Stages of Moisturiser Withdrawal Healing
Stage 1: Before Moisturiser Withdrawal - Red, Hard, Dry, Painful
Symptoms: Skin is dry, flakey, hard, has many wrinkles/folds around the joints. Most of the time very red/pink from the inflammation that moisturisers cause. Constant feeling of having to reapply moisturiser, feeling the necessity to bring moisturiser around everywhere you go.
Explanation: Skin has already developed a shell of hardened skin over the TSW skin. This is in reaction to prolonged and excessive usage of moisturizer on TSW skin. (To understand how TSW skin reacts to moisturizer, please read this page.)
Very hard skin, deep wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes, pronounced lines along the neck and décolletage.
Protruding skin on knuckles, fingers can hardly straighten, deep and hard lines on the wrist
Protruding skin on knuckles, fingers can hardly straighten, deep and hard lines on the wrist
Inner elbows too have deep, hard lines
Hardened and raised lines on the knees, similar on the elbow. Skin on knees/elbows are protruding
Hardened and raised lines on the knees, similar on the elbow. Skin on knees/elbows are protruding
Stage 2: Upon Cessation of Moisturizer - Dry, Incessant flaking, “Whitish”, Cracking
Symptoms: Inflammation - redness, swelling - begins to disappear. Skin begins proliferating and flaking in large amounts. Dryness can be to the point of the skin cracking, causing pain and discomfort. The photos below do not capture the flaking well - note that the flaking is more severe than it appears in the photos
Explanation: Skin begins to heal and proliferate, hence the incessant flaking. The skin also begins the exfoliation process of the hardened skin layer. Flaking causes the skin to look “whiter”. The whiter skin also means that the skin is no longer inflamed from foreign substances applied onto it, hence no redness/inflammation.
Flaking on the entire face, extreme dryness
Flaking on the back of the hands
Flaking all over the arm and elbow
Stage 3 - Softer but More Sensitive Skin
Symptoms: Skin is papery thin, skin begins to react to more allergens/irritants via contact, shows signs of flaring up, may ooze or form hives in reaction to an allergen/irritant. Joints: Protruding skin is reduced and softer to touch. Scratching damages the skin much more easily, and skin is more susceptible to infections as a result.
Explanation: When the hardened skin layer is slowly shed, your true TSW begins to show. The sensitivity of your TSW skin was previously shielded from allergens/irritants by the layer of hardened skin and thus was not as sensitive when it was hard. Now that the skin is softer, it has lost that protection and begins to react. It is important during this time to be extremely cautious to avoid allergens/irritants. Things that you did not react to previously can start becoming a cause of flare-ups. Do not panic or mistake this for your skin getting worse - it is simply the process of moisturiser withdrawal. Do be careful of the strength by which you scratch! This new skin is extremely delicate.
Skin appears softer, but it is more sensitive. Example of sensitive skin flaring on the neck and upper lip.
Softer skin that is also easily damaged from scratching and susceptible to infections.
Softer skin, but papery thin
Less protruding skin on the knees
Example of new soft, thin and sensitive skin flaring up. I begun oozing from an allergen/irritant flare
The palms can start reacting as well
Stage 4 - Skin begins to strengthen and become healthier
Over time, the skin becomes less reactive to allergens/irritants and stronger against infections. The papery thin skin builds up its thickness (not in the hardened TSW way) and becomes less delicate and translucent.
The pictures below are of hardened/elephant skin still healing - it is not completely gone yet! Hardened/elephant skin can take a long time to go away, so be patient! I will definitely update once I achieve perfectly soft and supple skin, stay tuned ;)
Here is another case example:
Slightly swollen, red, hardened skin. Skin is constantly irritated by moisturiser
Less red and swollen, proliferation happening with lots of flaking
Reduced flaking but still hardened, skin elasticity is beginning to reappear
Much reduced hardened skin, more elasticity, less flaking
For information on how you can reduce or get rid of your elephant/hardened skin, head to my Moisturiser Withdrawal Guide.