Allergic reaction to spot cream, help!

[Deleted User]

Hi all,

Last Thursday I applied Quinoderm spot cream to a few spots on my face that appear every month. The cream contained 5% benzoyl peroxide and the following day, I woke up with a swollen face and neck which were extremely red, rough and bumpy. I had quite a severe allergic reaction to the cream and my eyes could barely open due to the swelling and burning. Luckily, he swelling has gone down quite a lot and my skin is gradually going back to normal. However, I am starting a new job tomorrow (perfect timing ) and was wondering if anyone knew of any products I could use to lessen the redness and improve the drying (my skin is extremely cracked, red and tight and wearing makeup only makes this more obvious). I don't want to draw attention to this on my first day so was wondering if anyone could recommend any products that might speed up the healing process?

Thanks xx

j.e.j.

Ouch, poor you! I can only think of calamine lotion or maybe some natural oil, but be really careful about putting ANYTHING on your face while it's still healing. Try a small test patch first.

[Deleted User]

Thanks J.E.J, I actually bought some calamine lotion earlier so that's good advice! I also bought some emollient cream but on closer inspection, it contains alcohol so I might avoid that. I have noticed that even my hands are burnt and cracked after applying the cream, it's strong stuff. I'd urge everyone to avoid applying benzoyl peroxide to their face, it's painful business for people with sensitive skin.

mazza111

Aqueous cream is probably the best for that kind of thing. Can you take antihistamines? These are pretty good at getting rid of the symptoms of an allergy although sometimes steroids are needed too. Avoid soap and any kind of wash that causes a lather and use the Aqueous cream to wash with.

This is what I had to do after a severe allergic reaction to German mosquitoes, evil b******!!!! But I had to have the steroids too.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Mazza,
I will try and get some antihistamines tomorrow, I've heard they might help with the swelling. The lady in Boots recommended aqueous cream which I bought. I just washed my face with it and it was very soothing, though I'm concerned that it doesn' properly clean my face like my usual facewash (though my usual face wash is very nippy at the moment). As for mosquitoes, I think j.e.j's tagline above is quite fitting for your situation. I have recently moved into a new flat and my skin is only just recovering from the bed bugs that had to eventually be exterminated. I dread to think what's next...

mazza111

Just use the aqueous like you would your normal facewash. Anything that lathers can cause drying. And don't be scared to use a lot of it.
Even if it means putting it on several times a day. Nothing nasty in it to stop you using it as often as you need

anatomical

Be careful that the aqueous cream you are using doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulphate as it could end up making your skin worse in the long run. When it is applied to the skin that often if thins the skin and makes you more sensitive to chemicals, so you are more likely to react to things in the future. If you are going to use aqueous cream use one without SLS. http://www.webmd.boots.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/eczema/news/20101018/commonly-used-moisturiser-can-aggravate-eczema

As for products to help with your skin I would recommend the range good things which you can get from boots and superdrug. It is inexpensive, works well and is free from all nasty chemicals. Their spot cream is the only one I've found works really well without drying the skin.

As for makeup I would say avoid anything with powder as this will give you a caked on look. If you go for a stronger eye look this will shift focus from your skin, as people focus on your eyes when they are speaking to you anyway.

[Deleted User]

anatomical wrote: »

Be careful that the aqueous cream you are using doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulphate as it could end up making your skin worse in the long run. When it is applied to the skin that often if thins the skin and makes you more sensitive to chemicals, so you are more likely to react to things in the future. If you are going to use aqueous cream use one without SLS. http://www.webmd.boots.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/eczema/news/20101018/commonly-used-moisturiser-can-aggravate-eczema

As for products to help with your skin I would recommend the range good things which you can get from boots and superdrug. It is inexpensive, works well and is free from all nasty chemicals. Their spot cream is the only one I've found works really well without drying the skin.

As for makeup I would say avoid anything with powder as this will give you a caked on look. If you go for a stronger eye look this will shift focus from your skin, as people focus on your eyes when they are speaking to you anyway.

Thanks anatomical, great advice there. Unfortunately, my aqueous cream does contain SLS. As it is a massive tub and I don't want it to go to waste, do you think it will be ok just to wash my face on it but not to apply it as a moisturiser? I will definitely check out the range you suggested. I will also avoid powder tomorrow and 'big up' my eye makeup. Might end up looking like Dame Edna though!

kittycatface

good luck tomorrow. you could perhaps try mixing a tinted moisturiser or alcohol/oilfree foundation with a bit of aqueous as a practice and seeing if it stays on a patch of skin and doesnt irritate. The people you work with will be judging you by the quality of your work not the look of your face and maybe if you explain what happened it might elicit a bit of sympathy from them! I know you said you asked the lady in boots but was that a pharmacist? They are usually really good at these sorts of things and would be able to use their knowledge of chemicals to recommend. That's not much use for tomorrow though. They used to sell a green corrector lotion in body shop that was anti redness, might be useful for longer term if it continues. lots of luck x

jenniewb

Yikes OP- I hope your feeling better for your interview, if its any help, taking things on a pared down level would be best as your skin needs to recover, applying anything intensive would be asking a bit much of it. I was going to suggest either aloe or calamine lotion too or if you had any, cucumers laid in slices or natural plain yogurt placed over burn patches, the cucumber would help the moisture, the yogurt would help to neutralise any acid in the irritation left by the cream.

The best thing to do with spot creams is a patch test first but few of us actually do these, even though the box/tube/pot specify in many cases and yet many can go for years being fine with certain products then all of a sudden one day have an allergic reaction to them.

doodoot

Anti-histamines!

OP, you really should have visited the A+E department so that they could have gotten some meds into you to counteract the reaction you had.

I know my advice is a horse and cart comment, but hopefully others reading it will keep it stored for future reference.

Hopefully the swelling will come down in time for the new job...good luck! :j