Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JoshuaABennett]

Well, I landed a job, moved without incident, and with the exception of a couple really naughty students, I am settling in to the job and the city well enough.

One problem though: in the three weeks since I moved here, my skin has gone to heck!

I have always had some mild eczema, but something about Seoul has destroyed my skin. I don't know if it is the air polution, the lack of humidity, Korean detergent or what, but I have big red patches of dry, irritated skin, tons of pimples, and bags under my eyes! My girlfriend, who moved here with me, is having similar, though less severe reactions. Anyone else have this problem or have any advice?

[.res.ipsa.loquitor]

I hadn't had acne for years when I arrived. Within a month, I had flared up so badly, that I decided to go on accutane. It's partly the air quality, partly the change of diet, partly the lack of sleep from uncomfortable beds.

Can't say my symptoms were as bad as yours, but my acne was certainly as bad as it was when I was a teenager.

[Konglishman]

I went through the same phase, but after a few months, I quit having problems. By the way, there will be plenty of humidity when summer comes around.

[Dixon]

Acne is caused by your diet. You want to eliminate high glycemic load foods, cereal grains and legumes containing lectins, and dairy products. Stick to meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, and spices.

Look at some of the studies published by Loren Cordain PhD out of the university of Colorado. Or search "Dietary Acne Cure."

[Cerulean]

Hi there,

I've experienced skin problems since being here and I've used a combination of diet and skin care cleansers and creams. I find my exercise helps also. My skin is most unhappy when the weather changes and I've learned to deal with it ahead of time.

I wish I could give you a clear solution to fix your issues but everyone is different and you'll have to figure it out on your own.

It's worth sharing with you that I experienced skin irritations on my arms and did see a dermatologist for it. She said it was from pollution which made sense as I had started morning runs outside. At 6am, the pollution is incredibly apparent. Maybe a dermatologist can help you out or at least give you something to heal what's already there.

Good luck.

[mzeno]

There's something in the air here!
2 recommendations:

1. Aloe Vera - available at most large supermarkets(produce section)
2. Jojoba Oil - more difficult to find, but I did see it at Hyundai in Busan, in the 'organics' section.


Good Luck!

[Draz]

Do you wash your face before bed? What do you use? Sharing your current skincare routine can help with advice.

[Bollocks]

Are you using cheap convenience store laundry soap? I used that for a while, and I had your problem. Switched to an american brand liquid soap, problem went away.


This has happened twice now. Once in Seoul, and again in a new city. Both times it was happened I was using cheap soap. Both times it went away when I switched to something else. It could be a coincidence, but I'd buy some Tide if I were you.

Edit: http://www.ezshopkorea.com/shop/step1.php?number=41252 This. Get this. Especially if you've got one of those ghetto washing machines like the Koreans use where they don't wash with hot water for some reason.

[ChilgokBlackHole]

[seoul777]

seoul has made my eyes very dry and darker than usual circles. claritin helped for the dryness but no help for the darker circles yet. there has to be something in the air because i dont have allergies and never exerienced this before. both my school and apartment are on high rise levels.

[JoshuaABennett]

Thanks for all the advice. A lot of the internet resources seem to say I Should grab some over the counter cortisone cream. I am unsure of how easy it will be to communicate that to the lady at the local pharmacy though. Anyone know how to write "Over the counter cortisone cream" in Hangul?

As for my routine, I shower in the mornings (with my woefully poor shower that offers either a strong cold blast or a very light rain of hot water), use clean&clear face wash and dove soap. I doubt the issue is either of these since I have been using them forever, and only recently got this problem.

I might need to look into a new detergent, yeah. Next time we buy some, I'll look into getting a normal American brand (we are indeed using a cheap convenience store band with a cold-water washer).

Thanks for all the ideas! I just wanna get this taken care of. With all this dry patchy skin and bags under my eyes, my girlfriend says I look like a zombie.

[VanIslander]

autoimmune diseases are more prevalent among teachers as the body's defense mechanisms turns on itself in an overloaded frenzy of trying to cope with the plethora of viruses and bacteria brought into the classroom by students

[ChilgokBlackHole]

[sarahbeara_413]

This sounds so familiar, I could have written it myself. Within about 3 weeks of arriving here from California, my skin went haywire. I've always had pretty clear skin, but shortly after I got here, my eyes would get all swollen and puffy and I would break out into rashes or dry patches on my arms. I've been to the doctor about it and have been given creams, eye drops, antibiotics, and even though it got better, it never fully went away. Recently the dry patches have been getting really bad, I try to keep it under control with the skin cream the doctor gave me but it seems to be getting more difficult. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm leaving in a few months I'd go to a dermatologist, but I'm going to try and hold out until I get home.

Korea has been a great experience for me, but I'm afraid my body would completely fall apart if I stayed much longer.

[Linda868]

My skin went nuts when I first got here and in the winter. I used some aloe gel lotion from the pharmacy daily. I have been using clean and clear cleanser which I mix with a couple drops of olive oil. I leave it on my face for a minute or two and then rinse it off. The oil doesn't break me out and leaves it smooth (solved the sensitivity issue and dry skin in the winter). Make sure to drink lots of water, too.