’m pretty cognizant of the symptoms). A dermatologist (or even a good GP) could make that diagnosis fairly easily and prescribe something that could help.
But, it’s also entirely possible (I’m sorry to say) that your skin just changes as you age and you can develop random skin issues that you’ve never encountered before.
Ugh- this sucks. Skin issues are the worst. All I can do is commiserate- I have rosacea, but a kind of rosacea that looks like really ugly acne when it flares up. For that reason I’m afraid to use almost everything on my face- I can never tell what’s going to make it flare up.
Could your issue be an allergy? I once went through a phase where I would get HUGE hives (mostly on my back) and lived on a prescription non-drowsy benadryl type med. After a while it just went away on its own. Anyway… I hope you can find a solution to this.
I am entering in the Commiseration category. A couple of years ago, I got an advent calendar that had various samples: skin care, make-up, etc. And I made a point of using each new thing each day if possible: so, for example, if I got a toner on Day 1, I used the toner on Day 1; if on Day 2 I got a skin cleanser, on Day 2 I used the skin cleanser and then the toner. And AT SOME POINT, I must have used something that WILDLY DISAGREED WITH my skin, because alllll around my eyes and eyelids I broke out in an itchy, flaky, bumpy, pink miserable rash. Of course I IMMEDIATELY stopped using EVERYTHING (and eventually threw most of it out, which is a shame, but it turned out I wasn’t willing to try a single one of them again), but it took WEEKS for the rash to go away, and I was undergoing the same handwringing “Am I going to have to contact a SPECIALIST about this??” thought-process. But then it DID go away. It took sooooo much longer than I would have expected for ANY sort of normal reaction to a normal topical product, but it seems like that just MUST have been it. And it hasn’t happened again, which was my other thought: I’d wondered if it might go away but then recur, and THEN I’d have to call a specialist. But no, not so far.
I am sorry to hear about this. I am also sorry that I don’t have any suggestions. I am an oddball who doesn’t do much in the way of skincare. I use Oil of Olay after my shower and Dove bar soap on my face. I rarely wear any makeup. Like I said, I’m not the norm. Good luck. The rash from the shower gel is alarming.
I am here to suggest weatbands for your wrist(s) to combat the water running down your arm(s)!
Ugh. Sweatbands!
I figured. 🙂 Thank you!
My first (and only) thought was that your hormones are changing. Even with the newer pills, it could just have taken some time to show up on your face.
Weird about the body wash. I’ll have to avoid that one.
I feel you. I have some sort of eczema on my eyelids currently and I have no clue what to do about it. Hope you find a solution that works for you.
I have had some really appalling skin issues in the past, and I am offering my heartfelt sympathy but I don’t know what to suggest (except the hormonal thing sounds likely). Also laughing at the washing your face without getting water everywhere – I do NOT do it without getting water everywhere. I only wash my face topless, and I have a basket of little towels for wiping up the stuff I splash everywhere. I have tried to be less of a dork about this, and I canNOT.
What a weird thing to happen! I swear sometimes my body just starts overreacting to something that it’s never overreacted to before. Hormones, maybe? I don’t know!
I have to use a washcloth when I’m washing my face. It drives me crazy to have water going everywhere!
I was thinking hormones, as well, in addition to any food changes, or even changes in humidity. So, things internal and things external. Eagerly awaiting the update, though, as your issues sound unbelievably challenging to deal with. 🙁 I would not be as sanguine as you. Hope it’s improving by now??