Cystic Acne Misery NEED advice

[OneDearFawn]

I’m 35 and over the past four years I’ve allowed my chin to in its now current state, resemble being under a Bunsen burner, currently sat with four painful lumps on my chin. I don’t get acne anywhere else other than my back and chin. I don’t really care about my back but my chin is really, really getting me down.

At a local restaurant I regularly eat, I often do on a weeknight with no makeup. This New Year’s Eve I went in full makeup and the woman went, wow I didn’t recognise you, you look stunning with makeup. I’m mortified as she means normally with your red face you look dog rough.

I had completely clear skin up until 30 so I took it for granted. I’ve been to the doctors for my hormones. They didn’t help. I was on contraception when it started. Came off. Still just as bad. Four years later.

I’ve tried every skin care line, been for weekly facials. Monthly facials. Tried lots of skincare. Basic skincare. Tried brands like skin rocks, Alumier. I’ve literally spent thousands and it’s worse than ever.

I don’t dare try long term antibiotics as I know someone whose teeth has been ruined from them and the stomach issues they cause.

I feel so down and so lost about something I never gave any thought to. It’s uncomfortable and really knocking my confidence.

I am sorry, that sounds awful for you🙁. Go to the doctor. For real, there are some very effective acne treatments available. If you are worried about side effects, talk to the doctor about that, rather than dismissing a course of action that could help you. Good luck.

My son has recently been prescribed a new cream which is helping his. It’s called aklief
www.aklief.com/why-aklief-cream

Im sorry to hear this.
I suffered with acne in my teens, but thankfully it cleared up when I went on the pill. 💊 I also used panoxyl cream that would dry out the spots but i think it's discontinued now.
Maybe the GP could prescribe something similar?

I remember my school pal had light therapy as her acne was very severe, and it helped her immensely. 💡
could you see a dermatologist? 🤔
Also maybe cortisone injections could help? 💉

The waitress doesn't mean you look bad without makeup. Trust me she was being polite and as she didn't recognise you at first, was probably taken aback and then she gave you a compliment. That doesn't mean you look dog rough with make up 🫂
I hope you're okay 💕

Trentinoin. It’s not an antibiotic. In fact, it’s made from vitamin A. You apply it only where you have the problem and you use it for a set amount of time, not forever. The hope is that you can get it under control with prescription Trentinoin (a retinoid) and then keep it under control with over the counter retinol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tretinoin

But yes, you absolutely need to see your GP and hopefully get a referral to a dermatologist. The GP may have you try Trentinoin while you’re waiting for the dermatologist.

Aklief is a trentatoin.

My DD had cystic acne
tried everything
isotretinoin has cleared it up in 2 months - had to go private unfortunately

I was prescribed Lymecycline for 3 months alongside topical Tretinoin and it really helped. I didn’t have any side effects (but it does stain your bedding orange/yellow!

Don’t waste any more money on various expensive products. Go and see a dermatologist.

OP I'm sorry to hear this and really feel for you. I was exactly the same, skin always fine until I hit my 30s then continually getting large cystic bumps on chin and back. I used to get so upset when I could feel the beginning of one under the skin knowing it would errupt, especially before a special occasion. It may settle in time, I'm 45 now and rarely troubled by it in the past 5 years. On the odd occasion I feel something emerging a tiny bit of Acnecide gel reduces the swelling drastically. I hope you find something that helps 🙂

I got chemo related acne . I tried all the usual plus multiple antibiotics nothing worked . A Dermatologist prescribed Roaccutane and my acne cleared up very quickly . Google it and ask your GP for a referral. It's very demoralising to have acne .

No. Aklief is a type of retinoid, like Trentinoin is a type of retinoid. And I know both Trentinoin and Isotrebtinoin are covered by the NHS. Aklief is a brand name for the retinoid trifarotene, the same way Tylenol is a brand name for paracetamol. Was Aklief covered by the NHS?

Definitely go to a dermatologist rather than a GP.
i have the same problem. Mine is caused by the stress hormone, cortisol- common for Middle Aged women with kids 🤪
cutting out caffeine has helped a lot!

Definitely go to your GP and get some magic prescription cream. I took both my teenagers for their acne… one was prescribed a cream called Epiduo, the other was given Clindomycin + Benzoyl Peroxide. Both girls have seen a dramatic improvement in their skin, although one did have a course of oral antibiotics too. She now has Skinoren (which is strong azelaic acid) to help with scarring. I used some of their cream on my chin for a few weeks as I had some small bumpy hormonal spots and it cleared them up completely.

Hiya, I experience nodulocystic acne, and had huge bumps on my face that took months to go...and then would come straight back for another few months. Very much felt stuck with it for years, before I saw a specialist dermatologist. They prescribed spironolactone as well as a prescription retinoid. Within a few weeks my skin was much better. Wishing you the best with managing it going forward.

Tretinoin cured my cystic acne, you can get it online from places like dermatica. My skin is perfect now

See a dermatologist. I had cystic acne for years until I earnt enough / was fed up enough to see a top Harley St dermatologist. I wish I had done it sooner, might not have ended up with such bad scarring - though the treatments I have done following the dermatologist's advice have helped beyond measure.

For me, it's a mix of prescription retinoid, prescription azelaic (sp?) acid and vitamin C serum that did the trick, plus the contraceptive pill.

For cystic acne you need roactutane. Unfortunately anti biotics won’t get rid of cystic acne .