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What Casues Redness And Dryness On Skin?
Question: I was wondering If you could just give me some advice.
I've been through chronic stress and it has caused me to deteriorate in my opinion. I added a picture of my skin, do you think this could be caused my chronic stress?
I've had so many treatments done to my skin, recently I had 3 TCA 25% peels spaced 3 weeks apart and it gave NO results at ALL. Diet doesn't seem to be a factor either as I've tried eliminating dairy/gluten and there is no change.
I used to have acne, but not for the past 3 years. It's like a redness, abit dry too. But the redness seems to be coming from under the surface of the skin.
Any advice would be appreciated My hair used to be VERY Thick, however during the last few years its thinning all over.
I've never eaten meat, so in your experience what deficiencies should I look out for? I've been tested for Iron/b12 and both came back fine. Is there any others that could be causing any long term problems? I was just looking into DHA/EPA, do you think it is a possibility
I've been through chronic stress and it has caused me to deteriorate in my opinion. I added a picture of my skin, do you think this could be caused my chronic stress?
I've had so many treatments done to my skin, recently I had 3 TCA 25% peels spaced 3 weeks apart and it gave NO results at ALL. Diet doesn't seem to be a factor either as I've tried eliminating dairy/gluten and there is no change.
I used to have acne, but not for the past 3 years. It's like a redness, abit dry too. But the redness seems to be coming from under the surface of the skin.
Any advice would be appreciated My hair used to be VERY Thick, however during the last few years its thinning all over.
I've never eaten meat, so in your experience what deficiencies should I look out for? I've been tested for Iron/b12 and both came back fine. Is there any others that could be causing any long term problems? I was just looking into DHA/EPA, do you think it is a possibility
Brief Answer:
Seems like folliculitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
It seems like folliculitis. or some inflammation under the skin. It seems to have happened from reduced immunity of the skin and/or GIT. The reduced immunity may have been caused by chronic stress, antibiotic use, etc. The causative organism seems like candida or another type of fungus. It is very common and causes symptoms like dry skin, folliculitis, acne (if superinfected by bacteria), diarhea, mucous in stools, mucous in respiratory tract, etc.
My suggestions are as follows:
- Stay away from unnecessary medicine especially antibiotics or any other medicine that can change normal flora. Stay away from DHA/EPA as well- it may also alter normal flora and aggravate mucous secretion from GIT and respiratory tract.
- Try to increase your immunity by exercising daily for atleast 20 min. Exercise can include gym, walk, yoga, etc. Also take hygienic food and cleanest drinking water. This change helps most. You donot need to exclude gluten etc. Drinking cleanest water will help most.
- Avoid taking skin treatments like peeling as they may aggravate the dry skin. The skin is already becoming sensitive, dry skin.
- In pure vegetarians vit B12 deficiency is seen. You are lucky as you do not have it. You do not need to look for any other deficiency.
- Relax. You are not the only one suffering from these symptoms. This fungal organism is part of normal flora and overgrows (for some reasons) to cause the symptoms.
Hope it helps. Let me know if you have any doubt.
Dr Vaishalee
Seems like folliculitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
It seems like folliculitis. or some inflammation under the skin. It seems to have happened from reduced immunity of the skin and/or GIT. The reduced immunity may have been caused by chronic stress, antibiotic use, etc. The causative organism seems like candida or another type of fungus. It is very common and causes symptoms like dry skin, folliculitis, acne (if superinfected by bacteria), diarhea, mucous in stools, mucous in respiratory tract, etc.
My suggestions are as follows:
- Stay away from unnecessary medicine especially antibiotics or any other medicine that can change normal flora. Stay away from DHA/EPA as well- it may also alter normal flora and aggravate mucous secretion from GIT and respiratory tract.
- Try to increase your immunity by exercising daily for atleast 20 min. Exercise can include gym, walk, yoga, etc. Also take hygienic food and cleanest drinking water. This change helps most. You donot need to exclude gluten etc. Drinking cleanest water will help most.
- Avoid taking skin treatments like peeling as they may aggravate the dry skin. The skin is already becoming sensitive, dry skin.
- In pure vegetarians vit B12 deficiency is seen. You are lucky as you do not have it. You do not need to look for any other deficiency.
- Relax. You are not the only one suffering from these symptoms. This fungal organism is part of normal flora and overgrows (for some reasons) to cause the symptoms.
Hope it helps. Let me know if you have any doubt.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you Dr Vaishalee, I like your response.
Currently I drink spring water only and would consider my diet very healthy, I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit daily. Seeing as I liked your response more than usual ones, I will tell you the main symptoms I am having.
I feel as though my vitality is low, I'm 24 and I feel tired all the time. I wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed and this has been happening for years.
I have got the point where my diet is incredibly clean but it doesn't seem to make me look healthy. I don't get acne since my dietary changes however my complexion is dull and I do not look healthy. I do not smoke, drink or consume fast food, yet the people that do those things look healthier than me!
The only time I've had antibiotics is once in the past 8 years for a ARF(acute renal failure/UTI) after I had raw goats milk. I drink homemade water kefir daily (probiotics).
Due to chronic stress I have become depressed, sometimes majorly depressed as I am unhappy with my appearance of my skin. Do you think depression can also cause my skin to look bad?
I will try your suggestion of exercise daily, I do try, but sometimes I feel burned out even from 15minutes of jogging and have to recover for 3-5 days.
thank you dr vaishalee
Currently I drink spring water only and would consider my diet very healthy, I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit daily. Seeing as I liked your response more than usual ones, I will tell you the main symptoms I am having.
I feel as though my vitality is low, I'm 24 and I feel tired all the time. I wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed and this has been happening for years.
I have got the point where my diet is incredibly clean but it doesn't seem to make me look healthy. I don't get acne since my dietary changes however my complexion is dull and I do not look healthy. I do not smoke, drink or consume fast food, yet the people that do those things look healthier than me!
The only time I've had antibiotics is once in the past 8 years for a ARF(acute renal failure/UTI) after I had raw goats milk. I drink homemade water kefir daily (probiotics).
Due to chronic stress I have become depressed, sometimes majorly depressed as I am unhappy with my appearance of my skin. Do you think depression can also cause my skin to look bad?
I will try your suggestion of exercise daily, I do try, but sometimes I feel burned out even from 15minutes of jogging and have to recover for 3-5 days.
thank you dr vaishalee
Brief Answer:
Blood tests needed
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Infections can cause symptoms similar to nutritional deficiencies. It does not mean that you have nutritional deficiencies. I hope you have done other tests like complete blood count, liver function tests, kidney function tests, thyroid profile, lipid profile etc.
Depression and chronic stress have been co-related with infections and reduced immunity. If we consider folliculitis, then it may be related to stress. But it does not mean that you get more stressed about it. Many people live with skin conditions that are bad looking and ominous. If you look around, you will find many people with similar skin condition. People get attracted to your whole personality (not just the skin).
Just like thoughts come and go, health conditions come and go. So you just relax.
Regarding clean water, reverse osmosis technique produces cleanest water.
Dr Vaishalee
Blood tests needed
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Infections can cause symptoms similar to nutritional deficiencies. It does not mean that you have nutritional deficiencies. I hope you have done other tests like complete blood count, liver function tests, kidney function tests, thyroid profile, lipid profile etc.
Depression and chronic stress have been co-related with infections and reduced immunity. If we consider folliculitis, then it may be related to stress. But it does not mean that you get more stressed about it. Many people live with skin conditions that are bad looking and ominous. If you look around, you will find many people with similar skin condition. People get attracted to your whole personality (not just the skin).
Just like thoughts come and go, health conditions come and go. So you just relax.
Regarding clean water, reverse osmosis technique produces cleanest water.
Dr Vaishalee
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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