Adult Acne

[cremebrulee]

I am almost 30 and have never had a single pimple in my entire life. My flawless skin was the only part of me that i could always count on to look good and i always felt good about my skin. About 8 weeks ago i started getting really big red pimples on my throat, they never get a white or black head in them they just get this big round lump under the skin that will not go away. I still have the ones that appeared 8 weeks ago and now i am getting more and more of them on my jaw and now a couple on my cheeks.

My doctor says it is adult acne and it is quite common but i don't know anyone with adult acne and the topical gel prescribed does nothing . I have tried all the natural remedies (tea tree, witchhazel, lime oil, honey, garlic), i have tried increasing certain vitamins like zinc etc to boost my body internally. Nothing is working. Does anyone have any tips on getting rid of these big cyst type acne pimples without ending up with little mounds of scar tissue everywhere on my face??

 

It is getting to the point now where i don't want to leave the house anymore and i almost end up in tears everytime i look in the mirror. I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, wear make-up (other than mascara) and i don't eat fast food or anything high in saturated fats so i don't know how i can get this all of a sudden for no reason. It is really frustrating. I am about to spend money i don't have on proactiv but i really hate using chemical/synthetic cleansers.... almost everything i use is organic. I even went back on the contraceptive pill because i was told that can help clear the skin but it is just getting worse. Dont know what to do anymore! Any ideas from fellow sufferers?

[CynicalGuitarist]

I've had acne for about 7-8 years and it sucks. I have this so-called "adult acne" too and I can't even pop the pimples just so the pain will stop. I've tried all sorts of face-cleaning products that make the problem worse and everything. It's totally making me depressed and I hate my skin. It sucks that both of my parents have/had oily skin. Even when I cleanse my body, I still get zit after zit after zit after zit... with at least one new one appearing every morning. Not only does it look/feel ugly, it's painful. All I can say is, hang in there, you aren't alone in this struggle.

[yeawutever]

I'm sorry to hear that, you migth want to inform your doc. that the medications aren't working and to prescribe you other ones. Don't feel sad about it.

[Tesseract_Witch]

I pity you; I have had acne for five years and it goes NOWHERE, so I am accustomed to it, but you NEVER had acne? That must be an annoying and really frustrating thing to experience. Out of curiosity, have you visited a dermatologist about a relatively recent procedure, "microdermabrasion"? I am not entirely certain as to how effective it truly is, as it is a fairly new procedure, but it has a low risk of scarring, and is even considered to be so quick it can be done at "lunch-time," hence the nickname this and chemical peelings are reffered to as "lunch-time procedures." Internal medications are not the first thing you should consider; you may be lucky and find some topical treatment that works for you...you have been up until now (jealous)

[itsallgrand]

mmm cremebrulee. I could go for some of that.

 

I have never had problems with my skin - except every so often I will break out.

My doc. told me it is bc of stress and possibly hormonal fluctuations.

 

Could it be something temporary like that? An extremely stressful time, a change in hormonal balance?

 

Another possibility is a chemical reaction to a new product or something in your environment? Maybe it is something rather simple.

 

Mine clears up on its own without any special treatments. Possibly yours will too.

[cremebrulee]

I have had microderm-abrasion facials in the past when i had clear skin (it is supposed to be great to refine the pores etc) but i have quite sensitive skin so it made my face quite red and you need at least 8 treatments at $120 each so its a bit expensive. It is just so frustrating as no-one in my family has ever had skin trouble and i am the only one in my family and my social network that has developed it. The doctor can't give me any reason other than that it is common in women and it is usually hormonal. I heard about something called accutane but the side effects sound a little too scary for me! i've gone from feeling good about myself most of the time and only hating my thighs... to feeling like a troll and trying to hide myself in public. It doesn't help that i am single and 30 and wanting to settle down eventually.... i kind of need my normal face back to get the husband

[coollady1957]

Are you seeing a dermatologist or just your regular doctor about your acne?

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

Have you tried Benzoyle Peroxide?

 

I think it's the best treatment out there. Bear in mind it prevents. So what's already there can't really be helped. You have to stick with the stuff daily for maybe a month or more but then you will have undeniable results.

 

I never had the problem on the throat, but since a teenager I always got them on cheekbones and along jawline (and to be honest, sometimes pretty severely) My mom had it too. Finally a few years ago I decided to try the 10% Benzoyle, and STICK WITH IT this time. Yes, at first my skin got all dry and red and yucky. But soon it was perfect, and has been ever since. It's really changed my life. I have great skin at 35, that I never had at 15, 20, 25, or so on. I can wear my hair back, and I don't even need make up. I would swear by the stuff. I tried everything, and if it will work for me, it will work for anyone.

[Tesseract_Witch]

My younger sister, now that I think on it, uses the doctor-perscribed "Evoclin"--are you familiar with that?

[BrokenWingedFaery]

Accutane can also cause liver problems.

[Tesseract_Witch]

I cant find where my boyfriend found it but the drug was cauing one boy major problems and no one believed him, so he stole an airplane and crashed it into a surface of a large wall (rock..like a moutain). They found him dead with a note saying something to the point that the drug is bad and no one would believe him.

 

 

 

 

I heard about that---so it was that so-called acne medication? Sounds like cyanide to me!

[cremebrulee]

Thanks Raingate! I can't believe what the government will approve! They shouldn't be selling it. I just read somewhere that of 1000 women tested that were taking the drug when they became pregnant 800 of them gave birth to severely deformed babies... why are they still prescribing it. Very scary.

 

I was given a topical gel called eurycene but it's not working. I have just ordered some Proactiv which is supposed to be great and has that benzyl peroxide in it so fingers crossed that helps. Mine are cystic too but no-one in my family has ever has a single pimple so it can't be genetic.

 

I never realized how much it shatters your self-confidence. when i was in my early 20's i was doing catwalk modelling and phtographic work, approaching 30 i was very comfortable with my appearance (even though i am a little rounder these days), but now i feel like a troll.

 

I'll have to find a good dermatologist and just try everything available. Something has to work eventually. Thanks for your responses.

[BrokenWingedFaery]

They make you get on two forms of birth control while taking it and until like, a year or something after you stop.

[Tylin]

Have you tried Benzoyle Peroxide?

 

I think it's the best treatment out there. Bear in mind it prevents. So what's already there can't really be helped. You have to stick with the stuff daily for maybe a month or more but then you will have undeniable results.

 

I can vouch for this. I had acne for 10 years (thats 10 years of feeling like a troll!) and nothing helped. I went to a dermatologist as a teen and even the prescription medications didn't help. Now I use a Proactiv knockoff that has benzoyl peroxide as an active ingredient and my skin stays totally clear. Its worth a try!

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

Yes, I wish I had stuck with it 20 years ago. I don't think, though, that the 10% stuff was even available over the counter then.

 

I tried it several times, but gave up when I didn't see immediate results. Now I'm a whole different woman. People always did say I was pretty. But I didn't feel like it because of that. Now, I feel so much better.

[pennyroyalFnT]

As a teenager I never had acne problems, but in the last few years I too have developed the adult acne and have a occasional problem with cystic acne. I have been using the Proactiv solution for over a year now and it seemed to help the majority of my acne, but does nothing for the cystic acne. I suggest ordering the proactiv and using it for a few months to see real results. You must continue using it to continue to have great skin. I do suggest seeing a dermatologist for the cystic acne, because no cream or vitamin I have taken has made any difference. In my experience only time has made them go away.

[Rainy]

I have suffered from acne for years, my acne appears now before my period, all i can say is try to drink as much water as possible as this flushes out the toxins in your body and use poducts that has benzyol peroxide, try not to stress about it as that makes it worse, i know its horrible and easy to say,

 

go back to you doctor and see if he can put you on something stronger

[Pheonixpassion84]

I also have had acne problems and have used pro active in the past and it works really well.. but you are right it is exspensive.

 

Supposedly tea tree works really well.. and I know that places like The Body Shop have really good organic skin products.

 

If none of that works maybe ask your doctor for some skin medication.

 

Hope it works out for you

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

Actually, the active ingredient in Proactive is Benzoyle Peroxide. You can get a tube of 10% Benzoyle Peroxide at nearly any store for around $5.00, or less. That is very inexpensive.

 

Proactive is what I started with. I went to my Doctor, and asked him if he could prescribe me something with the same ingredient, because I couldn't afford it. He's the one who told me the above, that I could get it for $5.00 at any store. So I went out and bought that, and I can testify that the store bought stuff does indeed work every bit as well as the mail order Proactive.

[thursday]

I once used a Rife machine to get rid of acne, really helpful and actually unbelievable it worked. However, after a while I just didn't care about acne anymore and it came all back because of bad eating habits. I went to a dermatologist and he prescribed Tetralysal and some salve.. which also really helped to get rid of my acne. (Tens patches couldn't be used anymore) Now my face pretty much cleared up and I'm trying to eat healthier than ever before + drinking lots of water. Hell, why don't you even try a water diet? It will clear your whole body of toxics and your acne will disappear too! Even better, it's free and you even save lots of money because you are only going to eat some fruit!

[Tesseract_Witch]

My sister uses Acne Free, I think its an off brand of Proactiv and for her it works wonders. She has really back acne whereas I no longer have acne...well the occasinal zit but yea. I use Biore and find that it works just fine for me.

 

I think that it depends on what your skin is like and how bad you have the acne ^^.

 

Lotsa Love

Rain Gate

 

 

No fair...that didn't do squat for me!