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[Justjules]

About a week ago now, I started with some mild irritation and minor itching around my eyebrows and the sides of my eyes. Couldn't see anything visible but it started annoying me. Then a couple of days later, when I went to start getting washed and put my makeup on, my eyes looked awful! They were so crepey and the skin seemed to have gone all loose and my right eyelid skin is now hanging low so I have a completely hooded eye on that side. I think that side is worse because it's the side I sleep on. They feel really dry and like parchment and I look like I've either aged 10 years in a week or not slept for nights! I'm quite depressed about it today. If I put my makeup on it looks awful and like I've been crying. I saw the pharmacist and she thinks it could be an allergy but I haven't a clue to what. The only thing I can think of is I went to a new hairdresser as my other one closed and she did foils in my hair and I suppose they could have hung down near my face. My face feels slightly irritated down the sides as well sometimes. I've got loads of stress at work at the moment and am suffering a real crisis of confidence because of it so could it be stress related? I can't go without makeup as I look like I've just been dug up!! I'm worried it's not going to go back to normal 😩

Any ideas ladies or similar problems? x

[Evelyn63]

Justjules, if it just came on a week ago, then perhaps it is a reaction to something, you haven't used any  different cleansers or eye make up ?  Have you experienced any headaches or visual disturbances ??  Maybe try a simple antihistamine and see if it makes any difference ?  Sorry cant be of more help but didn't want to just read and run.

[ellie]

Hi Justjules, the hairdresser should have done a skin test before doing your foils ( should have been done 24 hours before you had them done)  ........it could be related to that.  Did she?

[Justjules]

Hope so Evelyn 

No, Ellie she didn't and I don't know exactly what products she used as she's just taken over the little salon from someone and I didn't see any Revlon or L'Oréal products but thought I'd give her my custom to help her....I don't usually have full head foils, normally a tint and a few scattered ones...

[ellie]

As an ex hairdresser, we would always do a skin test, even for foils. Even if the bleach doesn't touch your scalp, it could still cause a reaction when it is being rinsed off.  Our motto was to test , better safe than sorry.  Of course I am not saying that your foils were to blame, but always insist on a skin test.
  Hope you feel better soon.

[Evelyn63]

As an ex hairdresser, we would always do a skin test, even for foils. Even if the bleach doesn't touch your scalp, it could still cause a reaction when it is being rinsed off.  Our motto was to test , better safe than sorry.  Of course I am not saying that your foils were to blame, but always insist on a skin test.
  Hope you feel better soon.

I've been using the same hairdresser for over 10 years and about six months ago had my usual colour with scattered foils, that night I thought my head was on fire !  My scalp felt so tingly like it was burning.  I got up out of bed and washed my hair and took an antihistamine too.  Next time I went I mentioned it and they were so apologetic, but we couldn't find any reason as they hadn't changed anything.  However the colour was washed off after a shorter period this time and I have had no reoccurrence but it just shows it can spring up when you are least expecting it, just because it didn't happen initially  doesnt mean it won't happen .

[babyjane]

I think we get more sensitive as our oestrogen levels drop.  I have become more sensitive recently and cannot use toiletries and hair products any more that I used regularly when I was younger.

[Mbrown001]

I have terribly sensitive dry skin now. I react to so many things. I firmly blame meno for it.
What does help is E45 slathered on. Don't use make-up wipes unless they are alcohol free.
The skin creams that I have used for years can just suddenly cause a reaction similar to what you describe.
When you get home from work get the make up off and try whatever cream suits such as E45.
I do sympathise as our confidence can be low at this time and sore skin does not help one little bit.

Mrs Brown

[Kathleen]

Hello Justjules.

I don't have this particular problem but my skin is much drier with the meno. When I put my make up on my face looks like an unmade bed. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't colour my hair but I have started to obsess about the increasing number of grey hairs and how many months it will take before they reach my shoulder!

Take care ladies and just as well that beauty is only skin deep.

K.

[babyjane]

I only use Green People products now, although it isn't cheap but it goes a very long way.  The cleanser is all my face will accept without breaking out in spots.  I have never used make up, well twice, once for son's wedding and once for daughter's  so that's not an issue.

[Elizabethrose]

Justjules, it really sounds like an allergy to me. It could be the hair products but it could very well be something that you're not suspecting and have used for years.

My skin is a nightmare for developing allergies and became a lot worse when I hit peri. When my eyes start to react they fit your description of yours. I posted on another thread about this recently, have a read.

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,35162.0.html

I'd take some antihistamine, stop everything you're using and then add back each product as a process of elimination. I can recommend some products for super sensitive skin if you'd like me to. The French are brilliant at producing 'sensitive skin' ranges especially those that can only be sold through pharmacies like Vichy and Avène. xx

[Tempest]

One way to know for sure Just Jules is to pop back into the salon and ask if they can do a patch test with the hair dyes used. If you react in the same way at the patch site, then bingo!

Don't be afraid to approach them - this is something any salon should do BEFORE every colour treatment. Unfortunately PPD allergies are on the increase (the main ingredient culprit).

I'm allergic to PPD, so the colour you see in my profile picture is achieved by me with a mixture of henna, indigo and bruxus and is totally permanent. I don't mind revealing that if I don't colour, I'm TOTALLY grey (my Mum was the same - I found my first grey hairs aged 23)!

[Megamind]

How are things now Justjules?

[Justjules]

Hi ladies, thanks for all your responses. Sorry for not replying sooner.

Face seems a lot better, not me yet but hopefully will return to just a bit wrinkly but not looking like Hiyawatha's granny 

I thought about going into salon and asking for a skin test but wondered whether if they just tested it on somewhere other than my face, whether it would work? In all the years since I've been having my hair coloured, I've never ever had a patch test!

Not keen on all this aging malarkey  x