My Obagi experience
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free skin care · Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:26 pm

Has anyone used the Ahava spf 50 sunscreen with Obagi? I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to add a chemical sunscreen on top of the active products... but the Obagi healthy skin one just isn't working for me

Any advice? Should I stay away from chemical based ones? Am still only in week 3 so a bit cautious...

free skin care · Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:46 pm

dianew wrote:

Has anyone used the Ahava spf 50 sunscreen with Obagi? I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to add a chemical sunscreen on top of the active products... but the Obagi healthy skin one just isn't working for me

Any advice? Should I stay away from chemical based ones? Am still only in week 3 so a bit cautious...

Hi Diane,
I'm certainly no sunscreen expert, but I think I'd try to stick with a physical one while on Obagi.

free skin care · Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:41 pm

Thanks! Will definitely keep an eye on those sites when I get back home from the vacay...

free skin care · Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:14 am

Thanks Kims, I think you're right - the Sunfader chemical one turned me red as a beet & burning on day 2... the search continues Smile

Nia 24 has been suggested before - I'll add it to my EDS wishlist as I can't find it in the UK

Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:39 am

Skinstore.com has the Clarisonic 20% plus free s&h! Dancing

free skin care · Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:26 am

UUUUGGG - just started back on Nu-Derm and after first day, getting a big underground zit right on my chin. I'm super oily, so I'm sure it's the waxiness of the clear and blender. I usually never use products this thick because of being acne prone. 45 and still breaking out. YUCK!

free skin care · Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:00 am

Oh my....20% off....grrrr! hahaha....I so want to buy it

Has anyone used the Mia? Just wonder how that compares to the regular Clarisonic...

free skin care · Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am

I have to say I am having a moment....

I just want to throw in the towel and stop using this...just so SICK of this peeling around my mouth. Just when I think it's getting better it hits me again and I am flaking like a mad woman from my nose down.

I seriously think a week of laying of this before I hit Australia isn't going to be enough which makes me just want to stop now and start nursing my skin back to looking normal without this friggen flaky mess. Seriously, over the duration of an Obagi cycle, does the flaking ever subside or is this a continual process over the whole cycle? Right now I have to say my skin is going through a "looking like shit" phase and I am getting frustrated...I think I just microfiber clothed my lower face into an irritation frenzy Mad

.....sorry, just had to vent

Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:15 pm

Bren21, Hang in there....and yes, expect to deal with the peeling for awhile. Sounds like you are having the same reaction as me. I peeled like crazy all the way through the 6 weeks, then stopped for my vacay 1 week before, skin looked great after that week...you will find that it calms down quickly Smile

A word of caution, on your vacay please use lots of sunblock and use it frequently!! I did not use it often enough and now alot of my dark pigmentation is back Crying or Very sad

I will be starting up again soon and am just preparing myself for the dry peely lovely skin that I am about to encounter again! It will all be worth it once we make it through our 18 weeks...it's tough but at least we will get a great reward at the end Very Happy

Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:22 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm on the Obagi Condition and Enhance system and my dermatologist actually recommended I use my current SPF which I've used for years:

Solar Protection TIZO3 SPF 40

It contains Titanium dioxide 8% and zinc oxide 3.8%, both of which she said do a better job of sun protection than the SPF that comes with Obagi, and it needs to be reapplied less.

I have the world's most SENSITIVE skin that breaks out when it even LOOKS at a new skin care cream and this stuff is lovely. No breakouts at all. It has a very velvety feel to it when you apply it.

I think there is also a tinted version but I have never used it.

free skin care · Tue Mar 15, 2011 3:23 pm

dragonflyte wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm on the Obagi Condition and Enhance system and my dermatologist actually recommended I use my current SPF which I've used for years:

Solar Protection TIZO3 SPF 40

where do you get this dragonflyte? I'm in the UK & can't see it on EDS

free skin care · Tue Mar 15, 2011 3:26 pm

bren21 wrote:

I just want to throw in the towel and stop using this...just so SICK of this peeling around my mouth. Just when I think it's getting better it hits me again and I am flaking like a mad woman from my nose down.

I know what you mean Bren - seeing bits off your face fly off when you're talking is NOT a good look... am trying to focus on the wonderful results everyone says we'll get...

free skin care · Tue Mar 15, 2011 4:30 pm

Yeah I know D...I had a bit of a meltdown and am trying to remember the light at the end of the tunnel Smile

Some days my skin looks so fabulous on this Obagi and then I have these off days where I just want to trade it in... Laughing

Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:40 pm

dianew

I used to get it from my dermatologists office, but honestly, now I buy it on eBay as it's much cheaper. Searching "tizo3 SPF 40" in eBay will bring up quite a few sellers. Unfortunately I don't see any in the UK but some of the US ones do ship there. I now live in Colorado but grew up in Newcastle, England so I know the frustration trying to get access to some of the brands there.

Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:57 pm

Ok ladies...I'm a bargain hunter. Mertado.com has the Clarisonic Mia on sale for $109! Dancing

It's only for a couple of days though. I have the regular Clarisonic and it really helps with the peeling and flaking. Also, after you've applied all of your product, take the cotton ball with toner and wipe around your nose and mouth. That will help. I understand your frustration. One day my skin will look really good, the next day it can flare up again. I try leaving off the exfoderm and blender w/trentinoin for a day. Some times skip a day between those two. It may extend how long I have to use the program, but at least I'm not miserable and feeling like I look horrible. It's a crazy balancing act some days Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 5:06 am

Well, I decided to just lay off the mouth area for a few days and just apply everywhere else. I didn't apply anything around my mouth last night and it looks better already.

I guess that is what I will do...just lay off Obagi in that area when it gets red and flaky until I get it back to where I'm happy with it for a few days then apply it there again...repeat process Laughing

My face looks pretty fab today...it's amazing how up and down this program is from one day to the next!

Deb, do you know how the Mia stacks up to the regular Clarisonic? Is it just like the regular but smaller? I wonder if it works just as well?

Wed Mar 16, 2011 5:20 am

Good Morning bren21, I'm glad your doing better this morning. I'm in my fourth week and have almost given it up a few time. You guys are the ones that keep my going Very Happy

I haven't had any experience with the Mia. I think it came out after I had purchased mine. I have been really happy with it though.
Hang in there and have a wonderful vacation!

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:38 am

dragonflyte -

Do you know if the Solar Protection SPF 40 is oil free? (I have super oily skin, so it is VERY hard to find sunscreens that don't make me look a mess......)

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:02 am

Yes, EDS has certainly given me the inspiration to keep on trucking in times of desperation on many things...Obagi is no exception Laughing

If I didn't have this place as a sounding board and info hub, I would have quit about a week in to it when I had my allergic reaction to the Exfoderm Wink

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 8:55 am

seconded - yay for EDS Smile

I have a (probably really stupid) question to ask, so bear with me...

Ok, I've read that the Retin-a degrades in light & becomes less effective... is this UVA ~ UVB - ie sunlight, or any light?

The reason I ask is I've thought my peeling was calming down a couple times now, but am wondering if the fact that I read in bed for a couple hours sometimes after applying (with a lamp on)has just meant that it hasn't worked as fiercely as usual?

Like I said, probably a dumb question, but I really don't know the answer! Anyone enlighten me?

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 8:59 am

dragonflyte wrote:

dianew

I used to get it from my dermatologists office, but honestly, now I buy it on eBay as it's much cheaper. Searching "tizo3 SPF 40" in eBay will bring up quite a few sellers. Unfortunately I don't see any in the UK but some of the US ones do ship there. I now live in Colorado but grew up in Newcastle, England so I know the frustration trying to get access to some of the brands there.

thanks! I'm in Scarborough btw, so just down the road from your old home - & properly at the 'end of the line' where ANY kind of shopping is concerned Smile

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:37 am

NOT a stupid question Dianew...because there have been times I've applied the retin-a and stayed up on my computer for a few hours. I've wondered as well if they mean light as in any "light" or just sunlight...I've always had this thought in my head that I need to hurry up and get in my dark bedroom after applying my retin-a Laughing

So don't feel stupid at all...I am wondering this as well Very Happy

but I am pretty sure that they mean the sunlight rays and not just any light although I could definitely be wrong....

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:44 pm

aha! Just found this...

Dear Dr. Bailey,

If I put tretinoin 0.025% cream on a half hour after I cleanse, and then wait around in very low light (TV or computer) for several hours before I go to bed, is the tretinoin breaking down/degrading from that low light?

Thanks for your answer, ‘Cura’

Dear ‘Cura’,

Wow, I really like how you are thinking through the details of your tretinoin therapy. This is a question that is actually quite complex. The short answer is that quite possibly the visible light from light bulbs may degrade Retin A to some extent. Just how much and how quickly is impossible to know because it depends on the output of your light bulbs.

The tretinoin in Retin A cream is very prone to inactivation by light. UVA breaks it down the most but the peak wavelength that does this is 420nm, which is just into the visible light spectrum right outside of the UVA wavelength spectrum. This means that visible light from light bulbs can break down your tretinoin. So can sunlight with its visible light rays, UVA and UVB rays.

I recommend to my patients that they apply their tretinoin as the last thing they do before going to sleep. Most of us sleep in the dark and this takes care of the light/tretinoin issue. I keep my tretinoin on my bedside table for that purpose.

source: http://www.drbaileyskincare.com/blog/does-light-break-down-tretinoin-retin-a-cream/

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 5:29 pm

Diane,
That's an interesting find about retin a! Never thought indoor lighting might have an effect on it. Thanks!

**Hope all of you "Obagians" are doing well and staying the course. It's definitely a journey with A LOT of ups and downs along the way!

free skin care · Wed Mar 16, 2011 8:20 pm

Awesome!! Thanks Dianew! That was very informative and answers the age old question of light period.

I guess my thought of applying and jumping right in to bed was dead on after all Laughing

But there was still that little whisper in my head that said it was merely UV light from the sun...I'm glad to know this for sure now.

Thanks Kims...I had a bit of a breakdown the other day, but doing a-ok now...at least today anyway, tomorrow may be different Wink

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