Can anyone help me with adult acne please?

[Hughes12345]

I say ‘acne’ but it’s not quite there yet. It’s not bad enough to take me to the doctors but it’s getting me down. I’m 40 this year and I’ve been struggling with my skin for a while. Last couple of years it was big cystic spots on my chin (one a month and then subsequent scars). I’m not getting them on my neck, it’s such a strange place to get them. Again it’s one at a time but the scars take ages to fade so I always look very spotty.

I don’t know where to start with google so thought I’d ask for anything that’s worked for any of you.

I’m currently using the neutrogena skin care range for acne prone skin. I’m washing my pillow cases, dressing gown (anything that comes in contact with my neck) frequently.

Many thanks.

*now getting them on my neck

Jawline/chin /neck spots are hormonal spots, I always get them when I'm due my period (much less now that I'm off hormonal bc & no longer pregnant or breastfeeding). My only coping mechanism is to drink more water to flush my skin, and invest in a double wear foundation and concealer.

Poor you, I've suffered with acne all my life. I thought it would at least die down in my 30's but I'm nearly 32 now and nope!

For the past 7 years, I've used la Roche pose effaclar duo every day without fail. It cleared up all of the acne scarring I had on my cheeks, I'd never stop using it. This is the only 'holy grail' product I can recommend unfortunately, nothing else has completely eradicated it, but I do have a few regimes I've tried that have worked quite well:

1- Obagi clenziderm system. I got this from my local skin clinic, you'd need to find a stockist. The benzoyl peroxide is really good at drying up spots overnight.

2- Murad blemish control kit. Made for acne prone skin, I know a lot of people who's acne cleared up using this.

I would definitely give these a go if you haven't already. If you need something to dry up spots, at the moment I'm using Malin + Goetz 10% sulfur paste, which is very good.

Lastly, even if it's only a few spots, you can still go to your GP if it's getting you down! I've been countless times (nothing they ever gave me helped, but it may do for you).

I've found apricot scrub helps a lot, and age - they got better gradually

It wasn’t until I gave up dairy that my life-long spots disappeared.

Strangely enough, I had read an interview with Woody Harrelson and he talked about his cystic acne clearing up after he dropped dairy from his diet, so gave it a go out of desperation.

Worth a try?

I'm in my early 40s and have definitely found that hormonal changes have brought about similar chin and neck spots. I ended up going to the doctor because sometimes the spots were so big and painful that it was making the glands under my chin swell up A course of antibiotics have me the most perfect skin I've ever had in my life...but within a week or two of the end of the course it was back to normal.

At the moment I am having some success with Lush Herbalism cleanser, I'm finding that very effective but not drying.

Its a nightmare isn't it?

Mine started when I was 31. Really got me down.
I began to take extra care of my night time routine and ordered pro activ as was recommended.

I exfoliate with their wash, then I wipe a pad covered in toner. I use the mark fading pads (game changer in my eyes) and use their pore targeting cream followed by a hydrating one.

My skin cleared up within the month. I'm stuff suffering with outbreaks but I also use a derma roller once a week (from Amazon) to help with scarring and drops of youth concentrate liquid from body shop. If I have a spot coming, I use an antibiotic cream on that area. I no longer touch my face and clean my make up brushes once a week.

I have a facial once a month. It's helping as I no longer have acne and it doesn't spread but I'm still suffering with outbreaks. But far more manageable

Do the ends of your hair touch your chin and neck. I have found if the ends of my hair hit a certain place on my face I will get a big spot there so I tie my hair up at night. Keep my hair away from my face during the day.

I have very sensitive, acne prone skin. Nothing has cured it but certain things make it worse.

Try cutting out dairy for a couple of months. It made a big difference for me!

Go to your gp. They can help. I am currently on a course on antibiotics (Lymecycline) and a topical cream called Epiduo.

Been 3 weeks so far and I can see a difference.

I had this too (chin but not neck) and nothing I did was working, it was a horrific time to be dealing with it in my 30s and everything I put on my face (make up, sun cream) seemed to make it worse. Turns out I really wasn’t washing my face properly (I was running a cotton ball with milk cleanser over or splashing my face with a face wash).

It wasn’t until I researched a proper routine that I saw improvement. I started double cleansing - removing make up with micellear water on cotton pad then rubbing an oil/balm cleanser into my face really well. Soaking a flannel in warm water and leaving it on my face for a moment to steam and then wiping the cleanser off, folding it so it was always a clean side every swipe, then rinsing well and using a plain moisturiser. After a couple of months doing this religiously, it made a massive difference and I then only got one big spot before my period, which scarred for ages.

I went to the dr to see if there was anything I could do and she prescribed Duac, or as she put it “magic cream”! And it really was. I used it at the first tingle of the next hormonal spot breaking through... and didn’t have another spot for a whole year after that, and that was only because I’d let my routine slip. I’ve had about 1 spot a year since, I’m so relieved.

I think it often takes an antibiotic cream to eradicate any bacteria and then a good washing routine to keep it clean or you just end up getting infected again. I’ve heard ditching dairy for a while also helps, so you could try that.

Thank you so much for all the advice, I really appreciate it. I’m going to go through it all step by step. It’s such a nuisance.

I went to the dr, I had actually taken a couple of sick days as I didn’t want to leave the house with a puss filled painful spot on my face-sounds ridiculous but the spots really affected me. By the time I got to the dr the spot had actually gone but she happily gave me a prescription for Duac cream. As first throb I put a tiny dab on every other night (every night is too drying and leaves me with red, burnt skin) and it works wonders.

I also use the hot flannel method pp described above. Also changing pillow case every couple of nights.

Only thing that worked for me is cilest pill. Other pills such as Yasmin and Dianette did not work. Nothing the dr gave me worked. Got clear skin for first time in 20yrs thanks to cilest which is a contraceptive pill

Go to the GP and get duac, it was the only thing that worked for mine.

I would avoid physical exfoliation and look at getting some BHA/ salicylic acid in your routine.

Savlon. Sounds silly but it really reduces them.

I also recommend Superdrug naturally radiant range with glycolic acid. Cheap but great

Thankyou.

Honestly can’t recommend cilest enough. I did all the cleansing routines, salicylic acid etc but it needed a medical approach as it is hormonal acne. My face is now clear