Skin care for genderqueer person newly taking testosterone
September 3, 2020 1:36 PM Subscribe
My genderqueer love has recently started taking testosterone as part of a gender affirming therapy plan, and as predicted is starting to experience acne as part of this mid life return to adolescence.
They don't have a skin care regimen to speak of, and they work outside in the sun all day. What products should they be using to help reduce and/or minimize acne that won't make them more sensitive to sun exposure? They're never going to be a 10 step skin care fan but with good recommendations I think I can help them take care of their skin and feel better in their body as it's changing.
They don't have a skin care regimen to speak of, and they work outside in the sun all day. What products should they be using to help reduce and/or minimize acne that won't make them more sensitive to sun exposure? They're never going to be a 10 step skin care fan but with good recommendations I think I can help them take care of their skin and feel better in their body as it's changing.
2.5% benzoyl peroxide, some gentle face wash (I just use Johnson & Johnson baby wash, it’s cheap and basically the same thing as facial cleansers that come in much smaller bottles), and a sunscreen that doesn’t make them break out. “Noncomedogenic” isn’t a regulated term so I would not put much stock in whether sunscreen labels say it. If sunscreen seems to cause breakouts on the face try something without avobenzone—it’s a good ingredient for blocking sun but it causes bad breakouts for some people. Pretty much any effective acne product is going to have a warning about increased sun sensitivity.
If that doesn’t work move up to a higher percentage of benzoyl peroxide, if that’s not enough get something prescription like BenzaClin or Retin-a.
posted by needs more cowbell at 2:44 PM on September 3, 2020
If that doesn’t work move up to a higher percentage of benzoyl peroxide, if that’s not enough get something prescription like BenzaClin or Retin-a.
posted by needs more cowbell at 2:44 PM on September 3, 2020
Sending love to this auspicious moment in your collective lives!
I had acne into my 40s. Horrible, that. No longer remember how I came to this, but:
mix 1/2 mashed ripe avocado
1 T organic honey
the inside of an egg yolk (separate the yolk from the whites, hold the yolk, pinch it til the outer membrane breaks, and drizzle/squeeze the innards in the bowl
1 T turkish ground coffee.
Mix into a slurry. Put on your face like a mask about 5-10 minutes before taking a shower; walk around and do shit; take your shower and scrub/remove the mask with your fingers and hands (not a washcloth).
You can refrigerate the face mix and use it for the rest of the week. Make a new batch after that.
Don’t use any other products or soaps on your skin.
Cleared up my acne in a week-ish.
posted by Silvery Fish at 3:11 PM on September 3, 2020
I had acne into my 40s. Horrible, that. No longer remember how I came to this, but:
mix 1/2 mashed ripe avocado
1 T organic honey
the inside of an egg yolk (separate the yolk from the whites, hold the yolk, pinch it til the outer membrane breaks, and drizzle/squeeze the innards in the bowl
1 T turkish ground coffee.
Mix into a slurry. Put on your face like a mask about 5-10 minutes before taking a shower; walk around and do shit; take your shower and scrub/remove the mask with your fingers and hands (not a washcloth).
You can refrigerate the face mix and use it for the rest of the week. Make a new batch after that.
Don’t use any other products or soaps on your skin.
Cleared up my acne in a week-ish.
posted by Silvery Fish at 3:11 PM on September 3, 2020
If they eat dairy they might consider stopping dairy to see if that helps with the acne. Couldn't hurt to run a no-dairy experiment for a couple weeks?
posted by Glinn at 4:12 PM on September 3, 2020
posted by Glinn at 4:12 PM on September 3, 2020
Salicylic acid doesn’t increase sun sensitivity (source). I like the Stridex pads in the red box. I do find them slightly drying, so I use them just in the areas where I get hormonal breakouts.
It sounds like they’d do best with a minimal routine. In the morning, wash face, apply sunscreen. In the evening, wash face (make sure to get all the sunscreen off because any residue can contribute to breakouts- I like cleansing oils for this), salicylic acid, moisturizer.
For the moisturizer, niacinamide is a good ingredient to look for - it can help a little with acne, is good for skin generally in terms of both health and aesthetics, and doesn’t increase sun sensitivity.
posted by insectosaurus at 6:59 PM on September 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
It sounds like they’d do best with a minimal routine. In the morning, wash face, apply sunscreen. In the evening, wash face (make sure to get all the sunscreen off because any residue can contribute to breakouts- I like cleansing oils for this), salicylic acid, moisturizer.
For the moisturizer, niacinamide is a good ingredient to look for - it can help a little with acne, is good for skin generally in terms of both health and aesthetics, and doesn’t increase sun sensitivity.
posted by insectosaurus at 6:59 PM on September 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Morning: Sunscreen is extremely important, especially for someone who works outside. If your partner hasn't found one they like, Wirecutter's top recommendations are Coppertone Ultra Guard SPF 70 ($7.72/8 oz.); No-Ad Sport SPF 50 ($21.57/16 oz.); and Thinksport SPF 50+ ($18/6 oz.).
tl;dr My recommendation: Coppertone Ultra Guard is affordable, effective, not oily and doesn't leave a white cast. Plus the bottle can be easily thrown into a backpack, and it's the only one of the three that gets multiple kudos on Amazon for not causing or aggravating acne. (Vis-a-vis breakout potential, I couldn't find any reference to either of the other two in any online forum.)
Although No-Ad Sport is the cheapest one, it's sticky and the bottle is cumbersome to tote around. ThinkSport is the only reef-safe choice, since its active ingredient is non-nano zinc oxide. But it costs over 3 times as much per ounce as the Coppertone.
Evening: My suggestion is the $12/1.69 oz. e.l.f. Superhydrate Moisturizer. It's fragrance free and cruelty free. What's more, sources I trust, like watchdog Paula Begoun, love its workhorse ingredients -- including niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3 that treats acne, soothes irritation and keeps skin hydrated.
The reliably cranky Paula points out that Superhydrate Moisturizer's jar packaging will make some of the other ingredients lose their strength faster by exposing them to air. (This isn't an issue with niacinamide.) Superhydrate Moisturizer quickly warms to a liquid when the lid is removed -- so transfer it to a glass bottle with a pump, and the exposure-to-air problem will be solved.
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion will be recommended. Caveat emptor.
This lotion has shown up on a lot of lists as a unicorn: a budget-friendly, well-formulated night-time moisturizer for people with combination to oily skin. But it's been reformulated and people are not happy. (Among the complaints: It smells bad, it burns, it causes breakouts, it doesn't absorb well.)
posted by virago at 12:43 AM on September 9, 2020
tl;dr My recommendation: Coppertone Ultra Guard is affordable, effective, not oily and doesn't leave a white cast. Plus the bottle can be easily thrown into a backpack, and it's the only one of the three that gets multiple kudos on Amazon for not causing or aggravating acne. (Vis-a-vis breakout potential, I couldn't find any reference to either of the other two in any online forum.)
Although No-Ad Sport is the cheapest one, it's sticky and the bottle is cumbersome to tote around. ThinkSport is the only reef-safe choice, since its active ingredient is non-nano zinc oxide. But it costs over 3 times as much per ounce as the Coppertone.
Evening: My suggestion is the $12/1.69 oz. e.l.f. Superhydrate Moisturizer. It's fragrance free and cruelty free. What's more, sources I trust, like watchdog Paula Begoun, love its workhorse ingredients -- including niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3 that treats acne, soothes irritation and keeps skin hydrated.
The reliably cranky Paula points out that Superhydrate Moisturizer's jar packaging will make some of the other ingredients lose their strength faster by exposing them to air. (This isn't an issue with niacinamide.) Superhydrate Moisturizer quickly warms to a liquid when the lid is removed -- so transfer it to a glass bottle with a pump, and the exposure-to-air problem will be solved.
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion will be recommended. Caveat emptor.
This lotion has shown up on a lot of lists as a unicorn: a budget-friendly, well-formulated night-time moisturizer for people with combination to oily skin. But it's been reformulated and people are not happy. (Among the complaints: It smells bad, it burns, it causes breakouts, it doesn't absorb well.)
posted by virago at 12:43 AM on September 9, 2020
Best answer: I can't believe I left this out of my epic answer, but:
e.l.f. Superhydrate Moisturizer is available at Target (in store or mail order), so it's pretty accessible.
I have combination/oily skin (it used to be very oily but has calmed down somewhat in my reclining years), so I'm considering this for myself.
posted by virago at 12:59 AM on September 9, 2020
e.l.f. Superhydrate Moisturizer is available at Target (in store or mail order), so it's pretty accessible.
I have combination/oily skin (it used to be very oily but has calmed down somewhat in my reclining years), so I'm considering this for myself.
posted by virago at 12:59 AM on September 9, 2020
Best answer: Because I feel the need to close the loop on this (to use a bit of jargon that has sneaked into my vocabulary), I'd like to say that I agree with insectosaurus' suggested minimalist routine.
Morning: Wash face. Suggestions. All of these have been vetted by Paula at Beautypedia and have good reviews from skin care consumers on forums like Beautypedia, Makeupalley, and r/Skincare Addiction.
They range in price from $5.99 (Trader Joe's) to $16 (PC4Men), and each is cruelty free. Everything else I've suggested in my comments meets this criterion, except for the Coppertone sunscreen and Stridex pads.
1. e.l.f. Hydrating Cleanser (available at Target; shop brick and mortar if possible to give it a sniff test because apparently the scent is not to everyone's taste).
2. Acne.org Gentle Cleanser (available in a travel size if they want to try it out before committing to the full size).
3. PC4Men Face Wash (Paula Begoun's brand; ridiculously gendered name, but people seem to like the product).
4. Trader Joe's Nourishing All-in-one Face Cleanser. (I can vouch for this one! I break up the sunscreen on my face with safflower oil and a $7 silicone nubbled Sephora Precision Pore Cleansing Pad, then I use the TJ's cleanser to rinse it all off. Works great for both my drier spots and my T-zone )
5. YourGoodSkin Refreshing Face Wash (available only at Ulta and Walgreens).
Evening: Wash face. Apply salicylic acid -- insectosaurus likes the 2% salicylic acid Stridex pads in the red box, and so do a lot of other people.
f.c. at Simple Skincare Science has some tipson how to prevent any irritation from the pads -- they aren't called "Maximum Strength" for nothing. A more costly but less harsh (and cruelty free) option is the Humane Clarifying BHA Toner ($17/4 oz), which is another https://.com/salicylic-acid-for-skin/
Last step, moisturizer --
posted by virago at 11:47 AM on September 9, 2020
Morning: Wash face. Suggestions. All of these have been vetted by Paula at Beautypedia and have good reviews from skin care consumers on forums like Beautypedia, Makeupalley, and r/Skincare Addiction.
They range in price from $5.99 (Trader Joe's) to $16 (PC4Men), and each is cruelty free. Everything else I've suggested in my comments meets this criterion, except for the Coppertone sunscreen and Stridex pads.
2. Acne.org Gentle Cleanser (available in a travel size if they want to try it out before committing to the full size).
3. PC4Men Face Wash (Paula Begoun's brand; ridiculously gendered name, but people seem to like the product).
4. Trader Joe's Nourishing All-in-one Face Cleanser. (I can vouch for this one! I break up the sunscreen on my face with safflower oil and a $7 silicone nubbled Sephora Precision Pore Cleansing Pad, then I use the TJ's cleanser to rinse it all off. Works great for both my drier spots and my T-zone )
5. YourGoodSkin Refreshing Face Wash (available only at Ulta and Walgreens).
Evening: Wash face. Apply salicylic acid -- insectosaurus likes the 2% salicylic acid Stridex pads in the red box, and so do a lot of other people.
f.c. at Simple Skincare Science has some tipson how to prevent any irritation from the pads -- they aren't called "Maximum Strength" for nothing. A more costly but less harsh (and cruelty free) option is the Humane Clarifying BHA Toner ($17/4 oz), which is another https://.com/salicylic-acid-for-skin/
Last step, moisturizer --
posted by virago at 11:47 AM on September 9, 2020
Best answer: Salicylic acid: A more costly ($17/4 oz) but far more gentle option than Stridex -- and an f.c. favorite for all skin types -- is the Humane Clarifying BHA Toner.
Yet another alternative: Silk Naturals 2% BHA Toner ($11/4 oz) got a lot of skepticism from the skin care blogosphere for a long time. Then the company reformulated the product and a commenter on Simple Skincare Science confirmed in April that it has the right pH to be effective.
Moisturizer: The $12/1.69 oz. e.l.f. Superhydrate Moisturizer has not only niacinamide but also Vitamin E, squalane (which is full of antioxidants), and Centella asiatica (which is good at soothing and hydrating irritated skin).
If a Trader Joe's is around, their $8.99/2.5 oz. Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer with Aloe & Green Tea Extract has a lot of good stuff to offer, too. A consumer reviewer who loves this moisturizer agrees with Paula Begoun's advice to put it in a pump bottle to keep bacteria out and preserve the ingredients' potency.
posted by virago at 12:32 PM on September 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yet another alternative: Silk Naturals 2% BHA Toner ($11/4 oz) got a lot of skepticism from the skin care blogosphere for a long time. Then the company reformulated the product and a commenter on Simple Skincare Science confirmed in April that it has the right pH to be effective.
Moisturizer: The $12/1.69 oz. e.l.f. Superhydrate Moisturizer has not only niacinamide but also Vitamin E, squalane (which is full of antioxidants), and Centella asiatica (which is good at soothing and hydrating irritated skin).
If a Trader Joe's is around, their $8.99/2.5 oz. Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer with Aloe & Green Tea Extract has a lot of good stuff to offer, too. A consumer reviewer who loves this moisturizer agrees with Paula Begoun's advice to put it in a pump bottle to keep bacteria out and preserve the ingredients' potency.
posted by virago at 12:32 PM on September 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone, and especially virago for the super thorough answers!!
posted by spindrifter at 3:59 AM on September 10, 2020
posted by spindrifter at 3:59 AM on September 10, 2020
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The salicylic acid can be a face wash. Another good active that can also be a face wash is benzoyl peroxide. Both are less likely to cause irritation as face wash than a lotion that stays on the skin but are still effective. BP will bleach towels, clothing and sheets unless it is rinsed off carefully, including the hands.
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:02 PM on September 3, 2020 [2 favorites]