Spots on neck and jawline

[sunfundone]

I'm at my wits end!
Over the last year or so I keep getting big spots on my neck and jawline. It seems to have been since I started running a lot so I'm thinking it's linked to me sweating.
I'm 36 if that makes any difference.

I keep the area clean with a facial wash and make sure I wash my face and neck thoroughly before and after I run.
The spots are very sore and angry looking and I can squeeze pus out of them.
The skin on my face is the best it's ever been, it's just my jaw/neck area.
Does anyone have any advice? I'm pretty skint so I can't spend loads on expensive creams etc but I really want to sort it out

I’d go to the dr, if having acne all my life’s taught me anything it's that you need to hit it hard with antibiotics.

If they are sore they are deep enough to press on the nerve endings which are pretty deep down so it’s not a minor thing.

Pus coming out of your skin isn’t really cosmetic either, the cosmetic industry has hijacked a medical issue. If pus was coming out of your eye you wouldn’t buy antiseptic eye drops you’d want antibiotics.

Have you asked your GP? I was prescribed a something topical for chin/jawline spots - they thought it was a fungal infection - (sorry, helpfully can't remember what). I also used hibiscrub after someone suggested it on here. It went away thankfully. Hope you can get it treated. It's miserable.

Thank you. I didn't want to bother the GP as it doesn't seem important enough but I will try to get an appt sorted

Oh it’s important. At least it’s something they can treat.

Spots on jawline and neck could also indicate hormonal imbalance linked to a gynaecological problem.

You would not be 'bothering' your GP. They are paid to attend to physical ills - you're not seeking a personal favour.

Have you tried cutting out dairy? Also sounds daft but do you touch your face a lot eg resting your chin on your hand. Clean pillowcase every night. Dry face with a clean flannel every day

I realised my jawline acne was worse on one side and it improved drastically when I made these changes. I also stopped using moisturiser and instead use a hydrating serum and SPF for day time

@Fluffycloudland77

I’d go to the dr, if having acne all my life’s taught me anything it's that you need to hit it hard with antibiotics.

If they are sore they are deep enough to press on the nerve endings which are pretty deep down so it’s not a minor thing.

Pus coming out of your skin isn’t really cosmetic either, the cosmetic industry has hijacked a medical issue. If pus was coming out of your eye you wouldn’t buy antiseptic eye drops you’d want antibiotics.

Such a good point about the eye drops!!

Oh this is me too! I’m early 40s and put it down to my hormones shifting as they usually come up a week or so before my period is due (my cycle is a bit longer now than a couple of years ago). I wondered if it was linked to peri-menopause or something.

They pop up in the same place each time, sometimes have a head sometimes don’t and stick around for longer than a usual spot. I’ve tried a few different things and found a strong spot cream for L’Oréal the most effective (even among prescribed ointments).

I have this too. Sore spots on my jawline and neck that take ages to heal, deep too, some never get a head but are really painful. They have left me with quite bad scarring. It never occurred to me to get antibiotics so I may pursue that in future!

I'd echo other posters about touching your face, I used to rest my chin on my hand a lot. If I make a conscious effort not to do that and not to touch my skin my spots are much better. I change my pillowcases regularly and I use The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors and was using a Superdrug tea tree facial scrub every day (probably too harsh but seemed to help) until I ran out in lockdown.

@500BusStops

Have you tried cutting out dairy? Also sounds daft but do you touch your face a lot eg resting your chin on your hand. Clean pillowcase every night. Dry face with a clean flannel every day

I realised my jawline acne was worse on one side and it improved drastically when I made these changes. I also stopped using moisturiser and instead use a hydrating serum and SPF for day time

I do eat mainly plant-based (I can't call myself a vegan as I have a weakness for the occasional sushi and cheese blowouts!) But I will try cutting dairy completely.

I am definitely a face-toucher. I have tried to be better at that, especially given current events.
Good tips about the pillow and products etc, thank you

Neck and jawline indicates hormonal.

Also could be silicone build up from hair conditioner, I know when I switched to silicone free it made my "spots" (they were massive and never came to a head) much much better.

If you do cut out all dairy you might want to consider supplements for the nutrients you are missing. I started taking zinc, magnesium and calcium (H&B do a combine one) plus B vitamins. I read a blog where someone took this combo to improve their acne and out of desperation gave it a try. I think it helped.
Bizarrely mine seemed to improve after a holiday where I got insect bites on my face and stopped wearing make up to let it heal. Not wearing make up (esp face powder) has helped a lot

Found the blog I mentioned:

blog.radiantlifecatalog.com/the-5-supplements-that-healed-my-acne

Of course it might be a load of rubbish but I was willing to try anything!

I'm exactly the same, since February I've had awful, painful spots on my jawline and neck. I'm early 30's and don't get them on the rest of my face (minus the odd appearance of one every couple of months) but during lockdown they got considerably worse. I had an online consultation with my GP in April, Where they prescribed me Oxytetracycline, and within a week they'd completely gone. However, once they'd cleared up I'd forget to take them (you've got to have them on a 2 hour empty stomach, and there's not been much of that during lockdown!!) and haven't taken them at all for 2 weeks and now I've got 2 huge angry spots on my neck again! :(
Definitely recommend speaking to your GP and if they do prescribe something - keep taking them!

I've had this too. I washed in hibiscrub and was prescribed Amoxocillian, neither worked. I also had the spots on the top of my back. I waited a year for my dermatologist appointment.I was diagnosed with folliculitis ( the downy hair on my jawline and top of back had become infected. I was prescribed Lymecycline antibiotics. I took them for 6 months. I am now spot free.

It's really interesting you say you got these when you started running. I have found a link between me starting up running more after winter and getting painful spots on my jaw line. It starts every Feb through to April then goes away as the weather gets warmer. Nothing I have tried including anti biotics makes any difference it just goes in the summer and I forget about it and then comes again the next year! I spend a fortune on various products recommended but this year I did nothing and it went away again. I have terrible scarring.

Mine are hormonal (chin/jaw/upper neck) - they come just before ovulation and just before menstruation.
Keep a diary of when they appear or are worse for a while - it may help the GP when you speak to them.

I had this when I was in my early 30s, doctor diagnosed folliculitis and I was prescribed a topical antibiotic which did the job.

@LoveAGoodToddlerTantrum that's interesting as mine are much worse over the winter months (and almost non existent when it's warmer). I have a hobby where I get dusty and dirty and I think because I wear high neck tops and have coat zipped right up the collars rub along jawline and neck scrubbing in my make up, sweat and dirt into the skin.

I get this...no spots on my face but all on my neck or jawline. Watching with interest

I had this problem and my sister in law spoke to her mum who is a beautician and she said it could be from where I was cleansing my face daily ( which is a good thing, like yourself my skin was lovely) basically all of the impurities and oils are pushed down onto that area. I started cleaning my next separate to my face and having an extra rinse and now it's fine x

If you're a face toucher, start by working on the basis that every time you touch your face, you're making your skin worse (even if it's not the only issue at play).

I use Murad www.murad.co.uk/product/clarifying-body-spray/ for neck, back and chest acne to great effect.

Do you eat tofu and soy etc? That messed up my skin and my hormones.

I’m 48 and have had the same problem. Felt a bit silly bothering the GP but I sent her some photos and she prescribed Duac cream and also recommended a non-comedogenic (pore blocking) facewash. I use Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser on my combination skin. It has worked wonders! No spots on jaw/neck and noticeable smaller pores. I wasn’t expecting much but I’m so much happier with my skin now.