scaling in crease of nostril

I am a fair-skinned 57 yearold woman who has been on Retinoids since I was thirty due to adult female acne. I was on Renova for a few years, then Tazarotene, but now am on generic Retin-A 0.01% for cost reasons.  My other meds are for mood, allergy, hypothyrhoid, cholesterol, and hormone-replacement therapy.  My skin is lovely except for enlarged pores on my nose and flakes around my nostrils. I can pull them off one at a time with tweezers, but it's very time consuming. I used some Biore pore strips, but then my nose felt raw.  I've tried to use my husband's razor to scrape them off, but it's hard to get into the little creases. I asked the spa lady if microdermabrasion would help, but she said I can't use both retinoids AND dermabrasion. I Have a home microdermabrasion kit from neutrogena that uses a sponge dipped into a sandy cream which I bought to save money on spa visits. I find a few scattered milia on my chin, forehead and hairline, which I pick out with a needle.  They pull right out with no mashing or discomfort.  I wash my face twice a day with dove soap and a washcloth and use lotion with15SPF on my face each day.  I use a bit of eucerin on my lips and eyelids, and have tried it on my nose creases.  I use retin-A at night.  It works well  and doesn't cause peeling anywhere but along my nostrils.  I have no doubt that the pollen which has bombarding us for the last three months is making it worse.  I'm nervous about using steroids on my face because I used a prescription-strength cream for perioral rosacea for years and it destroyed my collagen.  I've had numerous treatments with IPL and PIXEL laser to regenerate the collagen with some success. Could I use my home dermabrasion kit once a week (or every other week) without injuring my skin? Should I use Biore strips?

I'd appreciate some advice.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
The problem of enlarged pores on face or facial pores is commonly associated with excessive oiliness and acne. The excessive oiliness of the skin is in turn triggered by the hormonal changes in the body.

Large pores can be easily dealt with proper cleansing and frequent toning and moisturizing of the skin. Other treatments to consider include microdermabrasion, skin resurfacing lasers and chemical skin peels. You can use the microdermabrasion kit once you stop the Retin –A because it increases the fragility of the skin.

In my opinion you should discuss these treatment options with a cosmetologist/dermatologist. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[123Victorian]

Thanks for your help!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

You are welcome!