Closed comedones or Keratosis pilaris?

[Bagforlife123]

I'm looking for a bit of advice about a problem with my skin.

Over the past couple of weeks I've noticed that I can feel small bumps under the skin on my cheeks. In the last week they have got a lot worse, particular on one side. It's really visible in certain light.

I've looked online and can't seem to tell whether they are Keratosis pilaris or closed comedones, does anyone have any experience?

Just for background info, I finished a course of Accutane for cystic acne a few months ago and am still very paranoid and conscious of my skin!

Thank you!

Small bump from someone who knows nothing!

Difficult to say, from your history with cystic acne comedones makes more sense but those tend to flare up (mostly) in summer where winter is prime KP flare up time. There's also the third option that it might be fungal acne.

What products are you using now, if you're still using harsher products that were needed with pre-accutane acne prone skin that could make you vulnerable to fungal acne (which isn't really an acne but a yeast overgrowth) as the balance is off.

Thank you for your help!

Product wise I haven’t used loads of things - I cleanse using ultrabland (twice if I’ve had makeup on) in an evening. It’s oil based but I do make sure I’ve got it all off. I also use an Inkey list moisturiser.

I have started use a BHA cleanser with Salicylic Acid in as a I thought might help the texture but if anything it made it more red and blotchy so I’ve cut down on that as I was using it every day.

Are you wearing a face mask frequently, as that could also be of influence?

BHA cleanser would have been my advice for closed comedones so perhaps it isn't that (or you just didn't respond well to something else in the cleanser, always possible).

Fungal acne is usually treated with anti dandruff shampoo, I think in the UK Selsun has the active ingredients you need and it clears up quickly.

For KP urea is usually a good choice, Eucerin does a good 5% urea face cream.

I suppose you could try one method on each cheek 🤷

I have heard people have issues with Lush ultrabland causing buildup and therefore clogging the skin, might be worth following up with a mild cleanser like cerave hydrating cleanser or Avène extremely gentle cleanser.

Thank you for your help. I'll order those things and give them a go one at a time. I only wear facemasks in supermarkets etc, don't need to wear one for work or anything.

It's so frustrating after all those months on Accutane, maybe I'm just not destined for smooth skin!

I'd definitely say closed comedones. I feel you, really! My acne was pretty bad this year, but almost everything can be solved with a great skincare routine. What's your routine atm? Any retinol? Exfoliants?

Ohhhh, i just read your comment. Bha is amazing! Perhaps you can add a retinoid too, they work wonders. And for me azelaic acid in the morning works amazing too

@readingismycardio

Ohhhh, i just read your comment. Bha is amazing! Perhaps you can add a retinoid too, they work wonders. And for me azelaic acid in the morning works amazing too

Thank you for your suggestions!

I’m a bit clueless about these things, at what point in my routine should I add these? So at the minute I’m cleansing morning and night, moisturising after, and 3 times a week I’m using the BHA.

Would the retinoid be as well as the BHA?

Hi , I know this post for a while back - but I am experiencing the exact same thing and wondered if you ever got to the bottom of what they were ?