Question 1:

Hi, I’m Abhishree. Having worked in PR for the past 8 years, I have never faced problems with my skin until the past two years. Although I’ve never had time to myself for a skincare routine right from the start, I tried some medicated face creams for dry skin that were prescribed by my medical store. I have used the same cream for the past 6 years, but it doesn’t seem to be working off late. Last winter, I noticed dry patches, sensitive and itchy skin, and peeling around my nose. At the age of 38, seeing my skin behave so strangely worried me a lot but I assumed I just have dry skin. Nowadays, this is just how my skin is normally, even when the weather isn’t dry. I am quite busy, but I want to correct this problem since it is getting in the way of my work, especially when I have client meetings and want to look my best. Please tell me what I can do to correct this.

Answer 1:

Hi Abhishree, thank you so much for reaching out. To me, it sounds like your skin barrier has been compromised by using a steroid cream for far longer than you needed to. The thing with steroids is that your skin develops a tolerance to them, making it harder to see the same effects the second time around. To add to this, steroids can be incredibly tough on your skin’s barrier- which is essential to maintain so all the germs, dust, and UV rays don’t penetrate the inner layers of the skin. When the skin barrier is compromised, we see symptoms like dry patches, itchy skin, and peeling around thinner areas of the face like the corners of your nose and eyes. 

Fortunately, this problem is easily reversible. I would advise immediately stopping whatever medicated cream you are currently using. There are multiple options worth trying that are steroid free, paraben-free, and can safely help you renew your skin barrier. Actively seek out ingredients like avocado oil, wheat germ oil, and rosehip oil to nourish your dry skin without drying it out. You can massage these into your face at night post cleansing. Also, make sure you wear SPF during the day, since your skin is highly sensitive right now and therefore, very susceptible to damage from UV rays. You can pick a moisturizer with SPF 50, or invest in a sunscreen, but choosing the moisturizer is unlikely to give you a white cast. Also, be patient with your skin barrier. It can take months for it to recover, since the damage has been prolonged. Hope this helps.