Is the GP going to laugh at me?

[ThatsNotMyLifeItsTooCrappy]

I have had spots of various kinds for 10 years now (nothing during my teenage years) and since I woke up this morning with a giant surprise cyst covering half my chin, I decided to bite the bullet and made an appointment for tomorrow. Is this too trivial to bother the GP with?

Over the years I have tried various things: harsh creams containing salicylic acid, oil cleansing method, Cleanse & Polish, gentle foam cleansers, scrubbing my face daily with a brush...

Will the GP just tell me to lay off the chocolate and stop wearing makeup? I pretty much don't even take the bin out without makeup on. Should I go to the appointment bare-faced or will they be able to see enough despite makeup? I don't really want to face the receptionist and waiting room without.

No your GP will not laugh at you. You are right to go and to ask for some help and advice.

Wear make up there if you want, but take a wet wipe so you can remove it for the doctor

I don't have anything else to offer! Except I thought eating too much chocolate was an old wives tale

Don't worry about bothering your doctor. They see all sorts of skin complaints every day. It sounds like you have tried a few products and are still having regular outbreaks? Some of the methods sound quite harsh - the acid/scrubbing. I wonder it that is changing the balance of your skin and therefore its ability to heal itself?

I am not sure what the doctor will advise - depends what diagnosis there is.

As far as the make-up prob goes. I would attend in make-up but put some cleansing cloths and make-up in your bag. I would whip the make-up off just before seeing the doc and re-apply in the toilet there before leaving.

I would be very surprised if they laughed at you.

I started getting bad spots in my mid twenties and my GP was really helpful, I got prescribed a topical treatment that really cleared them up.

Thanks, that's all quite reassuring. Will take some wipes (though might have to be antibacterial hand wipes as never use face wipes )

I was prescribed oral antibiotics & they cleared up beautifully. I only wish I'd gone earlier.

That sounds promising. Tbh I'm hoping for antibiotics as my second chin is so huge that one of the lymph nodes is swollen and as painful as the spot itself. Urgh.

Well, GP prescribed Duac cream. Does anyone have experience of this? She wasn't overly bothered by my giant spot and Ii was too embarrassed to ask, but checked lymph node.

Both of my dc have used duac . It works well but be warned it bleaches the colour out of bedding/nightclothes.

I've used Duac. I find it only works for me as a preventative measure, rather than actually treating an already fully formed cystic spot though. It's very drying for the skin and as a PP said, it bleaches your pillowcase or any fabrics.

I am permanently on a low dose of Erythromycin for spots, and I'm usually prescribed a weeks worth of Flucloxacillin if I have a particularly big breakout.

Thank you, will be careful re. the bleaching.

I thought it would be preventative. I'm allergic to penicillin, so perhaps that's one reason why she didn't prescribe any medication. She asked several times if I'd had treatment before (I haven't, I find it really embarrassing to talk about my skin), so perhaps she didn't take me very seriously.

Apparently it'll take a while until I see an improvement, so the dry skin will probably start first.