To ask for your adult acne help?!

[Peachyk]

So in the past few months, for seemingly absolutely NO reason, I have developed awful awful skin. Full blown cystic acne at age 31, that makes me not want to leave the house (and has made me cry... yes i know how pathetic.)
Its all around my jaw, on my cheeks and over my neck. At last count i had 30 spots....THIRTY.
I've made a gp appointment....the next available is in july so that's pretty crap. In the meantime can i ask for your miracle cures?
So far i have tried sudocream (just seemed to irritate) The Ordinary retinol in squalane (created a lot more spots though I'm persevering) and a topical freederm stick....pointless.

I have a healthy vegetarian diet, limit dairy and drink about 2.5 litres of water. I wash my pillow cases x3 a week.. why do i bother?!

OP I feel for you.. I suffer with adult acne because I have PCOS and it is absolutely confidence zapping. You’ve done the right thing in making a GP appointment as they should be able to help you. I suspect you might need a blood test to check your hormones as it’s most likely to be hormone related. I used to use Zineryt, which is a roll on antibiotic. Unfortunately, it suddenly stopped working so I went back to see my GP and she prescribed Duac gel, which has been the lifesaver for me! I put it on once at night and it’s kept my skin clear now for almost a year.

I personally didn’t find anything over the counter that helped me so I can’t recommend anything for you to use whilst you’re waiting to see your GP but hopefully someone will come along and suggest something to use in the meantime. Hope you get it sorted 💐

Is there any chance that you are this woman whose boyfriend has been sneaking dairy into her diet to prove that dairy didn't give her acne?

Acnecide from boots cured mine almost overnight

Thanks igotdemons. I do have suspicions that my hormones are to blame, especially with them being on my jaw and neck. Glad to hear you've found something that works for you. I'm hoping my gp will come up with the goods!

I 2nd PP

Acnecide from Boots literally cured my acne within 3 days!

@JamieVardysHavingAParty haha oh fuck. I'll be putting a lot worse in his morning cuppa if so

@Twolargewatersplease oh I've never heard of that- will have a look this afternoon

Dalacin topical lotion (ask for the aqueous one, not an alcohol based one) has always worked well for me. It is prescription only though; it’s atrocious that you can’t see a GP until July!

Apart from the Dalacin I use Clinique liquid soap or Anti blemish gel, their Clarifying Lotion and Moisture Surge gel moisturiser. That keeps hormone-imbalance spots to a minimum for me.

Try silver serum moisturiser made my skin so much better, it’s online from the skin shop. Got really good reviews.

I paid for a private appointment with a dermatologist, much quicker and obviously a specialist. You have my sympathies, sometimes I felt so down about it

@pumpkinpie01 thanks to my relentless googling about acne i keep seeing silver serum on targeted amazon adverts
Will have a read up on it!

@Cautionsharpblade thank you- it seems to swamp my thoughts at the moment. Bit like when you have a blocked nose and you sit and dwell on how little you took breathing easily for granted
Was it very expensive? To be fair looking at how many things I'll probably end up trying over the counter, it would likely work out more cost effective just going private.

I read that the only skin care anyone needs is savlon. No idea if this is true or not.

@peachyk I think it was about £100 to see a consultant, but this was a few years ago. The private prescription was expensive (£90 for anti biotics) but the GP converted it into an NHS prescription.
I’d also recommend Skin Shop products

Don’t waste all your money on expensive imaginary crap. It doesn’t work... sorry

Either get it from a chemist (acnecide is good but stains clothes and sheets) or see GP

I’ve been on roaccutaine twice and did a lot of antibiotics too so I do know what I mean when I say don’t buy anything from Amazon.. just don’t. Changing diet can work, also just washing face in a very simple non comodegenic wash, buy non comodogenic make up etc

Third vote for acnecide.

I had something very similar, tried a number of things, was hiding behind scarves. It really started to get me down and had a massive effect on my confidence, you have my sympathy OP.
I cured mine, not saying this will work for you as everyone is different, by using salicylic acid products in the morning and retinol in the evening. I also went for regular microdermabrasion facials.
There are loads of products out there, but I use (yes still use, just in case) the Clinique Anti Blemish range, particularly the Clearing Gel which my teenage DD now also uses, in the morning. It really zaps the spots before they get to ugly head stage. And Obagi Medical Retinol with their face wash and toner in the evening. The Retinol can take some time for your skin to get used to it. I used Avene Cicalfate cream when the Retinol made my skin very dry (usually at the base of my neck).
You will also need to get to used to having a regime for your jaw/neck that differs from the rest of you face.
It will take a while to clear everything up, but then you must keep at it and zap each individual spot.
Good luck.

@PookieDo to be honest I agree with you- the mind field of products on amazon left me feeling very cynical. Desperation is a costly thing and I guess these things do work for some, so reading a few positive reviews made me wonder!
I imagine my mountainous carbunkles will need a bit more than though.

I have purchased acnecide (never even heard of it until this thread so thanks all!) from the chemist to use until my gp appointment

@Parkinssheet is the retinol you use an oily based one? I'm using one in squalane which i thought would counteract the dryness caused...but i have suspicions its adding to the problem. Such a mindfield though.

I used to just wipe with miscellar water and rub in whatever moisturiser was on bloody offer. Sob

I suspect this is going to vary for a lot of people, in terms of what works, but here is what has worked for me over a number of years.

AHA/BHA Acne Clearing Gel by Peter Thomas Roth works as a daily preventative measure,. Applying this every day seems to have stopped spots from ever occurring for 90% of the time.

For spots that are threatening to emerge, a gel containing 10% benzoyl peroxide usually stops them in their tracks. These can be hard to find - most gels are 5%. Panoxyl used to be my favourite but it's hard to get in the UK. An alternative is Oxy 10 which you can still get online.

Also please bear in mind they can prescribe you retinoid cream from the GP which is not cosmetic strength. A lot of the retionoid products are not licenced with IMO the quantity needed for acne. They can be gimmicks. Some on prescription are also combined with antibiotics and very effective

I really really feel your pain and the temptation to keep trying new things can just contribute to feeling desperate

Don’t overdo the acnecide as you don’t want it to burn you. Put on some crap pillowcases too

The drying out is the biggest problem with acne too
You need a non oil based very very gentle moisturiser and dermatologists usually recommend cetaphil

cut out all lotions and potions with the exception of distilled witch hazel twice a day, and simple moisturiser in the morning. Cleared mine right up and is a hell of a lot cheaper than my previous unsuccessful skin routines. I hope you find something that works for you OP, adult acne is the worst!

@Peachyk I'm afraid as we get older (and I've got rather a lot of years on you) such a simple beauty routine will no longer cut it. I use Obagi 360 Retinol 1.0%., which I now don't use with a moisturiser, just on it's own before bed. But when I first started using it I had to use it only once every few days as until my skin got used to it it was very drying. This apparently means that it will work on your skin, the Cicalfate cream was just on the areas that reacted with quite sore red dry areas.
I now use Clinique face wash, toner, clearing gel (jawline only or individual spot), vitamin c serum, Clinique Even Better serum, and dramatically different gel, every morning . Evenings are just Obagi wash, toner and Retinol.
You won't need as much as me as you are younger and your skin will need different things, but from my experience skin care got more involved with age. DH just washes face and goes.

It's bloody miserable OP but please go to your gp rather than try off the shelf - if it is cystic acne antibiotics are the only remedy. I say this having suffered for years I went to a consultant dermatologist before my wedding although I was actually going for my Rosacea she notes the cystic acne and prescribed me Erithromiacin (I think that's how it's spelt ). My skin is the best it's been in years. She specially prescribed this one to me so I could continue attempts to conceive- I also thought mine was hormones-she said not! Good luck

Try vitamins D3 and zinc. It has been a wonder cure for some people. And don't apologise for crying..acne is devastating.xx