skin on my face & neck - any advice?

[Kate80]

I'm posting in the 'General' catergory for the simple fact i don't know what my condition is. I have a problem with my skin on face and neck. I always use to have fairly oily skin but about 12 months ago (winter time) my face became very dry, scaley to touch, quite itchy at times and also quite red in patches. My neck flares up with the red patches the most to the point where other people comment on it. The skin is at its driest around my eyes, corners of my eyes and eyebrows and even on the lids themselves. Although my forehead, hairline and temples can get quite bad. It always appears to be worse in the mornings and evenings and although last year i put it down to the cold weather i have had it again in August and September this year.
I havent changed any beauty products, i regularly wash my face cloth etc, i have even tried leaving my face alone but nothing seems to work.
I did go to the doctors last year but other than telling my to try E45 on my skin (which i do) they didnt recommend much else. He said i could try hydrocortisone cream around my ear and a tiny amount on my neck in case it was a fungal infection but that doesnt seem to clear it and keep it away.
When i put makeup on (such as for a wedding yesterday) it is very diffcult as my skin just stings and is itchy.
I regualrly used E45 to keep it moist but that doesnt really help that much. (plus my skin is still oily underneath the scaliness)
Any ideas what it is? and more to the point is there anything i can do to help it/clear it?
Any advice welcome. Many Thanks.
(i did use to have ezthma as a child which i got quite badly if that is of any relevance)

[Nurse_Janet_Keyworth]

Hi Kate
It sounds as if you have Seborrhoeic eczema which is a type of eczema. It tends to affect the eyebrows and down the sides of the nose although can effect any part of the face. People often claim they have a combination skin where although they get dry patches they also suffer from a greasy skin. Unfortunately it cannot be cured but can be helped by washing with a non scented moisturiser as well as using a light moisturiser frequently during the day. Hydrocortisone 1% is safe to use around the eyes although sometimes a stronger steroid is required for the rest of the face and neck. As this is relatively new on the face it is worth asking your GP for a referral to a dermatologist who may suggest patch testing to rule out the possibility of a contact allergy.

Hope this is of help for you
Kind Regards

Janet

[Kate80]

Thank you very much for your help i will try that and yes will go back to the doctors. Thanks again.

[Wendy Green]

Hi Kate,

As well as following the excellent advice from nurse Janet Keyworth I suggest you:

1. Check your diet. Are you eating a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, low-fat dairy foods, chicken, lean meat, nuts, seeds and oily fish? Remember, your skin needs a wide range of nutrients to be healthy.

2. Try taking omega 3 fish oil and evening primrose oil supplements to help moisturise your skin from the inside; this is especially relevant if you follow a low-fat diet.

3. If the symptoms come and go, try keeping an eczema trigger diary in which you note down anything going on in your life that might be relevant to your symptoms e.g. stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, particular foods, etc. Eventually you might be able to link specific factors to your eczema flare-ups and then aim to avoid/reduce them as much as possible.

4. Try hypoallergenic make-up such as Almay - your skin may tolerate this better than normal cosmetics.

5. If none of these steps help your skin I suggest you ask your GP to refer you to a dermatologist.


Good luck,

Wendy

[Dr Anton Alexandroff]

Hello Kate,

I agree with my colleagues. From your description this could be seborrhoeic dermatitis, see:

http://www.dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/seb ... titis.html

it could also be your (atopic) eczema playing up (eczema can come back in adult years),
and you could also develop an allergic reaction to a chemical, for example in house hold products, you come in contact with, such as fragrance, preservative and so on, which is in scientific terms called allergic contact dermatitis , see:

http://www.dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/con ... lergy.html

if allergic contact dermatitis is suspected a special allergy test, called patch testing, is indicated.
So as my colleagues advised, if your condition persists, it might be a good idea to ask to be referred to a dermatologist, to sort this out.

with best wishes,
Dr Anton Alexandroff
Consultant Dermatologist
Bedford and Leicester
www.alexandroff.org.uk

[Kate80]

Thank you for all the advice. I would say my diet is fairly healthy & balanced, I work in the Leisure Industry; can't say I always follow the perfect routine but majority of the time I try. Though all of your tips and advice are very useful, the diary especially!
I will try a few of your tips before going back to my GP, to see if i can identify any patterns for the cause...
You have all been very helpful - Many Thanks, hopefully i will get it sorted.

[Kate80]

The photo's on the first hyperlink posted by Dr Anton Alexandroff would be very similar to my problems...I have something i can discuss with my GP now, so hopefully i can get this under control. Thanks again.