Skin and Sunscreen

So, I am not one to brag most of the time, but growing up and until recently, I have had really good skin.  I have very sensitive skin, and would have the occasional zit or two, but nothing major.  Nothing I couldn't handle.

I am also one to not wear a lot of sunscreen on my face because I was afraid it would cause break outs and it would always burn my face.  So I just opted to get burnt.  I have always been so incredibly pale, that I wanted a little color on my skin.  And I have even gone to the tanning bed.  I thought if I got some color on my skin before I went to the beach, I wouldn't get burned as bad.  Now I am paying for it.  

Before I was a teenager, it was hard to find a cleanser that would not cause whelps on my face.  Even walking through the perfume section at a department store would cause whelps.  I still can't use fragranced hand lotions because my hands will turn red and swell.  Not like huge swelling, but noticeable.  My sister and friend did not believe me, so I took them to Bath and Body Works and put some lotion on my hands to prove it.  Yeah, redness and swelling.  Fun times!!

I have always been complimented on my skin, one because I am pale, and the other because I rarely have problems.  Well, that was until about three years ago.

I started showing signs of Rosacea.  Red patches on my cheeks and small bumps, but not pimples.  My dad has had it for years, and I was hoping I would not have to deal with it, but I do.  It comes and goes, but lately it has gotten worse.  I was not wearing any foundation, thinking it was possibly making it worse, but I would wear it for special occasions. 

I also had a bump show up on my nose over a year ago.  I kept meaning to make an appointment to a dermatologist, which would have been the smart thing since I had insurance at the time.  The bump would show up, really red, make me look like Rudolph, and then go away.  I was only putting foundation on the bump because powder was not covering it.

After finding out a friend had a skin cancer removed, I knew I needed to get this bump checked out.  I made an appointment with a dermatologist here in Murfreesboro, and went this past Thursday.  As soon as she walked in she could tell I had Rosacea.  I had only put on eye makeup that day. 

Can you see all the redness?  And of course my bump on my nose. 

After we talked about my rosacea, she looked at the bump on my nose and immediately said it was a precancerous spot.  I was actually relieved it wasn't full blown skin cancer.  So she said they would do a small treatment that would get rid of it and it was like a small chemical peel.  All I could think about was the Sex and the City episode where Samantha gets a full face chemical peel and it was AWFUL!!  So they did the procedure and it wasn't that bad at all!  They said it would turn a few colors and then the skin would fall off.  So looking forward to that!  HA!

So back to the rosacea.  I'll be honest, I rarely wash my face at night, and sleep in my make-up.  I always found that when I did wash my face before bed, I would get a small break out.  So I just didn't wash it.  Well, I go from not washing it at night, to a full blown night time face cleansing routine. 

I have to take an antibiotic, which I had to shop around for the lowest price because it is EXPENSIVE.  Then I had to get two different face cream medicines.  One they graciously had a sample, and the other one cost $217.  BUT, they gave me a prescription card and it only cost me $60!!  They saved me some serious cash.  I also have to switch my moisturizer and foundation, but they gave me a sample of a moisturizer/foundation/sunscreen combo which again is expensive, but I need to start taking better care of my skin because I am not getting any younger, and I have been in denial about getting closer to 40.  I still have 7 years.  One plus of the moisturizer is that it smells like sunscreen and I LOVE the smell of sunscreen. 

So now I am an advocate for wearing sunscreen and taking better care of my skin.  I can't change what I did to my skin in the past, and I can't change that rosacea seems to be hereditary, she even asked me if I looked like my dad, meaning that must have something to do with me having rosacea.  But, I can start taking better care of myself.  So I must go start my nightly routine.  And then repeat in the morning.  It will be worth it!! 

This is day one of meds and new foundation/moisturizer/sunscreen.

Have a great night!