So fed up with spots...

[ToffeeWhirl]

I have started getting spots on my neck, behind my ears and on my jawline. This morning, I have a huge spot brewing on my chin . I don't know why I'm getting them or what to do about it. I tried the oil-cleansing method a few months ago and that was disastrous for my skin, so I've gone back to Liz Earle.

I'm 49. Wondered if it was a hormonal, premenopausal thing...?

Any ideas? I now have wrinkles as well as spots. It's not fair.

[SirRaymondClench]

Right buckle up bitches, I'm going to tell you how to get rid of your spots.

I am now 41 but the moment I hit 30 I started getting those hormonal spots on my chin and jawline (sometimes my forehead too).
I have tried EVERYTHING and although something have made things better, nothing has ever actually worked properly.
Last year for my Christmas present I had a course of Danne Montague King treatments for 6 months after seeing it on TV. It was £300 for the at home products and £80 every 2 weeks for the facials
I'd love to tell you it worked fantastically but I'd be lying if I said that.

So I've been using La Roche Posay Effaclar range and it's been very good but not totally worked. I was still getting spots and those cystic lumps.
I've been having electrolysis and my electrologist also does other beauty stuff. We talked about my skin one day and she said she thought I needed a lymphatic drainage facial. I doubted highly it would actually work but hadn't had a facial for a while and felt I deserved a bit of pampering.

What I have is:
THIS

It's a bit freaky but fuck me, after the first treatment my skin was glowing. That's not unusual after a facial and that night I felt suddenly very down (I think I get a funny reaction to lymphatic drainage because I've had this after massages sometimes, must be toxins moving) BUT the next couple of days my skin cleared right up and looked incredible. I have to say in that time I was still eating crap and not drinking water but my skin cleared up and looked great. 2 weeks later I had another and my skin did the same thing, just kept getting better. One tiny cystic lump but nowhere near like the spots and lumps I had before.
After my third one my skin is incredible. I have scarring from squeezing old spots that I need to deal with my skin looks fantastic and no spots. If you think about it, draining away all the toxins from your face makes sense and it's worked! My facials are only £30 and so bloody relaxing. After the last one I didn't get the big downer at night and I am going to keep going every 2 weeks because I daren't not if it's working for me.
Anyway I wanted to share this because believe me I have tried everything in the 11 years I've had bad skin.
If you find someone near you who does this give it a go!

[clippityclop]

I am 45 and had exactly the same experience after trying the ocm All I can suggest is persist with Liz, use the exfoliator too, up your fruit and veg, water intake and slap Freederm on as appropriate. Think of it as that elusive thing - younger looking skin (spotty teenage)! It'll pass.

[LittleBonnie]

Keep persevering with quinoderm! I suffer from loads of shitty spots (I think they are caused by sensitivity to certain hair products and make up). I put on a thin layer of quinoderm every night before bedtime. For the first couple of weeks or so I was mega flaky the next morning but I think that this is because the cream is shedding all the dead crappy skin (I have used it for nearly a year now). I only use a very tiny drop each day so it isn't expensive, I'm still on my second tube.
Be careful of fabric bleaching though, best to stick to cheap white towels and pillowcases.

[ToffeeWhirl]

Thanks for all these tips. Have read them all. As a start, last night I used Liz Earle, then slapped on the Quinoderm, then put my hair up and changed my pillowcase. Am going to visit the GP next week and see if I can get hold of Duac or similar.

Interesting that you had the same experience after trying the OCM, clippity. I persevered with the method for a couple of months in spite of the spots because I thought it was bringing out impurities and I would end up with lovely clear skin - but the spots persisted.

SirRaymond - La Roche Posay looks promising. The lymphatic massage looks freaky and I don't understand how it works. But I'm glad it worked for you.

Saurus - why is Liz Earle disastrous for hormonal skin problems? I know I can't use her SuperSkin products for older skin because it brings me out in spots (think it's the oil), but I really like her Cleanse & Polish.

Mumelie and Wacey - encouraging to hear that the Duac was so effective. I think a trip to the GP is in order.

mini - is Epiduo prescription only? I like the idea of Retin A if it minimises lines too .

The spot on my chin is fairly spectacular this morning, but I haven't helped it by squeezing it, so now it's a lump with a scab on top . I know I shouldn't squeeze, but I hate feeling that there's a lump under my skin which should come out. Bought some Youngblood mineral powder from the beauty salon yesterday, which has done a good job of covering it up.

[rollonthesummer]

What I don't understand is that when you get spots like this-why can't you ever squeeze them successfully?! There is clearly 'gunk' in there-you can see it, but it won't come out!?

[ToffeeWhirl]

Some gunk came out, rollon, but then it started to build up again (sorry if tmi). And there is still a lump of something in there that won't come out. It's maddening.

And why does the 'gunk' build up in the first place?

[rollonthesummer]

It's so frustrating, isn't it?! Some people get spots, mine look more like boils! I also swell up around them, so if I get one where there's lots of soft tissue, eg near my lip, I look like I've been punched :(

[Fluffycloudland77]

Did you read the caroline hiron blog? I stopped using anything anti biotic and switched to la roche posay physiological cleanser and their salycilic acid moisturiser.

Cutting out sugar worked almost overnight.

[minipie]

Yes Epiduo is prescription only (as is Duac). I am not sure if it helps with lines but I guess in theory it should do!

Retinoids are known to help with acne, that is what Roaccutane is based on.

[Lilybensmum1]

I had this diagnosed after years of embarrassment thought my GP would laugh me out of the surgery but prescribed an antibiotic face wash and differin gel this was amazing!!! I have stopped the face wash now but use the gel on the odd spot it works wonders.

I now use quinoderm facewash and Clinique dramatically different moisturising lotion. There is loads you can do but generally treatments take a while to work so be be patient and good luck!!

[cerealqueen]

My skin went like this after trying oil cleansing.

I now cleanse with dove unscented soap and an electric skin cleaning brush in the morning, and oil of olay with a few drops of jojoba oil,
evening routine is anne french milk in the evening followed by witch hazel and Avene triacneal, which has retin in it and glycolic acid. Skin now clear, occasional big cysty spot but the triacneal makes them less angry and they go quickly.

[paxtecum]

I had spots for 20 years, some big, some small.
They ruined my self esteem - I really thought I was an ugly freak.

I had food sensitivity testing.
I gave up dairy, sugar and junk and they went.
For me it was that simple.
No expensive treatments & lotions, just diet.

Spots come from within.

[DowntonTrout]

I have this problem too. On my chin. It drives me mad and I'm a dreadful picker.

I have had a spot for weeks, under the skin. Eventually yesterday I got a sterilised needle and stuck it into it to allow the yellow stuff to be squeezed out. Then I liberally doused it with anti bacterial lotion and tea tree. I don't recommend anyone do that, by the way, I know it can introduce infection, but I was sick of it. Today the lump has gone but it's a bit scabby/dry

I'm going to have a look at the LRP stuff and will attempt to stop touching and picking.

[rollonthesummer]

See, I do that with a sterilised needle-but nothing comes out!

[Saurus72]

OP LE cleanse & Polish contains both cocoa butter and essential oils, both of which are known irritants. I tried using c&p, but it made my skin far worse re: spots, and took months, literally to calm down again.

[fussychica]

Clinique anti blemish gel for the odd breakout (DS uses it too). I also use their anti blemish concealer over the top. Usually gone the same day.

[ShredMeJillianIWantToBeNatalie]

If you have one of those painful lumpy spots where it feels hard and sore (but not like there's anything in it to come out, if that makes sense) I've found magnesium sulphate paste from the chemist quite helpful. Costs about 70p.

It's an old treatment for boils, I believe it's still known as a drawing ointment. Also good for splinters. Put it on overnight and in the morning it should be less red and angry.

[ToffeeWhirl]

Nobody google 'cystic acne'. Just don't.

And I don't have what appeared in those pictures, luckily. I just have the odd angry spot on my chin, neck and behind my ears. At least no one can see the ones behind my ears, apart from my unlucky hairdresser.

rollon - that's so unfair .

Fluffy - yes, I've read the Caroline Hiron blog now, thanks. According to her, it's essential to cleanse in the morning as well, which I never do (always thought it was just in the instructions to make you use up the product faster and have to spend more). Will start doing that now.

mini - thanks, will ask my GP about it.

Lily - that's fantastic .

cereal - oil cleansing isn't good for everyone, is it? I'm glad you sorted it - thanks for sharing your skin-care routine.

pax - wow, that's amazing. I have a very sweet tooth and I love dairy. I also love wine. I'm sure it's all bad for my skin, but not consuming it is bad for my morale . I will have to think about this.

Downton - that is Very Bad of you, but I'm impressed you waited so long. At least it's gone now and the scab will heal in time.

Saurus - hmm, didn't know that about Liz Earle. Caroline Hiron says she can't use the C&P because the eucalyptus and rosemary are too strong for her skin.

fussy - thanks - will look it up.

So, tips I'm definitely going to follow, gleaned from you helpful S&B people:

Reconsider Liz Earle C&P; tie up hair at night; change pillow case more often (does it have to be nightly? I don't have enough pillow cases for that); consider dietary causes (will try to cut down sugar at least); visit GP.

Am also going to give natural mineral foundation a try.

[ToffeeWhirl]

Shred - God, I could have done with some of that when this spot started coming up.

[somedizzywhore1804]

I had very bad cysty spots and found putting ibuprofen gel on them dried them out. Once I got rid I started putting a thin layer on my jaw and forehead (problem areas) at night. It can be drying so moisturise well in the morning.

[JuliaScurr]

quinoderm

[ToffeeWhirl]

I bought Quinoderm yesterday and it's doing a good job at drying them up, Julia.

Haven't heard the ibuprofen gel solution before, some. Will add to my mental list.

Drinking more water has also been recommended to me. I know I don't drink enough, so will start upping my intake.

[beemail]

My daughter has acne. Starting to clear now with oxytetracycline but does anyone know if there is any treatment available for the scarring it causes. Would love to think that she won't be scarred forever by it

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Two things worked for me: cleansing with Cetaphil (I wiped it off with a dry muslin cloth, but you can rinse it too) and Dalacin T lotion from the doctor. Bioderma Micellar Water is also an excellent cleanser.

[MarmiteChocolate]

tcp on a cotton bud will dry any spot out x