Friday, June 01, 2012
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 sarahjeandesign asks

Q: red severly over exfoliated skin

I really hope you can help me. About a year ago i started breaking out on my face. The more products i would use the worse it got. I started using a peeling milk face wash which i was told could be used everyday by the sales lady(she was wrong). My cheeks and chin turned pink from over exfoliation(i didnt realize what i had done at the time). Then i was talked into a microdermabrasion. The person who did my mircodermabrasion commented on the redness and then proceeded to do it anyway. She didnt tell me any after care instructions, just did it and then let me go. After the microdermabrasion my face was fine that day, but the next day my face turned very very red, raw, and covered in small zits everywhere. I then started using proactive which got rid of all the zits, but not the redness. Now, months later, I finally realized what i have done(severly over exfoliated) and my face is still red. It isnt as red or raw as before since i started using cetaphil gentle skin cleanser. I keep waiting for the redness to go away, but it doesnt. It is very noticable in brightly lit stores and buildings. I do not like to wear makeup. I have done lots of research. I do not think i have rosacea. It is nothing like that. I read about dermabrasion and it says that when the skin grows back it is a pink color and repigments back to its normal color in 6-12 week. I have been using the cetaphil for about 2-3 weeks now. I just want to know if my face will ever be its normal color again or if i am stuck with a red face forever. I can not afford a dermatologist and i feel like they will just see red skin and say its rosacea. My doctor has not helped, only made it worse. I am losing hope and dont know what to do anymore. I have lost all my self esteem and am feeling very depressed about it. I very badly need some advise. I am 25 years old, so i thought my skin would heal fast, but i just cant tell if it is getting better or not. Im so frustrated. Sorry this is so long, i just wanted you to have all the info. Please giv me some advise!!

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Answers (5)
1/20/09 7:44am

I know exactly how you feel. A similar thing happened to me when I was 21, two years a go. I was constantly trying to get rid of my spots but had little results. I found out about laser treatment which claims to kill off the bacteria in your skin. I had a consultation with a member of staff from 'The Harley Medical Group' in England. When the sales person told me the price I was put off and couldn't afford it as I was a student at the time so she suggested 'microdermabrasion.' She claimed it was totally safe, no side effects and you could have it done in your lunch break and go back to work looking fine.

Anyway I had the treatment and my face went bright red and sore and the treatment was stopped early. She said it was normal and it would go down. It took about an hour to calm down and I had a cooling pack on my face. A week later my skin started to change colour constantly going red back to white all the time. Then it got worse I would flush and my skin was burning up. I couldn't go any where remotely warm without flushing. I started getting tiny little red spots on my cheeks which I never had before.

My advice is go to a dermatologist. I was put on anti biotics which kill off the bacteria in your skin. I had Erythromycin sterate. It takes about 4 months to see results but your skin will calm down a bit. I am now on a very low dose of Roaccutane to dry up the little spots and reduce inflammation. You may need laser treatment later to get rid of the reddness in your skin partially caused by the microdermabrasion severing all the fine little capilaries under the surface off your skin. I'm having pulsed dye laser in  the summer to help get the white colour back.

Microdermabrasion is NOT suitable for sensitive, delicate or young skin no matter what any one says. There should be more regulations in place to stop just any Joe Bloggs from performing treatments on your skin. You say that microdermabrasion was permormed on your skin even though they saw that your skin was pink and slightly sensitised? That is just plain irresponsible. It should really be permormed only with a dermatologists consent or after assessing your skin. You may be able to take the practitioner to court as they didn't perform a patch test.

It does sound like you have Rosacea which has been triggered by the micrdermabrasion. You should get it sorted as it will probably get worse without treatment. Good luck!

Katie :)

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1/17/09 11:52am

You really should see a doctor about this condition so you can have peace of mind again.  You probably just need an antibiotic or you may even be alergic to something.  Believe me it will be money well spent if it helps you.

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3/17/09 1:38am

use murad products- acne murad complex

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7/27/09 5:18pm

I am not sure if you are still having this problem, but if so, I believe I can help.  I am a licensed esthetetician and really feel your skin needs very good, healing, non chemical products.  Do not use any sort of acne medication or products!  These are way too harsh and drying for skin that is already damaged.  I carry and use a product line that is 100% organic and natural and extremely healing.  Many dermatologists use it post peel or microdermabrasion treatments (which I myself feel are unnecessary in most circumstances).  Good skin health is the key to better skin.  Check out www.alkaitis.com for the best products you will ever find for your skin.  Good luck!

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7/27/09 5:22pm

I am not sure if you are still having this problem, but if so, I believe I can help.  I am a licensed esthetetician and really feel your skin needs very good, healing, non chemical products.  Do not use any sort of acne medication or products!  These are way too harsh and drying for skin that is already damaged.  I carry and use a product line that is 100% organic and natural and extremely healing.  Many dermatologists use it post peel or microdermabrasion treatments (which I myself feel are unnecessary in most circumstances).  Good skin health is the key to better skin.  Check out www.alkaitis.com for the best products you will ever find for your skin.  Good luck!

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By sarahjeandesign— Last Modified: 12/04/10, First Published: 01/13/09