Getting married in 4 weeks and skin has gone to sh*t

[ImprobablePuffin]

I have 4 weeks to try and clear up my chin and cheeks. I don't know why my face has suddenly erupted. It's a mixture of big red lumps and whiteheads.
What the hell do I do?? I drink plenty but could always try and drink more. I'm eating healthily too. They look much redder an lumpy in real life. I was struggling to focus the phone!

Oh and if it helps I'm 37

Hi, well for a start those blemishes will be easily concealed with good make up so rest assured you can still look fantastic whether you’re skin clears up or not.

Hydrocoloidal patches overnight could reduce the swelling. One on each spot.

This is an incredibly effective spot cream: V55 Max Double Strength Salicylic Acid cream (you can get it on Amazon). Ingredients include sulphur and tea tree oil. And it’s not horribly drying.

Paula’s Choice BHA. It’s amazing at clearing up skin

Ahh bless you. Once I erupted in tens of spots in my chin. Horrible!! But they soon all healed.

You've got plenty of time for this to fade. I would not touch them at all, keep your face clean and moisturised, try and relax a bit if possible and eat well. I love raspberries for skin. I'd also use Elizabeth Arden 8hr Cream on the spots, as that stuff is magic.

Thank you for these suggestions. I will do some reading to see which of these I should try or which one might be best for my skin.

Get yourself over to Facebook on the Caroline Hirons skincare freaks page. Those ladies will sort you out quickly sharpish - if you don't have Facebook search her blog

Dots for Spots are great.

Round for chin and neck are hormonal. I started developing horrendous cystic acne when I was 35.

Have you come off the pill recently?

I wouldn't mess around with lotions and potions (did that for years and it was just a waste of money). I would make a GP appointment. They can prescribe topical antibiotics.

I do usually get a couple of spots when I'm due in and I'm due on in maybe 4 days but it's never like this. They're quite painful sore spots too.

I 100% recommend going to the doctors to get a good cream.
However, I started using a dermaoligca kit and it sorted a lot of my issues.

Also, do you consumer dairy?

Get to dermatologist immediately and get some tretinoin

Oh god, don't do this weeks before your wedding. My skin got so much worse before it got better on tretinoin.

Spot patches are great for getting gunk out but also for deeper spots they stop them getting worse from face touching. In hot (or muggy) weather like this I use La Roche Posay Serozinc spray to cool down regularly. The zinc in it helps keep my skin clear when I'm a sweaty mess. The small can will last ages. Get a few spare pillow cases and change them daily (I'm too lazy to do it all the time but did it for weeks before my wedding because I was determined not to have a breakout!). Try not to use anything too drying in the days before. Spots are easier to hide with makeup when you don't have dry flaky bits.

Oh I forgot to mention, the only thing that cleared my skin quickly without a purge was topical antibiotics. My skin has never been as clear as it was on Zineryt. Sadly it's not long term and in I had a big flare up when I had to stop. After a few weeks of really bad acne my skin settled back to as if I'd never used it at all. If I had remembered, I would have used that before my wedding and honeymoon 🤦🏻‍♀️

If it's not normal for you I'd leave well alone. Stress makes my skin breakout horribly. Stress and/or the sugar I eat when I'm stressed. I expect you've been feeling it a bit in the run up to your wedding.

Thanks all for taking the time to reply. I've ordered some more dots for spots - I used to use them and ran out and I forgot they actually helped me a fair bit previously. Also got a couple of bits in prime day sale x

Definitely cut out dairy completely too. When I wasn't eating it I had the best skin of my life. Now I'm eating it again my skin is worsening (I just love cheese OK)

🤣 when I cut out dairy I was so relieved it didn't help (also love cheese).

The next thing I cut out was gluten. Within 5 days my skin looked brighter (though my acne is PCOS) and suddenly I could breathe better. I bought a baguette and ate it on the way home. I was living in France and decided I'd rather not know if I was intolerant so I had to stop before it was too hard to deny.

I think it’s a mixture of stress and heat as my skin goes like this whenever I’m stressed or if it’s weather like this (maybe due to sweat?).

I would not wear any make up especially foundation and wash your face with water a few times a day to get rid of the sweat.

Either start using suncream or if this is what’s helped bring your spots on then try and avoid being out in the sun for too long.
Put some sudocrem on them in the evenings too.

Dont worry they will definitely have gone by your wedding day 😁
I hope you both have a wonderful day.

@chiffchaffchiff that cracked me up! 😂Although I absolutely agree, what is the point of being in France if not bread and cheese!

Fortunately for my skin (and waistline) I can't stand cheese. Bread on the other hand..mmm best thing ever. I quit dairy a while ago so I don't think it's that. Lots of great advice on this thread though.

I'd be trying to get a topical antibiotic cream from the GP, also available from online pharmacies.

Cut out sugar as it is inflammatory.

Keep face well moisturised.

Drink spearmint tea.

This is acne. Please do not mess about with your skin with some of the stuff mentioned. Get an apt with a derm.

Private message me. I am a doctor with an interest in skin and can help you with medical grade skin care and prescription products.

If you’ve got any Daktarin intensive cream try that. Mask wearing and hot weather can cause fungal infections that anti bac stuff won’t help.

I got a shocking fungal infection in April that I didn’t know was fungal. Still treating it now as I didn’t cotton on quick enough

Niacinamide and zinc,should take down some of the redness. You can get some from the ordinary, apply to damp skin morning and evening.