Photoderm
I can’t believe I didn’t find this group earlier. Anyway, am 36M and
have had issues with SD probably since I was 13. Early years were
terrible - high school and college very tough on self-esteem and acne
to boot didn’t help.
Anyway, survived all that but my SD still nags me to no end. My
regimen has varied quite a bit. I’m pretty sure I’ve tried every
shampoo under the sun.
Anyway, I’ve done quite a bit of "googling" today. Has anyone ever
tried/considered Photoderm? Reason I ask is that I probably used
steady diet of steroid creams for the 1st 10 years of treatment
(military doctors - my dad was a Marine) never warned me of prolonged
use - they probably didn’t know - but, now, no matter what, the
redness to sides of my nose appear permanent. Only when I’m really
sick does that area get half-way close to my normal skin tone.
Perhaps Photoderm could reduce this discoloration? Supposedly works
for Rosacea.
Also, has anyone had the itchy,blotchy effects around the jaw? I’m
thinking it has something to do with shaving perhaps but it is only
this year that this has happened and so I’ve got a call into my derm
and hoping to get Protopic and Ovace gel prescribed over the phone and
try R.Jackson’s remedy there. It is actually red but kind of
discolored (light, almost white blotches plus redness) - looks almost
like a rash but it’s not. Has been around for a few months at least.
Also use Jojoba oil which looks real oily coming on but actually dries
up for me. I use it on the nose and in and around the ears. Does
anyone else have constant flaking in/around the ears? What remedies
exist or are they same for the other stuff.
So wary of trying the "over the net" remedies - I tried Rosacea, LTD.
- also a couple of others. Nothing has really worked really any
better than Vaseline.
Also, I’m a guy but only this year started using a MAC coverup (a
blush?) - they have two kinds the TECH and FIX which are basically
powders although the TECH definitely has more consistency and seems to
"stick" better.
Any other guys resort to this method to cover up the "redness"? My
derm indicated that shouldn’t irritate. Not sure. Only use it when
it is really red but some days are worse than others as we all know.
Why can’t they make skin-colored anit-fungal cream? 
January 24th, 2006 at 7:54 am
Hello my friend.
About the Photoderm, I went to a clinic and asked if laser could help
my seb derm redness in the t-sone area, and they said I had a small
spider vein on my nose, and the laser could take care of that, but the
real problem with seb der is sebum, fungus and inflammation, and she
said lasers did not reduce sebum much. So at least for me, laser was
not a good option they said. Steroid induced redness (thin skin etc)
and laser I dont know about.
And about your doc prescribing Protopic, Isnt that a rather sticky
cream? If you have oily skin, this is important.
I used Elidel for awhile, and it worked well, and is not oily and goes
quickly into the skin. There were side effects, like congested nose and
slight nausea. Ovace Gel sounds interesting. I would like to try that
as well, but it is not available here in NOrway. ):
Please report how it works.
Good luck,
January 25th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Protopic is defintely a heavy greasy ointment like a petroleum jelly
which is why I only use it night combined with a layer of Ovace Gel
on top of that. The ovace alone you could use during the day but it
does dry up into a thin mask after an hour or two which you would
then need to rub off.
Supposedly, the Ovace works by reducing the dried sebum build up on
your skin–works like a very gentle exfoliator–it has never caused
any irritation but I do find that it doesn’t reduce inflammation
enough for me which is why I put the Protopic on first (reduces
inflammation redness) and then the Ovace to peel off the dead skin
and dried sebum build up and flakes.
I think the Ovace works better in high sebum producing areas like
forehead, eyebrows and the nose itself. I don’t really get oily
around the jaw line, just really dry skin and shaving irritation so I
use Protopic there as Protopic is a bit moisturizing as well as anti-
inflammatory.
Elidel works as well and is easier to use during the day as it is a
cream and not an ointment like Protopic so not greasy really at all
like Protopic. However, Elidel lost effectiveness for me after only
about 6 weeks but the Protopic/Ovacne combo has been working for me
for about 18 months now. I think the constant use of the Protopic (
like once or twice per week and only when needed–not to prevent)has
had a permanent effect on the degree of my inflammation.
What i mean by this is that since starting Protopic, when i get a
flare now, the redness and crusting is quite minor compared to what I
used to get–my skin used to ooze and bleed the seb derm was so bad,
now it just turns dark pink and goes away within 2-3 days and I
usually stay clear for a week or two and some times three weeks
without having to apply it again.
Could just be that I am outgrowing the sebderm as well ( I am almost
39 now) but that would be a helluva coincidence. I did see what I am
referring to as a permanent reduction in the intensity of the flares
after about 2-3 months of Protopic/Ovace use, espeically in my real
problem area of the eyebrows and lower forehead.
Sorry for the novella
RJ
January 26th, 2006 at 12:30 am
Hi,
That sounds interesting. I would say that the Dermadoctor Calm, Cool
and Corrected or the Cutanix Sensitive/Extra Strength version would
be good alternatives to the Elidel/Protopic, especially the CCC,
since tests show it reduced DHT levels in the skin by over 60 %. I
am mentioning this because I had some side effects from the Elidel.
Congested nose and nausea. Noticed any of this? Also, I think there
was a skin cancer connection with the Elidel.
Good that you are seeing remission of the seb derm, I guess sebum
levels decrease with age? I do think that by the time I am your age (
I a 27) there will be effective topical DHT reducing products.
I would sure have liked to try the Ovace Gel. Do you have enough
prescriptions to send me a tube? Is it expensive?
For me, reducing sebum is nr 1. I used low dose accutane last year,
and it worked well, but I didnt like the side effects like joint
soreness and back aching. Since I a into sport a lot, this was not
good for me. I did see a paper that found that the asthma med.
Zileuton reduces sebum comparable to low dose accutane. Ill ask my
derm about it, since Zileuton has a lot fewer side effects than
accutane.
Best wishes,
Mads
January 26th, 2006 at 10:39 am
Hey, if you want to reduce DHT, try Proscar, Propecia, or Avodart
(dutasteride). You can buy this off the web pretty easily or you
should be able to convince your doctor pretty easily to let you try
it–if he gave you accutnae he shouldn’t have a problem with this.
If you want to see goo discussion of these drugs, go to the open
forums at this site:
www.hairlosshelp.com
I did Proscar a few years ago and it worked quite well–it is made
for hair loss due to DHT and for enlarged prostate–I was taking 1.25
mgs per day. Side effects were minimal and go away when stopping the
drug–much safer than accutane.
I was a lot less oily but unfrotunately it was contributing to
eyebrow less (facial hair requries DHT to grow whereas DHT causes
scalp hair to fall out–strange I know).
I already ahve major eyebrow loss from seb derm and didn’t want any
more falling out.
I will see if my derm can refill my RX for Ovace Gel and send you
some. I think it costs me $25 with my health insurance plus whatever
the shipping is to Norway. Let me know how you can pay me befor I
get the RX filled. I have almost a full tube already so I don’t need
any more for myself. Maybe I can just squeese some out of my tube
and put in something–this way it won’t cost us anything, but not
usre what I could put it in–let me know if you have any suggestions
or if you want me to get you a full tube.
January 28th, 2006 at 3:15 am
Hi,
I thank you for wanting to help with the Ovace. I think the Baking Soda
is working reasonably well, so I will let you know if I become
interested.
I dont think I will go on anti-androgens. They are bound to have side
effects. I read the body can compensate by increasing DHT levels in
stead and stuff.
I have started taking small amounts of accutane, like 1-2 mg pr day, I
will see how that works for sebum output.
best wishes
January 28th, 2006 at 11:52 pm
have you seen a doctor about the redness ?
sounds like rosacea.
May 29th, 2006 at 2:03 am
Hi,
did the low dose accutane dry out your skin in any way? And did it
help with the inflammation?
best wishes, natalja
May 29th, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Hi Mads,
did the low dose accutane dry out your skin in any way? And did it
help with the inflammation?
best wishes, natalja