I look like a pepperoni pizza.

[manicatthedisco]

My face that is. Now, I know this is a really trivial issue right now, but my skin is really getting me down at the minute.

I'm 27, and up until these past 2 months I've never had a problem with my skin. Even as a teenager, I only ever had the odd whitehead.

However recently, my skin is bloody awful. I walk over 10,000 steps a day, I try to make an effort to eat as much fruit and veg as possible, I don't really eat a lot of meat. I do have chocolate now and then, but not excessively. I usually stick to around 1,500 calories a day, my usual drinks of the day are green tea/camomile tea and a couple of cans of pop (diet normally).

I have 2 DC who are both 4 (11 months apart), and haven't been on BC since the youngest was born, so it's not as though I've recently started and my hormones are all over the place.

I have spots all around my mouth, chin area, and cheek area. Most are whiteheads, some are big red lumps that start off under the skin. My skin has become dry, red and painful. I've stopped wearing make-up completely, but every time a couple start fading, more of the buggers pop up. It's not just one or two though, it's a whole area.

I've tried The Body Shop products, Lush products, Tea tree oil, bog standard clean and clear stuff, bio oil for the scars and to stop my skin being so dry, and various homemade face masks. I cleanse, tone and moisturise everyday with my usual stuff. So I don't know why all of a sudden they've overtaken my face.

NOTHING is working. PLEASE give me some advice/suggestions. I feel so self conscious.

Honestly, I would stop trying anything for a week. No make up, not product. Wash with soap and water. See what happens.

I got this and it was stress related. Awful, you have my sympathies. Having two 4 year old must be incredibly demanding, are you sleeping okay and having any time for yourself? Just regular cleansing and moisturising was the only thing that helped me. I use Emma Hardie Moringa cleanser which is lovely and gentle. I also just got some of that Sand + Sky face mask. Expensive but its amazing, really helps big spots and blackheads too. Good luck.

If it is mostly around you lower face (chin, mouth, jaw) have your thyroid levels checked.

Have you been to the dr? I got this about the same age, topical antibiotic helped. Lots of product recommendations on style and beauty but it’s probably stress and hormones - adult onset acne not uncommon.

It sounds like rosacea possibly?

I'm interested in this too op, I'm also 27 and suddenly have awful skin which I've not had before. Hope yours improves soon.

I am experiencing the same at the moment and it's driving me mad.
So I'm watching with interest.
I like you hardly had any problem during teenage years, the odd white head on the chin etc.
I have odd skin so the more I use and if I change products they can cause the odd break out so I stick to what I know .
I haven't changed anything in my routine or my diet, I have been using the same creams and skin care I've used for years and my skin is awful.
I haven't got alot of whiteheads they are just raised up and full of water and they hurt too. Mine are on my cheeks mostly and tiny ones on my forehead that are like little bumps they do go away and if I squeeze them they go like the ones on my cheeks so I leave them be.
They raise up don't seem to go away no matter what I do. I'm 33 so cant understand what is going on. I'm on the implant which I've been on for 6 years so surely it cant be that .
This week they are worse than ever, I got some face wash that I used to use that helped when I was younger but it's just made them worse.
I'm at a complete loss. The only thing I'm thinking it could be due to having long hair now as I have had short hair for years ,maybe the oils or products I have on my hair whilst I'm sleeping at night get on my face and it's from that.
After this lock down is over I might make an appointment with the gp to see if the doctor's have any theory's what it could be.

I've had a similar problem since lockdown although I'm nearly twice your age 😳. Ended up seeing an online doctor on the Superdrug website and got some topical antibiotics prescribed. Took less than a week between first going online and receiving through the post. It cost £22 so more than a prescription but wanted to avoid seeing my GP due to current situation. Seems to be keeping my skin at bay for now.

I think you should visit your gp, when that becomes possible.
My son took a daily antibiotic for 6 months which cleared his adult acne.
I have rosacea and have been prescribed cream and cover up cream by my gp.
You can spend a fortune on various remedies but the gp is the best bet, for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Good luck, I know how much of a struggle it can be to suffer with your skin, but keep trying until you find the right help for you.

If you have rosacea then Soolantra is amazing, it kills off the demodex mites that live on our skin (the theory being that rosacea sufferers have more of these than other people) It is the only thing that worked on my skin, I have very red bumpy skin with lots of little white heads for years.

Should say
I had very red bumpy skin
Thankfully it is much better now

Thank you for all your recommendations! I forgot to mention I have a few bumps on my forehead too. I might try the Superdrug option, as I don't really want to trouble my GP at the minute. I'm so glad it's not just me though. What's worse is I'm trying not to mess or touch my face, yet a lot of them are scarring

In regard to stress, it could be a possibility. But I have been more stressed in the past. I split up from DP 2 years ago, and my youngest had open heart surgery when he was born, and ongoing complications. So I don't think it's that, he does have SEN and doesn't sleep though, but that's nothing new really, life's a lot calmer now than it once was.

It's odd how they've appeared out of nowhere all of a sudden and they're spreading like wildfire and they just aren't going

This has happened to me. I had lovely skin, albeit a bit dry, until I was into my 30s. I had the Nexplanon implant and it got steadily worse. Had the implant removed and it's just been horrible since. I have not been to the doctors; it always just seems trivial and I feel like I'm too old to be asking for help with my skin. I have had some success with salicylic acid from The Ordinary, and La Roche Posay Effaclar moisturiser. It's not perfect but it's helping.

There is a thing called Adult Acne which you can get at any point. My Dad lived with it for years and used every different product to get rid of it. One day he went to the GP for an unrelated issue and she spotted it. He had a course of antibiotics and it cleared up within a week.

Weird, I've been experiencing this too lately. Odd!

The only thing that has ever worked for me is the caveman method i.e. not washing your face at all not even with water, and using no products for about 3 weeks. Then start with water only, then eventually you can use soap and moisturiser.

Seriously I tried everything before this and it didn't work. This worked in about a month. From full on acne to clear skin.

Does it match to perioral dermatitis OP?

When I changed HRT a year or so ago I was plastered once a month.
I would wash lightly at night then smother my face in Sudocream, and again in the morning, it seemed to calm it down considerably.
I found that face packs etc seemed to aggrevate it worse, a simple soap wash (Dove) wash better than cleansers.

I’ve been where you’ve been and I’m a similar age. Perhaps it is an allergy to something? That manifests as acne for me and you can get new allergies all the time so you might think you’re eating healthily but even the healthiest foods can be very troublesome for some. Especially things like milk, eggs, wheat. Try cutting out all such things for 2 weeks and then gradually reintroduce each item a week or two apart and monitor acne reactions. Also, check if any of the things you eat have artificial chemicals in it. Spearmint tea also helped me and vitamin D spray did.

Other option could be stress like others have said or combination of the two where stress is amplifying a new or mild allergy.

Also, while I advocate healing from the inside, a topical cream can also help reduce the appearance flares. I recently bought this so haven’t tried it long enough yet but it has good reviews so might be worth trying:
www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Salicylic-Blackheads-Blemishes-Suitable/dp/B00WR4MRHG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sulfur+cream&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1587326093&sr=8-1

From what you are describing @manicatthedisco you need to see your GP and ask for a referral to a Dermatologist. This won't happen quickly so you may as well start the ball rolling.

I have acne prone skin, started when I was 12, I’m now 36, you name it I’ve tried it so thought i would offer some advice on the things that work for me.

I was given antibiotics by the GP a couple of years ago, they worked but I didn’t want to keep taking them long term. There are some stronger prescriptions - roaccutane, there are some hardcore side affects with this, it isn’t for everyone and i didn’t want to go down that route. I asked the GP for a referral for a dermatologist and was told no!

Water - shit loads of it
Cut sugar right out
No pop
Lots of antioxidants in your diet
Try cutting dairy - this gives me cystic acne along my jawline and chin

Skincare routine needs to be as simple as possible, forget all the fancy expensive products that claim to work. A salicylic acid cleanser, gentle basic moisturiser, no heavy ingredients - oils, butters, coconut oil etc. I look at the ingredients of everything I buy, great big long lists is a no go for me.
Skip the toner and any other products containing alcohol, this can cause your skin to produce more oil and clog pores.

Check out Bravura for good skincare for acne, their products containing salicylic acid are very good.

See if your makeup contains silicones in the ingredients, longer lasting foundations and primers have this, just crap sitting in yours pores. Ive gone make up free for the last 3 weeks, I have never done this in all these years and my skin is the clearest it’s looked in months. If you can give your skin a good break.

I know how shit is to have less then perfect skin, it’s affected me massively at times. These are just some of the things that work for me so hope it helps you.

@BobbinThreadbare123 my acne started the exact same way. I had the implant removed but I still have a red nose 11 years later. GP happy to help with antibiotics which work but it always returns a couple of months after I stop. Hate it.