Spotty chin since August. Any way to get rid of them?

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

I'm lucky to have generally good skin with few spots. I went camping (as my period arrived) in August and since then I've had a spotty chin. They've worked their way up to my nose.
I've tried keeping the area clean and moisturising and avoiding makeup when I can, but nothing helps. I'd been using Clinique toner regularly and it seemed to have almos done the trick, but as AF approaches they're all back.
Is there any way to get rid of them? I'm not on any hormonal contraception, but am tempted to take the mini pill I have from the dr in an attempt to fix it!

[Sallyhasleftthebuilding]

I found cildsire cream works - stings a bit - but if they keep spreading likely to be more if an infection rather than individul spots.

[shirkingworking]

Go to the GP! They can give you a prescription for some cream (or even antibiotics if necessary). They should be v sympathetic if they have been there for so long.

[Sallyhasleftthebuilding]

*Coldsore

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

They are different spots, just seem to spread around the place. I'll ask the dr next time I go in. Anything over the counter that'd help in the meantime? Other than cold sore cream (which I may try)

[Wolpertinger]

Which Clinique toner? Only the Mild Clarifying Lotion is good - twice a day. You should be applying it on all your skin not just individual spots.

Cold sore cream is for a totally different problem and so unlikely to help.

Acne management over the counter would be:

Non foaming, non stripping cleanser like Cetaphil or Avene Gentle Cleanser
Salicylic product - Effaclar Duo would be stronger than the Clinique in the morning
Retinol in the evening - LRP Redermic R
Oil free moisturiser - Cerave (sadly only via Amazon in UK)
Oil free SPF in mornings - Sunsense is great as also has niacinamide which is also anti acne

Have a look t Dr Sam Buntings youtube videos on acne.

[FrustratedFrugal]

I actually get spots from moisturizers. Stopping them stopped the spots too. The mini pill might make them worse, progesterones often do.

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

I had been using the tinted sun sense for face when it all began (although had been using it for months)
I'll have a proper look at all your suggestions later on.

[Tate15]

Panoxyl

[mintbiscuit]

DO NOT TAKE THE MINI PILL!!!

deep breath

Sorry for caps but the mini pill is the worse thing for acne. I've been there. If you are considering the pill get Yasmin. It's a combined pill which helped my skin.

Also try evening primrose oil supplements to regulate hormones.

You could also benefit from a skincare routine like wolpertinger suggested.

[Flingingmelon]

Duac is good if you are going to the doctor. It takes a bit of time to work though.

[HeyMicky]

Hibiscrub to remove the bacteria; panoxyl cream to dry up the spots. Both available quite cheaply online.

Also think about how and when you touch your face. I used to rest my chin in my hand at work - stopping this hugely improved my skin

[Wolpertinger]

Agree re: mini pill - I'm on mini pill and I can confirm it does precisely nothing for acne, except possibly cause it

However if you are over 35, over weight or have migraines it is the only pill on offer.

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

Panoxyl sounds good. I've ordered some to try.

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

I'll leave the pills then! I'm bfing and not far off 35. And DH is booked in for the snip so will leave all the hormonal contraception.
The hobos rub hibiscrub sounds interesting, too. Will try that next

[Wolpertinger]

Hibiscrub is not the dermatology way - it absolutely strips your skin. I know some people love it but if you saw a dermatologist for your acne, this is not what they would be recommending. Tears my hands to shreds, no way would I put it on my face.

[CadburysTastesVileNow]

I did the dermatology way for 20 years. Only hibiscrub has cleared my skin.

[littlecupcake]

Evening primrose can interfere with the pill's effectiveness, be careful!

[Tate15]

When they discontinued Panoxyl I had some success with waterless anti bacterial hand gel rubbed in at night and in the morning. It didn't strip my skin at all.

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

I'm still waiting for the panoxyl I've ordered, but misread tate's tip and have been using antibacterial hand wash soap stuff, carex. My skins pretty resilient, and so far there seems to be a slight improvement, although they've now 'spread' to between my eyebrows...
I've washed and am not using my makeup brushes, in case that isn't helping, and still plan to see the dr when I go in a couple of weeks.

[biscuitkumquat]

Are you maybe inadvertently spreading them through touching?

If I get any plooks (as they're called up here in very wet Scotland), I coat them in Sudacrem(sp?) at night, and they're mostly gone by the next morning.

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

I'm trying to be very aware and avoiding touching, but I'm thinking that's part of it.

[doesthatmakesense]

Sounds like perioral dermatitis- beastly spots creeping round chin, nose, eyebrows. I got it by accidentally getting dd2's hydrocortisone cream on my face. Best treatment is the very scary Zero Treatment which involves putting NOTHING except water on your skin, avoiding sodium laureth sulfate, and waiting for it to go away. Then gradually reintroduce one product at a time - I've had to stick to one or two organic/plant-based makes or it comes back.

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

That sounds awful. Do you use any makeup or anything, or just keep your skin bare?

[doesthatmakesense]

I stopped using foundation, but didn't ever wear lots. Have been using a lot of Neals yard stuff inc their mineral foundation, and some Clarins things have been okay. It actually wasn't as bad as I first thought it would be. Go for it, and treat yourself to something lovely when it has cleared up!

[2LittleMonkeysJumpingOnMyHead]

Right. I'll try using nothing and see how I go. I don't wear foundation all the time, but the redness meant I was putting more on than I used to.
Reading about it it seems the sun sense might have kicked it off, which is a shame as last year's 'resolution' was to wear a High factor spf on my face.
It seems the perioral dermatitis treatments are also used on the thing I think I get on my scalp (sebaceous dermatitis) so I wonder if it's basically the same thing.
My scalp has been great, though, recently.

However, the only other thing that coincides with this starting was getting head lice... I thought it was my usual itchy scalp.

Sorry, just muttering to myself, now.