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Original poster

Middle aged zits!

24 replies

Ripeberry · 24/02/2009 17:47

I'm so fed up! I'm 40 this year and i've got worse spots now than at any other time in my life!
I've tried all the usual skin care treatments but i reckon they make it worse by stripping away the grease which makes them overproduce.
If i moisturise they just get worse again and these are not just little pimples with a white head. Just great big (feels like) mounds of red.
I can't wear any make-up over them as it makes them look worse.
It's really starting to affect my confidence.
Should i just go to the GP? But i really don't want to go on the pill again. Was on Dianette over 10yrs ago and it made me moody.
I am a bit stressed at the moment due to setting up a childminding business and being involved with the pre-school committee.
But this is ridiculous! Spots are for teenagers!

OP posts:
CarGirl · 24/02/2009 17:50

Same here more spots than I ever had. I suppose I've resigned myself that I'm peri-menopousal (p?)

Even my back gets greasy..........

PuppyMonkey · 24/02/2009 17:50

It's a bloody pain isn't it? My poor mum suffered for years and never found an answer. I would definitely go to the docs, there are lots of treatments now not just going on the pill. You might even need a course of antibiotics or something. But yes, do go and get them sorted.

Tillyscoutsmum · 24/02/2009 17:51

same here - they're like great big boils - hideous

Hope its not pre menopause though - I'm only 34 and am ttc ...

Original poster
Ripeberry · 24/02/2009 17:56

It must be genetic. I was speaking to my grandmother (dad's mum) and she said that she had bad spots around the age of 40. She keeps noticing them and feels sorry for me as it really upset her when she was younger.
She said they only got better when she started the menopause at around 47yrs old!

OP posts:
moshie · 24/02/2009 18:03

Just been prescribed Skinoren cream for the same problem, seems to be very gradually improving. I know exactly what you mean about drying your skin out then causing more spots by moisturising. You need a moisturiser that doesn't clog pores, I'm using Avene because I also have very sensitive skin.
Have you tried mineral make up? it doesn't irritate or clog pores. Maybelline is good and is reduced in Boots at the moment.

CKelpie · 24/02/2009 18:13

I developed adult acne in my late 20s, despite escaping relatively unscathed in my teen years.

I took limecycline for ages which improved the situation but never completely cleared it up. Last November I was prescribed Dianette and Zyneryt lotion and I can't tell you how much my skin has improved.

I recommend that you don't waste any more time feeling down about spots and go to see your GP.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 24/02/2009 18:21

Ripeberry

I would go to the GP, they probably won't put you on Dianette again though. The pill though has anti androgenic qualities which will reduce the incidents of spots.

Aloe vera is good for spots.

Adult onset acne is sometimes caused by a hormonal condition called polycystic ovaries. I note as well you were previously on Dianette too (again this has anti androgenic qualities), if I had £1 for every time a women who went onto present with PCO was on Dianette I'd have a mountain of money by now.

SnowlightMcKenzie · 24/02/2009 18:28

roacutane was the only thing that help and the effect was only whilst on them

amazonianwoman · 24/02/2009 22:21

Zineryt is good - it's just about the only thing that helps mine. I'm 42. Dianette was excellent but I think I'm too old for the pill now?

Eve Lom (£££) and Liz Earle (not so £££) hot cloth cleansers are also excellent for getting your skin clean without stripping it. I wouldn't use any others now...

SnowlightMcKenzie · 25/02/2009 16:08

What is Zineryt?

Dianette didn't work at all for me I'm afraid.

ljhooray · 25/02/2009 16:28

HI there, agree that they would probably avoid dianette as they don't like to prescribe for the l.t. unless absolutely necessary (think its a breast cancer link issue). I've really struggled too and also get them on my back and chest (nice!) and tried all of the suggestions above. I've now found the best combination for me is 10% aha on my face and 2.5% Benzyl peroxide on my back and chest (far too aggressive for my face and had same probs as you with overdrying). It has really calmed things down for me and I personally could never get on with the antibiotic treatments. Recommend this US site www.acne.org.

amazonianwoman · 25/02/2009 16:34

Zineryt is a topical antibiotic lotion. Prescription only.

Mercy · 25/02/2009 16:42

I started getting spots a couple of years ago (am now 45)

Some of them are real whoppers and have left scars (they hurt too sometimes

Hormones are def to blame in my case. I take zinc and vit c supplements which help a bit

MumHadEnough · 25/02/2009 16:43

I get this too and quite often end up with a course of tetracycline for 6 - 9 weeks, perhaps once or twice a year. It clears it up fabulously though.

Well worth a visit to the GP.

JiminyCricket · 25/02/2009 16:46

GP prescribed Erythromyacin with zinc (which pharmacist advised would almost definitley help, which is what made me go to GP) and it did help (a rollerball application which I put on twice a day). I am being brave (6 months later) and trying without it at the mo and not too bad now - I had never suffered with spots, and suddenly went through this weird hormonal time at 35 last year and spots were awful and pretty non stop.

JiminyCricket · 25/02/2009 16:46

GP will diagnose the type of acne, as they are all different

SnowlightMcKenzie · 25/02/2009 18:54

My GP sent me to a dermatologist. I spent a year going through various things and ended up on roacutane which was supposed to have a permenant effect. It actually gave me a year spot free, but then they came back

DesperateHousewifeToo · 25/02/2009 19:15

Could it be rosacea?

BobDowne · 26/02/2009 11:21

I'm 42 and have suffered with painful spots for about the last 6 years.
Am now taking doxycycline which has helped a lot. I also found that cutting down on dairy products has helped too - i use goats milk instead of cows - the taste is not much different + spots have been much better since changing over.

RoseOfTheOrient · 26/02/2009 11:30

this thread mentions oil cleansing, and I am tempted to give it go.

amazonianwoman · 26/02/2009 14:17

Ooo, I just saw that thread last week so tried it, but I only had olive oil + castor oil. I think the olive oil is a bit heavy - sunflower, grapeseed, sweet almond, jojoba or sunflower would be better I think.

I got an extra batch of little yellow spots (not the boil type), but they could've been premenstrual ones, so will give it another go next week.

The Eve Lom cleanser is pretty oily and I love it, but would much prefer to make my own rather than spend £40+ on a tub of EL.

schwing · 30/03/2009 12:00

Hi, I have just joined this site and I am interested in information about spots. I am 44 and I think going through early menopause stage because of no period for about a year. I have started to get tiny spots on the forehead and around the hairline as well as a few on my neck. I have never suffered from spots so I don't know why I would get them now? I am pretty fit as I run a few times a week and dance (jazz). Is this common? I don't have any family to ask and my friends are not suffering anything yet! Very keen for advice.

OrmIrian · 30/03/2009 12:02

Same here. And they hurt!

I've cleared them up mostly by using a scrub regularly but then of course my skin is a little ancient and delicate for that . Have started using BioOil as a moisturiser and it does look and feel much better generally.

schwing · 30/03/2009 12:15

Well, nothing ventured, as they say. Thanks for that. I will give it a go.

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