So, I'm almost 17 months out and the skin on my face is extremely dry *sometimes flaky* and breaks out in an itchy rash, at times. Lately the rash is under my jawline and the breakouts are on my face.

It has become progressively worse starting at about a year out from surgery. I had an initial reaction to the antibotics used during surgery *hyper-sensitive* and broke out in a hives-like itchy rash 2 days post-surgery. It would come back off and on for the first year out...but would go away.

NOW, no matter what I do, I cannot seem to get my skin to calm down.

I drink a lot of Water. I moisturize day and night. I do not use harsh products on my face through my cleaning routine. I have ultra-hydrating sensitive skin facials. I have not been to the dermatologist yet - but I am thinking that is the next move.

The rest of my skin on my body seems to be doing fine - just my face that is having the issues. Luckily, makeup works wonders but the itching is driving me nuts!

Is anyone else having this issue?

Recommendations?

Not to that degree but my skin, hair and nails are terrible at the moment.

I was paranoid about hair loss and I did shed a lot but I always do so I thought I was right. Till all of a sudden, this last haircut, I've realised I have in fact lost quite a lot of hair. Its kept growing in at the scalp but the ends are really thin.

And my skin is really really dry, and I've taken my acrylic nails off, gritted my teeth and got through the four or five months it takes to grow the damaged nail through to virgin nail only to find that my own nails are SO soft and horrid that they break down at the cuticle and tear vertically down the nail. Really bad, I cant use my hands at all, have to use a knife or a pen for every little fiddly job.

I've had a blood test (routine 1 year follow up here) and started logging on fitday and both told me the same thing. Protein shmotein, I get plenty of that, but I"m very low on Iron, zinc and B Vitamins. Calcium's a bit low too.

So at least I know what to supplement now - I didnt see my band doc for this, just by GP but he said give it 3 to 4 months and I should start to see results. Skin fixes quickly but hair takes a while, although I should be grateful I didnt noticeably thin like others have, my hair just breaks around the middle of the shaft, so its thick at the scalp but thin on the ends and the latest layered cut I had just emphasised it.

I think long term nutrition with the lap band is very important, I've been guilty lately of eating for maintenance and allowing more junk and less nutritious foods in. I havent gained, and I'm at a healthy weight, but I've realised I jsut cant waste my stomach space on that kind of food more than very occasionally.

The other thing you might benefit from is more Omega 3's in your diet, flax seed oil daily, lots of avocado, tuna, Omega 3 enriched eggs and bread keep my son's skin in good condition as he suffers terribly from eczema. Its quite a hard routine, keeping him topped up with good oils from the inside (and unfortunately for dieters, it involves calories) but it does work.

How old are you? Have you recently moved? Did you notice it before it got cold?

I developed dry skin a few years ago--mainly in the winter months. Never had it when I was younger.

I watched a news segment on dry, itchy skin just a month or so ago. They said it's more common in the winter and that people shouldn't take as many showers to help the situation.

Well, I'm not going to stop showering, but I can tell you that Cortaid makes a hand lotion that's medicated. You can get it over-the-counter. It works really fast.

Oh, but my point is that it's probably not related to the lapband.

Might be rosacea. I have it. Worsens during the winter. Go to www.personandcovey.com and get Aquanil Cleansing lotion and the DML moisturizer. This is the stuff doctors recommend. They also have great sun screens.

For night time use I use Dr. Smiths Diaper Rash formula. Nice and white. It deadens the pain, and stops the itching, and by morning I am usually better. Tried this when my baby was young, and I still buy the stuff for my face because it works! You can find this at Walmart.

Stay away from medicated stuff, because that will burn.

Colloidal oatmeal - home remedy, but very effective. They key is to keep the oils, rather than discarding them. Have you tried Aveeno brand products? Their moisturizer contains colloidal oatmeal base & oil. I have really sensitive skin that's very T-zoned, and non-stop oily in the summer while dry in the winter. Aveeno is the only lotion that worls reliably, and it's very soothing.

You can also add colloidal oatmeal packs to your bath, and when you see the oil come to the surface, cup that Water and smooth it on your skin.

But as I said, these are just home remedies and not cures to greater problems. Since it's itching and not just cosmetic, a trip to the dermatologist would be a good idea.

Thanks everyone!

I'm 35 and living in Houston - so we have plenty of moisture. This did start before the winter - so I do not know if it is necessarily tied to the switch in seasons. I tend more to the dry side but never this extreme. I've asked about rosacea and have been told that I do not have it.

Has anyone heard that their band seems to draw moisture to it? Someone said that to me and it made me think that perhaps it is sucking it away from my skin.

Derbygirl - I'm there with you - NOT giving up the showers!!!

Jachut - I did lose a lot of hair about 4 months out from my surgery - have about half of what I did before. Luckily it has not thinned at the ends but some of the grow back is grey *EEK!!* - thank god for a good colorist!!! Try the Mane & Tail shampoo, conditioner and body moisturizer - it's great to strengthen your hair shaft...I have very long hair and it does not break! I eat a lot of sushi & fish - so my Omega-3s are decent - but maybe I am lower in other things.

Anyway - thanks everyone!!