Cystic acne

[EatTheRich]

I had cystic acne for so long I had roaccutane 3x and it had gone but it's back now with vengeance!

My saving grace is that it's on my neck in my hair line but it hurts so much. Can I do anything about it? How do I pop them?

Gp said to try a cream but it doesn't work because of my hair.

It's so sore that's just one part of my neck, it goes from each ear all the way across the nape of my neck. Upwards maybe an inch or 2. I've probably got 40 cysts in that area, they're all massive under the skin, some have separate heads, some are the size of a 50p piece and have many heads on 1 cyst. I have to have my hair up for work and it's so embarrassing!

I think back to the GP probably, they will look at alternatives
I would be careful what you use in your hair too, try an SLS free shampoo and a silicone free conditioner. Moogoo are good or for cheaper try the childs farm shampoo and conditioner
SLS can irritate and silicone can build up

Oh and for some people zinc, omega 3 and also spearmint tea can really help
https://www.byrdie.com/spearmint-tea-acne-remedy
I mean it might not help but it's cheap at least!

Ring your dr, it’s not good for your immune system to be constantly fighting off infection like this.

Can you speak to a different dr?. How long ago was your last roaccutane?

@Fluffycloudland77 it was 8 years ago. I've got some clarithromicin for the next week and a gel to try. It's got so much h worse in the last 24 hours

You might need to take Roaccutane again? DH had shocking acne when I met him, his old GP gave him 1 course of antibiotics when he was 14 and said he would just have to live with it. All over his back, he couldn't wear light coloured clothes (white shirts at school were torture) as the cysts would burst and bleed. When he moved in with me and changed GP he referred him straight away. Consultant said it was the worst case he had seen, DH ended up taking it for 18 months, with steroids on top. It worked, and it's never come back. I hope you can get it sorted OP, that looks really painful.

Yeah I think I need a referral to derm again

You poor thing, that looks sore.

Ok so if you e had roaccutane 3 times there’s no way normal treatments are going to work now. It’s like trying to put a house fire out with a watering can.

When I took it they said if it comes back ask for a ref back, did they say that to you? .

@Sagaris that’s such shitty care it’s a good job you got involved.

That looks sore I feel for you (had similar). You must keep going back to your GP you can’t go on like this, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about but it looks so painful. Have you tried a longer course of antibiotics and a topical antibiotic cream?

I would also avoid washing my hair with shampoo, just wash it with water or a really gentle (shampoo) soap bar for a while.

Ouch, that looks painful. Does your acne respond to Dianette/Yasmin? Have you ever considered Spironolactone?

I’m on Spironolactone for hormonal cystic acne and I find it very effective.

It is really painful my dr wont see me but I've sent an updated photo to him as I was worried and he didn't know what it was,
Said it could be shingles, impetigo or cystic acne, he won't see me because impetigo is so contagious. So I'm on
Doxycycline
Clarithromicin
Cefalexine
And acyclovir.

It's so sore and my theatre hat sit on the main bit of it so it hurts a lot but it is covered.

It burns and throbs and I can't lie on my back because it hurts so much. They're leaking pus into my hair and it's just fucking gross.

It's really hard to take photos of the back of your own head! But it's all like this now.

I want to shave my hair off

I added the second photo because it shows the small pustule it starts out as and then gets massive

I was going to suggest acnecide but no, you need to see a consultant. GP is fobbing you off.

Yeah they did fob me off. I might go to ooh tomorrow to get them to swab it

Managed to get an appointment in the morning with a real live dr in person

So glad you got a real life appointment. Do not be fobbed off!!!!! What you experiencing is not “just a few spots”, it must be so so painful. They CAN fix it, they just need to diagnose it properly first (possibly swab it). Don’t give up and don’t be fobbed off!!! Looking forward to seeing the picture of you’re totally clear hairline in the not too distant future👍

If you’re in theatre can’t the surgeons have a look?.

He won't see you in case it's impetigo which is infectious?

That's bollocks - it is infectious obviously but that's why infection protocols exist!

See a different GP and insist on all the tests known to man to find out what this is. You poor thing it looks unbelievably sore.

@Fluffycloudland77 my colleagues are neurosurgeons not dermatologists.

Well that’s very inconvenient of them.

I think I’ve read this condition can sometimes show up on the hairline though it doesn’t say it here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/hidradenitis-suppurativa/

I have problems with spots on breasts and have just developed some on my hairline too though mildly at the moment.

Cold tar shampoo is good with breakouts in the hair.

Have you got a diagnosis yet?.

Ouch that looks so sore, poor you, I hope the doctor today has been helpful

Is it OK for you to be in theatre if you are leaking pus..?

I also thought it was rubbish not to be seen because of infection risk. Unless they’re licking your neck they’re not going to catch it, it’s not airborne FFS. I feel bad you have to put up with this shit. Don’t accept it. They CAN treat it and with the right treatment it will go. Do not give up.