At the age of 31, for the first time EVER, I have spots. Help!

[bigkidsdidit]

Arg! I have spots!

Are there any spot potions that actually work?

Duac. But it prescription-only, as is anything that actually works. It's well worth a trip to the GP though.

Will she give it to me for just spots not acne?

Thanks :)

Yes, I think so, especially if you tell her that you have never had spots before.

I second Duac, cleared up my spots really well. Be careful though - I put it on some spots on my shoulders and it rubbed on my bed clothes and bleached all the colour out!! Apparently spots are common once women hit 30 - its all your hormones changing!

Ok will ask, thanks

Now to work out what caused them...

Watching with interest

I have spots for the first time this year, age 27, since starting cerazette. Tried some antibiotic lotion and some drying creme from the pharmacist - no good.

Maybe try Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% before Duac as it's so much cheaper? It's one of the main ingredients in Duac.

It works wonders for me, I swear by it and it's a couple of pounds from the chemist. It also bleaches everything though!

Is there a specific brand name Horse?

Dalacyn on prescription from your GP. It is very gentle, non-drying and extremely effective.

The one I use is PanOxyl 2.5 Aquagel. It's all I have ever been offered when I have asked for Benzoyl Peroxide and you do have to ask for it.

Thanks v much

Are they mainly around your mouth/chin? This happened to me just before I turned 30! Can be triggered by lots of things, but antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide eventually cleared it up. It took a couple of months though!

Yes! Yes!

Will try the benzoyl first as it's non-GP and see how I get on

I buy salycilic acid spray from amazon. Works a treat.

I went to the GP when this happened to me - had a terrible spotty forehead having had good skin all my life, was awful. I was prescribed some kind of antibiotic roll on and it went and has never returned :) I would not waste your money on OTC stuff and different skincare regimes like me and just get down to the docs!

It's called perioral dermatitis (or "muzzle rash" - nice!) Can be triggered by stress, hormones or steroid creams, even just a trace of one. B.P. dries up the spots; the ABs deal with the cause (something to do with protein, apparently).

I wasted LOADS of time trying different things - kept saying "will see how I get on" and convincing myself it was getting better. It really knocked my confidence actually. My GP told me the antibiotics would take 5-6 weeks to kick in, which they did, but I could have kicked myself for not going earlier.

Thanks everyone. Might make an appt then, if it's still the same in a week or so

Wheatie progesterone-only contraception, even in low doses like Cerazette, can cause acne, if you are at all susceptible. Even with the Mirena coil, and that's a tiny dose. My dermatologist says it's a real no-no.