Blocked sweat glands ?

[DILYON]

I never suffered with facial spots as a teenager, now, 50 years later,
I have blackheads and spots.I do not seem to perspire from the face and when I see other people's faces bathed in sweat, it doesn't happen to me.
So, are my sweat glands blocked and what can I do to open the pores ?

[TeresaE]

Hi Dilyon,

After sweating profusely I did feel a pang of envy when I read your thread. Then I realised that you are concerned about your change in circumstances so I will try to help. A couple of questions first :

Is this something new or have you always suffered from anhidrosis (lack of sweating)?

Have you started any new medication lately? especially for high blood pressure, heart condition, thyroid condition?

Until I hear back from you I can strongly recommend that you drink plenty of water as you may be dehydrating yourself and therefore your body is retaining what fluid it has. The other thing to do is thoroughly cleanse your face to enable your skin to breathe as much as possible. An gentle exfoliator would help a lot to open pores : read this for a recipe for an exfoliator -

Make a Simple Exfoliator

The most simple exfoliator treatment you can find is a sugar and water solution. Simply soak your face with a warm flannel for a few minutes, before applying the sugar and water solution, and gently massage into your skin before rinsing off. This will do the basic job of gently removing dead skin cells and grime from your skin, combating problems such as spots and acne.

Another alternative to sugar is sea salt. Whilst sugar is great as a facial exfoliator, sea salt is a little more abrasive and can be used over the entire body, paying particular attention to tough areas such as knees and elbows.

Make sure that before you apply the sea salt, the skin is wet. It's best to use these 'loose' scrubs in the shower, so that they can be easily rinsed away!

You can also try soaking and then scrubbing your feet in Epsom salts for a soothing and revitalising experience. Adding a few drops of essential oil can also add to the experience. Lavender essential oil is great for relaxation and soothing, whereas peppermint oil will rejuvenate and stimulate.

I look forward to some answers to my questions.
Best wishes - Teresa

[DILYON]

Hi Teresa,
Thanks for the reply.
It is only the face that does not perspire; rest of the body sweats normally. In fact my hair gets soaking wet when I am trying to do any work. About 3 years since it became a problem.
I have tried proprietory facial scrubs but I don't think they go deep enough.
Medication; only inhalers for COPD.

Dilyon

[TeresaE]

Thank goodness you do actually perspire then Dilyon - I was getting a bit worried there.

The problem seems to be your blemishes then and believe it or not it is quite common to get acne in middle age. It is not a teenage thing as most people believe. The most common treatment for it, if it has not responded to facial cleansers etc, is a course of very low dose antibiotic over an extended period of time. This usually works well. Perhaps a dermatologist could have a look at it for you.

Good luck - Teresa