u/BlueberryCalm2390

Today I realized I currently have 10 types of sunscreen. Any others with me? I live at a high altitude so sunscreen is a non-negotiable, plus I am a cyclist so often spend a good amount of time in the sun. While I don't need this much variety and also can't use the sunscreen fast enough before exp dates, now I know what to reorder and what to skip.

For background, I am 33 and have dry skin with rosacea. My primary concerns are redness and dark spots (likely from tanning in HS and college, ugh.)

Ranked from favorite to least for anyone who cares:

1. EltaMD Daily - LOVELY for my dry skin. No notes. Will repurchase.

2. Riemann P20 Sensitive Face - really nice formulation! Will repurchase for long days in the sun.

3. Banana Boat Light as Air - Do not sleep on this sunscreen! I did not know a water resistant sunscreen could be this "cosmetically elegant" as they say. Will repurchase

4. EltaMD Sheer - also a really fantastic water resistant sunscreen. Will repurchase.

5. Abib Sunscreen stick - recommended by Dr. Dray. It's nice but leaves a white cast and needs to be rubbed in. Will repurchase for bike rides.

6. Cerave ultra light moisturizing lotion SPF30 - Not as nice feeling as EltaMD Daily but it's nice for days when I don't need a high SPF. Also vey cost effective. Will likely repurchase.

7. EltaMD Daily Tinted - looks and feels nice but it's had to use the recommended amount with the pigment. I don't wear it much. Will likely not repurchase.

8. EltaMD Clear - It's fine but I feel like my dry skin needs more. Will not repurchase.

9. EltaMD Recovery (the green one) - mehhh. It looks nice but my skin can't tolerate more than 1 application. Not worth the extra cost. Will not repurchase.

10. Riemann P20 Kids - HORRIFICALLY sticky. When I come home from a bike ride I am covered in dirt (even though I don't do gravel or mountain biking). It's like a magnet for dirt. Will not repurchase!!

Hi all! Road biking is my main sport but I’m feeling very discouraged after a sketchy situation last weekend.

I think I almost got jumped near 51st Avenue and Harlan Street. I was on the Clear Creek Trail coming home, East from Golden. Two guys were on the bike path and had very strange body language. One of them stopped as I was passing him and looked like he was getting ready to lunge. I kept going and fortunately he didn’t do anything or chase after me. I thought about calling the police but I don’t even know what I’d say? Like two guys had weird body language on the bike path? It could have been nothing, but I felt really shaken up.

I feel like safe bike paths are harder to come by these days so I wanted to see where other women were riding these days. Here are some notes on areas I’ve tried:

Cherry Creek Trail: ideal, but I feel like it gets washed out and muddy after even 5 minutes of rain! I also got a flat tire 2 weeks ago from a thorn
North of REI on Clear Creek Trail: feels very sketchy. I only biked there twice and felt on edge. My fiancé won’t even bike there alone
South of REI: also feels a little sketchy. Also, most of it was closed last weekend due to rain
Clear Creek Trail to 36: this path is nice although I haven’t been by myself.
32nd street to Golden: super fun, I’m loving it.
Wash Park: pretty, but I get bored after 3 laps

I carry mace but don’t really trust myself to use it correctly in a crisis, if we’re being honest. Finally, the fact that biking between like 10am-7pm is unbearably hot doesn’t help.

If you made it this far, thank you! 💕

Looking for recommendations from real people. I’m trying to treat redness and a couple of brown spots. Thank you!

Just based on what I’ve seen in movies, I thought people would look extremely swollen and bruised for several weeks to months after rhinoplasty. But based on what I’ve seen in this sub, not everyone gets bruised and swelling isn’t typically dramatic (outside of the first week or so) though it does linger.

Maybe recent surgical innovations have reduced swelling and bruising? Or the movies were just immaculate to begin with?

I’m a healthy, active woman in my early 30s and am trying to figure out whether anyone has experienced a similar recovery pattern.

History
7 months ago: Third right toe swelled up after barefoot calf raises. Prednisone cleared it up immediately.
3 months ago: Same toe swelled up again after doing step downs. It was tolerant of broad jumps, skiing, gym work and cycling, but when I tried calf raises (seated, wearing shoes) it swelled up again - this time MUCH worse and involving the 2nd-4th toes. A podiatrist put me in a boot for 2 weeks and gave me another prednisone pack.

I’ve seen multiple providers including 4 podiatrists, a PT and a sports chiro. My MRI was unremarkable, it just showed edema on the top of the foot.

Over the last few months I’ve tried:
Activity modification
Supportive shoes (Hoka Gaviota, Hoka Clifton couldn’t fit my custom orthotics which created additional issues)
Custom orthotics
Metatarsal pads
PT
MLS laser
Voltaren
Steroid injection
Prednisolone taper (3)
Elevation
Ice and heat (but my feet run very cold so I respond better to heat)

Current status (Right Foot)
The good news:
Walking is more normal than it was a few weeks ago
Standing is easier
Swelling is reduced
Symptoms calm quickly with rest/elevation

The confusing part:
I tried a gentle heel raise in PT last week (lifting my heel a half an inch off the ground barefoot) and my toes are still irritated 4 days later. In retrospect, I should have tried with shoes on.
The bottoms of my 2nd-4th toes can still become sensitive after loading
Sometimes the toes feel “full” or inflamed even when they don’t look very swollen
I occasionally get random pain in different toes without a clear trigger

Left Foot
While compensating for the right foot, I developed symptoms in the left foot that are even stranger:
Burning on the top of the foot
Tingling between the 1st and 2nd toes
Previous tingling under the big toe
Extreme sensitivity to certain socks and shoe pressure
The left foot symptoms improve with movement and are often worse at rest, when my feet get cold, or first thing in the morning. Multiple providers have mentioned possibilities ranging from extensor tendon irritation to nerve irritation.

Questions
-Has anyone had forefoot injuries where symptoms seemed to migrate between toes or fluctuate day to day?
-Has anyone experienced tingling between the 1st and 2nd toes or burning on the top of the foot during recovery?
-Did anyone find that symptoms improved significantly once gait mechanics and foot strength were addressed?
-For those who recovered, what finally moved the needle: time, PT, orthotics, strengthening, injections, or something else?
-Does this sound like something more systemic rather than an overloaded forefoot? I got bloodwork done and my ANA was negative and Uric acid (via blood draw) was in a normal range.
-I’m improving overall, but recovery has been much slower and more confusing than I expected. I’d love to hear from anyone who has dealt with something similar. Thank you!