Spotty chin making me miserable

[MrsTumbletap]

I am 37 and used to have great skin.

Over the last 2 years I have had a surge of spots on my chin and around my mouth and I don't know why, some have said its hormones nurse at my GP said changing contraception may help and it's made no difference.

What can I do? Cleansing and toning and clay masks make no difference. Cleaning and covering in sudocrem makes no difference. Blasting it with my laser hair remover makes no difference.

It's a bit pricey for me for a flannel and some reviews aren't great

Dermaflannel is about a tenner.

Bravura website

It can take about 3 months for something like Yasmin to kick in. If you feel less oily then chances are that it might yet lead to clear skin.

The dermaflannel costs about £10.

A lot cheaper and safer than drugs and expensive lotions.

How are prescription drugs unsafe?.

I use Zineryt, online pharmacy2u consultation, very easy. It does dry out your skin so I don’t over use - only when I have a flare up, literally sorts out all blemishes overnight & after a few days it’s all cleared up.

Amazing stuff.

@Fluffycloudland77 prescription drugs can cause problems and side effects

Can you clarify the problems though?.

Known potential problems will be listed on the patient info sheets supplied with each drug

I don’t think your medically trained.

It’s really important not to scare monger about highly regulated medicines because they are there to help people not harm them.

The vast majority of patients will take a medication with no side effects. Sometimes one drug in it’s group will affect someone but another type won’t so it’s trial & error.

@Fluffycloudland77 The point is just that a flannel has no risk or side effects.

I'm not scare mongering at all, I think you are just being ridiculous in that suggestion.

No, you just don’t like having your cod science challenged.

I took roaccutane, I got side effects but they didn’t harm me, now I wake up with perfect skin every day.

You’re not going to cure a bacterial infection that deep in the skin without drugs.

All of this “oooh drugs do HARM” is really unhelpful.

I've had this my entire adult life, now aged 40. Have tried la Roche posay numerous times and never saw any improvement. The one thing that's worked for me has been the mirena coil. Didn't take it expecting it to impact my skin, it's been a lovely bonus

@Fluffycloudland77 my chin spots cleared up with the dermaflannel, this also worked for my best friend. I expect it would also work for some other sufferers of chin spots. Why would you try to belittle my experience and get aggressive about me not "being a medical professional" of course I'm not I'm posting as someone who had chin spots and I'm suggesting something from my own experience that may help others.

You seem to be reading some massive agenda into my posts that simply isn't there.

I have known 3 people who took roaccutane and it was very very effective. Each did have significant side effects but I think they would all do it again if they had the choice again. One of them didn't have very bad spots and I was surprised she was using it. I guess it is a cost benefit analysis for people.

My skin is awful due to ovarian cysts and an endo flare.

I have found Effaclar Duo normal helps. Thanks @Danglingmod I have stopped moisturising at night after using Effaclar duo and it seems to have helped.

Any tips on how to deal with scaring/purple marks left behind?

Any tips for covering up, Benefit Boing is not cutting it.

@2020nymph in the La Roche range when I was getting the stuff recommended on this thread, I did see lots more stuff for scarring, redness etc. Might be worth a try?

This might sound random but for me it’s refined sugar that gives me spots round my mouth and on my chin. No refined sugar and my skin is perfect.

Are the spots really painful whiteheads and the skin is generally red?
I started getting these in my mid twenties, I tried lots of creams and it only made it worse.
When I finally went to the dermatologist, he told me to stop all skin care for 6 weeks and only clean that area with water.
Horribly to do at first, as you can’t put make up/ concealer on, but it started clearing up and since then I only use water/witch hazel spray. No creams as all. For the rest of my face I do the normal cleaning/ cream/ makeup regime.
I try not to touch the area at all with my hands, as that causes flare up, as does stress/too much sugar.
I’ve now been doing it for 10 years and still get a spot sometimes, but in general it’s fine.
This might seem to simple, but at least it’s free and painless, (apart from having to go into public with spots as a grown woman)

Following with interest. I looked into roaccutane but I must say the possible side effects did worry me - it says it can dry out the skin a lot. I don't really want to replace one skin problem with another so think I'll avoid it. I'm also allergic to a lot of skincare products so I can't really moisturise. I guess I'm not so bothered by the spots, I'd just prefer they weren't there.

When I went to the GP he suggested prescribing antibiotics but, again, I'm not so bothered about the spots that I want to take long term antibiotics either.

I'd think it was some sort of lingering infection and ask the doctor for antibiotic cream. I'm not a doctor though! Otherwise do see if they can refer you to dermatology. I got referred for a skin disorder which I'd tried everything on and they gave it a name and specific steroid and it stopped it in its tracks after years of trying this and that over the counter. It wasn't specifically spotty but dermatologists have seen it all.

Thought I would come back and update on the skin progress. So I bought the Effeclar stuff (the set of three) and have been using it every day twice a day.

I think my skin has gotten worse. Instead of the spots mainly being around my jawline they have now spread up to my cheeks.

So I'm on Yasmin which is supposed to help skin, makes no difference. This Effaclar stuff has cost me £30 hasn't really made a difference. I even bought Salicylic acid to put directly on some of the spots, it doesn't seem to have made a difference.

It's time for me to get to the doctors I think.

MrsTumbletrap definitely go to doctor's. The problem with these threads is that everyone has a different experience/approach/recommended product etc, which is fine for a straightforward problem eg a few spots. But your skin looks more complicated, especially as the spots are spreading. They look quite sore and angry. You will probably need some kind of prescription oral/topical medicine.

It's a minefield so I feel for you. I saw a dermatologist yesterday (cost me 80€ - I'm in France) who diagnosed me with perioral dermatitis. If you look at me, my face looks nothing like a typical perioral dermatitis sufferer. I just have some little red lumps under my eyes that are not very noticeable but quite sore. I thought it might be rosacea/excema. She had a good look and said definitely perioral dermatitis. So I'm now on a course of low level antibiotics whose purpose is not anti-infection but anti-inflammatory.

I had a similar issue ten years ago and the dermatologist said it was rosacea. When I mentioned this to the dermatologist yesterday she said under eye spots like mine can be either perioral dermatitis or rosacea but in any case, the treatment is exactly the same.

I would also cut out all face products including makeup and just use water to cleanse for a while to see what happens.

Good luck!

I also would avoid scrubbing with hot cleansers and flannels. Your skin looks far too sore and fragile for that.

B vitamins orally, and topically in the form of Freederm really help. Although freederm is marketed toward teenagers, a lot of dermatologists really rate it for adult acne, and the redness that seems to accompany adult acne. It’s also cheap and quite mattifying under make up.