I have classed myself as a DSNW since I first took the Baumann questionnaire in 2006. I re-took the quiz several weeks ago and the numbers below are what I came up with then. However, I suspect that my results were colored by my skin history rather than by what is going on now. I'm also never quite sure how to answer the makeup related questions (flake, settle, streak etc) since I wear it so rarely. I guess on those questions and I suspect that may throw off my results.

When we first moved to Colorado my skin freaked out and began peeling off. I had to baby it back to health by treating it as if it was super duper dry. It equalized and everything seemed fine until my husband I decided we might want children and I discontinued my hormonal birth control. I had about six months of relatively decent skin, but since Christmas I have been in a downward spiral.

My forehead seems to be much oilier than it used to be. I am shiny by about noon every day, and sunscreen does not seem to be sinking in properly. (When I scratch my forehead lightly several hours after application I see white, unabsorbed sunscreen under my nail.) My forehead also has lots of blackheads and tiny whiteheads, as well as skin colored bumps that I suspect are also clogged pores. The bridge of my nose also has persistent clogs. My pores overall seem slightly larger. I've been getting cystic spots more frequently, and they don't react as quickly to treatment. However, I still get dry, flaky skin on my cheeks around my nose.

I'm now using a 2% beta gel, anti-oxidant serum around my eyes and the oil-free moisturizer I usually use in the summer. This seems to have helped the cystic spots, but has not touched the blackheads and clogged pores on my forehead. Also, my skin tone has dulled. I suddenly look at least ten years older due to my skin tone and texture, yet with persistent acne! And I itch.

I'm afraid to switch to a more aggressive cleanser for fear of shredding my lipid barrier and ending up with more cystic spots, yet I strongly suspect that the CeraVe is doing nothing to help my forehead.

I am at my wit's end and am frustrated because I don't know if I should be treating my skin as if it is a D or an O, or what! Complicating things further, I don't have access to the book as I loaned it out over a year ago. (I re-took the questionnaire from my photocopy of my original quiz results.) Has anyone gone through something similar? How did you determine that your skin really had changed and wasn't just in a flair?