Why is the surface of my skin always flaky? ++
Joined: 12 Jun 2005
Location: Canada
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject: Why is the surface of my skin always flaky? ++ | |
| Hi
I guess I already know the answer. It's the rosacea. I do not have sebderm. But the surface of my skin is always flaky. It looks just awful and makes foundation which I desperately need to even my skin tone but as soon as I apply the foundation, I can see the build up. I tried to treat it as a build up from too mild cleansers and that only made my face irritated. I tried hydrating serums and moisturizers ( including dimethicone, cyclomethicone, HA ) tried heavy occulsive moisturizers ( mineral oils, emu, jojoba. Jojoba makes my skin very red almost instantly ). I don't have any breakouts or bumps so my derm says thatI do not need a Rx topical. I tried Noritate, metrocream, metrolotion, metrogel. Al of it dries out my skin and irritates it. What can I do next? Thanks Linda |
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Joined: 28 Aug 2006
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject: | |
| Wow....you sound just like me....I keep thinking I must have SD but I have been trying the head&shoulders (just applying the lather to my skin)and it hasn't done anything for me!
I wish I knew what to tell you...I haven't figured it out for myself yet though! I am thinking of trying that new lotion...it's listed in the other thread (news) and it's Pyratine-6 lotion....maybe this would reduce some of our inflammation which in turn would promote more normal cell turnover...I just hate spending that much money on something I will have to end up putting on my neck & chest if I react to it 
I am also thinking of trying BCP's.....I have researched them heavily and decidied on one in particular (got a script right now for it) but dang....I haven't been on the pill in 20yrs! I am nervous but I kept telling myself that low estrogen promotes dry skin and I am at an age where this could be my problem....so take the plunge! I also was put on thyroid meds and dry skin is also a symptom of low thyroid so I was hoping it would resolve this problem for me....didn't work and now my levels are very normal! I had high hopes it would help but again I was let down....again  So on to the next thing!_________________ Dx 1998 No meds Used low-dose accutane successfully |
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Forum Moderator
Joined: 08 May 2007
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject: | |
| I have been having wonderful luck with the Eucerin product I am using.
My skin used to flake so bad that I would wonder when I would be seeing muscle under it! I know what you mean using foundation... I did a test over the weekend with make up. I applied the mositurizer....waited about a half hour, then liquid foundation....then dare I say it....powder! It looked wonderful. To save myself from retyping...in the Newbie Section...find my post that says "A Happy Hello From PA Dancer" You will find my progress there. Best of luck! Ann |
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Joined: 20 Jan 2008
Location: Tucson, Arizona USA
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:25 pm Post subject: | |||
Hi, I just wanted to ask if you are absolutely sure that you were being medicated properly for your hypothyroidism...I have had it for years but improper medication left me with very normal in-range labs but very hypo symptoms. There is a lot of info at www.stopthethyroidmadness.com regarding this issue. Be sure to check the link in there about adrenals...the body needs sufficient levels of cortisol in order to properly utilize thyroid hormone at the cellular level. I'm dealing with this issue right now myself... Laurie |
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Joined: 28 Aug 2006
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:04 pm Post subject: | |
| Hi Laurie!
Yes I learned sooooo much from that website about 1 1/2yrs ago....I have my ranges and all are optimal (highend of range) and my TSH is in the basement now which is where it needs to be to feel well. Once I hit that "magic" amount of armour my muscle aches/joint pain and overwhelming fatigue left....it just never did a darn thing for my rosacea! Be careful with their advice on adrenals...I don't agree with it and it will make rosacea much worse. I never did follow their advice on that....my adrenals are fine but many feel everyone with hypo have to also have adrenal fatigue....not so! Good luck  _________________ Dx 1998 No meds Used low-dose accutane successfully |
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Joined: 20 Jan 2008
Location: Tucson, Arizona USA
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject: | |||
OK, good...I'm glad that you are one of the lucky informed ones 
That is interesting that you mention that that supporting the adrenals may worsen the rosacea...you would think that supplementing cortisol would bring down the inflammation. Can you share your experience with this? My doctor seems to think that my adrenals are in worse shape than my thyroid. I take an adrenal glandular extract right now but haven't noticed any improvement, in fact my rosacea has in fact worsened and I developed this crazy photosensitivity since starting T3 and adrenal formulas, but that could be other factors at play. Any insight and experience that you can share would be great...it's so confusing when it all seems to make sense and you feel like you have things figured out but good results are not seen... |
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Joined: 28 Aug 2006
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject: | |||||
Hi Laurie, What testing has your doc done to confirm you TRULY have a problem with your adrenals? You should have done blood 8am cortisol, ACTH & ACTH stim plus renin and alderstone....these tests will tell you IF you have adrenal problems. IMO most (I'd say 90%) or more don't truly have this...what they have is thyroid disease and once this is treated they will feel good again....I am living proof! And your doc has you on T3 only?!! T3 only is VERY difficult for most to handle it will stress your adrenals...and it's half life in your body is brief as it is an active hormone and not the T4 storage hormone....you need both....armour worked great for me. I know cortisol is "supposed" to be anti-inflammatory but that would be the effect a person might get who truly isn't producing enough cortisol (addison's disease). I believe what most are calling adrenal fatigue is other hormones (thyroid + sex hormones) that are out of balance or very low. A great book to read about all this is by Dr.Vliet Screaming to be Heard and It's My Ovaries Stupid!.....these books really rang a bell with me and she is an MD internist and treats women with all this stuff. I ended up doing an experienment....I took 1 2.5mg tab of HC and my face swelled up....it went down several hours later but I was convinced that HC and rosacea don't mix....look up Cushing's disease....one of the calling cards is a ruddy face with bumps....sound familiar? Moon face, swelling of the face....sounds like rosacea but it's induced from the over production of cortisol. I know this is the exteme but it shows the link none the less. In fact people who truly are not making enough cortisol have the opposite facial symptom....they look shrunken and TAN....in fact so much so that people think you sunbath daily! I hope I haven't confused you....there is soooooo much info on how the pit gland works in relation to the thyroid gland and adrenals it can be really confusing. I don't have any of this stuff...just hashimotos disease and that is treatable with armour. Have you had your antibodies tested?? _________________ Dx 1998 No meds Used low-dose accutane successfully |
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Joined: 20 Jan 2008
Location: Tucson, Arizona USA
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:53 am Post subject: | |
| Thanks for the reply, Lookout...I had my adrenals tested 3 years ago and my cortisol rhythm was normal, except it was a little low in the morning when it should be high. My DHEA was rock bottom. That particular doctor put me on cortisol (Isocort) and DHEA, but the DHEA made my face go cystic really fast so I lost most faith in that doctor and his advice. I did the T3-only Wilson's protocol and thought my thyroid problem was cured.
Fast forward 3 years...I took a toxic antibiotic in September that no doubt pretty much sent my thyroid into ruin (fluoride-based drug) and caused a lot of autoimmune symptoms that I have had in the past to come back full-force.P.S. If I had known how toxic this drug was before I took it, I never would have gone near it. My military doctors checked my thyroid and my TSH was 3.87...they wanted to put me back on Synthroid and that has never worked for me in the past so I sought out this naturopathic MD that I am working with now. He started me on 1 MCG T3 (what I now can see is a pretty insignificant amount) as a ten-week trial, along with this Adrenal extract. I actually feel worse than I did before I started. I am due to have labs run by him on Thursday, and I see him another 2 weeks. I am going to make it clear that I want Armour and I want it right now. I had antibodies tested 5 years ago and I was negative. I have also been tested for Lupus 3 times in the past year and have come back negative. I can assume that I now have thyroid antibodies because I have an enlarged thyroid with thyroiditis diagnosed via ultrasound. It is hard to get the proper testing (antibodies) because I am trying to get my military insurance to cover tests because we are effectually broke, and the military only tests what they deem "necessary". My main symptoms now are extreme fatigue to the point where I am sleeping 12-15 hrs. a day, I can't exercise, my skin is a horrible mess with rosacea and acne, I feel very dizzy, I'm terribly depressed, and my joints hurt. I was hoping cortisol might help me...I suppose nothing is a sure fix, though. I will probably ask my naturopathic MD to take more saliva adrenal tests and I will have to cough up the cash... Thanks for your insight... Laurie |
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Joined: 04 Apr 2006
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 2:19 am Post subject: | |
PA Dancer: Be sure the Eucerin doesn't have cortisone (steroid) in it. I think there is a new one out with that as an active ingredient.. 
Artist |
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Joined: 28 Aug 2006
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:06 am Post subject: | |||
OMG Laurie.....you sure have been going thru he$$ with this! I am glad you are dumping that T3 only stuff and moving on....but there is something I am going to try and explain and I hope I do this right....bare with me!
The mistake these docs make is in thinking that just a small amount of HRT will do the trick....sorta like I'll just add in a bit to bring you back up to normal. What they arent' understanding is that there is a loop....your pit sends out a signal to your thyroid (if the blood level is below a certain amount) and says "hey, get making thyroid hormones! NOW" that's why your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) gets high....now your thyroid gland that is "sick" says "ya, I'll get right on the job...just need a nap first"....and the cycle continues...then when this cycle goes on long enough and your thyroid is sputtering out it's little bit it swells in response to the Pit screaming for more thyroid hormones. You need a "full" replacement dose of HRT...in other words the meds do the work of your thyroid, your pit stops yelling for the thyroid to get going as it sees a constant and correct level of hormones circulating in your bloodstream....I hope that I explained clearly I am not good at doing that!
Anyway I say all this so your doc doesn't try to just give you a small amount of HRT....I had to slowly raise my amount about every 2-3weeks...I started at 15mg for 2wks then 30mgs and my dumb doc wanted to leave me at that! I didn't know any better at that time and of course 3weeks later I was just as sick as I was at the begining!! Long story short I slowly over time raised my armour until I reached that "full" replacement dose....this stopped my body from attacking my thyroid and all my symptoms (sleeping 15hrs per day like you) all went away. I hope you are able to get on the armour you need! Good luck and give a shout out on how it all turn out for you _________________ Dx 1998 No meds Used low-dose accutane successfully |
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Forum Moderator
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Location: UK
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:44 am Post subject: | |
| I have really dry flaky skin as well, and I don't think its seb-derm.
I'm surprised it doesn't come up more often on these boards, especially since it seems to affect quite a few rosaceans. I don't have any answers, but at the moment I'm trying grape seed/pycnogenol + ester c + glisodin, and hoping this will make a difference. They should treat the underlying vascular disorder that comprises the rosacea; I'm hoping the flaky skin is connected with this. |
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Forum Moderator
Joined: 08 Jan 2007
Location: new york
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:27 pm Post subject: | |||||
| Hi guys,
This is an interesting point and I never thought about it before. I always just thought my skin was getting dryer because of age or something.
Interesting theory Alex. Keep us posted.
Best wishes, Melissa |
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Forum Moderator
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Location: UK
| Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:42 am Post subject: | |
| Just to put a tiny bit of a theory behind what I say, I think that the antioxidants mentioned may help to prevent the degradation of various components of the outer layers of the skin that keep it hydrated, and provide a barrier to prevent water loss.
In the outer layers, these are the various lipids. Deeper in, it is hyaluronic acid. Both are water-attracting substances, and the former, certainly, provides a barrier function. It may be that the anti-oxidants - and other substances - in grape seed extract etc which help to tone vessel walls, also help in improving the integrity of these other components of the skin. Since I'm not a dermatologist though, I have no sense of scale, so I don't know whether one is just fiddling at the edges by pursuing this. |
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Joined: 11 Feb 2008
| Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: | |
| Hi I suffer from dry skin and it is a nightmare trying to cover up as make-up will not go on.
I am currently using the EPC Calmin moisturiser hich appeared first to make my skin worse but now seems to have shed the top layer and be revealing nicer skin underneath. Also have you tried olive oil? I wash my face with warm water and pat a couple of drops of olive oil in to my palms and on my face. I let it dry naturally. It seems t o be helping. Good luck. |
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Forum Moderator
Joined: 08 May 2007
| Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:14 pm Post subject: | |||
LOL...I think even at this point, for what a great job it has been doing keeping my face moisturized...I don't think I would give it up. Thanks so much for the warning. I appreciate it very much. Here is the ingredients according to Drug Store . com Active Ingredients: Octocrylene, Octinoxate, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Ensulizole Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, CyclopentaSiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Hydrogenated Coco Glycerides, VP Hexadecene Copolymer, PEG 40 Castor Oil, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, EDTA, Alumina, Simethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, DMDM Hydantoin |
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