I once had this icky thing happen at the base of the roes on my right foot–the skin started turning yellow, and then the skin started being eaten away, leaving holes that had tender pink skin underneath. i figured oil would help, but it made it worse. And it started hurting. I use antiperspirant to dry up pimples, so I gave it a try.
It worked like a charm. In one month my foot looked normal.
What the hell was it that I had?
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle]
I’ve been seeing a dermatologist for a couple of years now for my acne. He has prescribed antibiotics and Retin-A. The pills seem to be helping, but when I asked how long I’d have to take them, he told me, “Until your skin decides to stop having acne!” I’m 37, so I don’t see any reason why my skin would make that decision at this point.
Anyway, my question is about the Retin-A. Every time I use it as directed, within a few days my skin is absolutely fried. The peeling happens all over, in very tiny pieces, so I look like my face is covered in white fuzzy stubble. I’m embarrassed to be seen in public! I suppose I could get some abrasive and scrub hell out of it, but that just doesn’t seem like the thing to do when your skin is already burning.
I haven’t mentioned this to my doctor, for fear he’d knock on my head and say, “Hello, McFly…it’s Retin-A…makes your skin peel!” But I’m almost ready to be laughed at now, so I figure I’ll warm up by asking you first. 
Is that what’s supposed to happen, and if so, how am I supposed to go to work when I look like an albino Oscar the Grouch?
[/QUOTE]
I’ve used a potent skin cream for another skin condition, and I need to be very careful not to let it sit too long on the skin or it causes the same issues you are having. You might try cleaning it off quicker after application, or just using less of it.
IANAD, but this is what I could find on a site with info on Retin-A:
What is the mythical line that divides “cosmetic” skin tags from “treatement is medically needed?” I’ve been having recurring skin tags in an area that’s normally covered by clothing, and they drive me nuts, especially if clothing snags on them.
When I went to my GP about another issue that was “in the neighborhood” a while ago, he zapped a couple with nitrogen. This made them hurt like mad for a day or two, but they did turn black and drop off as expected a few days later. If I wasn’t in his office for something else, he apparently would not have been able to treat them within the rules of my PPO insurance plan.
I’ve since tried “Wartner” freeze spray, but it doesn’t seem to be as cold as nitrogen, and wasn’t nearly effective. Is ligating the little buggers really the next best option?
[QUOTE=Athena]
Why the heck can’t I wear my engagement and wedding ring anymore? I wore them for about 18 months with no problems. Starting in late June, I notice my left ring finger, right under my ring, hurts. The skin is flaky and itchy. Fine, I put my rings on my right ring finger. Same thing happens there.
All summer I’ve been trying to deal with it in different ways. First tried making sure that every time I get my hands wet I make sure my ring finger is dry. Then try anti-fungal creme when Mr. Athena says it looks like athlete’s foot. Next try moisturizing. Nothing really works - it starts getting better but if I put my ring back on, it flares up again.
My rings look clean. They’re 19K gold and I have never had an allergy or reaction to gold before (I wear gold earrings with no problem). I suppose I should get them professionally cleaned in case there’s something on them. Lately I just don’t wear my rings, and it really sucks to not wear my wedding rings. Makes me sad. 
[/QUOTE]
Athena, is your ring white gold? I ask because white gold is alloyed with nickel, which I believe at least 10% of the population is allergic to (and apparently the allergy is more prevalent in women). To give it a nice pretty shine, white gold is often plated with Rhodium. Unfortunately, Rhodium is not very durable and must be replated every couple of years.
If you are wearing white gold, the timing of your problem suggests you have worn through the Rhodium plating and are having an allergic reaction to the nickel. A jeweler can replate it, and will have to do so periodically as long as you wear your rings. For a permanent solution, you can have your rings re-set in a Palladium setting, which is an economical alternative to Platinum.
If you are wearing yellow gold… dunno.
[QUOTE=Hello Again]
If you are wearing yellow gold… dunno.
[/QUOTE]
VERY yellow gold. 19.2 carat, and as far as I know not plated with anything.
If I had my way, it would have been 24 carat gold. I’m a major sucker for high carat gold. But my husband and the jeweler talked me down since apparently the life expectancy of 24 carat gold rings is not high. Fookers.
Anyway, I thought of allergies, but I don’t think it is since 1) I have a lot of other gold jewelry that has never given me a problem and 2) I wore the rings for 18 months with no problems. But who knows? If I’m allergic to it, I’m gonna be really bummed. I love my rings. :mad:
[QUOTE=MeanJoe]
Okay, lots of questions here about acne so far. I’m one of those guys who in my late 30s still gets acne. Yes, I bathe daily and have very good hygiene. I can deal with the occasional pimple on my face, I’ll spot treat it and it will go away. I’d prefer not to get them at all but “whatcha-gonna-do”, right?
Here’s my problem of late. For the last several months I have had a continual outbreak of acne that covers my right shoulder, chest, and neck. It is always localized to that area. Generally speaking, it is to many pimples and over to big an area to use spot-treatment type stuff. I’ve tried switching my laundry detergent to a “Free” type detergent with no dye, scents, etc. to see if that helped. The acne went away after that and stayed gone for about 2 days and then pop - it is back. So the detergent change could have just been coincidental to the clearing up. I drink a lot of water daily, very rarely drink pop or eat candy type stuff. Not sure why this keeps recurring in the same area.
Oh, and second question - Any tips for dealing with blackheads behind the ears? You know, down in the crease between the ear and the skull? I get them back there and my thick man-fingers just can’t get them and squeeze them out.
Any suggestions?
MeanJoe - Who really does not look like a ogre, even though this post certainly makes me sound like one!
[/QUOTE]
I’d suggest that you go to a dermatologist and ask them to do a bacterial culture on your shoulder, chest, and neck. A sudden outbreak of stubborn “acne” could very well actually be a staph infection. It should be cultured to rule that out. A topical cream could help your blackheads.
[QUOTE=chela]
I’ve been putting off my yearly visit to the Derm’s. The PA I see for skin cancer checks is friendly enough but I don’t know how to change the course of my appointments. 1) She likes to keep up the chit chat but it has nothng to do with my skin. We talk about my choice in bra’s, her participation in biathlons and her choice in bra’s. 2) I would like to steer her back to the to topic of my freckled, speckled, skin tagged, blotchy skin. But I feel she is dismissive (wtf?) 3) Once a year when i see her, she sees somthing suspicious on my back, a small speckled spot, which of course leads to a biopsy each of which has been negative three years running. Last time, I asked her if she saw anyspots that she thinks will turn suspicious the next year. And where is my mole map? Im not a happy client.
Am I wrong to expect to more learn about the changes happening in my skin and how to minimize those, during my appointments?
[/QUOTE]
Maybe your PA is very limited in time, and needs most or all of that time to do your skin cancer screening. It might be helpful for you to schedule an appointment just to talk about your cosmetic concerns. Make it clear that you are that for that, specifically.
[QUOTE=LunaV]
I have been seriously looking into having this done. I have broken blood vessels along the edges of my nose, a few spots on my cheeks, and even a lone spot on my forehead. Drives me nuts. My grandmother has it pretty badly on her cheeks, so I want to reduce what I can now before it gets as bad as hers.
From what I’ve learned obout IPL, this seems to be the best treatment - it’s quick, relatively painless, and not as expensive as laser treatment.
I’m having a hard time finding a reputable dermatologist who does it. Can you give me an idea of what I should look for? Is years of experience a good indicator? Lots of testimony and photos to back it up? Any good sites for finding qualified IPL derms?
Anything else I am missing?
[/QUOTE]
If you only have a few, maybe look into laser treatments. We also do that, and it’s better for small areas- the IPL is much more expensive and covers large areas. We use a Diolite laser for that. All I can say is start calling different derms and compare- of course they probably won’t really tell you anything about it over the phone, though. I’d definitely say the more experienced doctor, the better. We actually use a Nurse Practitioner for IPL, but you’d have to see one of our doctors first.
[QUOTE=plnnr]
I’m out in the sun every chance I get. I also could be more liberal in my use of sunscreen - but I’m an adult and fairly hard-headed.
That being said, I have a few spots on my face and forehead that could probably stand to be looked at by a dermatologist. Image my suprise when I call to schedule an appointment and was told the next opening was in 6 months. Wow, popular guy. I’ll keep checking - 3 months, 5 months, and 6 months again.
Why would the wait be so long? Lots of kids needing acne treatments? Big sale on botox injections?
Let’s hope I dont’ have melanoma.
[/QUOTE]
The waits can be very, very long- skin cancers, acne, you name it, they want in. If you’re very concerned, call an office and ask to leave a message for the doctor you want to see asking if you can be worked in sooner. Sometimes it works, especially if you have your PCP call for you.
Man, I wish I knew how to do that thing where you reply to multiple people within one box.
[QUOTE=Kricket]
I get pimples and blackheads along my jaw and on my back. Sometimes when I have taken antiboitics my skin clears up. It also tends to clear up when I’m under lots of stress.
I think I might be over cleaning my skin but I’m not sure what else to do. I use regular bath soap when bathing then Nutritioniste by Garnier and then I use Clean and Clear sensitive skin astringent. My skin feels oilier afterwards.
Someone suggested not using so many soaps and start using lotions. But I really hate the oily feeling lotions leave and I don’t understand how putting something oily on your body would help it clear up.
Any ideas would be great. I would really like to be able to wear shirts and dresses with open backs again.
[/QUOTE]
Stop using astringents, and see a derm! Hurry up, I heard the wait is long. 
[QUOTE=badbadrubberpiggy]
I have a few different questions:
What is the best way to get rid of acne scars? Are there any good OTC treatments? I only have a couple, so I’d rather not spend a ton of money.
I have one large broken blood vessel on my arm. Since it’s totally cosmetic I doubt insurance would cover removing it, but I’m sick of people asking me what happened to my arm. Any idea what the cost would be to remove it?
What’s the deal with facials? I’ve never had one, but I’ve heard many conflicting things - they’re great for you’re skin, they’re awful and they cause pimples, etc.
I have one pimple that keeps popping up in the exact same place - and I mean exact, not just the same area. It’s like there is just this one pore above my lip that just doesn’t work correctly. Do you know what causes this or if there is any way to prevent it? It’s pretty painful when I get it.
[/QUOTE]
Acne scars can be reduced with acid peels, or maybe you could try “Skin Sand”- you’d have to look for it, but it can be had over the counter and many of our patients swear by it. Neutrogena also makes an acne scar reducer.
One blood vessel disappeared by laser- in my office probably $50-100.
The only problems my doctors have with facials are that people are doing them that aren’t trained in dermatology, and they could mess around with something like a skin cancer and make it unrecognizable to a doctor.
It depends on if it’s really a pimple. Could be a staph infection, could be herpes, could be skin cancer- get it cultured, if possible, and see what it is.
[QUOTE=Dunawake]
I have issues with my face becoming ridiculously dry and peeling after showering in the morning, I think it might have something to do with the “hard” water we have here. Is there any better solution than just coating my entire face in moisturizing lotion after showering? I feel like I might just be trading dry skin for blackheads…
EDIT: Another question I had was regarding “stretch marks”. I have a few on my legs that have been there since puberty basically, and the actual marks feel like there is a gap in the skin underneath the top layer. They have never shown any indication of healing up and going away. Are there any treatments to eliminate them or are they basically permanent?
[/QUOTE]
You could try some of the new “cleansing pads” that don’t require water. As long as the lotion you use says it’s “noncomedogenic”, it shouldn’t cause blackheads. As far as I know, there is no treatment for stretch marks, but we’d refer you to a plastic surgeon if you’d like.
[QUOTE=Athena]
Why the heck can’t I wear my engagement and wedding ring anymore? I wore them for about 18 months with no problems. Starting in late June, I notice my left ring finger, right under my ring, hurts. The skin is flaky and itchy. Fine, I put my rings on my right ring finger. Same thing happens there.
All summer I’ve been trying to deal with it in different ways. First tried making sure that every time I get my hands wet I make sure my ring finger is dry. Then try anti-fungal creme when Mr. Athena says it looks like athlete’s foot. Next try moisturizing. Nothing really works - it starts getting better but if I put my ring back on, it flares up again.
My rings look clean. They’re 19K gold and I have never had an allergy or reaction to gold before (I wear gold earrings with no problem). I suppose I should get them professionally cleaned in case there’s something on them. Lately I just don’t wear my rings, and it really sucks to not wear my wedding rings. Makes me sad.
[/QUOTE]
You may be allergic to whatever’s under the gold- 19k is sometimes not enough to prevent an allergy to whatever’s underneath it. My earlobes are highly allergic to nickel, and they react to any posts under 24k.
[QUOTE=lobstermobster]
Do you guys see a lot of people with trichotillomania? If so what types? If the person is already medication for OCD and to curb impulse control symptoms is there anything you can do for the skin and hair follicules that have been messed up?
because umm…my friend..yeah thats it…my friend wants to know
[/QUOTE]
I know of very few patients with it, and have not been involved with any treatment for it. Sorry.
[QUOTE=Projammer]
I’ve had vitiligo for about 15 years now, not a high priority on my list of things to be concerned about, but since you’ve started the thread…
Are there treatments that work?
How permanent are they?
How long to they take?
And thanks!
[/QUOTE]
Two things we do for vitiligo- Protopic cream or ointment, or UVB light treatments, which give you a tan and can help match the skin tones. I haven’t personally seen either work very well, but it’s worth a try.
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle]
I’ve been seeing a dermatologist for a couple of years now for my acne. He has prescribed antibiotics and Retin-A. The pills seem to be helping, but when I asked how long I’d have to take them, he told me, “Until your skin decides to stop having acne!” I’m 37, so I don’t see any reason why my skin would make that decision at this point.
Anyway, my question is about the Retin-A. Every time I use it as directed, within a few days my skin is absolutely fried. The peeling happens all over, in very tiny pieces, so I look like my face is covered in white fuzzy stubble. I’m embarrassed to be seen in public! I suppose I could get some abrasive and scrub hell out of it, but that just doesn’t seem like the thing to do when your skin is already burning.
I haven’t mentioned this to my doctor, for fear he’d knock on my head and say, “Hello, McFly…it’s Retin-A…makes your skin peel!” But I’m almost ready to be laughed at now, so I figure I’ll warm up by asking you first. Is that what’s supposed to happen, and if so, how am I supposed to go to work when I look like an albino Oscar the Grouch?
[/QUOTE]
Do you use Retin-A regular, or Retin-A Micro? Putting it on less than 30 minutes after washing (the regular) can make you peel really bad. You could try backing off of it, and using it every 2 or 3 nights. Cetaphil cream is very good for moisturizing.
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas]
I once had this icky thing happen at the base of the roes on my right foot–the skin started turning yellow, and then the skin started being eaten away, leaving holes that had tender pink skin underneath. i figured oil would help, but it made it worse. And it started hurting. I use antiperspirant to dry up pimples, so I gave it a try.
It worked like a charm. In one month my foot looked normal.
What the hell was it that I had?
[/QUOTE]
Hmmm. No clue. Sorry.
[QUOTE=Alice The Goon]
You may be allergic to whatever’s under the gold- 19k is sometimes not enough to prevent an allergy to whatever’s underneath it. My earlobes are highly allergic to nickel, and they react to any posts under 24k.
[/QUOTE]
I guess I’m confused about “under” the gold. My understanding is that gold is a mix of pure gold, silver, and copper, the higher the carat the more of that is pure gold. My ring is solid 19.2 carat gold as far as I know - what do you mean by “under”?
Also, can you be allergic to gold? I know about nickel allergies. I guess I didn’t think that you could be allergic to gold itself.
Anyway, this is all speculation, since I am going to my dermatologist next week to get the mystery solved.
[QUOTE=gotpasswords]
What is the mythical line that divides “cosmetic” skin tags from “treatement is medically needed?” I’ve been having recurring skin tags in an area that’s normally covered by clothing, and they drive me nuts, especially if clothing snags on them.
When I went to my GP about another issue that was “in the neighborhood” a while ago, he zapped a couple with nitrogen. This made them hurt like mad for a day or two, but they did turn black and drop off as expected a few days later. If I wasn’t in his office for something else, he apparently would not have been able to treat them within the rules of my PPO insurance plan.
I’ve since tried “Wartner” freeze spray, but it doesn’t seem to be as cold as nitrogen, and wasn’t nearly effective. Is ligating the little buggers really the next best option?
[/QUOTE]
None of my doctors would ever freeze a skin tag. They only freeze seborrheic keratoses (benign growths) and actinic keratoses (precancers). And we would never bill your insurance, either- we’d tell you to either pay for it or if the doctor was feeling particularly generous and you only had one or two he might snip it off for free.
[QUOTE=Athena]
I guess I’m confused about “under” the gold. My understanding is that gold is a mix of pure gold, silver, and copper, the higher the carat the more of that is pure gold. My ring is solid 19.2 carat gold as far as I know - what do you mean by “under”?
Also, can you be allergic to gold? I know about nickel allergies. I guess I didn’t think that you could be allergic to gold itself.
Anyway, this is all speculation, since I am going to my dermatologist next week to get the mystery solved.
[/QUOTE]
I always thought that anything less than 24k was an alloy or was gold-plated, not solid. Let me know what your derm says, I hope it helps.