Please help my face! GROSS DERMATOLOGICAL DETAILS INCLUDED

[JodieHarsh]

(This prompted by the Liz earle thread and the fact I can't face the mirror these days)

I really really want to know if anyone suffers from the same skin problems I do, and what they use - so please bear with the grim details. I did look it up on Google but nothing was forthcoming apart from smallpox

I basically have nice skin, in the sense of small pores, not too greasy, no patches, even tone etc. etc.

But I am very, very prone to a particular sort of spot which seems to be related to sensitive skin.

In 32 years I have tried everything from Clinique and Liz Earle through to Simple, Clearasil, old fashioned cold cream, rosewater toner and oil cleansing, and nothing really seems to help, although I have figured out that I cannot use anything harsh (I can't even exfoliate, even if it says 'sensitive' on the bottle).

But the thing is I get the WEIRDEST spots. I either get a normal pimple or a tiny whitehead usually prompted by cream or make up. Then it gets infected. It heals. THEN, right, this is the gross bit - it won't heal properly because inside is a tiny little hard white ball or plug. The skin won't close over it, so it gets very red and irritated and flaky, and itches like anything - you can see a kind of hole with a white thing lurking in it. This can go on for about three or four weeks.

The only thing that will make it heal is if I literally dig and pick at it until the little plug comes out, and then it will heal over. But by that stage it will be a seriously inflamed bright red often bleeding patch, and takes ages to scab over and heal, and then leaves a scar

At the moment I am sporting an English Rose complexion (I am quite fair) marred by about 9 very, very bright red scars and scabs.

Does anyone else get this? How can I stop these plug things forming? Is it scar tissue? I can't afford a dermatologist btw, or I'd be there like a shot!

[JodieHarsh]

I should've sounded the SPORN Klaxon: that'd get some attention

[HeathRobinson]

Can't your GP refer you to a dermatologist?

[JodieHarsh]

You know, it has literally never occurred to me to think of it as a health problem

I see the GP for asthma and fertility issues - the idea of going in and saying "In addition to making my lungs and my uterus work could you please make me pretty again" makes me cringe, but I guess if I have some weird scarring problem it's a legitimate question!

[HeathRobinson]

How's your diet? Particularly vitamin A - so cooked carrots etc. I seem to remember reading years ago that a lack of vitamin A was involved in boils, and you talking about plugs under your skin made me think of that.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

It sounds like you're picking at a spot that's not ready to come out?

[shrimponastick]

That sounds really odd, most spots come to a head and then heals over. Very strange.

As above - I would visit the GP. They can refer you to NHS Dermatologist. But not all GPs are that sympathetic, you may need to be 'insistent'. !!

[JodieHarsh]

My diet's really, really good. I eat too much, but I quite literally never eat anything pre-prepared, never mind junky (not out of virtue - I'm just obssessed with cooking). I wouldn't know whether what I'm eating is high in Vitamin A though - that's a good point. Maybe I should try some multivitamins...

Hazel that's the weird thing. It'll come to a head and it'll clean up nicely and there'll be no more inflammation or anything, then a couple of days later the itching and redness starts and I can see this horrid little ball inside

Shrimp I'm moving soon, and will hav a new GP - so maybe I'll lead with the skin problems before moving onto the more serious stuff!

It's starting to make me feel really self-conscious. surely to goodness there myst be SOME product I can use??

[MadBusLady]

GP and/or dermatologist referral, definitely. That is nothing like any normal spot I have ever seen or heard of. You've got open sores on your face woman! I wouldn't hesitate to talk to the GP any more than I would for ecezma or athlete's foot waves leper bell

[Pinot]

Ooh interesting.

I shall ponder.

[Pinot]

Here's a photo of a little kittehhhhhh to tide you over and not because I've never seen a linky thing on MN before and am goddy to try it, oh no

[Pinot]

OMG that is so clever

[valiumredhead]

I would go to the GP or see the nurse, a dab of antibiotic cream is probably all you need.

I but shed loads of neo sporin when I go to the states or when family visit I put in an order -seems to do the trick.

[JodieHarsh]

KITTEH!!! Thanks Pinot

I've never heard of neo sporin - it sounds the business.

The weird thing is that I don't think it's actually an infection. It seems to happen after the infection, as if it's scarring up from the inside or something

There's no harm in going to the GP is there. Perhaps I'll do that.

am laughing at the leper's bell

[squoosh]

Ouch Jodie that sounds awful. I agree about the advice re asking your GP for a derm referral or going straight to a dermatologist if you can afford it. I sometimes get horrible cystic spots on my jaw line but I don't think I've heard of what you describe.

[valiumredhead]

I have had a really disgusting, scabby finger for months, kept healing and then being ok again, bit like your zit. Eventually went to the nurse and she took one look at it and said "Oh that's an allergy to washing up liquid, use this steroid cream'

Completely gone and I wish I had gone months ago

[Pinot]

When you have a facial, what do they say?

[JodieHarsh]

I wonder if Groupon ever has dermatologists?? I might look. It's making me so sad. I have always been fat but my face tided me over, and I can't even rely on that any more WOE WOE SACKCLOTH AND ASHES &c. &c

Squoosh I am now going to Google cystic spots

[MadBusLady]

Love all you scabby, leprous people. It's making me feeling a lot better about my crusty rudolph-style nose.

[SrirachaGirl]

Do you have one of those little extractor tools to try and get the plug out? wonders whether to post my favourite Dr. Vikram video again. .

Have you tried taking a fish oil supplement? You can get one especially formulated for skin or an ordinary one but it must be really good quality.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Jodie, could you try not picking at one, and letting it heal up itself? Using a post creme on it perhaps if your skin's not too sensitive - although it does sound like it could be (sensitive).

Honestly, the day I threw away my 12x magnifying mirror and stopped picking at my skin so much it drastically improved. I was making under-the-skin spots so so much worse by basically opening them up, and probably letting infection in, as well as making the resultant weepiness impossible to put makeup over.

[JodieHarsh]

Sriracha do post , do!!!

I don't take any supplements but begin to think I should...

Hazel you know what, the simplest answer might be the best. I pick at them ebcause I have convinced myself that they won't heal if I don't get the plug out, or will heal over a bump, but maybe my Mum's right and I should STOP TOUCHING MY FACE. What is post creme though?

[coffeeinbed]

There's something called Zyneryt. [which may or may not be spelt this way]
My GP prescribed it for me once, I had some weird cystic spots.
Cleared all up.
Dont pick! Yer spreading the nasties.

[Deux]

Hi Jodie

I've had those kind of spots that you describe. I think they are infected milia that occur under the skin rather than on the surface. Try googling milia. They aren't spots but plugs of keratin. I think mine are a bit hormone related. Do you get these type of spots on your t zone? I only get them on the drier areas of my face such as cheeks and below cheeks amd jaw line.

My skin right now is the clearest it has ever been. I have only been using non comedogenic products. I use Avene cleanser and MD Formulations glycolic cleanser, MD glycolic cream and Avene moisturiser. No mechanical scrubs or masks or anything like that. I also take quite a high Vitamin D supplement as was diagnosed by GP with a severe deficiency.

Also, I was using a bobbi brown blusher everyday and since it's run out my skin has got even better so I think it was quite clogging.

I came across a US website written by a derm. On it she states that she has found that some people who present with acne actually have some kind of folliculitis. To treat this she recommends the use of anti fungal shampoo. Yes, really. Wash hair with Nizoral type shampoo, then gently rub some lather onto acne affected areas. I was getting spots on my shoulders and did the Nizoral thing and they've all gone. Put it on my face too. Just did it a couple of times. Could be coincidence mind you, who knows I was willing to try anything.

So you're not alone.

[valiumredhead]

I have milia - hot flannel and a sterilised needle sorts them out!

[HazeltheMcWitch]

post creme = spot cream!

You're like me, aren't you, you buy ALL the lotions and potions to find the Miracle Cure?!