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Original poster

Help! Cluster of acne...

31 replies

CantChoose · 04/05/2018 10:06

Hi,
I am 30 and have had two courses of roaccutane in the past. The dermatologist offered to extend the course beyond the usual or to continue a very low dose for prevention but I want to have a baby and the appointments are monthly, always last minute and mean I have to cancel 18 of my own patients to attend (I am a gp)
Unfortunately, though better than before, it has returned. It is worst on my jawline and the underside of my chin. They are almost all painful, under the skin ones. They very rarely have a head.
The main issue is that for the last few months the right side has been not too bad but there's a 3x3cm patch on the left that is AWFUL. They're raised, painful and there are so many of them in such a small space. It's like they are spreading from each other, is that possible?!? I have tried washing my brushes more often and changing my pillowcase every two days.
As a GP I am aware of medical solutions but am TTC so would really appreciate it if anyone knows anything non-medical that might help!
Its so bad that I'm tempted to stop TTC and just make the decision not to have children so I can go back on roaccutane :(
They're so painful, itchy and of course unsightly. It's really making me miserable.

OP posts:

Original poster

CantChoose · 04/05/2018 10:08

Gosh that was longer than I thought it would be.
TLDR version: I have a patch of cystic acne under my chin on one side. Please advise!

OP posts:

QueenGoblin · 04/05/2018 10:33

I am around the same age as you and still have problems with acne/spots. It is nowhere near as bad as it used to be though, so whilst not perfect it is a lot better these days.

I was prescribed creams and tablets which helped clear the worst of it, but I found monthly dermalogica facials also helped. Having a thorough cleanse and extraction just stopped a build up!

I've recently had a baby so I haven't been having regular facials for well over a year now (stopped whilst pregnant) and I do really notice the difference in my skin.

PretABoire · 04/05/2018 10:43

Asprin paste helps bring down the swelling on mine. If I squeeze them they just get worse. I read on here about massaging them and was sceptical, but I started getting my monthly cystic spot earlier this week and gave it a go - instead of swelling up as usual it is starting to turn into a proper whitehead now.

Ollivander84 · 04/05/2018 13:47

Can you use acnecide? That's the only thing that helps when mine is really bad
Do you touch that bit of your face, or have a phone or rest your face on your hand or sleep with hand there?

Desmondo2016 · 04/05/2018 13:50

Im with you OP. Lucette is the only thing that works for me and really is my miracle, life changing drug of choice! I too have considered stopping ttc because of wanting to be back on the pill. Luckily that was the month I got pg bit it was a definite decision factor in giving up breastfeeding. I'm 40 and accept now I'll akways stay on lucette until i reach the menopause then we'll see if my hormones sort themselves out!! No magic non drug cure here I'm afraid. And I have tried EVERYTHING over the past 20 years.

Original poster

CantChoose · 04/05/2018 14:39

Thanks all!
QueenGoblin I'm too embarrassed to have a facial. I know that's probably silly but I think they're so disgusting I wouldn't ask another person to have to touch them
I've heard the aspirin thing a few times, I might give it a go. Presumably it's the full dose not the 75mg? And a soluble one?! Probably stupid questions...
Ollivander I'm allergic to acnecide. It cleared my spots completely when I used t as a teenager but I ended up needing prednisolone tablets to stop the rash and swelling :/ I built it up really gradually too so was gutted when it happened. I've tried tiny patches since but react within a few minutes now.
I've never had Lucette. But had dianette many, many years ago but it's not so widely used now so I will probably try lucette everually rather than going straight for roaccutane. It's very frustrating isn't it...

OP posts:

Scabbersley · 04/05/2018 14:41

Dds acne came back after Roaccutane. She took antibiotics then settled on yasmin which has cleared everything

Original poster

CantChoose · 04/05/2018 18:43

Yes, Scabbersley but as I'm hoping to become pregnant I can't have either of those, unfortunately. I will bear it in mind if I still need it after pregnancy / if I give up on that idea though!!

OP posts:

Ollivander84 · 04/05/2018 19:43

What's the other topical stuff? Zinyert maybe?

userofthiswebsite · 04/05/2018 19:43

Weird saying this to a GP but have you tried Lymecycline?
I did a 6 month course which worked very well. Also suffer from nasty chin lumps under the skin.
Mine came back after the course finished but for some people that is enough. The derm was going to put me on Roac but has got me on Lyme again...

Original poster

CantChoose · 04/05/2018 19:48

Olivander, yes I used that while waiting for my most recent set of derm appts (9m waiting list in my area!) and it helps a tiny bit but to be honest not enough to make a visible difference really.
user it's very unsafe in pregnancy, so sadly not suitable while TTC.

OP posts:

Desmondo2016 · 04/05/2018 22:27

Yes, dianette was my original drug of choice! Lucette is pretty much as good as dianette and , I believe, slightly lower risk.

joangray38 · 04/05/2018 22:34

I wash my face every evening with warm water and Dead Sea bath salts. It has improved my acne massively and seems to draw and clean the spots/ mini volcanos out.

Ofthread · 04/05/2018 23:47

Have you tried Retin A cream or gel?

Graduate223 · 04/05/2018 23:52

If it is on your jawline and chin it is hormonal and roaccutane won’t work. It’s shocking that derms still push roaccutane for this kind of hormonal acne - it will just keep coming back. So sorry but if you’re TTC you will have to put up with it for a while — the only thing that will help is spironolactone and/or the pill, and you can’t be on them while TTC or pregnant. So sorry you’re going through this.

Littlelambpeep · 04/05/2018 23:54

The sun (I use a sunbed to clear - Tut Tut) but boots sell a uv light for targeting areas

babycham75 · 05/05/2018 00:01

Evening primrose oil? X

Ofthread · 05/05/2018 00:04

Also used to find that vitamin B6 helped with hormonal spots.

BunloafAndCrumpets · 05/05/2018 00:38

Topical metronidazole helped mine when all else failed. As did witch hazel!

When I got pregnant my acne was AWFUL for first few weeks but then cleared and I had lovely skin for about a year! Hope all goes well for you.

OlennasWimple · 05/05/2018 00:41

The only thing I found that worked for my cystic acne was a low dose of spironolactone tablets (I took them for a month and was almost completely clear, now I take a tablet as soon as I feel the swelling coming up and it mostly sees them off) plus clindamycin gel

moredoll · 05/05/2018 01:20

Cold pressed 99% Aloe Vera gel might help.

blueskypink · 05/05/2018 01:33

I had bad acne from my late teens to early 30s. Really painful lumps on my Face, back and chest, but primarily along my jawline.

I had 3 courses of Roaccutane and it did come back after each one, though to a lesser degree each time. What pretty much cured mine was getting pregnant. It was awful for the first month or so of being pregnant and then it just all went. The really bad acne never came back though I still get the odd spot on my chin. I did have 3 children in 5 years so maybe that just sorted everything out.

UpperWallop · 05/05/2018 08:58

Blue and red light therapy. Get one of those strange looking neutrogena masks. Blue is for the bacteria and red is anti infl.

www.boots.com/neutrogena-visibly-clear-light-therapy-acne-mask-10229137

BWatchWatcher · 05/05/2018 09:00

Any chance you use a handcream and rest your chin on your hand? That can cause spots around the jawline.

cathyandclare · 05/05/2018 09:16

Myself and my two daughters have had acne, mine was sorted by Roaccutane and DD2 had two courses of Roaccutane, with minor recurrence and is now OK on Yasmin.

DD1's skin has recently cleared up on going totally dairy-free (she stopped Dianette and her acne came back with a vengeance). The change has been dramatic over a three week period. I'm a doctor and inherently cynical but it's the only change she made.

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