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Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:14 am  |
hey all,
Does anyone know how to deal with cystic acne? I had a bad, bad, bad breakout last year all over my chin, cystic acne. It cleared up, and now I am left with the scars, but was healing quite nicely, until I decided to use Epidermx, which traumatized my skin, so that it formed milia and underground cystic acne that won't surface! To make things worse, I am now breaking out not in acne that will respond to over-the-counter medications, but those that are hard, red lumps under the surface. Thus, topical medication doesn't help at all! Those red underground bumps have been there for at least 2-3 months now! *cry* and the rest of my face (the lower part, side of my sides) has been breaking out underground cystic acne too. It's making me feel very, very self-conscious and ugly. Any solutions or suggestions anyone??
I am diligent with my skin, I use a mask every week, cleanse my face twice a day, use glycolic acid products....nothing is making them go away or clear up. My skin tends to be oily, but is more acneous and dehydrated. The weird thing is that it was twice or even three times as oily when I was about 17 or 18 but I had nice, even toned skin then, until last year when I had the horrible breakouts that lasted for months and months (I was 21). I am 22 now. Please help me!!!!! |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:18 am |
| I am sorry, I feel your pain in your message. Some of us here have been there. I know for me, asprin masks really really helped me NOT get those types of break outs. But, since you are already experiencing it, try using a warm rag compress. I know it is a hassle, but when I get them, I will sit in front of the sink off and on all day applying the warm compress. I hold it for a while...then leave alone, then do it again. Over and over and over and that helps rid the "pain" of them and the swelling, lump like under the skin. The other thing that helped mine, is YONKA products. At the first sign of those buggers, I would use them and it would help prevent them from getting larger or "spreading" whatever they do at night...they are wildfires and they just keep popping up! Good luck, remember you are beautiful. I know bad skin makes you feel ugly~ but that is not how the world views you. At least the people that matter. Smile |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:26 am |
| Maybe an rx for clindamyacin (topical) may be in order. In the past I would get occasional bouts of cystic acne that seemed like they had moved in permanently and my derm gave me the clindamyacin and it really worked. Don't start picking! What products are you using and in what order? |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:28 am |
| Decleor Harmonie balm kills my cystic bumps on the spot (literally overnight), and it also calms any other irritations and pimples etc. |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:55 am |
| I second the hot compress. It will help those underground ones come to the surface. When I was around your age I got cystic acne. Going on hormonal birth control helped, and I started Proactiv and have never gotten another cystic blemish in four years. |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:59 am |
Maybe having them come up to the top is a good idea, maybe not.
I prefer to use Decleor because it seems to just dissolve cysts under the skin, without any eruptions, and it probably just gets carried off and out of the body (hopefully).
Whenever I used a hot compress or salt with ACV on a cotton pad (both intended to pop the bump) I ended up with a scar even without picking on it. |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:28 pm |
HeavenLeigh if your skin is dehydrated that may be contributing to your acne. My acne has gotten a lot worse since I live in a dry climate and I find that keeping my skin hydrated helps. Depending on what products you are using to cleanse and the masks you are using you may be overdrying your skin. Glycolic acid products can also cause a problem if overdone. It sounds like the only product that you are using to control your acne is glycolic acid which while it can help is not really a front line acne treatment. (BTW I break out horribly from using glycolic acid products and while I think that this is an unusual reaction, it is always possible that your skin reacts the same way.) Retinoids (RetinA, Differin, Tazorac), salicylic acid, topical antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide are generally considered front line treatments for acne. I use Differin myself and chose not to use the others for various reasons. In fact if one of the causes of your acne is dehydration then some options like BP can actually make it worse (this has happened to me). If you are acne prone I would not recommend manual exfoliation such as Epidermx. I am sure that someone will disagree and say Epidermx is the best but manual exfoliation of acne prone skin can lead to breakouts.
If I were you I would see a dermatologist. I think that prescription products like retinoids and/or topical antibiotics might help you.
Could you list what the brands of products (cleanser, mask glycolic acid, etc.)you are currently using? Maybe that might help some of us figure out if something you are using could be making your problem worse. Also what topical medications have you tried and how long did you use them for? |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:28 pm |
| I feel your pain. I was going through the exact same thing a month ago, when I got off the pill. My derm also told me that cystic acne on the chin is due to hormonal changes. I don't recommend going on the pill just to clear up your skin because it comes with lots of other side effects, which made me go off it in the first place. I don't recommend topicals either, because NONE worked for me. I spent $500 on acne products trying to draw those suckers out to head, but nothing worked, not even Proactive. Proactive worked at first but soon its effectiveness wore off. Finally i saw a feature on CNN about Dermastyle acne pen. It's basically a pen that shines red and blue light on the blemish for 10 mins at a time. Red to reduce inflammation, blue to kill the bacteria deep under the skin. This pen has singlehandedly gave me back my sense of control over my skin, and i don't freak out anymore whenever i feel that red painful bump. The light penetrates deep where no topicals can go, and it has successfully gotten rid of the acne within two days, if i'm quick to catch them when they first form. You can check it out atwww.lumiport.com. It's $159...expensive, but replaces all my drying topicals. Good luck! |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:07 pm |
A product I really like is CMI's Peel THerapy, they are a cosmetic manufacturer in Ontario. The peel therapy works great and does not thin the skin. It used to be sold on The Shopping Channel, have not seen it on there for a while though.
Their number is #1- 888-888-PEEL, (IIRC), hths. |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:46 pm |
My skin was a disaster too (mainly on the chin). I've been taking Genuine Health Daily Detox Pills and using Juice Beauty products (Green Apple Peel, Blemish Serum, Cleansing Gel) and they've really helped. I still have a lot of acne scarring but the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel is making them go away faster.  |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 6:57 pm |
| pumaka wrote: |
| Decleor Harmonie balm kills my cystic bumps on the spot (literally overnight), and it also calms any other irritations and pimples etc. |
Do you mean the Decleor Harmonie "gentle soothing mask"? |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:44 pm |
Thanks so much for all your replies and suggestions, I may try that decleor product! Right now, I use an overseas brand (Anglee cosmetics, Amitabha) that worked for me the first time I experienced breakouts, but I realized they dont work very well in controlling and getting rid the underground nodular acne I have been getting as of late., and I do live in a dry climate (Australia,Goldcoast), but its not as dry as melbourne
I have tried countless brands, including jurlique herbal recovery, which I loved for the glow it gives, but it makes me breakout because its too rich. So I have been using the Amitabha brand for years now, and have not been able to find another toner, moisturiser and anti-acne solution that controls my skin without irritating it. The main products I currently use are watery products which usually make my face look rather good (not not lately! lol). I use the:
AM
1) Jurlique foaming facial cleanser OR liquid neutrogena pure mild cleanser. (alternating)
2) Amitabha anglee cosmetics toner (Chlorhydroxy aluminuin, Glycerun, Allantoin, Lactic acid, polyoxyethylene)
3)Amitabha anglee cosmetics anti-acne lotion (cyerine carbopal, glycolic acid, allantoin, serum albumine, arnica solution,camamule solution, arcitlum alappa)
5) MD formulations total protector untinted 30+ broad spectrum. This product is moisturising enough so I don't use an additional moisturiser during the daytime.
6) Jurlique rose silk dust and Dermadoctor's cheek tint.
I don't wear foundation for fear of aggravating the acne..
PM
same as AM, except without the sunblock. For a moisturiser, I use:
Amitabha anglee moisturiser, called the nourishing gel for oily skin.(not sure what its made of though)
The amitabha products have butylene glycol and glycerin as their active ingredients.
Once a week, I use a warm compress/towel soaked with Jurlique's lavender-lavendin aromatic hydrating concentrate to soften skin cells, followed by Jurlique's face wash cream to exfoliate and finally Jurlique's deep penetrating cream mask for 10-20 minutes.
There you go....let me know what I may or may not be doing wrong, thank you guys! You reassure me so much ) |
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divasupreem
New Member
 
Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 5
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:55 pm |
| My only suggestion is to get a prescription for Clindamycin. I use it for any pimples and for my cystic acne that develops in my chin and it works wonders. Makes the cystic acne dissapear in a few days. |
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Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:09 pm |
Please, Please , please....go and get your hormones checked....i too have gone through a very rough time...cystic acne on and around my jaw line for very looong time and then my PCOS med(metformin) cleared me right up in a few months. Now all my acne stuff just sits in the drawer except a few whitehead, tiny ones, here and there and those are usually result of my being a little too aggressive with things. when it is hormonal nothing's gonna work....Yes, you can treat them once have surfaced already...but you have to deal with a spot or a scar for months i.e., if they DO surface at all.
i feel your pain....and I am not a doctor and I ofcourse cant be sure that your case is similar to mine...but it certainly seems to be. And in that case you have to treat yourself inside out. |
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Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:09 am |
I'm with mithai on this one...definitely suggest you get your hormones checked. Decleor can help soothe and heal, but they aren't miracle products and from what you've described I'd say you need to see a doctor before messing about with loads of new products.
having said that it could be a good idea to start incorporating new products into your regime. I've found that my skin thanx me for a bit of change now and again... |
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Location: Denmark. Me = 32, think I'm combo without oiliness + sometimes sensitive. Have noticed that skin doesn't heal as quickly anymore and I've developed fine lines around my eyes... Hormonal breakouts which are sometimes cystic. PCOS |
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Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:52 am |
| HeavenLeigh your regimine looks good. However, if you live in a dry climate like I do the Jurlique wash may be a little too drying. Have you tried the Jurlique Ultra Sensitive Face Wash? It might be less drying than the regular Jurlique Wash. I used the Ultra Sensitive one but stopped because I found even that a little too drying. I also wonder if the Jurlique Foaming cleansers are suficcient to completly remove makeup and sunscreen. If you like Jurlique you may want to try the Herbal Recovery Mist OP. This is not as rich as the Gel and I am starting to think that it might be helping with my acne so I just ordered some more of it. Besides the Gel has alcohol which can be drying, even though it is richer! I don't know anything about the Amitabha brand but I would check the moisturizers to make sure it has hydrating ingredients, I have been trying to use moisturizers with hydrators and think that this has been helping my acne. |
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Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:59 am |
I got a precription for Clindamycin when I went to the doctors. I was worried I had rosecea but she precribed me this to see if it would help with facial redness and the few cystic pimples i had, so its encouraging to know it works for you divasupreen.
Heavenleigh, I don't know how your doctor is but my doctor didn't even ask me what it was for. I knew what I wanted for a precription from someone? on here and told her and she just wrote it out. Only problem is that its one percent and I think I wanted two. Good luck. |
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Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:41 pm |
| I also recommend trying Clindamycin. I had cystic acne on the sides of my face and the Clindamycin really worked. I haven't had another cyst since I started using it. |
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*¸.·´¯)¸.·´fair/medium, tans easily; combo but mostly dry, sensitive skin¸.·´¯)¸.·´* |
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Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:47 pm |
| natsumi wrote: |
| I also recommend trying Clindamycin. I had cystic acne on the sides of my face and the Clindamycin really worked. I haven't had another cyst since I started using it. |
Natsumi, do you use the Clindamycin as a preventative measure or as a spot treatment? Can you use other skin care products on top of it and is it drying? Thanks! |
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