My Skin Journey..............
Background on my 'lack of' knowing better....
I never really took care of my skin. I have always worn minimal makeup (light powder and eye liner), but never really took care of my skin. I would use whatever face wash or make up wipes I had and sometimes sleep in my makeup growing up. Pretty normal I am sure, but I never really knew I needed to care more.
I always had pretty good skin with minimal acne and issues growing up.
When I was in my low 20s I noticed that the cheap powder makeup was irritating my skin. So I researched mineral make up and starting using Bare Minerals way back then. The only place I could buy it was on the phone or online and it was expensive at the time, but I tried it. And... still use it to this day! I have tried other things and it never covers as well or feels as light.
The older I got, I noticed my face would get red when working out or exerting energy. I would also get red in my ears, neck, chest for different reason. Excited, nervous, scared, upset... but also for no reason at all. I just figured it was one of those things.
When I started doing obstacle races and running in my early 30's, my face would stay red for so long after stopping the work out. I just figured that was my thing but people would often ask what the heck was going on. Eventually the redness would go down and I would go about my day. :)
I noticed I would get more acne off and on the older I got. Figured, well..... guess it is just my time. Since I never had issues growing up and when I was a young adult with acne. Lucky I always said, so guess I could handle a bit of adult acne from time to time.
Nearing skin obsession #1........
January 2018- I was 37 and we just got back from vacation. I had the least amount of stress in my life at work in quite some time. I started having terrible headaches. Worse than what I have ever experienced. Migraines run in my family, but luckily, I had never had a 'real' one really. My headaches were always manageable, at least with Ibuprofen if really bad. The headaches lasted for about a week and finally subsided. I was having a bit of tingling/'pins n' needles' in my face and just figured that was the headaches and/or my back stuff acting up again.
The next week, I had a few pimples (I thought) on my temple. Back then I would mess with my face and not even know. My husband would remind me I am messing with it and then I would stop. They got a bit bigger over a few days and I figured just because I kept messing with them. The next morning, I woke up and there were more 'spots' on my face in that area. I really was not sure what it was, but I got in the shower like normal. And my face really started hurting from the hot water (like it never has before). I got out of the shower and my face exploded! It hurt and I had no idea what was happening. They looked like blister type things and there were more than when I woke up. I told my husband I was going to urgent care and to stay home, as I just didn't know what it was (Staph, infection, etc, etc.). I was scared. I got to urgent care and the Dr immediately said... you have shingles. I immediately started crying but it hurt so bad I held them back. SHINGLES!!!! I thought that was something that older people got! How the heck did I have shingles at 37??!!
The Dr asked if I had a lot of stress in my life..... I said I just got back from vacation and at work, was probably the least stress I have had in years. But.... looks like it was making up for lost time. The headaches were the start of shingles coming, come to find out. Folks experience different onsets, headaches, pain in different areas, etc. Mine were headaches. At least I had an answer for those terrible headaches and it was not a brain tumor (haha- funny NOT funny, I know).
I was off to the pharmacy to get meds and headed home. As the days progressed, the blistered and amount of shingles got worse. And the pain got more intense. They were on my left side of my face only, my forehead, temples, eyelids and a few on my cheek/chin and near my lips, but ONLY on my left side. That is how shingles works.... one side at a time only (usually). I still worked, but took it 'easy'. As easy as I could for being me.
As the days passed, the pain got worse and the blisters grew... After a few weeks, things began to settle down and the pain got less and less. But the numbness, tingles, and nerve pain lasted for a good 10 weeks. To this day, I still have nerve 'things' that happen and take place off and on. But... nothing like it was when shingles was in full force. I will leave the shingles story there for now, but... I will write more on that. As I hope what I experienced can help others who may experience something similar. But I would NEVER wish shingles even on my worse enemy.
What tipped off my skin obsession.....
Then when I was 38, I had a really 'bad break out'. It was initially just a small batch. The walk in clinic gave me some fungal ointment and pills and told me to go see a dermatologist to confirm what it may be. I did not use it as I was not sure I wanted to put that on my face and I am not a huge fan of taking medicine if not needed.
The patches just grew. I finally went in to the dermatologist as I could not believe how red, swollen, raised and how many little white pimples I had on my cheeks at this point. I go in and the dermatologist says I have rosacea! WHAT? And it is something I was born with and always had... WHAT?????
Explains the red face after work outs that lasted longer than any of my friends, the red ears and flushing for any reason or no reason at all, the welts I would get on my face that would itch (me thinking it was a bug bite initially), etc. Looking back, there were so many signs, but none that I knew were signs of this.
I wish I would have known earlier, and maybe I could have 'caught' it earlier or started to manage it earlier. But... at least I know now and have been doing all kinds of things to help myself.
Not only did I already give up gluten because of others issues, I also gave up alcohol and dairy mostly. I also gave up for a time, night shades (peppers...), sugary fruits, etc. Just to see how my face and gut reacted.
I manage my rosacea with good skin care, which I continuously research. I am not really big on trying new things in fear, but I am getting better at it. I also do mostly facials and I have done a few mild chemical peels, which has really helped my skin overall. I know some are not able to tolerate facials or peels, so please talk to your dr. before trying anything. I do quite a lot of research on my own as well, as the mild ones have worked well for me.
Knowing that I have rosacea helps remind me to take care of my skin (and myself) like I should have been all along. I will share many more things that have worked with me for my rosacea on my blog page. Please feel free to reach out anytime to ask questions, share what has worked for you, etc.
Knowledge is power always and definitely when dealing with rosacea! WE GOT THIS!!!!
