Anyone else get really itchy cystic acne?

[Squirrelfruitandnutkin]

Theyre so itchy! And when I absent mindedly scratch them they get bigger and redder and take longer to heal.

I'm considering taking some anti histamines to stop the itch.

Anyone found a successful treatment for the spots or the itch?

Yep, same here. I find that peels help. Salicylic and glycolic. Then i use an oil cleanser for removing make up and follow that with face wash to keep my face nice and clean.

Nip Fab pads are good too!

Peels sound scary! 😬
Although maybe not as scary as my face after a good itch! 😳

If you're at home, I put big blobs of sudocrem on to soothe the itchiness. It helps stop me itching them especially as then if I touch them sudocrem gets smeared everywhere so you instantly notice and stop whereas otherwise I find i itch without even realising. But that obv only works on a night at home or whatever.

They sound scary but they really aren't. I'm sure there are probably other threads on doing peels at home. You don't actually peel, it's more like exfoliating but if you do use a peel remember to use sunblock on your face!

GP for antibiotics - do you have rosacea? Are they on your chin only?

One three month treatment and i appear to be 'cured' of the big fat zits touch wood. It's a bit of a miracle IMHO

I get that sometimes around jaw line or chin. I think it is caused by my hair conditioner. Or else fleece clothes around my neck.
I've stopped using conditioner and not had that flare up recently.
The fact its itchy means it could be an allergy to something.

Sweetchickadee - I had antibiotics for acne when I was a teen. They were horrible lots of side effects and no benefit. I can't for the life of me remember the name of them tho.
No roseacia

Itgurl- I don't think it's an allergy as they aren't constant - they come and go with my hormones.

Squirrel sympathies, as I get these on my chin too. Sometimes I get a bad one and almost want to rip it out of my skin it's that itchy. So annoying they don't actually break through the skin, and then leave horrible dark scars.

I had one the other month which was literally waking me up at night with the itch?! I already take antihistamines for rhinitis but they didn't seem to help.

Maybe hot and cold compresses alternated? Then second the Sudocrem suggestion. Good luck.

Sympathies. Roaccutane was a miracle for me. Maybe you've already tried it but if not, i recommend considering it. It's hard work while you're on it but the after effects have changed my life.

Ice cube wrapped in plastic bag- apply to spot till totally melted. Stopped itching and swelling, made them go quicker and leave a smaller mark. Then a glycolic product to fade the mark.

But ditching dairy made them stop altogether. Worked out later that I can have a bit of dairy during my period and be fine, but not before or after.

TheGaleanthropist did you have to ditch dairy completely? Or just cut right down? It's something I've thought about before, but milk, cheese and yoghurt are part of my staple diet (Tried dairy free alternatives and didn't like them! Plus I have two small kids so still have to buy normal stuff for them, so it's an expensive faff).

I did. Tried a little bit again after about a year, worked out that I could have a little, bit (milk chocolate, odd ice cream) during my period, but not before or after.

However, I just find it easier &better not to have it at all now, been like that for the past couple of years.

The thing that's made a difference is the amount of coconut based plant alternatives, especially the Koko stuff, if you haven't tried it already. Their milk is really good, and they do yoghurts. It's a bit dearer than dairy, but not ridiculous. I was never a huge cheese fan, but I do have some violife cheese occasionally. Didn't think it was that great til DH hit on the idea of slicing it thickly and cooking it like halloumi. Tesco also go some nice dairy free cornetto and magnum copies. You really wouldn't know they were dairy free.

It was a bit of a faff to get into the swing of things, but it's totally worth it now, and I have quite a settled staple diet again. Also spend a lot less on skincare now, plus the spots actually really hurt a lot, so it's just a relief not to have them anymore.