Help me I’m spotty!!

[GreenCaterpillarOnALeaf]

I’m 27, never had spots as a teen I always had eczema on my face and body. My eczema got better at 22 because I realised it was diet related and from 22-26 I had great skin (well compared to before). Never had any skin issues during my pregnancies ect.

Recently my skin has been getting spots, not acne but quite a few. Some of them are under the skin and really painful. I’ve not changed anything in my skin routine btw, all the exact same. Any tips? Any pimple patch recommendations?

Current routine:
glycolic acid once a week
retinol 2 times a week
on retinol days Hydromol ointment (used it since my eczema days it’s never causes any issues)
sunscreen from Bonsi Sands everyday even if I’m inside.
also this polyglutenic acid serum from the inky list that has always really helped.

Oh also I’m not pregnant! My mums advice was take a pregnancy test because apparently she got spotty when pregnant.

My skin always gets worse when I resolve to care for it "properly". The best routine for me is washing with aqueous cream and an ordinary light moisturiser (ie no anti aging stuff).

I sometimes get those deep painful spots, and the best way to control them for me is to completely cut out refined sugar.

I was diagnosed with roseacia of the spotty variety rather than the blush/redness. It's an inflammatory disorder, like you mine reacted well the controlling my diet but it'd also flare up if I was stressed or not getting enough sleep.

It can be treated with certain antibiotics, not because it's a bacterial infection but because some of them are anti inflammatory. I did the occasional course when it was really bad.

Are the spots itchy at all, OP?

No they just pop up like randomly overnight. It’s not loads it’s normally a couple. Started changing pillowcases daily ect as that was my first port of call and then made my husband shave his beard off because I thought it could be that, but still nothing.

It’s not the end of the world and I’m probably being a bit dramatic but I’d rarther not have them or at least find a way to make them go away quicker.

I’ve had the same skincare for years that the thing I can’t really think of anything that’s changed

Go to the GP

Could be hormonal changes and some pills can help, otherwise start the process of antibiotics, prescription retinoids etc.

Also the ointment could be clogging your pores so I would stop that.

I just wondered as a fellow eczema sufferer, I recently discovered that I actually also have a condition called Dermatitis Herpetiformis which is basically the skin manifestation of Coeliac. I eliminated gluten and lactose from my diet in March and am a lot better now but still have the odd spot pop up. The condition was insanely itchy before I made the diet changes. They are quite hard spots and the few I have now are not actually itchy.

Personally I've always gone back to as basic a routine as possible when I've had issues. So, a very mild wash off cleanser, simple light moisturiser. Gentle treatment, no harsh chemicals or exfoliating.
Those under the skin spots seem to appear at times of hormone changes, pregnancy, peri, menopause, for me.
Cutting down on sugar and alcohol always helped.

It's likely hormonal. My skin is dreadful but spironolactone and the combined pill clear it right up. Visit a dermatologist as you probably need medication. Good luck!