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Sat Jun 17, 2006 10:45 pm  |
Hi. I've been taking great care of my skin. But no matter what kind of products i use, i've learnt that no amount of BP will stop hormonal chin acne. I have recently quit the pill and i think this has messed up the hormone balance in my body and it's freaking out through my face! RIght now i have 5 huge red painful engorged cysts on my chin and i feel like a monster.  I have not broken out this badly before, and the rest of my face is clear. I'm thinking of going on antibiotics. Anyone with experience taking antibiotics for acne...or maybe suggest another alternative? I don't want to have to resort to cortisone shots. |
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Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:48 pm |
I always get pimples on my chin around "that time" of the month. Anyway, I bought the MD Formulations sensitive skin kit and tried it out. I also had some pimples on my upper lip from having my lip waxed.
I think it was the Critical Care Shielding creme but it totallly cleared up my pimples in a matter of a day or two. It was really great and I haven't had any more pimples come up since then.
Juliette |
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Sun Jun 18, 2006 2:52 am |
Dollbird, I never had a problem with acne until quite late in life and antibiotics were the answer for me. I think I probably took them for 5 or 6 years, they totally cleared the acne and it has never returned. I still get breakouts now but I find they are caused by products that my skin does not like. So long as I use good products, I never get any breakouts.
The antibiotics should clear the cysts and keep them away. There are many topicals but they aren't nearly as effective on the type of cysts that you appear to have. |
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Skin: Over 60, ex combination now sensitive, Cellcosmet |
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Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:12 am |
I had that problem last year, the bad cystic chin breakouts, and I mean REAL BAD. You know what cleared it up? my diet! My mom got upset and worried because I was getting very depressed, and the dermatologist visits were not helping, so she put me on a special diet. For breakfast I had 1 fruit, 2 raw veggies (of your choice), steamed sweet potato (orange or purple will do), and oatmeal, in that very order. (This diet was researched and verified by a doctor in USA, I can't remember his name though)..I followed it because it is healthy! You get your dose of fruits and veggies in the morning when it is supposedly optimal for absorbtion of the nutrients  The rest of the day, I had what I wanted...but I couldn't eat dairy products (I could eat a little egg, but not every day). Also had to cut down on my sugar intake. The hardest thing for me was to cut out peanut butter and meat! I could have fish and beans for protein, but not meat. I had to do this for 2-3 months! Guess what? The pimples started clearing up like magic. I found out that things like peanut butter and meat cause your body to produce extra heat, so that the pimples get inflamed or something. I don't know the exact reason, but I have found that when I go back to a meaty diet with lots of dairy and sugary items, my acne prone skin suffers the brunt of it. Another thing is to get more sleep and drink enough water. Apparently if you don't get enough sleep or go to bed early enough, the liver produces more heat because it overworks or something, and this may cause your face to look worse.
I hope this helps! I know it sounds like a funny explanation, but cutting down on heat-producing stuff really helped me  It's really hard and takes discipline, but I was at my wit's end, because even the dermatologist could not help me (I didn't go to accutane, but I did take a course of minocycline which did nothing to reduce the worsening breakouts). |
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Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:10 am |
Thanks HeavenLeigh...the idea of reducing/increasing body heat through food sounds like one of the main tenets of Chinese medicine. Your solution sounds great and do-able but i'm looking for something more short-term, something that will give me more immediate results. I have a part-time job in an image-conscious industry so it really sucks that im too self-conscious to look people in the eye because of my acne.
| bushy wrote: |
Dollbird, I never had a problem with acne until quite late in life and antibiotics were the answer for me. I think I probably took them for 5 or 6 years, they totally cleared the acne and it has never returned. I still get breakouts now but I find they are caused by products that my skin does not like. So long as I use good products, I never get any breakouts.
The antibiotics should clear the cysts and keep them away. There are many topicals but they aren't nearly as effective on the type of cysts that you appear to have. |
bushy, i'm seriously considering antibiotics too. any side effects? is it a one time solution where i just take them for the prescribed time and won't get dependent when i stop? thanks! |
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Sun Jun 18, 2006 2:55 pm |
| Dollbird, the tablets are only a very low dose antibiotic and you won't become addicted as it is not that sort of product. There are many different types of low dose antibiotics and your doctor should be able to find the right one. If you try one and it has not made a difference within a few days then ask for a different one. Sometimes the doctor can give you a sample pack to start with to see if that type is going to work. |
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Skin: Over 60, ex combination now sensitive, Cellcosmet |
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Sun Jun 18, 2006 3:37 pm |
| wow thanks HeavenLeigh thats some excellent information! i am going to incorperate that routine into my lifestyle.. |
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Sun Jun 18, 2006 6:54 pm |
| dollbird, I'm doing better in terms of breakouts on my chin now. Instead I'm getting breakouts on my cheek (I hardly ever get them there) and my forehead. I don't know what to do anymore. Now I wish I was still seeing my dermatologist so I can get those cortisone shots. I just hope that extra breakouts are due to my "friend" coming soon or the fact that I recently started using the PSF Papaya cleanser. |
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Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:27 am |
| It's my time of the month right now, and last night when I got home and looked in the mirror, I saw that I had two large, swollen blemishes on my forehead, and then a few smaller ones that looked like they COULD grow into bigger ones. Since my face will really get out of control if I let it, I brought out the big guns. First, I washed my face with Zenbiotic's cleanser. (I've found that this stuff works fantastically against acne.) Next I used my Zeno on each of the breakouts. Then, I put Green Apple Peel all over my face, and let it sit for 15-20 min before rinsing it off. Then I used Zenbiotic's toner (also very good for acne), PSF's O2 serum, Juice Beauty's Blemish Serum, and finally I topped it all off with a dusting of Rare Minerals, and I went to sleep. When I woke up this morning.... my entire face was clear! Every single blemish was gone, without leaving so much as a trace! I couldn't even tell where the breakouts had been. I didn't even need make up this morning, so I just put on sunscreen and a dusting of Jurlique's Rose Dust and I was out the door, hooray! So, maybe some of the things on my list could help you ladies who are also strugging with hormonal acne. I definitely know how much it sucks, and I'm DEFINITELY ordering more of the Zenbiotic products today! (I was just using travel sizes before) |
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27, sensitive/reactive/acne prone skin, dark brown hair, blue eyes, possibly the palest woman alive... |
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Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:56 pm |
I don't have experience with the antibiotics, but I did want to recommend that if you do go that route then you'll want to make sure you follow them with a course of probiotics to restore the good bacteria in your intestines.
I really feel for you on the hormonal acne. I recognized your name from the birth control/acne post. My chin and that area where my chin meets the underside is where I was getting mine most recently, and they would Not go away. They are gone now and I hesitate to point at any one thing as the reason for this, but internally I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil to help regulate my hormones (and for the EFA benefits), and more recently, 60mg of zinc. I also take a multi but not specifically for acne.
Topically I use the dermawand which is the only thing I have found so far that really reduces the inflammation from cystic type acne. I would zap them a few times a day and it took about 1-2 days of doing that to get them really flattened out. I also use a combo of SA and GA on my whole face daily (Pimple Eraser followed by Neutrogena Anti Wrinkle Anti Blemish lotion). Since using this routine I have not had ANY new cysts and my skin overall has never looked better (except maybe when I was about age 12 or less, but lets be realistic). I just used the Juice Beauty GA peel for the first time on Saturday and loved the results for reducing some of the left over pigmentation from the cysts. I plan to incorporate that weekly.
I wish you good luck with your hormonal acne. I know how frustrating it is. And everyone's skin and body are different, so it can be a challenge to determine what works for You. I formulated my own skincare routine from my own trial/error process of trying a number of things by reading about Other people's experiences of what worked for them.
I also wanted to mention I noticed the most immediate results from the following (as I know how important immediate gratification is to most of us!): the zinc (same day I noticed reduced inflammation), pimple eraser (which is basically just GA combined with alcohol and water...I noticed results after about 2 days of use. It is was very drying initially though, but really reduced 'congestion' of my pores), and derma wand (noticed results same day also, but this product is expensive so maybe not for everyone). And last but definitely not least, the Green Apple Peel for Immediate results, and and additional better result the following morning! And although the EP oil doesn't show as immediate of results, I will continue to take that as I feel like I am having some hormonal regulation and it cleared up the Keratosis on my arms. |
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Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:01 pm |
| I'm thinking of going to see a dermatologist and a naturopathic doctor (covered by my benefits plan at work). I need to figure out what is wrong with my body. I really do hope this "mess" on my face would clear up once I get my friend. *sighs* Thanks for all the suggestions. |
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Mon Jun 19, 2006 7:22 pm |
| HeavenLeigh - can I ask you, why no peanutbutter? I can handle most of that diet (well, I would cheat and have some dairy, I love milk, cheese, yogurt, etc, etc - I'd rather have some pimples than no dairy), but cut out PB too? I realise you might not have an answer, but I am wondering if it is because most PB is full of sugar and hydrogenated fat - can I still eat my organic all peanut PB? |
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Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:53 pm |
Thanks so much for your suggestions guys. I will try a variety of things from your posts and will update soon. For now i'm also praying my skin will clear up once the 3-month window for post-pill-hormone-stabilizing is over.
What i have started so far:
-Daily Detox pills (Yen's suggestion)
-Clarisonic and Polysporin, dubbed the "jessfoliation" on acne.org
-Dermastyle acne pen
-Evening primrose (Olyn's suggestion)
-Cutting out sugar (HeavenLeigh's suggestion)
Love u guys! I will do whatever it takes but I AIN'T going back on the pill! |
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Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:54 pm |
A natural progesterone cream ( I use Emerita brand) has made all the difference in this type of breakouts for me.
I was on the pill for years and it really screwed up my system. Took TIME to get back into my own rhythms AND to balance out my body. I felt the need to start paying attention to my body, emotions, sexuality, choices, relationships, etc. and it turned out to be an AWESOME time of power and "growing up" as a woman.
DIet has definitely been the key issue for me. The 40-30-30 diet (or [i]Zone[/i]diet) directly addresses hormone balance, which is drastically affected by blood sugar/insulin production, which this way of eating successfully balances out. It's pretty simple to follow once you get the basic concepts, and can be tailored to most any dietary preferences & restrictions, as it doesn't advocate certain foods so much as a BAlance of protein: carbs: healthy fat in each meal. I learned about it many years ago and now it's just a regular part of the way I eat. It's easy and makes a HUGE difference. Makes mood swings, tiredness, and many other problems disappear, as well.
Good luck to you as you go through all the process brings! |
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Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:03 am |
PROBIOTICS, rather than antibiotics, can restore the balance of healthy flora in the gut and fight infection while making the whole system healthier.
I was put on antibiotics by dermatologists for acne for years, and it NEVER healed it, and the antibiotis themselves messed up my system pretty badly.
Anti-inflammatory herbs/supplements are wonderful, both internally and topically for treating acne. Garden of Life has an anti-inflammatory blend called "FYI", which WORKS. Turmeric, ginger, goldenseal, and many other herbs can help.
Gut health is a big issue. Check out "The Maker's Diet" and "Restoring Your Digestive Health" by Dr. Jordan Rubin. I've worked with this approach myself and with clients to great success. It's wonderful. |
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Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:11 pm |
| qbee, how do you use the progesterone cream? |
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Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:34 pm |
| Also, where can i get it? |
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Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:21 pm |
A lot of healthfood stores have natural progesterone creams. I order mine wholesale. The brand I use, Emerita, is very reputable, and they have live people you can talk to just for information on hormone changes, as well as how to use the variety of creams (800-455-5182, orwww.emerita.com). They're in Portland, Oregon, US. Some naturapathic or otherwise enlightened doctors, nurse practitioners, etc. will prescribe it compounded in pharmacies with exact amounts. If you buy it OTC, it is important to check the source, as some companies have better quality and having even amounts of the actual hormone in your system is key to the effect. I have also had my hormone levels tested before to see how much I need. A really great authority on this is Dr. John Gray, who has books and audio material ("What Your Doctor Won't Tell You about Menopause" and others) which you could likely find at the library.
The cream is easy to use: rub whatever amount (usu. 1/4 tsp. or so) onto your skin. Some say it needs to be at areas most likely to be absorbed thoroughly, and others say anywhere. I like to rotate each time--behind knees, inner thighs, wrists, tummy, etc.
You will discover that the progesterone needs to be administered on a regular cycle, which is determined by what's happening and what you're treating. I originally used it for PMS, to even out extreme emotions. Now, I'm peri-menopausal and am on a different schedule with it.
If you go through a healthcare professional, you can also get it in other forms: suppositories, capsules to ingest, etc. |
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Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:14 pm |
| You should definitely try clindamycin gel (brand name is Clindagel.) I suddenly started getting hormonal cystic acne on the sides of my face and the only thing that helped was the Clindagel. My derm also gave me oral antiobiotics, but I decided to try just the topical first and it worked. It's been around 6 months since I started using the gel and I haven't had a cystic pimple since. |
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*¸.·´¯)¸.·´fair/medium, tans easily; combo but mostly dry, sensitive skin¸.·´¯)¸.·´* |
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Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:44 am |
| Emma_Jane, I cut down on peanut butter too because it creates excess heat for me. My body is prone to overheating (I get headaches often from internal heat), you know the feeling where it isn't hot and you know the heat's coming from inside? Have you ever been so dehydrated or skimped on sleep so much that you feel like you're in flames? Yep that happens to me a lot. (I overheat as well when I go to bed late, or skimp on sleep, and I'm presuming it's because the liver has to work overtime?) I can't take evening primrose oil, omega 3 pills or any supplements because apparently they cause me to feel quite 'heaty' and uncomfortable. (weak, poor liver has to process all that 'chemical'?). I have heard that those supplements are supposed to be good for the skin, but I have experienced red angry breakouts with these supplements. (Again I'm presuming it happens because of the heat factor). Especially When I cut down on meat consumption, the supplements and peanut butter, my face clears up like magic and the redness reduces. My face also looks glowier. All these have happened again and again, enough for me to warrant my own conclusion I know it all sounds a bit strange, and doctors may pooh-pooh the whole theory I've come up with with regards to my own body, but I guess I know my body well enough to realize some foods/supplements just aren't compatible with me. Hey, we're all different from one another! |
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Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:56 am |
HeavenLeigh:
Everything you just described is consistent with what I know from Chinese Medicine.
I think it is SO COOL that you discovered this from observing YOUR OWN BODY and getting to know your personal system. |
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Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:35 am |
| sorry to hear about your chin issues. I got quite a few chin pimples when I went on the pill a while back and what I used on them was from Elizabeth Grady (I'm not sure if that exists where you are) it is called blemish lotion. It comes in a bottle and is liquid on top and it has a 'sedement' of calomine lotion on the bottom. YOu dip a q-tip in until it gos into the sedement and then you dab it just on the pimples. Because it is pink you should only use it at night. Hope this is helpful. |
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Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:53 pm |
| Thanks erinR. Elizabeth Grady's blemish lotion sounds exactly like the Bye Bye Blemish lotion i tried. I find that it's only effective on popped pimples, drying them out pretty fast. It doesn't work with the painful, red underground ones though. For that I have ordered Renee Rouleau's Anti-Cyst Treatment. It's main ingredient is Lactic Acid, which reportedly penetrates deep down where BP and other topicals can't go, to dissolve and disperse the bacteria of cystic pimples. It has a great rating on MUA, and i'll report back once i test it out. |
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Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:35 pm |
dollbird,
I can personally vouch for the Renee Rouleau Anti Cyst treatment. It is the proverbial sh*t. Any of those hard, sore bumps are reduced considerably by the next morning and it doesn't dry out your face. I really love that stuff. Good Luck! |
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31, combination-dehydrated skin (I live in the desert), occasional breakouts. I just want beautiful, glowing skin! Is that too much to ask? |
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Fri Jun 23, 2006 10:29 am |
| Thanks alilicious! With only 5 reviews on MUA, I wasn't entirely sure about this, since it's $36.50 + shipping for only 0.5 oz! Now i can't wait to try it, and hope i get the same great results as you did. |
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