Red, blotchy skin – it’s not exactly acne… but can it be healed with the same, natural, holistic methods?
This is a question I’ve been getting a fair bit, and the answer is yes! Definitely!
Red blotchy skin – whether it’s pigmentation scars from healed acne, unexplained uneven red patches, dry rashes, eczema, rosacea – always has an underlying imbalance that is the cause of the blotchiness. Which means that you can treat it with the same baseline things that I suggest for acne – diet improvements, stress reduction, better sleep, exercise, a little bit ‘o’ sunshine, and a very gentle, natural skin care routine!
Of course, each of these skin issues are slightly different, and therefore each has different triggers and factors that aggravate them. But by treating them holistically with lifestyle changes, you are removing the underlying cause.
Let’s take a look at some of these different conditions:
Post Acne Pigmentation Scars
For most of us with acne, the most common reason for red blotchy skin is simply because that is what gets left over when a pimple heals. No matter who you are, if you get acne, you’re going to be left with a little mark after the inflamed acne departs. While these marks always go away eventually, for some people these spots will disappear quickly, and for others, it takes AGES! What’s up with that?
Essentially, these red marks are residual inflammation that is lingering after the majority of the local inflammation has cleared. If they stick around for ages, then you know you need to do a little more work on your health in order to get your immune system working the way it should – which means it will heal your spots, and your pigmentation quickly and efficiently (well, mostly likely it’ll prevent you from getting spots in the first place, too!)
If you want to speed up the disappearance of these marks if you already have them, probably the simplest thing you can do is gently exfoliate your skin once or twice a week (a wet cotton cloth, or a yogurt mask works great for this, or this mask). Your skin is always naturally exfoliating itself, but if you are trying to get rid of these marks, giving it a hand will speed it up. Don’t exfoliate too much though or with anything abrasive, or you may cause irritation and leave your skin unprotected and prone to more acne.
Uneven Skin Tone
Okay, so it’s not hyperpigmentation… your skin tone is just uneven… not really rashy, but just… kind of vaguely red and uneven, for no obvious reason.
My advice is the same for hyperpigmentation, although I am not sure if exfoliation will make much of a difference here. It’s just a bit of mild inflammation of the skin. Work on your lifestyle changes, the same as you would for acne. The healthier you are and the more in balance your internal landscape is, the more even your skin tone will be.
Red, Rashy Skin
If your red marks are more like a scaly, red rash (with or without acne-like bumps), there could be numerous causes. The following are some examples of common rash-like conditions:
Eczema:
Eczema is characterized by anything from scaly, dry patches to gooey blisters and dry, leathery areas. Often it can be itchy. Like acne, eczema can have many far reaching causes and triggers. Stress seems to be a big one here. Also, many have found (including me in my own experiences with eczema) is that these rashes can be caused by a candida overgrowth. If you are suffering with eczema, check out my candida cleanse program for help.
Contact Dermatitis:
Contact dermatitis is what happens when a substance touching your skin causes irritation or an allergic reaction. It can result in all sort of welts, blisters, and itchy rashes. For example, the painful sores that come about after you touch poison ivy is an example of contact dermatitis.
If you are getting a rash on your face or body and don’t know what it’s about but suspect it’s contact dermatitis, the first thing you want to think about is what is coming into contact with your skin. There are hundreds of chemicals in our face washes, moisturizers, shampoos, makeup, toothpaste, perfumes, laundry detergents, hand and dish soaps, and cleaning products that could cause this type of reaction. It could even be something irritating in your water supply, or from your cell phone rubbing up against your face.
This is why I highly recommend switching to all natural products, and particularly one or two ingredient solutions – like using raw or manuka honey to wash your face, for example. As is the case with poison ivy, natural things can also cause reactions. So if you get a reaction while you are using a natural organic cleanser or moisturizer but it’s still got an ingredient list a mile long, then you are still lost on what is causing the problem. If you use one ingredient for the intended purpose, you automatically know what’s causing it. (PS – all this stuff pretty much applies to acne too, since acne can also be majorly aggravated by external substances coming in contact with your skin)
Rosacea:
Rosacea is a condition in which your face looks and feels like you’re furiously blushing all the time. It’s characterized by rosy flush across your cheeks and nose and sometimes forehead. The redness tends to be quite sensitive, burny, itchy, and hot feeling. Sometimes rosacea is accompanied by acne-like papules within the red areas (if this is the case, it’s called acne rosacea, and is often confused for regular acne).
Rosacea is most common in women, and usually has an onset between the ages of 30 and 50. You’re more prone to it if you have a lot of sun damage from your youth, blush easily, and are pale skinned.
Again, with this, you want to work on your underlying imbalances through diet and other holistic interventions. You also want to make sure you get limited sun on your face (15 minutes unprotected per day is fine), and prevent flushing as much as possible as this worsens the condition. This might mean avoiding spicy food, hot drinks, or anything else that you have noticed can trigger this. Stress is notably a major cause of flushing, so make sure to work on dealing with stress productively.
Externally, you want to be as gentle as absolutely possible because rosacea skin is so sensitive. Throw out your chemical cleansers and moisturizers! Go for the most gentle skin care you can, or just forego external skin care altogether. Using aloe vera on your face might help significantly since it has such a nice cooling effect. Others have also had a great deal of success using essential oils for treating rosacea.
Watch Me Talk About Red Blotchy Skin in Video
What can you tell us about red, blotchy, or rashy skin? Have you experienced a form of this yourself and found something that works to ease it? Please share with us in the comments below!!
I heard that topical niacinimide helps with minimizing redness and increases ceramide production as well as elasticity. I ordered some from Amazon to add to my moisturizer so I can see how well it works, if at all haha. I don’t think this specifically addresses redness but I’ve also heard numerous times that sulphur (in MSM form) is very beneficial to the skin as well. I’m adding that to my moisturizer as well, along with chinese ginseng extract which is also supposed to be very beneficial (All three things mentioned can be found at whole foods or a natural food store). The moisturizer I use by the way is by the company Live Live, and is the unscented MSM version. Very cheap, 100% natural, and non-offensive.
Can someone please help me , I overexfoliated my face now it is real raw with dark spots and red bumps . I am African American and I went to the doctor and was prescribed benzaclin it is making It worst now I just don’t wash my face much an just us Coca butter but my skin is rough now what do I do anyone ?
I heard Bio oil, which is used to get rid of stretch marks, helps with hyperpigmentation. I have never tried it, but I have seen people on YouTube give it a thumbs up. (If anyone has tried it please tell me how it worked for you)
I would just recommend a simple mask with two ingredients. Honey (I use organic honey) and lemon. I leave it on my face for a while maybe an hour or two and I feel it makes my skin look better right away. Lemon really helps reduce redness and assists in healing scars. Also, the honey really helps my scabs heal faster.
I have used bio oil on my face for a year now. It is pricey and smells good but has not done anything for my skin.
Regarding Rosacea: Lasers and diet work best for me. (Lowering the consumption of sugar helps, but it’s just too hard to follow! But plenty of raw veggies in your diet is key).
Thank you for your suggestions, Eirik, Drea, and Roxana 🙂
Tracy,
what do you use to exfoliate your body?
Nothing, but I do have a dry brush that I would use if I wasn’t so lazy
Hi,
I know this is kind of off topic but I am still trying to get rid of my acne and I recently got a suggestion to go to this alternative doctor who specializes in hormone therapy. So she would test my hormone levels and suggest a natural approach on how to stabilize them, whether it be with supplements or bio-identical hormones. But my question is, since I’m 15 years old and still growing, in your opinion is it okay to try and stabilize my hormones or are they supposed to be all over the place? I’m just confused on that level. Also I don’t know to much about bio-identical hormones and am wondering if you do and if they are safe even though they are considered natural. Anyway I know that was long but I have been following your blog for a few years and really value your opinion!
This is the link to the doctors website:
http://www.annstangermd.com/
Thanks!
Hi Natalie – to be honest, I’m not sure whether it’s a good idea or not. I don’t know enough specifics about bio-identical hormones and whether they would be a safe choice for teenagers. The right supplement seems like it would be okay, but again I’m not sure. Definitely raise these concerns with the doctor you’re going to see
I have this problem, and was wondering if sun light would help or exasperate the problem? I think sun tends to darken the skin and make the red less visible, but is it actually making the damage more permanent..?
Hi Annemarie,
I personally believe that 15 minutes of unprotected sunlight a day is good and healthy for your body and skin. More than that, and it might make things worse
Rosacea is also commonly caused by SIBO.
I’m anti-antibiotics, but SIBO is one case where taking an antibiotic is a good idea.
I hate those inflammatory marks that zits leave behind! Mine do take forever to go away. I’ve been using rosehip oil. It’s supposed to be good for wound healing. I’m also working on my internal health issues, so hopefully that will help as well. What do you think of using baking soda as an exfoliant? Too abrasive?
Do you know anything about seborrheic dermatitis? I have that too. It looks very similar to eczema and it is on my nose, forehead, and scalp. I think stress is a big factor in it as well.
Hi Hayley, it seems as though seborrheic dermatitis is kind of like a form of eczema and is often caused by a candida problem as well (and stress!)
As for baking soda, I don’t think it’s too abrasive, but that it’s too alkaline.. your skin has an acid mantle and it needs things on it that are slightly acidic to keep it intact so it can protect your skin
I have persistent redness especially in my t-Zone (in between eye brows, nose and across upper cheeks and chin) I have found that avoiding sugar definitely helps. also it gets worse when I am stressed out. Recently I have begun using only jojoba oil to cleanse as well as moisturize and it has helped my skin not be so dry. i believe I have a candida issue but it’s difficult to follow the diet while in college so i’ve just been trying to eat as healthy as possible….
I know, it’s so tough teaching healthy in college, but you just have to do what you can. Good luck with everything 🙂
Hey Tracy, I just wanted to come vent here and say hello and let you know that I’m utilizing your blog a lot this week as an emotional support. I’d been clear (caveman-clear, like no attention paid to my skin and it was perfectly clear) for over a month, my scars were fading, etc. But I had a huge stress arise right at the time my period came and, a week later (three days ago now), boom-boom-boom, three big-sized and three little-sized zits sprung up all at once, just randomly during the course of a single day, all in the same place on one cheek–talk about PTSD. I was shocked, and a I cried, and this terrible coursing wave of anxiety hit, and keeps hitting over and over. I can feel the flush in my face when that anxiety stirs, and I know it’s all related, so I literally needed to come to thelovevitamin.com just to feel a sense of not being alone… You provide a sense of strength and hope when it feels SO isolating. I feel like my I let my bf down when this happens, and I shrink away from him, can’t even look at him in the eye, can’t bare to walk past a mirror, can hardly breathe… It’s so completely unbearable by the time we get to 6 months of waiting for the clear skin to stay and then BOOM 🙁 Such a disappointment. It makes all the difference in the whole world to be able to come here and hear from you that life does go on and that it’s okay (not just okay, but important!) to work on my emotions while I’m suffering, to accept that my face is a bit of a mess but that it will pass and that others can testify that I am not crazy–that this really is traumatic.
I swear one day I am going to get skin problems in the DSM as a traumatizing experience. Lots and lots and lots and lots of love to you, lovely lady!
Hi Annie,
I know that feeling. I remember the first time I got a decent sized pimple after I had got clear from my severe acne… I went totally nuts, so desperate, scared… very disappointed. I was so fearful then. But with time, you learn to not let it destroy you!! It’s normal for your skin to go in waves like that, and part of learning to accept it is finding that it actually does clear again. I’m glad to hear that you feel you’re not alone when you come here. We all understand!
Thanks 🙂
I have found one of the biggest factors in that all-over-reddness is to not. do. anything. Nothing! Even water and fresh aloe make my cheeks go red. Maybe it’s anti inflammatory and works in your skin later on… but right after application of anything (even steam and stuff) and for a while later it looks really inflamed. even if I don’t have active spots. I wish it wasn’t like that, because I like to experiment with homemade products and buying special beauty products, but they all do it the same 🙁 So I usually just skip everything in the morning and the do a little something before bed.. it always calms down through the night. It makes me think I must have a lot of inflammation in my body.. even though I eat really well and go barefoot..
speaking of barefeet, has anyone heard of about the earthing mat? Supposedly it connects you to the earth while you sleep and radically reduces inflammation in the body.. maybe it could help with skin stuff…?
Hi Annemarie,
Yeah I was thinking the caveman regimen or something similar would probably be one of the best things to do for rough, sensitive, inflamed red skin, because it avoid any irritation at all. I have heard of the grounding mat, but haven’t tried it! If you try it, let us know how it goes!
It seems so! Will do! I might get myself one for Christmas, and if I get any good results maybe I could right you a guest post on it 🙂
Yes! Absolutely!
Your blog has helped me so much! Finally a blog about exactly what I’m going through. so thanks. But I have a question 🙂
I always hear that you can be as healthy as possible by eating and exercising but you always still need a cleanser, toner and moisturizer to keep your skin clear and avoiding dry skin. And you hear soo much about all these products so I can’t help but believing that it’s true. But I know you don’t use anything like that for your skin so my question is, can it really worsen the acne if you use these products daily or just weekly or does it even make any difference if you use them or not?
Greetings from a reader from Finland 🙂
You don’t need that stuff! Acne comes from within our bodies (or from over-irritation of the skin – which comes from those kinds of products!) The industry tells us we need it because they want our money. Think about it – do you cleanse, tone and moisturize your stomach or arms? No? The skin there is probably perfectly healthy and normal, right? Your body knows what to do on its own. I was SO nervous to quit moisturizer after having it pushed on me by my derm for years, but I did it and my skin is LESS oily without it. Now I don’t use anything topical except some gentle, hypoallergenic makeup remover wipes once a day(which I’m thinking about quitting). Topical stuff might help to stamp out our symptoms sometimes, but it doesn’t cure the underlying problem.
One of the stupidest pieces of advice so-called skin care experts give out is for EVERYBODY to use moisturizer on their faces! I was hearing this when I was teenager and I knew it was utterly ridiculous. Oily acne-prone teenage skin does NOT need more oil applied to it. I ignored the advice and now at the age of 57, my skin is beautiful and still somewhat oily. I would NEVER put moisturizer on already-oily skin! The “experts” are just parroting what they’ve heard from other “experts” without questioning the logic of it. NON-THINKERS !!!
Hi Anna 🙂
Yes, I agree with Kit – pretty much all beauty products were invented in order to make money off us, especially women. This happens a lot with ideas that advertisers promote (like that you need these products) – it gets into people’s heads over time and it just becomes an accepted and undisputed idea in our culture. As she says, you don’t use these things on the rest of your body, and think about men – most men don’t use these things and most have great skin.
You can still use something natural and gentle to wash your face, especially if you wear makeup, but I don’t think it’s really needed otherwise. And the formulated chemical stuff isn’t needed ever, in my opinion. For most people it really does make it worse.
I really want to stop using all of the products I use on my face, because I don’t think it is helping my acne. What is a good way to do it? Should I just stop them all at the the same time, or should I ease off of them? Or does it matter? Thanks!
I would say wean off them for a while if you have the patience, it might make transition smoother
When I quit skincare, I did it one item at a time. I dropped toner first, then moisturizer, and finally my gentle/all natural face wash. I’m not sure if this is necessarily better, but it did freak me out less.
Bio oil made me break out… anyone else?
Could a problem with my thyroid be causing my acne?
Maybe. It seems like anything could cause acne :/ well, I don’t know if it could be the cause, but it might be an aggravator…
I have read that without sufficient levels of T3 (the active form of thyroid hormone) in the blood – so, hypothyroidism – your skin can lack the ability to heal properly, so it could have something to do with it.
hey tracy!!! so i know you’ve said a few things in the past about treating red acne marks that are left behind, its like the acne is upset you’re kicking it out so it leave behind a nasty surprise! but anywhoo, have you heard of anything as of lately that would help me fade my marks? i know time is big but i am 21 and i am almost ready to graduate from college and start my professional career and red marks scream unprofessional to me, just makes me feel like the teenager in the room of professionals even though i try to cover them up with makeup. i am trying a few natural things right now as that is the only way i will go. but if you know of anything else at all i am so all ears!! thanks again tracy for being awesome
Hey Trish!
Yeah, unfortunately I don’t have any new advice for you … I think in most cases, the best cure is time….. annoying I know. I know how you feel about not feeling professional with acne marks, but remember that 50 percent of adult women have acne!!! Scary, I know, but just remember that it’s extremely normal and they probably won’t turn you away over it. But remember that your thoughts make it so… so if you find it’s not very easy to get a job at first, you’ll easily think “oh, if it wasn’t for these acne marks.. I’d be employed by now…”, which is nonsense… there’s probably a million other reasons… like someone was just better qualified… etc. As a result of thinking this way, it makes you less confident, and that is what they will pick up on, which makes a cycle!!
Believe me, I can relate as I’ve always had this “thing” about hating looking young, and I always ALWAYS imagined that employers would never take me seriously… I was terrified of searching for work and many times could have tried harder, but I wasn’t confident enough. It’s all just something you make up in your head. You actually have no idea what they think.
Hey, Tracy, if you think it’s hard getting a job while you’re young, wait until you’re OVER 40 – NOBODY WILL HIRE YOU!! Federal law makes it difficult to fire anybody over 40, therefore no employer wants to get trapped with a bad employee they can’t terminate. I have a friend (57) who’s been unemployed for over a year now – can’t even get an interview. ENJOY YOUR YOUTH !!!
Hi Tracy!
I suffered with contact dermatitis…Once when i was 14 i got it really bad around my chin, i went to the dermatologist he gave me a cream and it went away in a few weeks…But i found out that the underlaying cause of that was toothpaste, i was a very messy toothbrusher!!! Lol, and i noticed that right around the areas i had contact dermatitis were the areas that the tooth paste would drip! LOL!..So after that i become more careful and tried not to be as messy, and switched to an organic toothpaste….
The second time i got contact dermatitis was an awful experience, i had it all around my cheeks, i was burning, i felt like i got a really bad burn on my face…I had to sleep with wet towels at night….I also had to take steroids too which made me gain 20 pounds:( I was very depressed for a long time, i was overweight and had a red face…I didn’t go out for nearly two months….It’s was one of the worst times of my life…I covered every mirror with curtains in the house so i wouldn’t see my reflection…I dropped out of my college classes…Long story short, my skin got better…NEVER EVER did i use products like Elizabeth Arden or so on….I changed all my washing products to organic as i noticed when i had the bad contact dermatitis and layed on my pillows it would burn my face even more…It stopped as soon as i started using organic products…. I don’t even use soap on my face anymore, i just use castrol oil, leave it on for 10 or less and wipe it off with a warm wet wash cloth, then putt jojo oil or avocado oil on as a moisturizer…Another BIGGGG thing is to get a filter for your water system..That has helped my skin big time too….When my contact dermatitis got really bad i soaked a soft wash cloth in milk and that really helped the burning, irritating feeling…Hmmm, other then that i naturally have a kinda uneven, blotchy skin, and like you were mentioning Tracy, a better life style has improved it big time! Also eliminating cheese and milk had helped too!!!!!!!
I hope i was somewhat of a help!!!
Hi Melissa, yes you were a help!! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with this stuff!
Hi everyone,
I had such a bad problem with lingering spots and marks taking months to heal. I’ve had a rough year with appendicitis, precancerous cells found on my cervix, being diagnosed with PCOS, a house move, a husband in Afghanistan for 6 months, and then to finish me off, shingles. I went to see a naturopath because I was so tired of feeling, well…tired! Tired and unwell (and really, really spotty). She recognised my immune system was all to pot and that my skin would never heal unless I rebuilt it. I tweaked my already good diet (no sugar – it’s best friends with acne) and embarked on a new supplement regime. The supplements I were taking before were not right so not doing anything for me. My skin is happily healing itself now and I feel brighter and stronger week on week 🙂 I will go back to see her in January when we will take on the second phase: hormones. I hope to have the same success with that as I have with my gut and immune system!
Awesome! Glad to hear you’re making progress Tori!!
how do i get the full details
So i cant think of anything that i haven’t changed for the better…and im in love with anything natural so thats a big part of my life for awhile now, BUT, ah yes always that but. I know you have posts on clearing those good ole red marks left by acne, and to be honest if i was just dealing with the acne and not the marks my face would be the best a girl could ask for! but sadly i am in a daily debate with these marks. my question is since these marks are due to inflammation, is there anything that you know of that could still be a part of my lifestyle/diet that could be causing them to linger and linger, and then linger some more? i know that to heal them the ideal healing ground is the best, and like i said i have done and am doing so many things: candida cleanse, emotional code book, dont eat garb, i dont brush with fluoride toothpaste anymore which has diminished breakouts alot btw. those are just to name a few. any pointers would be awesome, tracy!! MUCH LOVE!
Hi Trish,
It’s hard to say what it could be, but… how are your stress levels in general? Also, when you say linger and linger and linger, how long are you talking? Red marks can take quite a few months to fully go away
i work a lot and go to college full time so my stress level can be pretty extensive sometimes, but i do work on incorporating things that ease it, like exercise and such. well when i say linger its actually making me buggy, see i have pictures from just a year ago and my skin looks soooo different, i mean yeah i have acne but there seems to be so much less red spots and red marks, and i cant really put my finger on why… my diet if anything is ten times better, i dont let any chemicals touch my face, and ive thought and thought it there was something emotionally that got to me but i can figure it out. so its like the more i do better at things the worse the red makrs get, its unbelievably frustrating!!! like i said if i just had the active acne i wouldnt have much to be tweeked about. so when i say linger i guess it would be like 8 months or so?? the red marks just seemed to come out of nowhere, im at my witts, its okay to visit but i dont wanna stay there!!
Hi Trish… Hmm it’s hard to say! I don’t know what it is that is keeping them lingering. Maybe you just need to stop paying attention to them. It might be causing you more stress than you think… so many people say their skin improves leaps and bounds when they stop paying attention to it. Maybe it is the same with the red marks?
Love the information you share! I’m learning lots! Just wanted to say that I have breakouts of mild rosacea once in awhile. I have found that witch hazel has helped. I just use a cotton ball and super gently blot the area. I do this every evening and every time it starts to fade. Usually takes about a week and the redness improves so much! Not sure if anyone else has had success with this, but it seems to work for me. Thanks again for your knowledge and sharing it with all of us out here!
Nice! Thanks for sharing what worked for you Diana 🙂
About 10 days ago my face was extremely red and splotchy and I had a lot of pimples on my cheeks and around my mouth. But within a few days of using the Citrus Clear Face Wash my face immediately began to clear up, and now the splotchy redness is nearly gone.
It’s just awesome. Totally sweet.
I think this may be helpful for people, so I am copying and pasting something I just posted at the end of the coconut oil article (whatever I have/had could have been eczema just as well, who knows. But it was horrible, pretty painful, because of the dryness):
I have a small comment to add; had this weird thing going on with my face, mostly my chin, where it has been so dry and unwilling to absorb a moisturizer. I have had a moderate acne problem on my chin for a few years (am 27, it started when I was about 22) off and on, and have recently ( in the last few months) stopped taking antibiotics after trying it for about two years. In any event, it is pretty calm at this point, but my chin has been so oddly red and dry and I was at my wit’s end. I tried unrefined shea butter, but that didn’t work and may have only made it worse, same thing with jojoba oil (sorry, maybe it is good for some people or some conditions) and finally emu oil recommended by the practitioner at my local natural pharmacy (yes, it comes from an emu and no, there is no happy ending for the emu, but I was desperate) which also did not really work. But, I found some info online about a condition called “facial dandruff,” which sounds incredibly disgusting but really it’s when patches on your face look red and/or bumpy and very dry, and the patches do not get better with moisturizer. The creator of the website recommended oregano oil, which is apparently “king of oils.” I have been trying it for a few days and it has been helping a lot; I don’t imagine that my face will look perfect but the redness and dryness is receding. In any event, YOU MUST DILUTE OREGANO OIL if you’re going to put it on your face. I am using coconut oil as a dilutor. The oregano oil is called “Oreganol” and it is “wild source hand picked” P73, from the coop or health food store. It was super expensive, about $30 for a tiny bottle, but it will last at least until the expiration date. First I tried a dilution of 1 drop to 9 drops coconut oil–way too strong because it burned. Then I found another recommendation of 1 drop oil to 1 teaspoon coconut and that has been the one to use. You melt the coconut oil first, I am using Trader Joe’s, by putting some in a clean glass or jar and resting it in another container w/very hot water, then find some small clean jar or other container to store the final product in, and just make as much as you believe you need, I think I did 5 teaspoons’ worth. Other advice is don’t go nuts with it, just use a very conservative amount–I have been using a q tip to take out just as much as will stay on it and use that for my whole face. PS: I have very sensitive skin.
PPS: it might be worth it to try this mixture on acne; oregano oil seems to be very potent.
Just wanted to add that I had been using Cetaphil for sensitive skin to wash my face. I was pretty much afraid to try anything else because my skin seemed to like it, even though it has all that bad laurel sulfate engine degreaser stuff in it. Since my face came down with whatever red/dry affliction I have been suffering from, at the same time I started the oregano oil treatment I switched to a $1.33 bar of Clearly Natural glycerine soap, unscented, nothing in it. It is great! I found recommendations for 365 everyday glycerine soap, but I don’t live near a Whole Foods.
Just read this with intrest, this is an old wives tale that works,, redness on the face, get some porridge oats in an old sock or stocking, soak the sock or stocking in hot water, then squeeze, the gooey fluid that comes out spread over the reddened or spotty area, this will not only reduce the redness but will have a soothing effect and better than everything its natural, good luck,,Des Fraser 😎
I have red cheeks, sometimes more of a flamming red than others, but it is always there. I stopped wearing makeup long ago because I have enough color of my own. I have no bumps or acne scars. I have just used oil of oil of olay cleanser for the past couple of years. And just recently added oil of olay oil free moisture for my face because my lower cheeks were getting dry. I have no idea what to do or what to pick. I am 52.
Thanks.
Hi Tracy.. I’m doing a lot of reading on your websight and trying to figure out how to start.. I’m waiting for your next cadida cleanse which I hope to do soon.. for now I decided to order the manuka honey.. I found this one which is the best price and seems to have all the things you spoke about in your manuka honey article so just want to check it with you if you think its a good one..
http://www.amazon.com/Zealand-Manuka-Honey-500g-18oz/dp/B000NB3VFM/ref=pd_sim_gro_3
Please let me know so that I can go ahead and order it..
Also when I type in Manuka honey in the search bar.. the article doesn’t come up.. how can I find the manuka honey article again?
Thank you so much I hope you can respond to me soon.
Hi Leora,
I’m not sure if that one is legit or not… it doesn’t appear to have all the qualifications at first glance. The ones I have researched and know are legit are the ones mentioned in the manuka honey article… here’s the article: https://thelovevitamin.com/1248/why-is-manuka-honey-so-special-for-acne-and-acne-scars/
Also, I know the search bar is kind of limited… if I want to find an article on my site, I usually just put The Love Vitamin + whatever the topic of the article is into Google and it comes up
hello i need your help my skin was very nice before bt there was two three black spots on my face so one of my friend told me to put colgate on tht so i puted bt nw bcoz of colgate there is big big red marks where i puted colgate and its really hurtin plz help me to gt my skin back …plz help me …
thank u
Ugh.. I bought Madra Labs green tea cream because green tea is fantastic for acne after reading seppo puusa’s green tea page.. but I’m thinking I’m allergic to it because my skin gets all inflamed whenever I use it!! ;( But it’s so beneficial for my skin though!
I have roscea on my face.I have been using Epsom salts and warm water and the results are amazing! Since the first day the redness went away.
(Epsom salts contain magnesium sulfate).
You can also try~Ocusoft eye wipes for facial rosacea. I was told to wipe the solution on your face and leave it and not rinse it off.My friend said it has completely healed her face. These eye wipes are sold in your local drug store I heard that these wipes were working wonders for roscea.
I also read that if you have scars grate a potato and put it on scar, let dry and wash off.
Dear Tracy,
Thank you for al the helpful information. I have roscea. I am semi-vegan, organic, local. My stress level is high. I exercise 5 days a week. I’ve gotten my acne to a minimum with the help of the raw honey you suggested and EVOO. I also take a probotic twice a day. What else can I do to eliminate this blochy redness from my face? Please help. I want to try the caveman but its winter in New England and my skin is on the dry side this time of year. I think summer maybe better when my skin is producing more natural oil.
Hi Sarah, well I can’t say if this will work for you, but I did find that my skin tone evened out a lot (and got rid of any red blotchy patches) when I started taking Estroblock: https://thelovevitamin.com/6855/treat-female-hormonal-acne/
Hello Tracy! I hope you are doing well! I first want to thank you for all your helpful advice, uplifting videos, and yummy recipes! You have helped me so much in my healing journey!
I’m writing because I am looking for some advice/reassurance on my current routine as I seek to restore an even skin tone and get rid of hyperpigmentation. I have been dairy, gluten, and processed sugar free for about 7 months, and I just did your Candida Cleanse (for a month). I’m planning to stick to a diet close to the candida cleanse for awhile (a few low sugar fruits and some gluten-free grains). I also do dry brushing, try to drink 60+ ounces of water per day, and have been working on managing stress and such (I’m a teacher, so my schedule is kind of hectic, though I love my students! saw pretty great improvement the first half of my cleanse, but things don’t seem to be healing and evening out as quickly as I had hoped. I use a yogurt mask a few times a week, manuka honey on spots, and a tea tree oil soap for cleansing. Do you think with more patience and gentle work on things I will see clear, even skin, or is there something I am missing?
Whew–that was a lot of information– thank you so much!! 🙂
Hi Holly,
Well, sometimes blotchy skin can also be due to hormonal imbalance… for example, using Liv-tox and Estroblock really helped me get rid of blotchiness and even my skin tone… I talk about that in this article: https://thelovevitamin.com/6855/treat-female-hormonal-acne/
Hi Tracy! Please i need your advice…..my skin has really improved over the last 6 months so thats great.
i do get pimples they come and go and my skin overall has to heal…my concern is that i have about 5 blackheads on my cheeks that simply dont go away. they are not little tiny blackheads but little bumpy ones ….does that mean “ok we are growing and will come out soon” or what do you think? …..i really want to get rid of them! do you know how the natural process of these blackheads is – how do they transform until they come out? i know that type that will come out while i am gently massaging with manuka honey…but those? i dont know they seem so much deeper……i am not a picker but i feel like they need to get gently distracted before they get inflamed and turn into bigger problems ….i would be so thankful for your advice. Thank you! <3
extract 🙂
Hi Marie,
You know what… if it’s the type of blackhead or pimple that is just NOT going to go away on it’s own… I don’t think it’s so bad to try to extract them (maybe use one of those special blackhead extraction tools). As long as this isn’t going to lead to you decimating the rest of your face and going to town on every other blogged pore. It doesn’t sound like you’re a picker, so you know what… go for it.
I had two facials in two days at college and my face is a little red, itchy and it feels like there are scaly lumps everywhere, my chin feels like sandpaper!
What can I do or use to help it go away and back to normal? Any home remedies or anything that isn’t too pricey, that I may already have? I applied my moisturizer then later gently wiped my face with a cold towel and it’s not working? Help…
A fair few times*
I had restylene filler put in lines on my chin a few months ago. This was done by a cosmetic surgeon. I have since then had a red blotchy marks on my chin which some days are worse than others. Aqueous cream and Aveeno makes it worse. Would this have been caused by an allergic reaction to the filler? The surgeon says no, it is just dry skin which is caused by fillers I am 63 years old and fed up having to use blemish concealer everyday which does not always disguise the marks. Any advice on what to use? I have stopped using moisturiser and just use wipes for sensitive skin.
…a wet cotton cloth, or a yogurt mask works great for this, or this mask). Your skin is always naturally exfoliating itself, but if you are trying to get rid of these marks, giving it a hand will speed it up….
How do you use wet cotton cloth to exfoliate the face? Are you using circular motion?
Hi Tracy,
Can you kindly tell me where you buy your turmeric from?
thanks
Just the local organic store
I need help I have a lot of black heads on my nose how can I get rid of them ? ( there really deep)
And I have a lot of ance scars what can I do about them ?
And a dry face with a lot of blotches
Please help
Nothing to pricey
I don’t know if anyone if familiar with topical treatments. I recently used a topical treatment from the dermatologist which caused certain areas of my face to lighten up more than the rest. Mainly on my cheeks and a little on the forehead. I am hoping this will go away. As anyone else had this problem before? Are there any cures for this? will it go away and will I be able to have an even skin tone again?
Hello there!
I have researched a little before about this issue I have been dealing with for quite some time now.. I have a red chest/arm issue that I would love to get figured out.. My chest and sometimes arms get blotchy and red. It can be a number of things! It’s when I am: nervous, anxious, mad, sad, worried, alcohol, exercise, heat… maybe some others.. sometimes it’s just totally random! I absolutely hate it, and am hoping to find something, hopefully small, like a natural remedy or supplement that would really help me out! Do you know of anything by chance?
Thanks,
Anna
Hi Tracy,
Thank you for your blog. I have two spots on my nose that haven’t healed in months. They’re red and itchy, I thought that it was an infection. I went to my dermatologist and she said it’s acne rosácea and persribed me antibiotics. I’m not happy about the antibiotics but I want it to heal and I’m worried about scarring at this point.
I’m pretty healthy, I follow a mostly paleo diet, do crossfit and take skin supporting supplements. I drink wine, but other than that there’s not much else to cut out. I’m 38 and have had hormonal acne and now rosácea. Is there anything else I can do to help my ski heal?
Hi. It might be the wine. Alcohol definitely made my cheeks hot and like a burning sensation. Drink lots of water.☺️
Hello I’m in my early 40’s and I’ve been noticing my face gets all red and rashy. Sometimes it feels warm and itchy especially in my cheek area. It’s been going on for a few years, probably like 5 years, from like 37-42. I remember it started when I drank alcohol and wore lots of makeup to go out dancing. I haven’t drank in like 4 years and i didn’t wear makeup for a long time about 2 yrs except for maybe once or twice and drank lots of water and it cleared up. I drank soda and i noticed the more I drank soda the more rashy I would get again, with the heat and itchiness around my cheeks. I stopped drinking soda and it went away. Recently I started wearing makeup but not a lot and I started getting the rashy face again. I’ve tried makeup from Sephora, Walmart and Clinique but I get the rash after two or three days of wearing it repeatedly. I use Dove like (Equate) for sensitive skin soap on my face and body but that never really gave me the rash. I tried moisturizers cause my face feels dry with an occasional spot of flakiness at the bottom part of my forehead and or cheek area. Moisturizers make me feel itchy and greasy no matter how light I get it. I’ve even mixed it with water to dilute it and nothing makes it better except drinking water and not drinking these things and not wearing makeup. Any clues or suggestions with the makeup and maybe food allergies? Thx. I don’t wear makeup every day but for a few days if I could.
I’m not sure if you’re still checking this post but I’ve been dealing with this since February and it’s driving me insane,
In Feb they sprayed my apartment for bedbugs, including soaking the pillow and mattress. At first I started with a nose itch and didnt think much of it but as time progressed my cheeks turned red and irritated. I used baking soda to try to neutralize the pesticides. My nose is itching less but now my scalp is red, my ears are red and my cheeks feel like theres bugs crawling on them. The side I sleep on against the pillow is considerably redder than the one I don’t sleep on. I literally have tried everything, ice on face, jaboba oil, neem oil, oatmeal, and everything just makes it WORSE. And I can’t go to a doctor because since I’m so pale they just say its rosacea and just shove me away. That’s not what this is, this was definitely caused by the pesticides. I’m also getting low grade fevers at the same time… at this point I don’t know what to do to heal this skin and I can’t find any info on it either. The neem actually was too strong and turned my entire face beet red, the cold compress worked to fix THAT but the cheek i sleep on (and side burn area) are still red. My only solace is concealer actually works to cover it, but you can still see the irritation of the skin