A Skin Emergency Needs Your Help!
This morning as I was getting ready for work I got an email from a very close friend who is in the throes of a full-blown skin emergency. The last few times I’ve seen her she’s told me that the skin on her face has gotten so dry that when she wakes up in the morning she’s slightly horrified at the peely action happening on her hairline and around her nose and mouth.
It’s one of those things you can’t see when you look at her, but it drives her bonkers, understandably, and is beginning to interfere with her day-to-day. Here’s what she said today:
Hi! Not to be a drama queen, but I think, by most women’s standards, I’ve got a skin emergency on my hands. It’s definitely spreading, scaly, tough and red/inflamed. I have to go the bathroom before every meeting at work to reapply oil and make sure I don’t look like a reptile. I feel like I’m in high school.
Some more details:
1. The rashy thing did NOT start after a product change.
2. She tends toward very dry skin (she’s definitely vata, for you ayurveda people out there).
3. She’s been to regular dermatologists and an ayurvedic doctor. This might be eczema, but she’s not going to put cortisone on her face (obviously).
4. She eats very clean, allergen-free food.
5. Her house is unscented Seventh Generation-everything.
6. Her current moisturizers are avocado oil and argan oil, which she uses all day.
7. She cleanses her face once a day with whatever I give her—always super clean, super gentle, and usually plant-oil based and nonfoaming, natch. Currently it’s this Spiezia Organic oil cleanser, which she loves.
8. We love her and want to help!
Let’s not overwhelm her with suggestions, but if you’ve been there yourself, or you’re a skincare expert of some kind (we know there are a bunch of you out there!), or you have a suggestion for a superrich topical she can use, please let us (and her) know in the comments.
Image via
Could she have psoriasis? The hairline thing is what makes me think it could be that. And the fact she seems to use natural products and eat healthy. I have psoriasis on my scalp, in my ears, on my eyelid, and some other places on my body. It doesn’t matter how healthy I eat or what products I use. And believe me, I’ve tried just about every “natural” remedy I can find out there to no avail. The first time I went to a dermatologist they misdiagnosed the scales on my scalp as chronic dermatitis. It took years to get a proper diagnosis of psoriasis. Seek out a dermatologist that specializes in psoriasis if you can. Good luck!
My BFF went through something similar around the time of her wedding, though you could definitely see the inflamed, red, scaley patches of skin on her body. After an attempt at using steroid creams (that she hated using) going to light treatments 2x’s a week for the facial outbreaks and giving up her beloved vodka cocktails for two months, there was no change. It was only after the wedding (stress??) and starting on a fish oil supplement that the change started…..
Not sure if we’re allowed to give websites but this one is a gem…. it has natural remedies that have been tried and trued by people. For example, the first suggestion for psoriasis is to try glycerin… gets rid of the condition in about a week!
Check it out:
http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/psoriasis2.html
By the way, you guys rock!!
I agree with stress, but sometimes it is an unknown food allergy… I had a situation for years of white scaling in my ears, scalp and skin that progressed to extremely dry, cracked and peeling skin. The dermatologist labeled \angry skin syndrome\, and told me to use only water and olive oil in the skin and cut gluten, dairy etc to figure out if I had food allergies (that is the same wonderful dermatologist that for over ten years has been saying to not use any soap during baths). It did help a little, but my skin just went back to happy normal after one to two weeks without gluten. Turns out that I have Celiac Disease and the least common side effect is skin problems. Now if I eat something contaminated I have patches of dry skin, otherwise I use nothing but water and olive oil on my skin… Good luck!
I would try Keys Luminos Lotion (or the one with SPF – I think they’re equivalent except for the SPF). I used these through a round of Accutane and never had dry skin (even through a Minnesota winter). I still use Keys after Accutane and their lotions do not make me break out. They were formulated by a husband and wife for the wife’s post-cancer skin issues (per the Keys website). Perhaps it is the combination of oils, but I find this lotion to be more moisturing than any other product I have tried (including argan oil or any face oil). Good luck!!
I’ve had similar problems in the past, here’s some suggestions based on my experience…
Psoriasis is a possibility – if so sun exposure (w/o sunscreen, for a short time) may help. Coconut oil is richer than argan oil to try as topical…but sounds like this needs some internal help. Destressing as much as possible, get those omega oils (try ground flaxseeds), may need to try eliminating any possible dietary problems (wheat/gluten maybe?). Another calming topical could be raw honey or finely ground oatmeal paste (make it gluten free oatmeal), or mix the honey and oatmeal.
good luck, I’ve been there and I’ll send you good thoughts!
I have the same issue and it’s always stress/weather related. The best thing I ever did was start using a serum at night all over my face, applying a natural oil around my hairline (coconut, argan, even vaseline in desperate times). The other really important factor that played into my ‘recovery’ was buying a humidifier and making sure to use it everynight. It made all the difference. Also, diet is everything. :) I would suggest taking Omega’s.
I have ezcema that can flare up and what I use when it does is neem oil. I apply regular moisturizer (argan oil or olive oil) and then I go on afterwards with neem oil. I’ve also found that I have specific spots that this flares up with, so I tend to just preemptively use the neem oil on them during the winter time when my skin freaks out a little bit more.
I have really dry skin in the winter, especially living on the East coast compared to the nice wet West coast.
What I’ve done that works well for me is:
- have my humidifier running at night
- at night, wash my face in warm water, pat dry and put olive oil on, rub in and pat with a towel (I’m sure this will work the same for the avocado/argan oil.)
The only cream I use and absolutely swear by is Pure & Natural by Carina. (His shampoo and conditioner is amazing too.) The Botanical line is suppose to help eczema.
http://www.carinaorganics.com/purenatural.htm
His products are very different to main stream products. The cream is wet and doesn’t have that “luxury thickness” that other creams will have. You need to rub it in. It doesn’t sit on top of your skin like others do. When you wash your hands/where ever you don’t feel it wash away. I’ve used his products almost exclusively for years. The owner is a doll too.
For kicks, maybe try exploring Chinese face mapping:
http://www.eruptingmind.com/chinese-face-map/
As Rebecca suggests, EFA oils might help too.
Good luck! <3
I have, ahem, VERY sensitive skin. I live in Colorado, where it’s drier than dry.
Thing I’ve recently learned: processed sugars, and possibly processed simple carbs make my skin swell, which causes giant breakouts. *sigh*
The flaky-ness of my skin is directly correlated with the amount of water I drink.
The Laid in Montana emu oil sensitive skin cream is extra emollient, gentle on my skin, and helps with inflammation. My son’s eczema goes away (and stays away) almost immediately after using it. Here’s a link: http://cart.montanaemuranch.com/Sensitive-Skin-Cream-2-and-4-oz.html. Also, we up the oil in our diets and include other collagen-improving nutrients to help both my dry/sensitive skin and his eczema.
Nickel sensitivity. If I wear glasses with metal frames I get red and itchy. Extreme temperatures exacerbate this condition. I have not had any luck treating it. It comes and goes.
The skin on my face was flaking earlier this winter, too. I usually use argan oil as a moisturizer, but even putting on extra didn’t help. I started using Egyptian Magic, which is “clean” but not organic, and my skin has been great since. It’s a little greasy looking when you first apply, but that goes away after about 15 minutes. They sell it at Whole Foods; here’s the website: http://www.egyptianmagic.com/
I hope this helps!
This product works. Guaranteed.
http://www.originalskinfood.com
I’ve seen it do miracles for family, friends, and for myself. I’m completely amazed at all the things it can be used for for skin related issues. All natural, handmade, eco-friendly. You can even get it in your eyes or mouth and it won’t hurt you. The woman who made it originally created it for her daughters when they were babies. I swear by it. Won’t live without it. Have some in every room in the house, plus my handbag!
I have very dry skin and get dermatitis from time to time depending on my lifestyle. When I use just an oil based moisturiser on my face it flakes up. What works best is a clean and gentle, aqua based moisturiser with a couple of drops of an oil such as rosehip and find my skin absorbs it really well. I think certain skin types don’t respond well to just using oil and need the water base to get through…that’s my theory anyhow.
Oil Cleanse Method. Worked like a charm for me.
This indeed sounds like Psoriasis to me as well. The thing to remember about psoriasis is that it’s an auto-immune disorder, and changing your diet and using natural oils will help ease the symptoms, but until you control the immune system that causes the problems, you will continue to have recurring breakouts.
Two things, first of all I have a good friend who has Psoriasis and due to other reasons is entirely free of gluten/wheat/dairy/caffeine and red meat. It solves his other issues but not the Psoriasis. Its contrary to a natural way of thinking but during the winter up north here where its cold he does do periodic tanning to keep it in check, but otherwise he has to rely on prescriptions to keep it under control. Every other natural thing he’s done does not help. Secondly, and this is totally just me wondering out loud…I tried using olive oil and coconut oil for lip moisturizer and ended up with badly chapped, scaly, peeling lips. Is it possible that perhaps some of the oils she’s using could be causing some of the problems on her skin instead of helping to fix them? Everyone is different…its worth a try to eliminate it for a bit just to see if it makes a difference.
Helosan is a super rich cream which I used to stock up on every time I would visit family in Sweden but I just saw the other day that they sell it at Fisk on Delancey Street (a Swedish cafe that sells various Swedish goods at the front counter). It may not address the cause of the problem but it is hands down the best thing I ever used on my psoriasis.
Orange Flower Facial oil followed by WIld Rose Beauty Balm from NYR Organic!!! The first certified Organic skin care company in the US celebrating its 30th anniversary in the UK. Also excellent results from the Baby Balm for excema! These products combine natural ingredients with essential oils providing both physical and emotional benefits! I will even send you a sample!!!
another idea is to check the local water supply. some people are sensitive to chlorine that gets added to some water systems. chlorine may dry out skin and scalp. in case that is a cause, a shower and sink filter might offer a solution.
This situation sounds very familiar to me. Around Christmas my cheeks and eyelids just completely freaked out. The skin became an angry red, chapped, sensitive, scaly, rough mess — some days it looked like I had dragged it across gravel. I’ve dealt with eczema since I was a child (family history), but the flareups are usually brief, seasonal, and confined to my hands. This was unlike anything I had ever seen. My diet is relatively clean (I’m a flexitarian/vegan until 6pm and stay away from refined foods and caffeine), and I’ve used nothing but organic oil-based skincare for two years now. I used coconut oil, argan oil and olive oil as my primary face and body moisturizers. I tried eating gluten-free, went completely raw and vegan, drank gallons of water daily — basically everything I could to eliminate any potential food allergens and chemicals that might be causing the problem. Literally no improvement at all. I too was applying oils (and plant butters!) to my face several times a day trying to keep my skin comfortable. It was so dry nothing helped for longer than about 20 minutes. This happened during a generally busy season for me (I am a singer) and I couldn’t take any work. I couldn’t think about singing in front of people, let alone wear makeup. Finally, out of sheer desperation, I went to a dermatologist. This was a tough decision for me because I knew I would probably be prescribed steroids to relieve the symptoms, not cure the underlying condition. But after six weeks, it was spreading over my face to my throat, and the pain was starting to keep me up at night. I was at the end of my rope. The dermatologist — a very caring doctor — asked lots of questions and listened to my concerns. She had no issues whatsover with my skin care approach, but wanted to deal with the immediate issue of my poor skin. So … for two weeks, I’ve been using extra-strength steroid creams on my face and body, and some very basic skincare. Within two days my skin calmed down and started to heal. It now looks almost perfect — almost better than I remember. While I am completely grateful for this, it did bother me to go this route. I don’t know what will happen when the steroid creams are discontinued, and I am worried the condition may return. While I am determined to find the root cause of this, I understand I may never know. I thought I was living a clean lifestyle, using products I believed in and felt good about. Clearly something else is wrong, and I can only continue trying to find what it might be. I’m just trying to find some balance until I can return to the chemical-free skincare I love. I wish your friend — and anyone else struggling with this — complete success.
I has eczema on my neck at one point. The thing that completely restored it was consuming large amounts of omegas as well as spreading castor oil on my skin. Castor oil is also called “palma christi” (translation: palm of Christ) due to its astonishing healing properties. It is one of the few oils that tricks the skin into believing there is an additional layer of skin which allows more rapid healing.
Try it, eh?
Ungvita. It’s Vitamin A in a petroleum jelly base that solves my skin woes. I think it’s meant for babies, but hey, if it’s good enough for a baby’s butt then it’s good enough for my face.
The only thing that helped my peel-y, chapped skin was (and is, when it flares up) Evan Healy’s Whipped Shea Butter and Olive Oil. I swear by it. I get angular chelitis occasionally (those cracks on the side of your mouth?) and it tames it in a day.
I agree completely with Claudia about gluten! I have always had very very sensitive, dry, easily irritated skin, but a few years ago it got completely unmanageable and weird, red, peeling patches appeared on my arms, shoulders, back, and face. Luckily, I had just switched doctors, and the new doctor recognized the connections between food allergies and skin rashes. I did an elimination diet also, and sure enough, it’s a gluten/wheat allergy. Ever since I’ve been on a gluten/wheat free diet, my skin is clear and comfortable. If I accidentally eat something with gluten, I get the rash even worse now, though. Since being gluten free, my occasional acne flare up has stopped, too. Good luck to your friend and I hope she can find a solution!
Also, just read your book–loved it!
My Ayurvedic diet book says that since she is vata qualities are: “dryness, mobility, light, cold, rough, clear, and dispersing”. And vatas can clear up their dryness issues by eating more “wet, oily, and warm foods” to minimize eating “dry and cold” foods (crackers, apples, lettuce, granola, etc) . I am extremely vata too, and this really helps!
I don’t know if someone’s mentioned this or not but could it be winter? I unfortunately live in a very dry house and ever since late October early November when it started getting really cold I’ve been super dry. Maybe a humidifier run in her bedroom at night would help?
Until she figures out the root of the problem, Weleda’s Skin Food is amazing for putting on spots that are dry!
You can pick it up anywhere from Target to Whole Foods. I like to put it on at night and by morning it’s totally absorbed.
emu oil is a great tip! and direct application of real oils and oily veggies- whole avocado, and drinking tons of water. but then, my face is falling off as well, our weather has been nuts, 50 degrees to -7 in days and then back @ 50! wicked =S
Sprout Wellness All-Over Cream has done wonders for my dry skin. I was using argan oil and it was not moisturizing enough for me in winter, it didn’t feel like it absorbed and moisturized deep down, only the top layer of skin. It is totally clean and organic, and only 3 non-irritating ingredients- coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter. My skin is very sensitive- prone to rashes, breakouts, eczema, peeling, you name it and I love this whole line. It really is food for the skin! Best of all, the moisturizer is inexpensive- only $18 for 2 oz and it works! This cream absorbs really well and keeps my face hydrated all day!
I’d recommend washing her face with oil AM and PM, as you had suggested in your book.
Bits of aloe here and there right before she applies her oils might nor be a bad idea.
I use argan and avocado oils as well, but I mix mine with:
Argan with Jojoba and Grapeseed oil – powerful antioxidants for am
sweet almond with jojoba for pm
and when I’m feeling dry, sweet almond, avocado oil and olive oil. SO SO hidrating!
DOesn’t sound like psoriasis for a number of reasons…..But I do I second the suggestion that it might be caused from showers/baths in unfiltered municipal water. Many cities add high amounts of chlorine and other disinfecting chemicals to kill microbes, parasites, virus…The amounts can vary and occasionally city officials will add excess amounts in the water…. Needless to say, chlorine et al, can be very irritating to the skin. Some people tolerate it better than others. And it is always a good idea to be up on your EPA/DHA, GLAs….Here’s my thought:
I had a client once who came to me with almost the exact same set of symptoms. We tried everything I could suggest, with some improvement, but it would come and go…..very mercurial.
Over a period of 6 months he went to more than 4 derms, got 4 different diagnosis, 4 different prescriptions, all to no avail. Whipped Shea Butter layered with Lavender Hydrosol “sandwiches” (oil and water combined together creates an emulsion very similar to the skin’s own, allowing each to penetrate more effectively).
It wasn’t until many months later when his wife, quite inadvertently, happened to change their old shower head to a new, filtered shower head, that his dry, flaky, itchy, scaly, dehydrated, irritated skin finally and almost instantly, cleared up… and apparently never came back.
He wrote telling me to pass his story on whenever I read of some mysterious skin ailment…
So, I’m paying his story forward in hopes that it might help, I hope it’s as easy as changing the shower head to a filtered one!
Cheers.
Hi there,
Do you have any news from your Friend?
How is her skin feeling and has she seen a doctor yet?
Based on the details you’ve provided, I have a few suggestions that might help.
1/ Cleansing twice a day (morning and evening)
With a really gentle non foaming cleanser (like the Spiezia one).
Cleansing in the morning removes waste and everything that the skin has eliminated during the night.
And at night time, you want to of course remove all the day time debris.
The cleanser should always be adapted to the skin type.
2/ Increasing Omega topically can maybe be helpful
Because they heal and they provide the skin with the essential moisture.
It is sometimes used to reduce psoriasis and eczema.
One really great Omega packed product is the Nude Replinishing Night Oil (omega 3,6, 7 and 9).
3/ Hydrate with a Moisturizer dedicated to Sensitive skins
My suggestion is the Pai Chamomile and Rosehip Skin cream because it is calming and strengthening. Pai is a brand specialized for sensitive skins (even the most irritated ones). If your friend needs some samples to try or has any questions, she can contact us and we would be happy to help!
Keep us updated & it is great to read everyone’s suggestions – always something new to learn!
She may want to check the sort of LAUNDRY detergent she uses and whether or not she uses dryer sheets/fabric softener. After a night of sleeping on sheets and bed linens filled with possible sulficants and chemical scented softeners, etc, then putting on clothing washed with the same products… well her skin never gets a break.
I’ve written a post about how the fabric we put next to our skin needs to be as pure as what we put on our skin which explains it in much greater detail, but keep in mind that residual chemical scum is deposited on the fabric with every washing. After about 10 washings it reaches 2% of the weight of the fabric. (all cited in this post)
http://ourdailygreenlife.blogspot.com/2011/01/laundry-detergent-green.html
I too have psoriasis and that’s what it sounds like to me (especially if your friend’s skin is itchy and flaky). I have it in my ears and on my scalp, but luckily nowhere else. It is much, much, MUCH worse in the winter. None of the topical treatments I have been prescribed have worked, but I’ve had pretty good luck with coconut oil and shea butter. Anything that will calm the inflammation and prevent picking and scratching is good! Taking omega-3s has also helped me a lot.
I just went through something like this that was healed by:
-my humidifyer
-regular exercise that makes me warm and sweaty
-drinking 2 litres of water daily (i fill a jug and have make sure to finish it by bedtime)
-drinking less alcohol (but when I do drinking better brands, local, organic beer and deep berry-coloured wines)
-rich oil on face. Try switching to Olive or Grapeseed. (Coconut is not as easily absorbed as Olive and Grapeseed)
-smile and laugh as much as you can!
Does he dye/color her hair? This sounds a bit like a PPD reaction…
many great suggestions have already been shared. shower filters and humidifiers are vital, as is ruling out any food allergies. for me the triggers to skin issues are wheat and dairy.
i have seborrehic dermatitis on my scalp and dry, often peely and inflamed skin on my face. when i am stressed, both get worse. sometimes we skin-obsessed types just have to stop looking so closely in the mirror and focus on how blessed we are to have (mostly) healthy bodies and the love of family and friends. i don’t want to sound like a pollyanna, but it’s true. we must keep things in perspective.
that said, the things that help the most–aside from starting with clean, totally un-fragranced products (even essential oils set me off) and a whole-food diet full of veggies, fruits, lean protein and good fats–are:
1) supplementing with omega-3 capsules. 2 a day if skin is in major trouble. high quality, purified fish oil or udo’s oil blends (vegan) are great.
2) lots of green tea will help the inflammation
3) yoga seems to help everything. but if the skin’s inflamed, hot or vigorous yoga isn’t a good idea. instead, try restorative or a gentle regular practice. if she’s not into yoga, gentle breathing and stretching every day with the goal of relieving stress will be great.
4) an extremely gentle slough with a soft washcloth can help the flakes, followed by a mask made from pure aloe gel mixed with evan healy’s green tea clay mask powder. leave it on for 15 minutes, rinse off, then follow with more aloe gel and argan oil. then more aloe gel a few minutes later. then, a few minutes later, even more aloe gel and a few more drops of argan oil. for some reason, my skin seems to absorb more moisture if i space out the applications.
good luck! and please tell her she’s not a reptile–we have to inhibit the negative self-criticism that we all fall into when we don’t feel our best. she’s a beautiful human being, and we all have skin issues from time to time.
I have the same problem!
Siobhan, I’m dying to know if a solution worked for your friend?!
A few years ago, I experienced almost identical symptoms as your friend, and I tried every product I could think of to help. Of course, no product would help my dry, irritated, red, peeling skin. I went to an allergy specialist, and I found out that I was allergic to almonds. I had been eating them often because they are great for your body, but obviously not my body! Within a week of not eating almonds, my skin cleared of every horrible symptom. I am not saying your friend is allergic to almonds, but maybe she has a food allergy.
I’m not sure if it is considered clean but coal tar soap has done wonders for red scaly patches on my skin. (It is almost impossible to get in California however.)
The only catch with using coal tar soap is that it becomes even more important to use moisturizer or oil on damp skin after cleansing because it leaves my dry skin feeling even more dry.
I second the oil cleansing method. It’s amazing. Top it off with a light coating of olive/jojoba oil all over your face, and put some shea butter (Evan Healy’s whipped shea butter/olive oil cream is friggin’. a.mazing. Trust) on the flaky patches.
I’m thinking this is the beginning of rosacea.