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Problem skin after surgery

Answered Wednesday 5 January 2011 |

QuestionAsk Emma

Hi Emma, When I was young I was hit by a car and broke my nose. A couple of years ago I underwent rhinoplasty to have this fixed. My problem now is that after surgery, the skin on my nose is extremely red, with oily skin, enlarged pores and really bad blackheads. It also goes extremely red and 'cracked' looking after spending just a few minutes in the sun. I mentioned this to my doctor and he said that I'm just noticing it more since the surgery, but this can't be true as I never had this problem before. It looks horrible and ages me. The rest of my complexion is quite dull and sallow, with dryish cheeks and a sometimes oily chin and forehead. My eyes are also becoming more sensitive as time moves on and sweating causes exzema to my eyelids (sometimes so bad that my skin starts peeling off). Please help me!!! Katie

Answer

Hi Katie, That sounds very frustrating, especially if you didn’t have this before! When we look at the oiliness and the enlarged pores there is a product that is fantastic in eliminating both of these. Its Dermalogica’s Clearing Mattifier, its an anhydrous (waterless) treatment that absorbs oil to maintain an all-day matte finish, clears current breakouts, and helps prevent future breakout activity. To be used with your prescribed moisturiser for extra skin clearing and extra shine control. Some of the featured ingredients include: • Salicylic acid - aids in clearing congested follicles and soothes skin irritation • Retinyl palmitate (vitamin A) - normalizes skin while acting as a natural exfoliant • Green tea, licorice and chamomile - soothe and calm inflammation • Niacinamide - regulate sebum production • Panthenol and vitamin E help repair skin • Enantia, or African whitewood, reduces pore size and shine. Exfoliation will be fantastic for helping with the dullness and sallowness. Some key exfoliating ingredients include: • AHA - Salicylic acid - exfoliates dead skin cells and clears congested follicles to minimize development of future breakouts • BHA - Lactic Acid - exfoliates surface cells leaving a smoother. Also hydrates and brightens. • Retinol (Vitamin A) can convert Retinol to Retinoic Acid, a potent skin exfoliation agent and anti-ageing agent. Retinol has been shown to improve the visible signs of ageing and dullness. • Enzymes - Papain, Bromelain and Bacillus Ferment are classified as proteases (digest skin cells) Precautions with exfoliating – • Avoid the eye area • Don’t apply to broken or highly sensitive skin • Ensure an SPF is worn every day • Start with once a week and build your skin up to 2-3 x week • Over exfoliating can cause sensitisation and can lead to further breakouts With your eye area, this is such a delicate area to should be avoided with most products. You might be best to consult a Skin Specialist or Dermatologist in regards to your eyes. They might be able to prescribe a topical cream specifically for the eye area. Kind Regards Emma Emma Hobson Skin Expert