Facial burn, acne and sensitivity

[mario91]

Hi everyone

In first place I'd like to thank a lot to Wai and her team for all the information is her site and in this forum, including the diet ofc, which has been very helpful for me in many terms.

I am 19, male, and my problem is that i had a second degree burn in my entire face and neck, both hands and one foot, from a grease fire, at around a year and a half ago.

Although I luckily got no significative scarring, my face got pretty sensitive and dry, so I really have to put "something greasy" on it everyday. I´ve been using moisturizers for baby eczema since i got home from the hospital (I've been interned in a burn center), and i've always been having lots of acne and a few eczemas. And when I read here about what moisturizers really do to your skin, I really got inclined to stop using them.

Since I've started this diet, at about 2 months ago, acne has decreased significatively, and i also feel more healthy in general. But when I switched to oils instead of moisturizers, I tried coconut oil, walnut oil and olive oil, all organic non-refined, and all of them gave my skin a burning sensation and never gave it enought elasticity to do my facial exercises, which is something I need to do everyday.

I've also recently tried vaseline (pretroleum jelly), and it gaved me elasticity and didnt irritate, such as moisturizers did, but it agravated my acne, and I've also read that it doesnt allow the skin to breathe.

I'd like someone to advise me what else I could try to hydratate my face... I've heard of glycerin+distilled water, should it be good? And why do the oils I've tried irritate my skin and didnt give enought elasticity?

[RRM]

Hi, welcome!

oil, all organic non-refined, and all of them gave my skin a burning sensation

Yes, your skin is too fragile for that now.
Particularly the vitamin E may be responsible, but possibly other ingredients as well.

I've also recently tried vaseline (pretroleum jelly), and it gaved me elasticity and didnt irritate, such as moisturizers did,
but it agravated my acne

Yes, only use it on those locations that are not acne prone,
and use it on the most fragile locations; im guessing on your cheek bones
and around your eyes.
Experiment what parts of your skin can tolerate it, and what parts cannot.

, and I've also read that it doesnt allow the skin to breathe.

You dont use it to cover all of your skin, so thats no problem.
You can perfectly use it for specific patches that need most protection.

I'd like someone to advise me what else I could try to hydratate my face...
I've heard of glycerin+distilled water, should it be good?

Yes, its pure, so that it will not irritate.
Its water soluble and makes the water 'thicker', making your skin smoother.
It does not protect you as oil can, though, and you will have to keep bringing it on,
but its a good alternative.

And why do the oils I've tried irritate my skin and didnt give enought elasticity?

Your skin is still very thin, so thats its more sensitive to various ingredients.
The oil didnt give you the elasticity because the layer of oil is much thinner than the layer of vaseline.
The vaseline is like an extra layer of skin, keeping all water inside the skin, so that more cells remain flexible,
as dehydration causes inflexibility.
The oils are simply less protective.
For your skin, you need more protection.

[mario91]

Hi RRM

Thank you so much for your atencious reply!

I bought sesame seed oil yesterday, following you guys' tip for low vit E oils, and used it pure on all my face just to experiment, and it irritated considerably less than the other oils! I could already tell just for the smell and texture that it wouldnt irritate that much. Not saying its the best oil, but its the one which worked better in my skin till now.

But I also bought pure vegetable glycerin before, like 3 days ago, and it moisturized my face like anything ever before (mixed with some water), even more than vaseline. And I only need to put it twice a day, making my face always very flexible and moist, and the skin feels very smooth and balanced. And didnt make any pimples at all. So, no need for vaseline at all by now.

So, I came to the conclusion that glycerin should be a key ingredient for my skin. So yesterday I mixed glycerin, sesame seeds oil and low mineral water (didnt have patience to buy distilled lol) and I guess I found like what I've been looking for a year and a half: the perfect, high-hydratating, balancing 'moisturizer' for my skin. Which, ironically, is not even a moisturizer as they call it.

I am so grateful to you and Wai and everyone who shares information in these websites. Thanks to you my face, which is all of it a scar, is evoluting much better, and with much less anoying issues like acne, eczema, redness/irritation, and messed up look in general. And what saddens me the most is that doctors, including the ones in burn units, recommend moisturizers (like Nivea and Avene) for serious and large burns like mine, when not even in healthy skin you should use that sh*t.

Keep up the good work!

[RRM]

Thank you.

... low vit E oils, and used it pure on all my face just to experiment, and it irritated considerably less than the other oils!

Okay, so its probably the vitamin E indeed thats too much aggressive for your skin.
Then you may try Theobroma oil / cocoa butter, which is even better! (3 times less vitamin E)
Be cautious to buy pure / the real stuff and not a formulated (vitamin E enriched) version though...

...pure vegetable glycerin before, like 3 days ago, and it moisturized my face like anything ever before (mixed with some water), even more than vaseline.

Yes, but its less protective.
Vaseline is most protective and glycerin most moisturizing.
Please use a combination of first glycerine and then vaseline for the sections that are not acne-prone,
and glycerin (mixed with pure theobroma oil) for the acne prone sections.

ironically, is not even a moisturizer as they call it.

Indeed, as 'true' moisturizers distract water from the surroundings (upper skin) into the true skin.

[mario91]

About the oils, I've also tried coconut and walnut oils before, which are lower in vit E than sesame seed oil, and they irritated much more than sesame.
So I dont think its only the vit E, its more the type of oil, or even the pureness/freshness, as I've already read before in this forum.
And yes, I've always bought 100% pure oils, from a well-know brand called Vitaquell.

But I'll also try the theobroma oil, if I can find it.

About the vaseline I dont think I'll use it anymore, cause unfortunely all my face is acne prone, i've had pimples in nearly every square milimitre of it! Lol. Didnt got any acne scars till now, luckily. Plus I live in a mild climate. But it a windier or colder day still comes this year, I'll give it a try in the more sensible areas.

Thank you again for the tips!

[Iris]

Also, when for example a particular olive oil irritates your skin, it doesn't mean all olive oil does. My skin is pretty sensitive, and most olive oils also irritate my skin. I need a really mild one, or it stings.
When you use oil, do you apply it with some water? That may feel a lot better than pure oil.

[mario91]

Exactly. I think that might have a lot to do with the pureness and freshness of the oil. That's why I'm thinking about start making my own oils at home, both for skincare and eating. And yes, I've always used them on face mixed with water, but still irritated my face.