What's happening to my face?

[ShiftyBagLady]

Need some skincare advice and recommendations please as I'm quite baffled as to what's going on with my face at the moment.
Ive got two areas of congestion which both have lots of texture going on. Bumpy bits and lumpy bits and, in one place, a spot which seems permanent but looks more like milia than white head. This is all by my nose and chin so it's naturally oily but it's also quite dry and I keep having flakey bits of skin.
I'll exfoliate and moisturise and I'll still have flakey bits on my spots. I don't over exfoliate (only twice a week, if that as i regularly forget). I've got combination sensitive skin so haven't done too many acid peels.
So what's happening? And how do I fix it?
FML

 

[Pickman's model]

pharmacist

 

[quimcunx]

pharmacist

This is worth a try but I'm not sure how often you should apply the pharmacist.

 

[Pickman's model]

This is worth a try but I'm not sure how often you should apply the pharmacist.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

pharmacist

Dermatologist
(If we're playing job title bingo)

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

This is worth a try but I'm not sure how often you should apply the pharmacist.

How does one even make the enquiry....
The last time I saw a pharmacist I was, (honestly) bent over a table asking 'do you think its ring worm?' I'll get a terrible reputation in boots...

 

[quimcunx]

Hi can I speak to the pharmacist?
What do you mean, you're the pharmacist? You're 15! No shade intended. Fine, well at least you should know something about acne.
This (gesture by waving hand over general area) is a new thing. Any idea what that's about? Is it likely to be caused by something in particular, or is there a good cream you can recommend? No, I've not been sniffing nitro.

 

[Duncan2]

No idea but it sounds awful and I do sympathise.Between the ages of eighteen and twenty three I suffered MIGHTILY with acne.It was only at that point that someone thought to mention that "there's a drug for that" and presto-a few pills later I had my life and confidence back.As much as to say I think Pickman's is giving good advice here.Not that I think that you have acne Shifty Bag Lady just that there may well be a pill for it that everyone is too embarrassed to mention to you.

 

[Manter]

Go to a good beauty counter- someone like clarins where they have beauty rooms at the back so you know they are trained- ask someone there. The decent well trained beauticians will quite quickly tell you whether you need a doctor or just a change or regime.

Eg I need facial oil in the winter, but can’t use serum at the same time or I go spotty/flaky. But ymmv,

 

[Plumdaff]

I'd stop exfoliating at all and see what happens It's the time of year heating goes on etc and what previously worked may be too much now. And what Manter said.

 

[Ax^]

hmm ponders another thread i've just seen on here might help

 

[Thimble Queen]

Surprised no one has suggested rubbing baby foreskin into it

 

[dessiato]

I do a peel off face mask once a month. It keeps my skin nice. I use different ones for different outcomes. Yesterday, for example, I had a charcoal one for clearing pores. It worked well. Today my skin is clean, clear, smooth, and soft.

 

[Wookey]

Could you possibly grow a beard to hide it?

Could it be diet rather than strictly dermatological factors?

 

[Thimble Queen]

Could you possibly grow a beard to hide it?

Could it be diet rather than strictly dermatological factors?

I'm reminded of this

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Prior to looking in here I noticed someone had posted this on, er, Facebook
Does the ‘foreskin facial’ mark the end of the world?
Maybe Kate has the answer

 

[weepiper]

I found my skin got massively better when I stopped putting any kind of peely or scrubby stuff on it to try and deal with spots/roughness. Now I just use soap to wash and then moisturise with plain Aveeno cream. It's the least breakout-y it's been in years and years. It's because I've got rosacea, not acne. Worth asking your GP.

 

[Thimble Queen]

Oh a serious note, aloe Vera gel straight from the plant is helping my skin quite a bit atm. I put it on after washing my face morning and night

 

[Wookey]

I'm reminded of this

I just spat tea.....

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

Go to a good beauty counter- someone like clarins where they have beauty rooms at the back so you know they are trained- ask someone there. The decent well trained beauticians will quite quickly tell you whether you need a doctor or just a change or regime.

Eg I need facial oil in the winter, but can’t use serum at the same time or I go spotty/flaky. But ymmv,

Yeah, you're probably right on this. I dislike beauty counters in general but I should speak to somebody with training in skin instead of winging it with my own knowledge.
Maybe I should have a facial, haven't had one of those yet. Could be a slippery slope tbh

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

Could you possibly grow a beard to hide it?

Could it be diet rather than strictly dermatological factors?

I could work on a beard, I guess, but I think that'd be higher up on the 'what the fuck is happening to my face' chart than flakey spots.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

I found my skin got massively better when I stopped putting any kind of peely or scrubby stuff on it to try and deal with spots/roughness. Now I just use soap to wash and then moisturise with plain Aveeno cream. It's the least breakout-y it's been in years and years. It's because I've got rosacea, not acne. Worth asking your GP.

Ive tried this before and it really didn't work for me. My face was sore and blotchy. Didn't use Aveeno (can't remember what I used now but it seemed good at the time) but my face was uncomfortable all the time; dry or sore or oily and sweaty.

I've got combination sensitive skin, I've got PCOS and struggled with bad bad acne for years. Acne not so bad now, I rarely get the kind of spots I used to get (I just shuddered at the memory).
The problem now seems to be mainly textural and lots of what looks like milia. That suggests an exfoliation problem but I exfoliate twice a week, use a facial oil (serums break me out) and a moisturiser, always use ph balanced products and I do masks twice a week.
Nothing shifts this shit. As I say, the rest of my skin is alright but these areas need some kind of treatment.
I'm not using spot products on them at all and they are still flaking. That's just odd.
i think I need a professional. Or that poster who would know this shit and tell me what % acid peel I need to resurface my face.