irritation / inflammation

[Sandra]

I need help ! can someone help me understand irritation , redness , swelling ..... some heavy creams makes you skin "swells" they are so heavy ! some pamphlets says a mild tingling is normal.... some says if any itching or tingling develop stop using the product . I am totally confused ! One friend says when a lotion tingle or itch it is really working because it penetrates the skin ? what is irritation ? It seems everybody has a different opinion ! for ex when applying vit C lotion how long are you suppose to have the tingling on your skin ? please help me understand ?

[Shari]

Depending upon the product you are talking about, there could be some irritation and/or swelling for a brief period of time. For example, if you use a facial acid (glycolic acid ie), then your face could tingle and could be noticeably irritated for a time after exposure. That is the point of the product to peel away dead skin cells hence you'd expect irritation. The books I have on peels etc, say if the face is red or irritated for two or three days past use to see a professional and to find an alternative treatment.

If I encountered a lotion or serum that made my face swell I wouldn't use it - I don't care what anyone says. You could be having an allergic reaction. What are the specific ingredients in the lotion/serum you are using? Is there a number or website on the box to check for info?

There are websites that will tell you if ingredients/chemicals are known to cause problems. I can see if I can find it if you want.

Shari

[sandra]

Thank you Shari for your reply. Yes it is AHA , Neutrogena lotion 10% . I have dry skin. After application it tingle , some redness for 2-3 hours & sometimes red blotches . It is hard to know when it is ok & when it's not. does AHA is suppose to tingle after every application or is it suppose to go away after for ex 2 weeks ? yes I would like these websites if you can find them .

[drtodorov]

Generally, dry skin is more prone to irritation. Redness for 2-3 hours sounds as too much irritation. If this has not resolved in a week or two, you should probably cut back or stop AHA.

[Shari]

These are a few of the websites that I reference. You will have to do some scouting around to find the ingredients. You could also do a general search via google for reviews/critcisms of the product you are using to see what comes up.

Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board website: http://www.cir-safety.org/publications.shtml

FDA website that lists product complaints: *** http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-comp.html

Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary website: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/dictionary.asp?TYPE=SEARCH&ID=P

*** Interesting to note how many people react to the various products that are out there. Even the dermatologist tested, allergy proof products get negative feedback.

Instead of using an AHA, you might try a different type of acid. I decided against an acid peel because I have dry skin and psoriasis. I use an over the counter microdermabrasion kit and I am trying an enzyme peel.

[sandra]

shari, I will research AHA on the website you provided. tks for your help.