I have one part of vulva that got little bit irritated from clob, and it looks like skin thinned there. I made mistake to use it everywhere, not only on white parts. Wonderful if I can apply white petroleum jelly there or just leave it like that. It is on inner part of inner labia

Honestly, after wasting $$$ over the past 7+ years of my life and repeatedly reacting to EVERYthing, I thought I'd create this post hoping someone may benefit from what took me 7+ years to learn:
Face: Don't keep touching your face.
What my skin has literally never reacted negatively to:

• My hero - QV cream [I would say CeraVe, but the ceramides and HA did not agree with my skin AT ALL]
• Vaseline Intense Moisturiser - Fragrance-Free [Not the petroleum jelly, which ended up worsening my eczema]
• Tranexamic Acid for my dull skin - [this is just trial and error, not gonna lie, may or may not work for you]
• Cleansing Balm - Any famous Korean or CeraVe balm should do
• Cleanser - Revolution soothing cleanser (the trick here is to leave it on for 60 seconds) or Oilatum

What it did react negatively to when I was having a flare-up, but I'd still recommend (because the reaction is more of a 'me' problem):

• Missha Revolution Time Essence

Lip: Avoid applicator lip balms, just cleanse your hands when you need to apply the below:

• QV cream (not the lip balm)
• La Roche Posay - Cicaplast Baume B5

Body:

• QV Cream
• Glycolic Acid by The Ordinary (I thought it would fix my KP. It did not, BUT it did help my skin restore its moisture, which I can appreciate. Definitely not a daily situation, but if you suffer from depression like me and skip showers, this routine should fall into place just fine.)

Eyes:

• Stop crying as much; it really messes with my skin, not gonna lie.
• Use no fragrance moisturiser, I guess?
• The dark circle creams messed with my skin BIG time, whether it was Cetaphil, CeraVe, or Eucerin. 0/10 recommend for people with severe eczema.

Makeup:

• Fenty Foundations - Pro Filt'r to be specific, worked fine for me.
• Maybelline Vinyl Lip (least irritating I'd say)

Sunscreen:

• I am wildly allergic to every sunscreen under the sun (heh).
• I've got nothing; maybe try Dr. Shetts? But we don't know the efficacy of this product.

Hair:

• Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo
• Oilatum
• Invest in a humidifier.
• Don't give something 'another shot' if it isn't working well for your skin the first time.

Great resources on YouTube (for educational purposes mostly, recommendations not so much, lol): Labbeautymuffinscience, Dr. Vinita Ratan, Dr. Shireen, and Dr. Dray.

I was getting rid of an acne and thought it would be good to clean it with iodine. But the extra thing is that I wrapped it with a iodine damp gauze. It's been 30 minutes since I feel the burn? There is a black spot last time I looked at it. Maybe covered for 10 mins before I felt the burn.
Spot is... - stiff - black - burning sensation - approximate area 2 inches of betadine applied - the black spot itself is maybe 1-2 cm
I used damp cloth with water to wipe it down to try and remove the betadine. I'm avoiding moving for now cause I can feel it.
Probably contact dermatitis??
Should I put petroleum jelly, so it is a little moisturized, but it would probably act the same as a gauze and keep the betadine under (making it worse?), or should I put Aloe Vera gel.
I have just been googling 'Povidone-iodine caused burns, but all it gave me was case studies and not how to treat'. I'm really sorry. I just did not realize that a burn would be caused. Thanks for the help. I am not sure if this is an emergency according to the rules. If it is just remove this post?

[Routine Help] i'm wondering where i can fit paula's choice hyaluronic acid booster in my routine as i'm trying to bump up in regards to moisture, but my routine is already a little packed so idk what the best course of action is. here's my current routine:
-AM-

1. cetaphil gentle skin cleanser
2. i’m from rice toner
3. cosrx snail mucin essence
4. paula’s choice c15 booster
5. skinoren (azelaic acid) 20%
6. purito b5 panthenol re-barrier cream
7. beauty of joseon relief sun spf50

-PM-

1. beauty of joseon radiance cleansing balm
2. cetaphil hydrating foaming cream cleanser
3. retin-a 0.1% (sundays: the ordinary 7% glycolic acid toner)
4. i’m from rice toner
5. cosrx snail mucin essence
6. skinoren (azelaic acid) 20%
7. dr jart ceramidin skin barrier moisturising cream
8. (sundays: vaseline petroleum jelly)

i'd probably add the hyaluronic acid after cosrx snail mucin in the PM as my azelaic acid is a cream, but would that be overkill?

i'm wondering where i can fit paula's choice hyaluronic acid booster in my routine as i'm trying to bump up in regards to moisture, but my routine is already a little packed so idk what the best course of action is. here's my current routine:
-AM-

1. cetaphil gentle skin cleanser
2. i’m from rice toner
3. cosrx snail mucin essence
4. paula’s choice c15 booster
5. skinoren (azelaic acid) 20%
6. purito b5 panthenol re-barrier cream
7. beauty of joseon relief sun spf50

-PM-

1. beauty of joseon radiance cleansing balm
2. cetaphil hydrating foaming cream cleanser
3. retin-a 0.1% (sundays: the ordinary 7% glycolic acid toner)
4. i’m from rice toner
5. cosrx snail mucin essence
6. skinoren (azelaic acid) 20%
7. dr jart ceramidin skin barrier moisturising cream
8. (sundays: vaseline petroleum jelly)

i'd probably add the hyaluronic acid after cosrx snail mucin in the PM as my azelaic acid is a cream, but would that be overkill?

-AM-

1. cetaphil gentle skin cleanser
2. i’m from rice toner
3. cosrx snail mucin essence
4. paula’s choice c15 booster
5. skinoren (azelaic acid) 20%
6. purito b5 panthenol re-barrier cream
7. beauty of joseon relief sun spf50

-PM-

1. beauty of joseon radiance cleansing balm
2. cetaphil hydrating foaming cream cleanser
3. retin-a 0.1% (sundays: the ordinary 7% glycolic acid toner)
4. i’m from rice toner
5. cosrx snail mucin essence
6. skinoren (azelaic acid) 20%
7. dr jart ceramidin skin barrier moisturising cream
8. (sundays: vaseline petroleum jelly)

A little something that worked for my dryness flaking, peeling is mixing some petroleum jelly (Vaseline) in my moisturizer itself every time I apply moisturizer (morning and night)
I have combination skin type more towards the dry side than oily
Honestly it helped me so much. my skin is still dry but there's no peeling or flaking. I could apply Vaseline alone but it makes my skin appear oily. I just thought I'd share if anyone has similar skin type could benefit.
Routine: Am 1% salicylic acid Cleanser Azelaic acid gel Moisturizer (moisturizer+Vaseline)
Pm Cetaphil gentle Cleanser Tretinoin (0.05%)(alternate nights) Moisturizer (moisturizer+Vaseline)

Went for an open-water swim yesterday and used petroleum jelly as a lubricant as I didn’t have anything else. Upon getting out of the suit I realized my body was wet. Later on I realized this was due to the petroleum jelly as a lube. Did I just ruin my wetsuit?

Note: ELI5 is Explain like I'm 5 and is based on . This is a series that will focus on simplifying and explaining things to the layman / anyone not particularly interested in the finer nuances of skincare / or a beginner to the concept of skincare.

Other posts in this series

• Beginner Skincare glossary

Actives are particular ingredients that actively work on specific skin issues or concerns
**Rx means prescription only drugs. This resource is not a recommendation to self-prescribe anything listed herein.**

Anti-oxidants

• Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) play an important role in your body but excess exposure to pollution, UV rays (sunlight) or stress can increase ROS beyond ideal levels causing cell damage (this can manifest as aged skin / pigmentation / sun spots etc).
• Antioxidants help prevent cell damage.
• They also help in preventing a cosmetic products from going rancid or oxidizing

Skin concerns it's used for: Reducing oxidative stress
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Vitamin C: There are several kinds of Vit C, LAA, MAP, SAP, A-TIP, EAC are a few. You can read more about Vitamin C here and here. Even if you find these posts too information dense, I highly recommend you check out this inforgraphic.
2. Vitamin E

Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients

Humectants

• Ingredients that help absorb and retain moisture in the skin.
• They help hydrate skin and keep it supple.

Skin concerns it's used for: Dryness, Dehydration
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Hyaluronic acid: One of the most popular humectants around. Available in different molecular weights. For some people, lower molecular weight HAs cause breakouts.
2. Glycerin: A cheap, but very effective ingredient

Emollients

• Ingredients that soften and lubricate skin.
• There are different classes of emollients, but the ones we most concern ourselves with are fatty emollients

Skin concerns it's used for: Dryness, Textured skin
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Plant oils: Argan oil, Coconut oil, jojoba oil etc
2. Mineral oil, Light liquid paraffin
3. Plant Butters: Shea butter, Cocoa butter, Mango butter
4. Fatty Alcohols
5. Squalane

Occlusives

• They form a protective layer on skin to prevent loss of moisture from the skin.
• Thicker or higher concentration emollients also work, as an occlusive in addition to moisturising.
• Difference between emollients and occlusives, is that emollients eventually sink in. Occlusives are supposed to sit on top of the skin, for the most part.

Skin concerns it's used for: Sealing in hydration and moisture
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Petroleum Jelly
2. Silicones like Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone
3. Waxes like beeswax

Exfoliants

• Ingredients that help accelerate cell turnover and shed dead cells ie exfoliate skin.

Skin concerns it's used for: Dullness, Textured skin, Acne, Congestion, Tanned or photodamaged skin
Possible side-effects: Dryness, Flaking, Scaling, Irritation, Burning, Increased sensitivity
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Glycolic acid (AHA)
2. Salicylic acid (BHA)
3. Lactic acid (AHA)
4. Mandelic acid (AHA)

You can read more about exfoliation here

Retinoids

• A derivative of Vitamin A that helps with cell proliferation and differentiation.

Skin concerns it's used for: Aging, Acne, PIH, Textured Skin
Possible side-effects: Dryness, Flaking, Scaling, Irritation, Burning, Increased sensitivity
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Retinol
2. Retinaldehyde
3. Adapalene (Rx)
4. Tretinoin (Rx)

Peptides

• Collagen is a protein made of peptides in our skin. Think of Collagen as a building block in your skin. Your body naturally produces it, but the production reduces with age. This can can contribute to skin ageing.
• Topical collagen molecules are too big to enter your skin. But collagen peptides can. They are fragments of collagen. There are different kinds of peptides and they work by different mechanisms, but the end result is that they are purported to increase collagen production in your skin. (Purported because research on this is scanty and fairly recent.)

Skin concerns it's used for: Aging, Wrinkles, Indirectly pigmentation
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Matrixyl 3000
2. Copper Peptides
3. Agireline
4. Palmitoyl Tripetides
5. Tetrapeptides

De-Pigmenting Agents

• This isn't exactly a class of ingredients the way the others, mentioned above, are. I'm grouping them together because this is a ELI5 series.
• These are ingredients that work on different enzymes, pathways or mechanism of actions to prevent or reduce the possibility of occurrence of pigmentation or directly help with reducing pigmentation after it occurs.
• Basically they're faders, brighteners or stop the triggetransfer of pigment.

Skin concerns it's used for: Pigmentation, Tanning, Dark skin
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Niacinamide
2. Kojic acid
3. Alpha Arbutin
4. Tranexamic acid
5. Hydroquinone (Rx, can have side effects)
6. Liquorice extract

Lipids

• The outermost layer of skin forms a barrier with a protective function.
• Lipids are cells that naturally exist in that barrier to strengthen and maintain it.
• There are 3 main classes of lipids that are used as Skincare actives, Ceramides, Cholesterol, Free Fatty Acids.

Skin concerns it's used for: Dehydration, Dryness, Weak or damaged barrier function
Non-Exhaustive List:

1. Ceramide EOP, Ceramide EOS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NS etc
2. Cholesterol
3. Phospholipids
4. Linolenic Acid

You can read more about Lipids with a focus on Ceramides here, 1, 2, 3

Note: This post will be updated as and when, I realise, I've left out something a newbie needs to know.
Updated on 14/05/2024 with inputs from u/rumi2019

Wife and I pulled 6 ticks off of our dog today after a walk at Bonneville Dam. I know a bunch of you were out at Rooster Rock last night, so here's your PSA.
Wear long pants and sleeves when possible. Consider applying bug repellent. Strip down and do a full body tick check at home. Be sure to give your pets their tick and flea medicine. If there are ticks in your car, park it in full sun with the windows up to make the ticks nice and toasty.
If you notice any bites, use a pair of tweezers to pull the tick out at the base to make sure you get the head out. Place it in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator for identification later, if needed. Pay attention to symptoms over the next 3-7 days - if you develop flu-like symptoms, see a doctor and take the tick with you.
Source: me, the guy who got rocky mountain spotted fever after being bit by a tick in 2019.
Edit: removal of terrible advice.
Edit two since this has now come up a few times: do not use a hot match, petroleum jelly, isopropyl alcohol, gasoline, or nail polish on a tick that has bitten you. These methods are equally likely to make the tick burrow deeper as they are to make the tick back out. The only recommended method is to remove the tick with tweezers or a tick puller and wash the area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

Hey folks,
I just wanna give you quick tip for the people suffering from dry lips. Please try Vaseline 100% petroleum jelly (not lip balm) Apply directly on your lips every night and see the difference. Lip balms are not very effective for me. My dermatologist and friends gave me compliments how soft my lips look. My lips are so soft and plump after using Vaseline 100% petroleum jelly. Give it a try for a month and see the difference.
https://preview.redd.it/62nmarxsx00d1.jpg?width=1112&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b91d165621552a3b4904ed8069b373005f75cb5

I (F27) tripped and fell on my morning walk 2 days ago and scraped my left knee. I have been cleaning it with mild soap and water, applying a bit of petroleum jelly to it, and covering with bandages. I see this yellow liquid (discharge?) on it. Does this look infected to you?

It seems kinda nuts to me that of all the tips and tricks I've been made aware of before my trip to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh) one extremely glaring thing people never mentioned once and I haven't seen it on any articles either. Is that a lot of the bikes here are pretty cheap. And more expensive motorcycles in western countries have exhaust guards to prevent any injury occuring. but in Vietnam a lot of these bikes do have guards, but also a lot of them don't! And the fact I always see grab bikers dismounting from the left of their bike now (as the exhaust is on the right usually). Just goes to show that they're clearly considering it before they dismount.
The injury hasn't ruined my trip entirely but it does mean I can't swim on my holiday now (I've been instructed not to) which I was really looking forward to.
No one warns you about this, not in articles, not in tips video's, not before you mount the bike.
If you manage to get a burn though be careful because there are a lot of parasites in Vietnam, make sure that you wash and clean it with spring water not water from the tap, clean it when soapy water and use a cotton swab to remove any dirt and then pat dry. You can apply petroleum jelly, to relieve pain, but it's also good to prevent any sticking that occurs, and cover with an appropriately sized plaster. (or bandaid if you're American) This plaster needs to be changed twice a day!
So what have we learned!? Be careful dismounting motorbikes, before you mount a bike, make sure you know which side that exhaust is on and alight from the other side. No one warned you, so I am. Have a wonderful time in Vietnam it's an incredible country Ho Chi Minh is the best place I've ever been to I absolutely love it here. So don't think this is me moaning about VN cause I love it here so much. But if you want to have a good time here there are something's to avoid and burning yourself 3 days into your holiday is probably one you wanna avoid too!
Safe trips everyone!

It has been 30 hours since I’ve gotten my first session and this is what it looks like. I’ve been letting it breath with nothing on it, since my last post I made on this sub. To repeat, the doctor put on petroleum jelly after the laser and dressed it with Saran Wrap. I left the wrap and such on for a few hours before I found this sub and took it off. I washed it with water and then dried it with paper towels and then just put the jelly on. Late last night I tried to wash some of the jelly off. This AM I washed it again with just water and haven’t applied anything. Will these go away if I leave them alone? When should I go in next (8 weeks or wait months and let my body do its thing?)

I am trying to create an ointment. Let’s say I want to create 100grams of the finished product (3.53 oz). I want each ingredient to be a certain percentage of the total amount. I have ingredients made of powders (which I calculate in grams), rose water (fluid ounces), Shea butter (cups?), beeswax (which needs to be melted before it can be added to the product), petroleum jelly, and an oil. This is just an example. What I’m getting at is, I know that 2 grams (.071 oz) make up 2% of the overall 100 grams. How much rose water would I put in if I wanted that to also be 2%? How do I calculate these ingredients when some are in ounces and some are in fluid ounces?