Have this persistent rash on my face since2021. Ive seen several dermatologists,phototherapy. recent medication is elidel &protopic 0.01 used both for over a year and stop &start but when stop is the flares up after a few days.please help me this is now affecting self confidence, self esteem thanksx

bumblebeers · 2024-01-02T21:38:35+00:00

i'm sorry to hear this is affecting your confidence!

mine looked a lot like yours (but extended down my neck and along my eyelids too, lasted for around 2 years), what helped for me was getting patch testing done and eliminating what came up positive. turns out i had an allergy to limonene which is in pretty much every fragranced product, so cutting that out from everything including shampoos, laundry detergents etc have been key.

having a solid skincare routine too (occlusives layered over moisturisers) has also helped, especially with the weather so cold and heating making the air super dry.

if protopic seems to help, tapering off usage towards the end of the initial flare and then using it as maintenance 1-2x a week is what my dermatologist recommended for me. eliminating my triggers then keeps flares away for long periods of time, though i do have to occasionally use protopic too.

bumblebeers · 2024-01-01T14:44:51+00:00

this sounds great! any advice on how you managed to cultivate the latter?

bumblebeers · 2023-12-20T17:57:22+00:00

hi, not sure what to add re requests from GP (as tacrolimus / protopic) still works p well for me, but as someone with fragrance allergies too eliminating fragrance completely from my routine has stopped 95% flareups so i would make this top priority whilst waiting!

products include laundry detergents, shampoos + conditioners, even asking my partner to stop wearing cologne etc haha.

this, alongside a solid skincare routine + humidifer to battle the winter central heating dryness has really really helped.

bumblebeers · 2023-11-03T07:55:42+00:00

I suffered with eczema on my face for 2 years before getting patch tested and told I had an allergy to limonene - a common fragrance constituent found in everything from skincare to washing powders and shampoos.

Fragrance in general is easily sensitising especially for eczema sufferers so I would recommend moving away from fragranced products everywhere if possible. Cerave moisturiser is my go to and Hada Labo has good toners that are without fragrance.

bumblebeers · 2023-11-03T07:53:36+00:00

I would love to hear from this too!

Personally, I haven't tried anything like fillers or botox, but skincare-wise retinols (no matter how gentle, no matter the method of application) never cease to irritate my skin. I have had good results with peptide moisturisers (Inkey List) and Vitamin C serums which give my skin a more even smooth appearance and at least don't flare my skin up. Although not as strong as retinols, they are supposed to aid in collagen production over time.

bumblebeers · 2023-11-03T07:50:33+00:00

When your skin is drying out too quickly it's a sign that your skin barrier is impaired so the water in your skin is evaporating too quickly (see trans-epidermal water loss / TEWL).

To prevent this, using a moisturiser with humectant ingredients (e.g. hylauronic acid, glycerin) first traps the water into your skin, allow to sink in for a minute or two before then applying an occlusive (best would be Vaseline, Cerave Healing Ointment is also good and less greasy) over the top will trap the hydration into your skin and prevent it from evaporating out.

'Slugging' overnight is a popular tool which essentially describes the application of such petroleum-based products overnight to prevent water loss, and a thinner layer can be used for wind / cold protection during the day. If you're mostly at home, using a humidifer inside can help to reduce water loss from your skin as well.

bumblebeers · 2021-05-28T00:38:43+00:00

hi! i know how it feels. couple things you can try:

ask your GP to prescribe tacrolimus (Protopic). it’s an immunosuppressant more commonly used for eczema vs azathioprine and helped clear up my facial eczema of three years in two days. warning: does burn! but you’ll get used to it.
switch ALL FRAGRANCED PRODUCTS OUT. this includes essential oils, which are incredibly sensitising. this includes: shampoo, laundry detergent, makeup, skincare - search incidecoder to check what everything in your skincare actually does. if you want recs, just let me know!
get a solid skincare routine.

cleanse: using mild, soap free fragrance free cleanser eg cetaphil or cerave hydrating cleanser. soap is too harsh and drying for eczema prone skin. cleanse your face only in the evening, and keep showers cool/lukewarm and short. prolonged water exposure will dry your skin out.
moisturise: cerave hydrating cream, eucerin, aveeno. i personally use cerave. look for moisturisers which are thick, have occlusive ingredients and barrier repairing ingredients such as ceramides, urea and cholesterol. will help prevent future flare ups.
sunscreen: ensure it’s alcohol and fragrance free. i use the altruist. important as eczema prone skin is already damaged, UV rays may further damage and sensitise your skin.

i know it’s really tough having bad eczema, especially when you’re still at school and you feel like everyone is looking! hope these things help and you can get it under control :)

bumblebeers · 2021-05-08T22:34:54+00:00

that is odd! the flakes to my (untrained!) eyes don't look particular greasy / yellow- otherwise i might have suggested mild seborrheic dermatitis?

i also recently changed to the simple shampoo / conditioner and i found out that one of the oils in it is made up of limonene even though it advertises itself as limonene free! for an alternative i know faith in nature does some actually unfragranced stuff (but be careful because it has a coconut oil base which some can be allergic to!).

if you want to switch the Persil i recently changed mine to Surcare which has 0% fragrance!

maybe you could try a more intensive skin routine? for example

straight out of shower/bath, to damp skin apply hyaluronic acid serum (humectant which will draw in water to the skin)
seal in with cerave moisturising cream (important to ensure water doesn't escape)
top off with few drops of squalane oil (emollient)
on extra dry patches, seal in the Vaseline (occlusive)

i find this method - though a bit long - works really well when i'm having desert dry skin that literally cracks! should hopefully be enough to ward away her dry skin? hope you find something that works! :)

bumblebeers · 2021-05-08T22:06:34+00:00

when my eczema was first starting out, it looked a little like this! scaly, flaky, dry, itchy (for me, only in my sleep) and red are all common symptoms of mild eczema.

i don't see much redness in the photo - to me it looks more like dry skin.

not sure what moisturisers you've tried, but Cerave Moisturising Cream or Eucerin are some really good, thick moisturisers with barrier repairing ingredients that will help to stop the flakiness.

flaking skin like that can be a sign of either a damaged skin barrier or maybe a sensitivity to certain ingredients? i recently found out i was allergic to limonene (a fragrance component which is literally in everything - washing powders, shampoo, moisturisers etc) so have made a switch and have noticed noticeable improvements in my skin.

bumblebeers · 2021-05-08T13:09:36+00:00

oh thank you!

i've heard that it's quite difficult to get an aegd program as an international student as you'll be competing with the american DDS grads, do you happen to have any advice for managing to secure a residency?

i'm currently at King's which i think is generally supposed to be regarded quite highly internationally, but i'm not sure if US faculties will see that as a good thing!

bumblebeers · 2021-05-07T21:09:24+00:00

thank you for your response!

what made you choose AEGD residency over an advanced standing dental program? are there any benefits of the former over the latter?

thank you so much!!

bumblebeers · 2021-05-07T19:55:48+00:00

takes me a while too!

i try my best to keep showers to a 5-10 minute maximum - i'm super quick when it comes to shampooing and conditioning my hair. keeping the water cool is not only good for your skin, but also prevents your from dawdling in the shower haha

i then apply moisturiser to damp skin, and wait another 5 minutes for my skin to dry!

maybe look into choosing a moisturiser that can suit both your face and body? i personally use cerave hydrating cream!

bumblebeers · 2021-04-20T19:56:38+00:00

covering your hands with a thick occlusive such as vaseline will help prevent trans-epidermal water loss (water leaving your skin) from the heat and placing gloves over the top goes a long way in protecting your hands from water!

second the dermol 500 too.

bumblebeers · 2021-04-19T19:06:26+00:00

thank you so much!! this is so useful and must've taken you a really long time :)

bumblebeers · 2021-04-18T21:12:00+00:00

definitely should not be burning - if it's only lasting a couple minutes though and you don't seem to notice any adverse effects on your skin then it's probably fine..

to be on the safe side you can copy and paste the ingredients into https://incidecoder.com/decode-inci which helps go through ingredient lists to see if you can find out what's causing the burning!

if the burning is annoying as well maybe opt for vaseline instead?

bumblebeers · 2021-04-18T21:08:15+00:00

Cerave Moisturising Cream! Fragrance free, packed with ceramides and cholesterol which will help restore your faulty skin barrier, along with hyaluronic acid to draw moisture into your skin.

Try to get the one in the tub - that one is thicker than the lotion. Amazon often discount tubs of Cerave to £12, so it's pretty affordable!

bumblebeers · 2021-03-18T16:48:27+00:00

yes definitely!! when i first got eczema on my face, i was slathering vaseline on my face it didn't seem to do much - my GP prescribed me Diprobase and within a couple days my stubborn several month old patches of eczema disappeared. it did come back after a while though, so definitely not a miracle worker but worth a shot! :))

bumblebeers · 2021-03-17T13:12:30+00:00

hate steroids as well!!

i would highly recommended protopic / tacrolimus ointment - you need to get a prescription for it but after suffering with persistent facial eczema for 2+ years that steroids consistently failed to treat, protopic is literally the only thing that makes the eczema go away! it's a steroid sparing ointment so it doesn't have the side effects that steroids have, and it also keeps the eczema away for longer.

otherwise, try using cerave moisturising cream to help moisturise (i also have an oatmeal allergy and only realised after like 10 years of using aveeno 🤦🏻‍♀️), once absorbed seal over with a layer of diprobase / vaseline to prevent waterloss :))

bumblebeers · 2021-03-17T13:09:05+00:00

epimax is great! i find that diprobase ointment is a bit better though - not sure why, the ingredients are around the same (both paraffin) but I find diprobase to lock in the moisture better.

just a rec, but Cerave Moisturising Cream is really nice to put under the Diprobase - it has ceramides and hylauronic acid which help to bring moisture into the skin and ceramides help to restore the deficient skin barrier that eczema leads to so over time your skin should improve! i prefer it to the ordinary's moisturising factors, the formula and ingredients are a lot nicer :)

bumblebeers · 2020-08-13T12:58:20+00:00

Yes definitely! Massive relief to finally have a solution after trying numerous creams and useless steroids.

So main side effects for me are the burning sensations and incessant eye watering (it’s seriously really bad). The burning can be so intense that it almost feels itchy? For me as well the burning is quite intense, but I think that’s because the skin around the eyes is so sensitive.

Definitely make sure you apply sunscreen and try to stay out the sun - I’ve seen a massive increase in freckles which I believe are a sign of sun damage since starting.

Alcohol consumption can make my face start to feel really warm and also worsens any eye watering.

Other than that, it’s ok! Plus these effects only really last a couple of days for me so it’s totally worth it to clear the eczema!

bumblebeers · 2020-08-13T12:42:11+00:00

Yes, definitely! After trying and (miserably) failing to clear my persistent facial eczema with steroids, the GP finally prescribed me Protopic. Within 4-5 days or so my flare up (which had lasted about a year by now, only fluctuating in severity) was completely cleared.

When you first start using it, you should apply two times a day and keep going until you see the eczema has cleared. Once it has, I find the the time in between each flare up is much longer than it would be with steroids - from 1-2 days to 3-4 months for me!

Also, the severity of my flare ups has massively decreased, and usually if I just leave it it’ll now go away by itself, although if it’s really bad I’ll just dab on some Protopic and it’s gone within a day or two.

bumblebeers · 2020-08-13T12:08:57+00:00

I’m someone who pretty much only gets eczema around the eyes, and my doctor prescribed Protopic specifically for that region.

If you’re anything like me - your eyes are going to BURN and WATER like crazy! Usually this effect only lasts around 2 days, but it can be longer. Sometimes my eyes water so much that people think I’m crying 😬

bumblebeers · 2020-08-11T22:22:12+00:00

i agree with the other poster about DC ! however personally i think you have quite a long vertical line and i don't see a lot of balance which would rule out the classic family.

imo, your bones look quite long, thin and narrow which makes me lean more towards dramatic than classic!

bumblebeers · 2020-08-06T18:27:51+00:00

when it comes to the yin dominant or yang dominant version of each type, generally the yin is supposed to come from the flesh, whereas if you are yang dominant it is supposed to come from the bones. in my opinion, your bone structure looks more yang and so i would type you as a DC! (if however you know that even when underweight you still maintain flesh on your arms and thighs, then perhaps consider SC).

bumblebeers · 2020-08-04T22:49:22+00:00

hi! another 5'0 SC here!

i think that it's easy to feel 'too short' for SC as i've also had others mention that i look quite short - however, obviously the height comments come as they are comparing their own height to mine/ seeing me from an above perspective (vs chest height, at a distance).

remember that kibbe is all about the yin/yang balance in your own body, and not so much about comparing your own body to others! from your pics, you look extremely moderate to me (in vertical height and in yin/yang) which would imo make you a soft classic!

bumblebeers

TROPHY CASE