Hi everyone

Since having a baby last year, my skin has been awful! Ive been experiencing Big sore painful papules, mainly on my forehead, but they do occur around my jawline and mouth area too. Even though I try not to squeeze, weather I do or not, they scar! I have lots of scarring round my mouth from past spots and without make up, I look hideous!! I use Dermalogica facial products but have found that they haven't helped with preventing spots or helping to get rid.

I had a course of sunbeds during the summer and found my skin was so much better!! The scarring and marks left from previous spots disappeared and I hardly had any spots! However, due to them being quite pricey (and bad for you) I stopped using them and since then, have had massive breakouts again! It really gets me down and I am even very embarassd to let my BF see me with no make up!

I am thinking of purchasing a Facial UV lamp to use at home, maybe twice a week, instead of paying out to have sunbeds, as I feel this will help my skin. I would just like peoples opinion on these as Ive not used a UV lamp for the face before. Are they the same as using a sunbed? Is this a really bad idea, if so, are there any (not too expensive) alternatives I could try?

Charlie

Well, as I'm dead against sunbeds in all shapes and sizes, I'm going to recommend you try to find a skincare specialist in your area, and get them to have a look at you. I know you're a skin geek yourself, but sometimes we need someone else to look at us and ask questions before the solution becomes apparent. I went for a facial a few months ago and the therapist found all sorts of things on my skin I'd totally missed! It was enlightening! I just really feel that you'd be out of the frying pan into the fire if you bought a UV lamp...treating one problem, and potentially making yourself more vulnerable to a much larger one in the future...

Depending on the severity of your breakouts you might find that a galvanic facial, or microdermabrasion treatments will help you. (MDA more for the scarring than the active pustules though).

How long ago did you have your baby? Could it still be those post-pregnancy hormones doing their jobs? If not, there's so many factors that could be causing your skin to break out; stress, genetics, diet, smoking, drinking, an intolerance to a food or other substance, transfer of bacteria, not enough sleep, not taking care of your skin with appropriate products or in the appropriate way...it could even be something like a reaction to your bubble bath!! So many factors it's impossible to diagnose via t'internet But go and see a skincare specialist, and see what they say.

Good luck, hope you find something to help you.

I had my son nearly 10 months ago, I did have bad skin occur during the first three months of pregnancy, so Im sure hormones are still playing a big part of the breakouts!
I know how bad sunbeds and Uv rays are, I just feel its the only thing that will help.
Ive considered having a course of Microdermabrasion, but I fear that once Ive paid out for the course, They will re appear, if I stop having them on a regular basis and at the moment, this is something I just cannot afford to pay out for.

You are right though, I should see a skincare specialist for some further analysis and advice before I purchase any sort of UV lamp.

Thanks for your advice! x