Help! Shedding Skin Like Crazy!

K

Kleio

Member
Mar 30, 2011
308
1
#1
Yet one more reason to hate winter: I have oily skin, but it seems that with each passing year, my face becomes increasing flaky in the wintertime.

Now it's gotten to the point where it seems like my skin is perpetually shedding 24/7, I kid you not. The thing is, because I have oily skin, I usually use relatively light moisturizers and am hesitant to go with anything really rich. I also have somewhat sensitive, redness/flushing-prone skin. (Not rosacea, though, as far as I'm aware.)

I started using Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate to exfoliate, but although it seemed to stop the shedding for the first few weeks, now I've noticed that my skin has gotten much rougher than it was before - and the shedding is back in full force!

Ugh, I hate my skin. Please help? :sad:
 
#2
I would use a humidifier in your bedroom and drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Could you be having an allergic reaction to some product you are using? Does this happen in the winter only? My daughter had dry flaky skin on her face last winter and the doctor said to use a special cream, I will have to find what it was and post it later.
Do you think it might help to see a dermatologist?
 
#3
i had the same type of thing last year. not fun. i didnt get rid of it until summer. this winter i did a few things right away. i got the clarisonic, which i use nightly with cliniques rinse off foaming cleanser. i follow up with cliniques tonor #2 and then dior's capture totale one essential. i got a super thick moisturizer and eye cream. i use the eye twice daily and the moisturizer only as needed (especially around my mouth). both are fresh's creme ancienne line. it all cost an arm and a leg, but it was so frustrating last year that i wouldve tried anything. hth a bit, good luck!
 
#4
My nose is very greasy and I have flaking there too! Some days it gets very obvious. I use a gentle exfoliate just for my nose and cetaphil skin wash for normal skin for the rest of my face and the moment I dry my face, I apply a couple dots of Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing GEL.( I use gel because I have greasy skin. Normal to dry skin should use the lotion. ) This moisturizer made a huge difference! While my nose is still oily, I don't get peeling and flaking anymore.
 
#5
I feel for you, I have similar problems. Personally I never exfoliate my face, maybe it doesn't work for you either. I usually use organic skin cream and love it, but now I am so poor I'm having to use other stuff lol. When I was on holiday and didn't have my moisturiser I used E45 cream on my nose (I had a cold and it was horribye cracked from blowing my nose). I was quite surprised that it worked very well. I didn't use it all over just my nose.
 
#6
I'm on retin-a so I feel your pain! My skin has been shedding pretty badly around my mouth area. I don't use scrubs that are heavy duty exfoliation (like St. Ives Apricot Scrub). Instead I use Kiehl's Overnight Biological Peel, which is a gentle enzyme exfoliator in a gel-ish form. It makes a significant difference, but you can only use it 2-3 times a week.
 
#7
What kind of cleanser do you use? My skin is incredibly dry and I switched my cleanser from a foaming to an oil and it helped. Oil is good for all skin types- oil sticks to oils so it removes excess oil and it doesn't strip oil from normal or dry skin. I also found the perfect exfoliator in Origins Modern Friction. Normally exfoliators burn me but this one didn't. Also for heavy duty moisturizers I recommend Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, Clinique Moisture Surge, and I've actually used Neutrogena hand cream on my face because it's so dense. Good luck!
 
#8
Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions! It's really comforting to know I'm not the only one battling this super-annoying issue! :biggrin:

Yesterday, I tried Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel to exfoliate, and then I slapped on Clinique's Dramatically Different Lotion (this is actually for dry skin), which I stole from my mom. :lol: My skin is feeling a lot better - it's not perfect by any means (I still have some minor flaking, mostly around my eyebrows, and my skin looked a little shiny after first applying the moisturizer), but at least it no longer feels like sandpaper.

I'm also going to try my mom's routine of washing my face without soap/cleanser - just me and my Clarisonic, and water. (Except for my eye area, since I wear eye makeup.) I also read an article about how Frenchwomen don't use cleanser to wash their face, which is supposedly one of the reasons for their (allegedly) fabulous skin. I don't know if it'll work for me, but I'm willing to experiment (a bit)!

If anyone else has more suggestions, I'd love to hear them! :smile:
 
#9
I have the same problem! I have combination skin (particularly oily in the t-zone), yet dry everywhere else. I have been on prescription retinoid creams that have dried my skin out and caused some flakiness around the mouth area, exacerbated by the winter weather.

I suggest using a rich night cream and serum (am currently using Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Supplement and Hydrating Intense Night Cream), in addition to a cleansing oil and hydrating face mask 4x a week. This routine is currently working for me and my foundation looks great on my skin. Have not seen an increase in acne despite the heaviness of the creams. Hope this helps!
 
#10
I have terribly problematic skin, and I do have what sounds to be the same problem. It may be a form of seborrhea. It is prevalant in oily/combo skin types and it's basically a build up of sebum in the pores (if you produce too much oil you can easily produce too much sebum) that kind of crusts ups and flakes out. Gross, I know. It usually gets better /worse depending on hormones and the seasons.

Honestly the best thing to do is go to the dermatologist, there are a couple of easy to use, no smell lotions that will help keep it at bay. (or they could diagnose you with something else!) Otherwise wash with a gentle cleanser with no fragrance, in luke warm water 2x a day. Try not to exfoliate, even though you'll want to! Pat dry and try to use really light non-clogging moisturizer with SPF.
 
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