Help with large cystic bumps, please!
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:26 am

In the last several days I've been visiting the forums again checking up on a few products I got samples of at the health food store. They were Dr. H's CC and the normalizing day oil. They seemed to be working really well, making my skin feel very smooth and supple, but I wanted to see what this group had to say about them. So, I read all the reviews and am so pleased to see how much everyone likes them. I hope they work as well for me!

I went back to the store and bought the full sizes of the CC, NDO, and added the clarifying toner because I couldn't wait on the mail to try it. And yesterday, I ordered the cleansing clay mask, the rejuvenating mask and the facial steam concentrate--all Dr. H products.

I am hopeful that these products will continue to balance out my complexion, clear up some red marks and minor scarring and MOST IMPORTANTLY rid me of several large cystic bumps along my jaw line and lower cheeks that just won't go away. My dermatologists have always wanted me to take hormones or daily antibiotics to clear up my skin, but my mother died of breast cancer so I am very wary of messing with my hormones and I can't imagine a daily dose of antibiotics being good for my body as a long term solution to my skin problems. But, at the same time, I have not had much success with the things I wash my face with clearing up this problem. Recently, I saw a nutritionist and began trying to address my skin problems internally. I did a colon cleanse in December that had little impact. The supplements may have begun to help some--I certainly have more energy anyway--but I haven't seen much improvement with the cystic bumps that trouble me the most.

Does anyone have any thoughts for me on whether these products I have purchased will help me with those or if not, what would? I would appreciate your input. You all are so helpful and knowledgeable.

Thanks,
Linda and...
sorry this post is so very long!

free skin care · Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:53 am

I have the same bumps in the same area and the only thing that has helped me is proactive. I have never had bad skin but I went on proactive because I wanted to ensure no little breakouts for my wedding and then I loved the way it made my skin glow. I went off it and bumps on my lower cheeks started to appear. I have tried a million different things and nothing has helped. I have recently gone back to proactive and I am down to 1 bump that is slowly healing. I dont know that I would suggest proactive (if you havent already tried it) but is has gotten me back on the road to clear skin.

Good Luck!

free skin care · Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:55 am

it's not so long...don't apologise for sharing and welcome to the forum Very Happy

I also get painful cystic bumps on my jawline, that leave dark marks for ages and ages. I have found that Apple Cider Vinegar straight or in a toner helps reduce pain and size, as has Decleors Prolagene Gel. Sometimes they work miracles, other times they take a bit longer to help but they do help. I've started useing a homemade Vit-C serum (see the DIY thread), but it's too soon to say if it has helped quicken reduction of discoloured "bump-marks". I haven't tried any of the Dr. Hauschka products, but there are several in the forum who love the line who will most certainly be in to give you their feedback.

I have also noticed a difference in my skin after I started taking contraceptives, Yasmin. I take them specifically to help balance my hormones. I would recomend you see your doctor and have a blood test done to see if your hormonal levels are ok. Your dermatologist can guess from looking at you that you might have a hormonal disorder, but a blood test is needed to make sure. And also talk to your doctor about breast cancer risk and hormonal levels...if you haven't already.

Take care / r wave

free skin care · Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:24 pm

my friend had a very large cystic bump on his neck. really big.
he found a book at the local health food store which praised tea tree oil. he tried using it, applying oil over the cyst daily. remarkably, it took more than a week, but the cyst got smaller and smaller. and then it was gone.
if you decide to try tea tree oil, try it first behind your ear to make sure it will not irritate your skin. also, be prepared for a not so pleasant smell.

free skin care · Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:36 pm

You might have a look at your food & supplements.

One time my skin erupted into large, red cysts around my chin. Had never seen anything like it. Turns out the kelp supplements I had been taking were causing them. Too much iodine! Rolling Eyes

I stopped the supplements and have not seen a cyst since.

Just an idea...

free skin care · Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:29 pm

I admire your pursuit of relief from various disciplines, but have you ever researched laser facials? I know they are expensive, but I'm wondering if a series of laser facials might really help.

free skin care · Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:35 am

I keep getting these bumps too. As soon as one goes another one appears, mainly on my chin, and forehead. Apart from that though I don't really get any other spots, but I cannot get rid of these lumps that keep appearing. The only thing I've tried that has helped them to go down when they appear is Yonka Juvenil.

Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:39 pm

Thank you Sel. I failed to mention that among the products I ordered this week was the Yonka Gel Nettoyant. I will check out the Juvenil as well. Thank you for the help.

Linda

Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:13 pm

I started getting cysts when I started going into menopause. I started taking the vitamins mentioned here -- http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/acne.html --and also aldactone, a prescription medication. It's made a huge difference. The cysts stopped and my skin is much less oily. With the aldactone I also started taking calcium for muscle cramps. Good luck!

Diane

Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:57 pm

Hi Diane,

Thank you for your response. I am 37, so it is a little early for menopause to begin, but I do think I will ask my internist to check my hormone levels when she does my bloodwork. It may prove to be useful information. The article was quite informative and I do prefer the use of supplements to antibiotics and hormones if at all possible. I got out all my supplements and it looks like I am taking all the right things in basically the right amounts, although I could use a little more zinc and vitamin E. That was good to know. Thank you for the information. I've only been taking most of the supplements since early December and a few more I just added last week, so time will tell if they prove helpful or not. Next time I am near the health food store, I am definitely going to get tea tree oil. I'm seeing that recommended everywhere.
Thanks,
Linda

Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:26 am

You might also try this message board...http://www.acne.org/messageboard/...it's where I found all the information I gave you. I still find it extremely helpful. Do a search on "aldactone" or "hormonal acne". If you're getting the cysts along your cheekbones or jawbones, it sure sounds like what I had. You might find other suggestions that help, too. I like aldactone because it helps with high blood pressure. If you start taking it, take calcium supplements and up your salt intake to avoid muscle cramps.

free skin care · Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:33 am

I got a big and painful cystic bump on my jaw on Sunday or Monday (can't remember exactly right now cause I'm hungry) but I just wanted to say that I've used ACV straight on this bump morning and night after cleansing and I swear it's gone down to at least 1/4 of it's original size and it isn't painful anymore...

free skin care · Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:31 pm

I have the same problem and keep getting cysts on jaw line and towards the neck...It has been worst in last few years. I have been diagnosed with polycystic Ovary Syndrome a few months back and that seems to be the root cause for me.....they really are very persistant buggers!

Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:59 am

I'm pretty certain PCOS is not the cause of my particular problem, but it may be for others in this thread. I had several types of sonograms looking at my ovaries and uterus back in the fall and none of the tests revealed anything unusual. They were very [/i]thorough and did not find any cysts, which was good news for me. Thank you for sharing your experience though. I'm sure it will help someone else.

Linda

free skin care · Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:04 am

Have you ever tried Yonka Juvenil or Emulsion Pure (or the homemade version)?

Whenever I feel one of “those” type bumps forming, I make a compress using my homemade Emulsion Pure and literally within a couple of hours, one of two things occurs: 1) either it makes the bump disappear almost completely (seriously! Redness, pain and swelling are 95% gone!), or else 2) it brings it to an immediate head so that I’m able to purge the gunk out and then slap it with another compress of EP and leave it on overnight and the bump is all but a memory. Then, that morning, I use my trusty aspirin mask and it removes all traces of any remaining redness so you almost would never know that the day before a horrible bump had been there!

I know this suggestion doesn’t do much in regards of preventing those painful cysts from forming, but it certainly cuts the “life expectancy” of the evil little bumps dramatically! It’s worth a try.

Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:38 pm

Carekate et al,

I have not tried either of those products or the diy version, but you are the second to mention the Yonka Juvenil to me in this thread and I have been enjoying my Yonka Gel Nettoyage (sp?) since it arrived several days ago. I really like the texture and I think I would like to try the Juvenil. I also wanted to say I appreciate all your contributions in the diy threads. This is all very new to me, but I'm thinking when I finish using some of the products I have just purchased, I will try to replace them with my own brews using the recipes you and others have posted. Thank you for that.

I wanted to give you all an update. I welcome your thoughts, comments, or suggestions...

AM:
1. Yonka Gel Nettoyant
2. Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Creme
3. Toner made from 4 oz. water and 50 drops of grapefruit seed oil (recommended by employee at health food store for its antibiotic properties?)
4. Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Toner (haven't seen it mentioned much on these boards and it may be redundant since I'm doing step 3, but it's worth a shot)
5. Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day oil

At night, I have done the same thing without Step 5 since it seems Dr. Hauschka literature recommends letting my skin rest overnight.

Yesterday, I got 3 more Dr. Hauschka products in the mail...the facial steam bath, cleansing clay mask, and rejuvenating mask. I USED ALL THREE! I may have been a little over-enthusiastic, but it was new stuff and I was excited about trying it. I accidentally left the clay mask on too long (30 minutes--My husband was out of town and called just as I was putting it on. 30 minutes later...) and my face was quite tight. That's why I decided to try the rejuvenating mask too. I left it on while I slept and was not tight at all this morning when I woke up.

Results so far...

I had been seeing some clearing and the cystic bumps are definitely going down--not gone, but smaller. I had a breakout today in several places--one new one and several where blemishes had begun but never fully erupted--they were not cystic but were bumps that were kind of lurking below the surface that I could tell were still there but weren't fully resolved, if you know what I mean by that, like when I squeeze a bump (egads)but don't extract all the sebum and it is destined to return. I don't know if the breakout is from all the masks drawing the gunk out of my face or a hormonal outbreak since I started my period today. I suppose it could be some of each.

Overall, the texture of my skin is much smoother and very soft. I really like the normalizing day oil, but I have to be careful to use a very small amount or my skin feels too dewy for my liking. I have red spots from some recent scarring that don't seem to be fading yet, but it's early. I've been using the dhcc and toner and normalizing day oil for just a couple of weeks now and just yesterday began with the masks. I will continue with all of these products and see how my skin does with them.

I am curious about where an aspirin mask and the homemade acv toner would fit in my routine, what they might take the place of (or would I do them in addition to the others) and what, if any, additional benefits I might see from adding/changing to these two very popular diy products?

I would like to settle in to a basic routine and don't want to overdo it. How often should I use these various masks and steam bath? If I have too many steps I will lose my enthusiasm and start skipping some of them before long.

I should also add that I just went to my nutritionist a couple of days ago and she has me doing a 30 day colon cleanse I started yesterday and she has brewed me a new bottle of homeopathic drops to adjust my hormones somewhat. She said I was out of balance and we are trying some things to bring my body back in to hormonal balance. There were some things going on with my thyroid, my connective tissue, my liver, and some toxins (and parasites, yikes)in my digestive tract and toxins in my fatty tissue. We are addressing all of those things with the cleanse, some different supplements, drops that she mixes for me, and essential oils. It will be difficult to know what has worked for my skin since I am trying so many new things simultaneously to get straightened out, but I figure once I'm balanced, I'm balanced, and then I can just maintain (HOPEFULLY).

She identified one of the toxins in my body as
sodium laureth(or laurel?) sulfate and suggested I go home and check my products for this ingredient. She told me to check toothpaste, shampoo, anything that lathers. It wasn't in my shampoo and my toothpaste wasn't labeled but guess where I found it?! In the gel cleanser I had been using on my face! It was Arbonne Intl. Bio Matte cleanser and it was the second ingredient after water! I was a little shocked and I called my friend who sells Arbonne to alert her. I didn't know if it was just a "toxin" for my body in particular or if people in general would have a problem with it, but I wanted her to know, especially since she has a 2 year old with severe eczema(sp?) and I thought this could be in the Arbonne products she is using on her. Just a heads up on that to you all. (Interestingly, she also detected turpentine as one of the toxins in my system and asked me if I was a painter. I'm not and haven't cleaned brushes in years, so I was perplexed UNTIL I remembered I tried to light a fire in the fireplace on Saturday and used those small firestarter bricks that are basically pressed wood soaked in ...you got it... turpentine! I broke them apart with my hands and put them in the fire and probably inhaled some of the smoke that they gave off as I tried unsuccessfully to get my wet wood burning. I was surprised that my body would retain that for a couple of days from such minimal exposure, but it did. I was quite impressed that she was able to detect that, too!)

Well, this turned in to a BOOK. So sorry. Much to say. Will do so in smaller bits next time.
I'll keep you posted.

Smile

Linda

free skin care · Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:56 pm

Very interesting Linda- don't apoligize for sharing, it's how we learn from each other. I hope your natural cleansing works for you. If you have a cyst that comes to head-- put the aspirin mask on it pronto, or straight salicylic acid to clean out the pore. If I have a pimple that comes to head and breaks (ok, ok, I pinch it- not with nails though), I apply some aspirin dissolves in water and honey. Let it dry on stay on the pimple overnight. Then later apply neosporin. That really seems to flatten out the inflammation and make that pimple dissapear!

Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:34 pm

I used to get really horrible cysts- the size of the eraser on the end of a pencil- as well as rash like acne from using MAC Studio Fix. Even after I discovered it was the culprit and quit using it the acne continued for some time. My family doctor put me on clindoxyl gel and I cleared up nicely. The active ingredient of clindoxyl is benzoyl peroxide, which is great for acne and is what makes proactive so effective, except clindoxyl is considerably cheaper (I've tried proactive).

I've been using clindoxyl, biotherm acnopur cleanser and the biopur clay mask nearly 2 years and my skin has been great during that time, with the exception of the odd menstrual breakout. If your regime doesn't work out you could maybe consider biotherm and/or going to your doctor/dermatologist and asking for the topical solution?

Fri Feb 24, 2006 11:12 am

Thank you for your replies to my post. I bought some uncoated aspirin and have done masks the last two nights hoping to see some decrease in the redness on some recent marks. May be a little better.

If I don't have success with these natural products I will probably go back to the dermatologist and I will check out that topical benzoyl peroxide treatment or other topicals available from the pharmacy. Although I'm hoping I won't need to. I'm planning to give these other therapies about four months to work for me and then reassess. (That includes the homeopathic remedies which sometimes take a while to become effective.) We'll see what happens.

Thanks to all who responded in this thread. I appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Linda

Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:30 pm

i've got a similar kind of problem.. i feel your pain!! Confused

im a 27yr old guy who gets large aching cyst type pimple things that start quite deep under the skin and a few days later come to the surface with a head lasting about 3 days then leaving a red spot for about 3 weeks sometimes leave a small red scar, i have had them almost constantly since about 15yrs old and always along the jawline usually about the middle between chin and ear. pretty much as soon as one heals another comes up.. i am almost 100% sure they are related to stress levels but i just dont know what to do about them.. shaving is a time consuming nightmare and although they are not always present they are ruining my confidence and therefore my life. hate them so much. ive noticed that nothing seems to help them and i really want to know how to prevent them.. apart from not having stress (not really realistic for me unfortunately) any other guys have this problem? any of you lot have boyfriends/husbands that have figured out how to prevent these kind of things? i have read all the responses above but i'm just looking for more info, cheers, rod.

Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:10 am

This worked against the lumps on my jaw:

- MD peeling treatments in a saloon once weekly for 10 weeks (interrupted by a deep cleanse treatment)
- mild cleanser morning and evening (change between Avena and MD)
- MD glycolic acid am/pm applied with cotton swab to face and neck
- Decleor Harmonie gentle soothing cream - excellent against redness and superb to calm down the skin after the MD peeling treatments, very nourishing and good for normalizing the resulting dry upper skin after treatments.

And look into your lifestyle: Avoid stress, and/or make sure you also relax in stressful periods.

Vibs

Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:23 am

Hello everyone,

I wanted to let you know how my skin is doing since my last post. I have seen quite a significant improvement. Here is what I have been doing routinely for several weeks:

1. Cleansing in the morning and evening with Yonka Gel Nettoyant. (Also use it on my face in the shower if I happen to shower mid-day.)

2. Follw that with Dr. Hauschka's Cleansing Creme in the morning and in the evening.

3. Follow that morning and evening with a homemade apple cider vinegar toner applied with a cotton ball. (I found the recipe on the DIY thread although I made mine a little stronger.)

4. In the morning, I follow with Dr. Hauschka's normalizing day oil--but nothing at night.

5. To deep clean my pores about once a week, I have used Dr. Hauschka's Facial Steam Bath followed by their Cleansing Clay mask.

6. And maybe every other week or so, I have used the Dr. H. Rejuvenating mask one day (I left it on overnight once, as some have recommended, but I didn't really notice a difference in that versus as good 20 minutes.)

I also used CareKate's homemade Yonka Emulsion Pur on my large bumps and it did seem to help them resolve. The rest of the cleansing routine seems to have kept new ones from forming.

That's pretty much it and my skin is soooo much better. All the jawline bumps are gone and I just have one bump beneath the surface on my cheek that has not yet resolved (I'm trying hard not to force it.)

I have not changed my diet much--except perhaps to be eating more sweets. I have excercised a little more but very sporadically and have also been sporadic on taking my supplements. And my stress level remains very high. So, for me, it seems the trick has been the combination of products that I have been using. I'm sticking with Yonka and Dr. Hauschka. They seem to work well for me.

Just wanted to let you all know.

Thanks,
Linda

free skin care · Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:28 pm

I used to get cystic acne until I started using proactiv. it's simple to use, and I haven't gotten a cyst or even worried about acne since I started using it five years ago. I've also found it's important to make sure your skin gets plenty of moisture, acne or not. Drink lots of water and slather on the moisturizer!!

free skin care · Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:35 pm

A year ago, I suddenly started getting cystic acne on the sides of my face. After trying all kinds of over the counter products, I was prescribed Clindagel (topical antibiotic) by a derm. I don't remember if it helped existing cysts, but it definitely stopped new cysts from forming. I still use it daily and I've been acne free ever since.

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