Constant problems with skin...

by Lara
(England)

I had bad skin on my face from a very young age, about 12, which eventually turned into really bad acne around the age of 17. I went on a 4 month course of roaccutane which has cleared my skin up. still get a normal amount of spots as i always had oily skin and the oil has returned, but skin is basically clear all the time now which is wodnerful. HOWEVER... i struggle with rashes now. I always had sensitive skin, i have had cold urticaria since i was young - where hives appear when i get cold. my skin was always perfect in the summer though. i tanned very well, never burned, and any spots i had on my face back or chest would completely disappear after some sunbathing. Now, i have rashes on my chest that look like spots but can also appear on my arms or tummy, or anywhere really. but the main problem area is my chest. it can be very itchy and uncomfortable. last summer was my first sunbathing after roaccutane and i still tanned and did not burn but would get horrible itchy rashes break out on my chest and sometimes back. at the end of the summer i had something called pityriasis rosea which was horrific and has left my skin covered in pale blotches from where the blisters peeled and took away the tan which i had acquired over the summer. it is now approching summer the year after, and having suffered with the chest rashes all winter again i am worried that i am just going to have the same horrible rash problems - had thought they might have all been to do with the oncoming pityriasis rosea last year, but it seems it will all happen again. it upsets me so much because i used to enjoy the summer so much, my skin clearing up and getting a lovely tan. but now, i itch and get ugly rashes - which are also present in the winter but i cover up in the winter - in the summer it is awful to not be able to wear bikinis or strappy tops because my skin is permanently irritated or spotty looking on my chest.

please help. what could this be?

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Our reply

Hi, and thanks for your message. Yes, I understand how difficult this kind of skin problem is, and one of the challenging things about skin problems is that they change over time. The only solutions that I know of is what I have shared here on this site.

1. See a medical doctor or qualified health professional to get a diagnosis. Even if you choose to not use medical treatments, you will known what you are dealing with.
   
   
2. Understand that the health of your skin is connected with your whole body. What you eat, the products you use on your skin, the environment your skin is exposed to, the emotional and physical stresses that you experience, all affect your skin. Please see our free eBook Clear Any Skin Problem Naturally for a suggested whole body approach to skin problems.
   
   
3. Understand that with sensitive skin, each new treatment or skin lotion that you use will affect your skin and could cause a breakout. Using products with a large list of ingredients are a greater risk than using hypoallergenic products which generally tend to have fewer ingredients. Many people who write to us have seen their skin problems clear up simply by stopping all of their skincare products for a while, then doing a skin test with each product before they add it back to their daily skincare routine.

Here are some additional links on our site you may find helpful here:

What Causes Sensitive Skin? - tips to find out what may the cause of your skin problems.

Safe Cosmetics - how the ingredients in your skincare products can affect sensitive skin.

I hope these can be helpful for you in finding a solution so you can enjoy summer again soon!