How to handle a change in skin type after antibiotics
March 31, 2020 2:12 PM Subscribe
I took antibiotics for a severe sinus infection in late January. As is typical for me whenever I take antibiotics, the low grade acne all over my face disappeared and my skin finally got smooth after a year of crummy texturing. Fast forward to mid February and my skin turned so oily I started having to rinse my face with water every 6 hours just to get some relief. I'm still a greasy mess. What do I do now?
Ok. So. This is super frustrating. I have never had oily skin, not even as a teen. It's always been dry and acne prone. As such, I don't know what to do skincare wise to just... Deal... With what's going on until I can get myself to a dermatologist. The grease is giving me painful acne up into my hairline, too, so that's additionally lousy. I'm almost wondering if I have some sort of staph infection again as I've had them multiple times, but they never came with a full on change in skin type. I'm also just speculating that this is a result of me being on hardcore antibiotics for a bit.
What should I do? I've forgone my usual makeup routine due to working from home. I wash my face with water most days and only use sulfate free face soap in the shower. Then I apply a little moisturizer or hyaluronic acid serum and that leaves me feeling great for a few hours before the grease builds up. Pretending this is what "dewy" feels like isn't working anymore. :(
Ok. So. This is super frustrating. I have never had oily skin, not even as a teen. It's always been dry and acne prone. As such, I don't know what to do skincare wise to just... Deal... With what's going on until I can get myself to a dermatologist. The grease is giving me painful acne up into my hairline, too, so that's additionally lousy. I'm almost wondering if I have some sort of staph infection again as I've had them multiple times, but they never came with a full on change in skin type. I'm also just speculating that this is a result of me being on hardcore antibiotics for a bit.
What should I do? I've forgone my usual makeup routine due to working from home. I wash my face with water most days and only use sulfate free face soap in the shower. Then I apply a little moisturizer or hyaluronic acid serum and that leaves me feeling great for a few hours before the grease builds up. Pretending this is what "dewy" feels like isn't working anymore. :(
You can use Differin, which is a strong vitamin A cream for acne. It is drying and will clear up the spots. It does take several weeks to clear acne but you should see an immediate reduction in oil. Do not use other retinol or retinoids while using it.
The other thing you can use is niacinamide with zinc, which limits sebum production while moisturizing. I get mine from The Ordinary. If you do use this, use it in the morning and the Differin at night. This takes about a week to see results.
posted by ananci at 2:26 PM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
The other thing you can use is niacinamide with zinc, which limits sebum production while moisturizing. I get mine from The Ordinary. If you do use this, use it in the morning and the Differin at night. This takes about a week to see results.
posted by ananci at 2:26 PM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
skin care products for oily skin as recommended by your friendly dermatologist on YouTube
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:35 PM on March 31, 2020
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:35 PM on March 31, 2020
This does sound like staph recurring after the course of antibiotics ran out.
posted by scruss at 2:38 PM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by scruss at 2:38 PM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
10% sulfur soap? Not for daily use, and you'd probably want to skip any acid use on the same day. Start 1x - 2x/ week: lather, leave foam on face for a minute or more, rinse well. Mayo clinic (see soap entry), Healthline, Reddit skincare addiction threads (also for rosacea, at Cleveland Clinic, as that can present as acne), popular Amazon-sold brand, another brand with lanolin.
posted by Iris Gambol at 5:10 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Iris Gambol at 5:10 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
the hairline zits are always the worst for me bc they bleed so grossly when i brush my hair. i would use some kind of clarifying toner or witch hazel at least just along that area, for me personally it makes a big difference.
people may recommend the (utterly horrifying to me) skincare practice of just never washing your face again and letting the grease normalize itself. they are bad. just my opinion!!
posted by poffin boffin at 5:38 PM on March 31, 2020
people may recommend the (utterly horrifying to me) skincare practice of just never washing your face again and letting the grease normalize itself. they are bad. just my opinion!!
posted by poffin boffin at 5:38 PM on March 31, 2020
I'm also thinking some of the acne is bacteria-related, and not necessarily just the oil itself. I agree with the witch hazel suggestion, or the tea tree spray that LUSH sells. (Using that spray literally cleared up my face after almost 2 decades. Salicylic acid on its own did nothing.)
Mud masks help control my oil without drying out my skin, but it's not for everyday use. I use oil blotting sheets and setting powder throughout the day, in that order.
posted by lesser weasel at 6:25 PM on March 31, 2020
Mud masks help control my oil without drying out my skin, but it's not for everyday use. I use oil blotting sheets and setting powder throughout the day, in that order.
posted by lesser weasel at 6:25 PM on March 31, 2020
A problem like yours hit me abruptly in my 20s, right smack in the forehead, and after months of things like salicylic soap did not avail (that stuff is harsh), it turned out to be the unrefined walnut oil I'd started using for stir frying.
Your sensitivity to soy lecithin makes me think you could also be dealing with a sensitivity to an oil or fat.
I went on to develop a sensitivity to at least a dozen plant oils over the next decade or so, and now I eat only animal fats, primarily butter. The plant oils I tolerate best are rice bran oil, olive oil, and corn oil, in that order, but I avoid those in pure form because I want to be sure I can continue to eat rice, olives and corn.
posted by jamjam at 6:35 PM on March 31, 2020
Your sensitivity to soy lecithin makes me think you could also be dealing with a sensitivity to an oil or fat.
I went on to develop a sensitivity to at least a dozen plant oils over the next decade or so, and now I eat only animal fats, primarily butter. The plant oils I tolerate best are rice bran oil, olive oil, and corn oil, in that order, but I avoid those in pure form because I want to be sure I can continue to eat rice, olives and corn.
posted by jamjam at 6:35 PM on March 31, 2020
jamjam, I think OP is sensitive to soy except for soy lecithin?
Speaking of which, OP, if you've been relying on packaged, shelf-stable food given our current predicament, maybe hidden soy there is triggering skin issues for you?
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:47 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
Speaking of which, OP, if you've been relying on packaged, shelf-stable food given our current predicament, maybe hidden soy there is triggering skin issues for you?
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:47 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
Antibiotics kill a lot of gut bacteria. For me, whenever I take them I get the exact same symptoms you're describing. I've found using Align (probiotic) for at least 4 weeks, and also using Mother Dirt skin probiotic (while using no soap at the same time, just washing with water and the Mother Dirt spray), gets me back to normal.
posted by todolos at 9:49 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by todolos at 9:49 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
Could you use a skin-safe antibacterial wipe, like Wet Ones, to wipe your face? Just rinsing with water won't remove much of the excess oil, nor will it address any bacterial issues.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:47 AM on April 1, 2020
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:47 AM on April 1, 2020
I once had oily skin pop up out of nowhere like you are describing and eventually I realized it was from adding Biotin vitamins to my daily supplements. Biotin (also called vitamin H, vitamin B7 or vitamin B8) is GREAT for encouraging nail and hair growth but for me personally it also made my forehead a terribly oily disaster.
posted by kate blank at 6:16 AM on April 1, 2020
posted by kate blank at 6:16 AM on April 1, 2020
In addition to what others have suggested, try dropping the moisturizer. I know that moisturizers are supposed to be the end all, but as an oily skinned person, they have never worked for me.
posted by Toddles at 7:27 AM on April 1, 2020
posted by Toddles at 7:27 AM on April 1, 2020
Are you drinking more coffee lately? Coffee stimulates androgens, which cause your skin to pump out more oil. A few days in a row of drinking coffee makes my skin into the horrible greasy mess you describe. It might be worth googling androgen foods and see if you've increased your intake of any of them lately
posted by Zaire at 9:42 PM on April 1, 2020
posted by Zaire at 9:42 PM on April 1, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
Salicylic acid products (I like Paula's choice in general for skincare), can also help control oil/acne. Sorry if this is basic info you have already thought about!
posted by kylej at 2:25 PM on March 31, 2020