Disgustingly zitty back

[whataboutbob]

I have been ignoring this for years- not hard, as I don't have to look at it. Never had much acne on my face, but my back's another story. I'd be on Roacutane if it was my face- thick, angry boil like spots interspersed with smaller ones. Worse in the week before my period and as you can imagine it looks gross. I'm 47 and it shows no sign of getting better.
This summer, my best friend has organised a trip to Glyndebourne. Dress code is similar to wedding reception. Funds are tight and I was going to wear my wedding dress, which was actually a cocktail dress by V Westwood. Great dress, but unfortunately low cut back. Has anyone had the same problem and found a solution? I haven't even been to the GP yet but understand antibiotics can help (if you can manage to score them, which I imagine could be difficult, or even a contraceptive pill, which I'm not so keen on taking). Any advice?

Ah ha I can help!

Duac will be your friend - go to the GP and request it, be careful which clothes you wear when it is on (discolours them horribly).

Once you break the back of them consider using Effaclar H in the shower everyday and Effaclar Duo lotion when you know they are likely to be bad, to keep them at bay.

Worked a treat for me (sadly the scars stay, but hey I can live with those...)

Thanks for that have just booked a GP apptmtmnt next week.
Any other spot sufferers out there? The more info I have before seeing the doc the better!

Definitely Effaclar Duo, it's amazing.

tea tree oil spray around £5 from amazon works for my DS

I got rid of mine by having a couple of back facials, using a clay face mask daily and then - and most importantly I think - washing my back properly at the end of a shower. My routine in the shower has always been shampoo hair, rinse & put conditioner in, wash body and then rinse conditioner out. I think that I rinsed it out of my hair but onto my back and no further than that so my back was always covered in a layer of conditioner scum.

Salcura Antic spray

Was just coming on to recommend Duac ; amazing! Just be careful as it will bleach your clothes. I applied 2x daily and after 3 weeks my awful back was transformed!

I agree. Duac, then Effaclar duo plus.

I use the Duac at night and the Effaclar in the morning.

I've been using just the Duac for 2 years and my skin has been up and down, but since starting using the Effaclar 6 weeks ago my skin has almost cleared up. Just 2 small spots left now.

Maybe go for a back facial to start, then start with the Duac?

Thanks everyone it's looking like Duac which I will try my best to score a prescription for! I'll make sure to post in a few weeks with the results. My back really is a sorry sight so if it works that'll be a big endorsement for the Duac effaclar combo. Unless the GP thinks of something else.

zineryt did the job for me, I could also moisture without counteracting it and the 'bacne' disappeared like magic and never returned

Hello everyone.posting back to say that I have been on Duac for about 4 weeks and the difference is great. By contorting myself in the mirror I can see only 2. Spots! I have never know it to be that good.i think I will stop now and check again 3 weeks before glyndebourne,and start again if necessary. I ll also check out Effaclar, I'm a fan of LRP.
If i d known this worked I d have done it years ago. Thanks again for suggesting Duac themoreitsnows and willow moo.

I went to my gp in March. I was prescribed doxycycline for 3 months and advised to use Quinoderm (over the counter in chemist). On the advice of mn I also used religiously a foaming facial wash (tea tree bit various brands they are the same) morning and night.

That was March and by mid may they had gone. Seriously every blemish and I will be wearing vests this summer with no worries.

Quinoderm is packed with bleach and you need to wear old pyjamas with a high neck or risk wrecking your sheets.

Also...about a month maybe less in to treatment it flared again and I nearly have up thinking it wasn't working but I started it again religiously and then I started to see results

Please op straight to gp - mine was v sympathetic - acne is a medical condition which is easily treated but needs meds on prescription :-)

Thanks uncivilservant. I agree it should be seen as a medical condition. But maybe in a typically English, mustn' t grumble kind of way, I thought it would be bothering the GP with my cosmetic concerns. It's only when a (younger) colleague told me you could get antibiotics prescribed that I had a rethink.

Wow this has been enlightening.

I've started using conditioner religiously in the last year. Coincidentally (or not) I've started breaking out on my back. I Have just read covered post and put two and to together. I am not rinsing the conditioner properly off my skin I think.

I'll give it a go for a week or two and see what happens.

Thanks.