Big, sore hormonal zits on chin... What will help?

[SatsumaFan]

I've constantly got a big, throbbing under-the-skin spot/zit on my chin lately. So attractive. They wake me up in the night throbbing. I'm sure mask wearing contributing to the issue (I only wear one at a time before putting in the washing machine). I've got a whole cluster of about five right now.

Anyone got any cures or something to help please? They're so sore and unsightly! I'm 40 soon and my skin hasn't been this bad in years

I haven't changed my diet at all. I do have quite a bit of dairy, mostly milk and cheese. I did try to cut it out a couple of years ago to help with ibs symptoms but milk alternatives are gross and it didn't make any difference.

I really think they're down to hormones as they're like the ones I get before a period, but now they're constant.

Spots are hormone driven, we’ve got a much more complicated hormone profile than men and once the bacteria gets in there’s not much your immune system can do.

This is why you don’t start getting spots until puberty & huge quantities of hormones are pumped out in girls and boys.

The beauty industry are very good at convincing us it’s something we’ve done wrong by not using whatever product they sell though.

It’s just a bacterial infection.

Does anyone who gets these spots get them on their neck? I'd never had neck spots before until a couple of years ago, then I got some absolute monsters

Mine stopped when I have up alcohol. They were almost certainly hormonal, though, as they'd appear just before my period.

gave up alcohol, not when I have alcohol 🤦‍♀️

Magnesium sulphate paste dries them out nicely.

@SunsetBeetch

Does anyone who gets these spots get them on their neck? I'd never had neck spots before until a couple of years ago, then I got some absolute monsters

How long is your hair? I used to get really bad spots on my neck when I was growing my short hair out. I think it was because of the ends of my hair sitting on / against / curving into my neck, and hair product then irritating my skin and causing big unsightly sore lumps. My hair is longer now and I've not had spots there for years.

It might be rosacea as another pp said. Is your face generally red? I used to get pustule outbreaks caused by this . I am now prescribed a low level antibiotic and ever since my skin is lovely . And not as red either. ..

At one stage I did wonder whether the teenage spots would cease before the wrinkles began. Finally cracked it!

How long is your hair? I used to get really bad spots on my neck when I was growing my short hair out. I think it was because of the ends of my hair sitting on / against / curving into my neck, and hair product then irritating my skin and causing big unsightly sore lumps. My hair is longer now and I've not had spots there for years

Ah that's a possibility.

I had increasingly bad hormonal acne until the end of 2020. I was using La Roche Posay but it seemed to be doing less and less for me. I don't know exactly what caused the imporvement in my skin, but several things happened:

I had two rounds of IV antibiotics for a tooth infection (I'm in a country the prefers IV to oral antibiotics, for better or worse. You get them at your local IV clinic)
I started using Paula's Choice Azelaic Acid
I started using Paula's Choice BHA lotion
I cut down on (but my no means cut out) dairy

I have nice skin now. The odd very small blemish that heals over night. Nothing cystic since December. I do reckon the antibiotics helped a lot, to be honest. I had a slightly swollen and infected ear piercing that also totally cleared up from the antibiotics.

@2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney - rest of my skin is actually really good! Never have any redness, dry patches or anything. Definitely not red or rosy, more pale and pasty!

I'm going to cut right down on dairy and see if that helps them.

I’m allergic to dairy, never stopped me getting spots.

If it was that easy they would include iron the NICE guidelines.

It not iron 😂

Nip and Fab teen spot zapper works well on my hormonal spots.

Had a nightmare time with those kind of spots from age 39 to 42. Discovered weird solution that I offer simply because it worked for me. Around the same time I was getting these awful painful zits I was also getting constant nasty cold cores that I was treating with cream so I invested in a Boots cold sore electronic machine called Avert. Worked wonders on my cold sores so I started using it on my zits as my zits felt almost like cold sores themselves. To my astonishment it worked on them as well and especially if used at first sign of one developing. Within a few weeks I was getting noticeable fewer spots and cold sores. I still use this little machine today if I feel some kind of inflammation popping up on my face and haven’t touched creams for years. I’m 52 now and haven’t had that kind of zit or cold sore for over 8 years. I also use it on rosacea patches that crop up now and then still and it definitely helps them as well.
Unfortunately I don’t think Boots are selling this anymore but it might be worth trying out other similar devices designed to reduce inflammation on the face that are on the market. Good luck!

Lots of great suggestions here already OP but I'll add a few more into the mix being a 43 something with very temperamental skin!

Dermatica, an online dermatologist, prescribed me Tretinoin and it's been very very effective at keeping hormonal spots at bay. The formulation includes azelaic acid and niacinamide which I'd also strongly recommend, from brands like The Ordinary or FaceTheory for example.

You can get hydrocolloid spot patches which are amazing to dry out and clear up spots in record time, they cover the spot too and keep it clean. A game changer.

Lastly, as above anything with Azelaic acid, retinol, niacinamide but also a lovely product called centella Asiatica also one to look out for. It's a big ingredient in a lot of Asian (Korean) formulations and it is so soothing and clears up spots brilliantly. Is recommend a K Beauty brand called COSRX which is a big help for my skin when it plays up (also do some great spot patches, IMHO)

Just be careful when using acnecide, it bleaches everything. I've got bleached spots in my pillows from where I've put it on overnight and I let it completely dry before lying down.

Sorry don't know what happened to that link! Try again.

https://www.beautybay.com/p/mario-badescu/buffering-lotion/?kk=a4c6368-1785b871470-fc72d&awc=1552616215110155967ccb7c8b04d24e5ea0fd3084c3719e&utmsource=aw&utmmmedium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Skimlinks

Just to point out, roaccutane is not some simple cure! It has some very horrible side effects, I got off lightly but still required hospita trips and blood tests regularly plus crazy dry and chapped lips and hair thinning, plus random rashes elsewhere. Oh and you can't have waxing or exposure to sunlight, it did work but the course was 7 months long for me

Hi OP, I can relate to this in a big way. I also get hormonal spots around my chin - they just clear up and then it's time for the next lot...

Real game changer for me has been cosRX patches. TMI alert: My spots are the type which you have to squeeze or they will stick around for the rest of your life. So now I do so, and then put these on. They 'suck' out the rest of the muck and really help with healing. They're incredible. I wear at night and also in the day (if I'm not going out anywhere), and I find they stop me touching the area too and making the whole thing worse. I get mine from Skinsider :) I now buy in bulk to get free shipping and ensure I'm never without!

Also salicyclic acid cleanser (sp?) by The Inkey List. Relatively cheap (I think less than £10), lasts ages, has really helped for prevention. I use am and pm.

As an aside, I got the idea for both of these products from Skincare by Hyram, an excellent youtuber who has lots of skincare advice. It might be worth looking him up too.

I hope that helps x

I'm 34 and had the same until a year ago.

Reading it just took me back to that pain of those cysts! 😣 each lasts about two weeks.

I started using the ordinary skincare and my skin is clear allll the time now.

But then I also stopped drinking a lot, and started going to bed early. I also take fish oil, magnesium, multivitamin, collagen, iron, primrose oil, q10, zinc - every morning for about a year.

Not sure which contributed to clear skin.