zits, pimples, blackheads, oh my!

[mimin]

What do you use to attack these buggers?
I wash my face every morning but i have yet to find the right cleanser.

[darrel]

I use my finger for the buggers....I mean the booggers...LOL...

all kidding aside I have found that I have been breaking out more now than when I was younger, I am not sure if it is partly to do with the meds or that I don't sweat as much as I used to to get the toxins out of my body... one of my Dr.'s did tell me that the dry skin problem I have is from the dantrolene. once I get the baclofen regulated, she is supposed to tapper me off the dantrolene....I have been thinking of joining the "Y" so as to use the sauna to see if that helps...

[ala]

You should wash your face more than once a day, especially if you have oily skin. Make sure you don't dry out your skin too much.

The good news is when you get older it will probably clear up. Until you hit menopause, that is.:rolleyes:

[lynnifer]

Have you ever tried Proactiv? You can buy it cheap off of ebay.

I had more adult acne than I did as a clean faced fresh skinned teenager.

[wheelchief]

Squeeze them...nothing quite as satisfying as popping a ripe zit...

[Le Type Français]

What do you use to attack these buggers?
I wash my face every morning but i have yet to find the right cleanser.

Try not using another special cleanser. Sometimes, they actually do the opposite of what's intended. They can also irritate your skin if you have sensitive skin.

[keps]

What do you use to attack these buggers?
I wash my face every morning but i have yet to find the right cleanser.


Lol @ "buggers". :D

My face is awful now - I have a LOT of spots, and I didn't have many at all before injury. I'd go so far as to say it's acne. Maybe, as Darrel suggested, it can be to do with meds. I don't take a load though, so I dunno if that's the cause of mine.

Wheelchief - I'm terrible for popping not only my own spots, but those of my boyfriend. :o Most enjoyable (not for him, though) :mega:

I wash my face with mild soap every night, then put on the nasty glycerol cream I have to use to try to control my facial eczema.
In the morning, I wash the cream offf with just hot water.

[SCI-Nurse]

If they are really bad, you need to see a dermatologist. Popping cystic acne pimples is a good way to get bad scars.

(KLD)

[mimin]

You should wash your face more than once a day, especially if you have oily skin. Make sure you don't dry out your skin too much.

The good news is when you get older it will probably clear up. Until you hit menopause, that is.:rolleyes:
I don't wash my face as much b/c i can't get to the sink, but even when i washed 2x/day pre-accident, it didn't help much. before the accident, my dermatologist had just started me on The pill but it was only a couple weeks so i didn't notice an effect. which just reminded me that my mom told me that my skin was looking better in the ICU, maybe cause of the anti-biotics. i don't think my skin is particularly oily.

wheelchief, i eventually scratch them off. eww, i know

lynnifer, have you tried proactiv? it's a decent price for two mths worth (abt $40... which is like $25 Canadian :p )

[mr_coffee]

I'm actually on Ammoxicilin (i've been on it for about 3 years) but I've tried every drug out there, even the dangerous stuff acutane! Acutane is for extreme measures and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless you really have a problem the side effects are terriable and its expensive as hell.

If I don't take it once a day, in about a week my face will start breaking out but if I take 500mg once a day my face is great!

I've tried proactiv it worked for about the first 3 weeks then my skin adapted to it and it stopped working.

Also NEVER squeeze them, it will make them 10 times worse. If you get one of those sick looking white heads, you take tweezers or somthing to rip them open but don't squeeze, u just need to open it up and dump peroxide on it, it will rip the shit out of them!

Then they will dry up and die! IF you squeeze them, you're making it worse, but if you can just rip it open get the gross stuff out without squeezing then dump peroxide on it you'll be golden!

[titanium4motion]

I had a rash on my left hand that my regular doctor could not remedy so he sent me to a dermatologist. While I was at the dematologist's office I talk with him about adult ance. He gave me a prescription for erythromycin 333mg tablets to kill the bacteria from the inside and Triaz 6% cleanser (benzoyl peroxide) to wash the skin. Good stuff!

For the problem areas he gave me Retin-A Micro (tretinoin gel microsphere 0.04%). A dynamite combination to win the war on acne. You have to use the medicine for three weeks to see a difference on the skin.

I asked the same question about white heads and black heads and he stated "Let mother nature take care of them. Just use the medicine as directed."

I also asked about moisturizer for dry skin? He replied, "Moisturizer provides an environment for bacteria to grow. Avoid it as much as possible."


titanium4motion

[wheelchief]

I think squeezing/popping is only a bad idea if you have acne rather than occasional zits and blackheads. I get a zit or a blackhead I squeeze it it goes. job done. I dont know which I prefer most, the toothpaste tubers or the mirror splatters.

[mr_coffee]

Thats true wheelchief, some people like my g/f will get a tiny little dot, and she's like OH NO I GOT A ZIT! its huge! Agh, I need to find pictures of me when I started hitting puberty hah.

I always did enjoy the mirror splatters, they were so violent!

[Le Type Français]

Cory,

I think Peroxide kills healthy living cells as well. Water or something less harsh is now preferred to clean wounds or open skin.

[mr_coffee]

Thats true todd but water won't clean it out and it will come back twice as worse from my experience, if it doesn't burn I don't wanna use it on zits hah

But I agree, if your skin is senstive, perhaps using somthing less harsh, benzoyl peroxide works awesome as well. But will dry the hell out of ur skin just like peroxide.

[2jazzyjeff]

Use a warm rag on the angry ones. You'll only have to barely push on them and it'll keep scarring down. Try Prep H if you have or occassionally get dry skin. Also helps with your wrinkles too. :o

Proactiv worked decent for just a short time. I quit washing with any type of medicine and kept washing 2x daily with soap and water. I don't get acne too bad, but I'll get the under the skin ones that get red and hurt. :hissyfit: I tried several diff. kinds of pills and nothing has really helped. I went cold turkey a few months ago..

[BeeBee]

I know you won't believe me, I didn't for a long time, but try Vasaline. Wash your face and apply a thin coat before bed. I fought zits for years (and years), I get almost none now. And its cheap.

[dan_nc]

During my teenage years, I always used a mild plain soap (ivory) rather than any of the moisturizing or fragrant stuff. Seemed to work a lot better than noxema or neutrogena and a ton cheaper.

Oh yeah, and I know the internet says that it's a total myth and actually makes your zits worse, but I use toothpaste on my zits when i start to notice them (usually when I get home in the afternoon/evenings), leave it on overnight and they are almost always gone by morning.

My female friends say that the pill wreaks havoc on their bodies and cause lots of zits. So does pressure from work and pollutants in the air. And makeup.

[keps]

I know you won't believe me, I didn't for a long time, but try Vasaline. Wash your face and apply a thin coat before bed. I fought zits for years (and years), I get almost none now. And its cheap.

I used Vaseline on my face for years to try to control my eczema. That stuff feels so nasty...I have a violent aversion to using it on my face now.
If it gets on your pilllow - nasty. (It doesn't wash out properly!)

[Le Type Français]

Minin,

Try using Milk of Magnesia on your face at night. You take a cottonball with the substance on it and put it on your face, then let it dry.

Just try it. It may help. If you bathe every morning, you should have no problem wearing the mask on your face at night.

[darrel]

grow a beard!! it's winter time no one will be the wiser...LOL

[BeeBee]

Damn, Darrel. I just try and try to grow this thing out, but it just won't get beyond the peach fuzz :santa: . Suggestions?:rotfl:

[darrel]

sorry, no advise that is fit for mixed company..:)

[leschinsky]

Don't use soap on your face, too drying. I have sensitive skin -very mild dermatits not acne- so I use natural cleansers for sensitive or *sigh* mature skin, they're mild and don't clog the pores. I've used Mychelle (http://www.mychelleusa.com/index.php?action=item&id=34&prevaction=category&previd=14&prevstart=0) [my fav] and lately Earth Science. If they're too pricey Cetaphil is ok, though not natural.

[quad79]

As for the pimples-I've been told not to use a washcloth, but to use your hands to clean your face instead and pat it dry w/ a cloth.
I use Neutrogena cleanser and have a lot of luck. Strangely enough using lotion afterwards helps w/ my complexion too!
As for blackheads-aah! My nose gets them the worst-those are fun to get w/ quad paws!

[Le Type Français]

Don't use soap on your face, too drying. I have sensitive skin -very mild dermatits not acne- so I use natural cleansers for sensitive or *sigh* mature skin, they're mild and don't clog the pores. I've used Mychelle (http://www.mychelleusa.com/index.php?action=item&id=34&prevaction=category&previd=14&prevstart=0) [my fav] and lately Earth Science. If they're too pricey Cetaphil is ok, though not natural.

True, too, if you use soap, use something soft like Dove.

[Le Type Français]

As for blackheads-aah! My nose gets them the worst-those are fun to get w/ quad paws!

Yes, I get them on the nose as well. Bioré works pretty well on that. I wouldn't stress with blackheads, they're even difficult with able hands. I simply cannot squeeze that well to rid of them, but I also have a rather fatty nose.

[gurly2356]

If you wear makeup that will cause more bacteria on your face.

I don't usually have problem only before menstruation.

I use SkinMedica. love it.

Washing your face more often would pry help too...

[doingtimeonmyass]

If I get really warm over the course of the day my face gets redder and I tend to break out more. The same thing happens if I don't shave every few days.

The best thing I have found to help keep acne under control is to drink more water and stay away from chocolate. I have read that studies show there's no connection between food and acne, but all I have to do is eat a Mounds candy bar and I am almost guaranteed a zit by the next morning.

In the past I was prescribed a clindamycin topical that did very little for me. Benzoyl peroxide works well, but it does tend to dry out your skin quite a bit.

[GoTWHeeLs]

Sunshine. Its works good for me.

[GoTWHeeLs]

grow a beard!! it's winter time no one will be the wiser...LOLIm trying now, its tough.

[kovyfan1127]

Im trying now, its tough.

I use Duac during the day..it's great!!

[GoTWHeeLs]

Duac? This beard is for sport, not pimples.


*Sport being fun. :p

[trainman]

If they are really bad, you need to see a dermatologist. Popping cystic acne pimples is a good way to get bad scars.

(KLD)

After a bad time of acne as a teenager and a nurse who loves to pinch acne, my face and chest can definately prove this.

My derm said nerve problems, like SCI, can contribute to acne and dry skin. I waash my face several times a day without soap, but still get flaky skin and acne. I also find a lot of redness and sore areas around my trach ties.

I'm beginning to think there is no perfect treatment, I've been on several pills, lotions and potions over the past decade, with no perfect method yet.

[gurly2356]

Sunshine. Its works good for me.

Ditto...seems like whenever I've been going to the tanner for awhile my face is really clear too.

[CurlieQCarrie]

I just wash my face 2 times a day with Dove, and then use Vitamin E as a moisturizer. It's a thick lotion and works so good for my skin--the best thing I've ever found. It's not greasy or anything like that, and cheap too.

Sometimes acne is caused by the inbalance of oily/dry skin. If your face gets too dry, your skin produces extra oil to make up for it, then clogs the pores. Finding that balance may help ward off future breakouts.

Popping them only puts more (not to mention gross) oils onto your skin. It's asking for more. Even putting on moisturizers, I use an applicator.

Like Shannon, I usually only have major breakouts around the time of my periods since finding what works for me.

[BeeBee]

I also have avoid any soy products (skin, not food). Which pretty much eliminates ALL Oil of Olay and Aveeno products. One face wash with OofO and I'll break out for months. Maybe that's what they mean by youthful skin, LOL, look like a teenage zit-monger.:D

[mimin]

The best thing I have found to help keep acne under control is to drink more water and stay away from chocolate.

:zombie: :zombie: If that's it, I'd rather have the acne! :zombie: :zombie:

Thx for all the suggestions. I tried the vaseline one night on one of those painful under the skin pimples and it just hurt more all night
I think tanning also works cause the blackheads don't contrast as much.
I'll try the biore and the vit. E lotion, though i hate the feel of cream on my face.
Thx again!

[oscdude]

I also have acne prone skin and very oily.
The face cleanser that works amazingly with my skin is Cetaphil Facial Cleanser.
I also use the Witch Hazel toner after the wash.
However, I did consult with a dermatologist and prescribed a medicated gel.
If you breakout on your back or any other part of your body for that matter, I REALLY recommend using AmLactin body lotion. It is a moisturizing body lotion but because of its composition is works great with smoothing out the skin and getting rids of pimples and bumps. Is the best thing ever!

[keps]

My face looks especially hideous right now. I had this big lump on my face, that I was convinced was full of goods - so I squeezed it mercilessly. Now, I have a MASSIVE hard lump on my face, I think I've damaged stuff underneath my skin.
I'm not at all happy. :(

[Mona~on~wheels]

My attendant's son got MRSA from squeezing bumps.
I use to do it but refrain now.

[feisty]

I wash day and night with Purity made simple by philosophy. Its like a 4-in 1 moisturizing/cleanser/makeup remover/etc http://www.philosophy.com/web/store/dept_skincare____23503
and It's the only thing I've found that doesn't leave me too dry or too oily, but it's a happy medium. It's not super cheap nor super expensive (median, 20-25 bucks?) but you only use a pea-sized amount so it lasts forever.

If you can't always make it to the sink to wash your face at night, alot of makeup lines now make pre-treated makeup remover cloths, that are basically face-cleansing wipies, and they're rad.

I don't think that women can skip moisturizer like guys can... but then again, even my father uses a moisturizer with sunblock on his face, but if you feel like your moisturizer is too thick, try putting it on RIGHT after you wash your face and haven't let youe hands or face dry... the residual water will loosen it up and allow you to put on a really light coat. I have been using that yellow Clinique moisturizer (dramatically different? I think it's like $11) ever since I was in High School and I feel like I need to put it on damp skin or else it's a bit much nowadays. I need to find a new one, but it's always such a gamble.

And don't overlook that toothpaste trick, it does work from time to time, but it has to be the white paste kind of toothpaste (don't put it on an opened blemish tho, it will make it worse). There's an active ingredient in it that is a drying agent, I think it' might be zinc or some shit... I forget now., but it sucks the moisture out of it and releases some pressure. I asked my Aestitician friend once and she said it's the same ingredient that they use in this wonder clay mask stuff from Dermalogica that you have to sell an appendage for.

[jessie.gray]

I've had bad acne on my face and body ever since I was 9 years old. I've tried Tetracycline, Acutane, Retin A, and Differin gel, but they always dried my face out so badly that it peeled like crazy. Plus, if you use Acutane, you are required by law to be on some form of birth control, due to the severe birth defects it causes. Another thing that really didn't work good with me is that Nature's Cure acne kit. Its a homeopathic pill with peroxide cream kit. It literally did nothing for my acne.

The best thing that works for me is that AcneFree kit that Wal-Mart, Rite Aid and other drug stores sell. It is similar to Proactiv, but a lot cheaper. I have also found that Burts Bees Tomato Complexion Soap, tomato toner, and Pore Refining Mask works good too, especially on body acne.
Don't bother with anitbacterial soaps like Dial, because after a while, I have found they cause more acne than preventing it.

Jessie

[keps]

Woah jessie.gray, acne since only 9 years of age! How awful for you.
I felt unfortunate to get it in my late 20's. :o

I'm gonna have to do something about my skin, it's so bad. I'm feeling like making less effort with my appearance, as I think "my skin looks so bad, nothing's gonna make me look better".

[SCI-Nurse]

You should start with seeing your famiy doctor, they can prescribe Minocycline 100 mg twice a day. and they Benzol peroxide gel- you can buy a low dose of this over the counter. If that doesn't work they will probably send you to a dermatologist who can change it to Doxycycline and a specialized, higher strength skin gel. Consider Accutane after only that.
Of course, cleansing the face etc.. is important.

CWO

[feisty]

Min, I would really try to switch up your cleansing routine before opting for a prescription, especially for something as strong as accutane. If you can't get to the sink to wash your face 2x a day, there are other options to get cleansed, healthy skin other than ingesting medicines.

Fyi, accutane is traditionally a chemotherapy medicine and has several side effects. You also can build up an immunity to where it stops working after a while and then you're back in the same position with your skin care needs.

here's a link to a wiki on accutane it is burly stuff, it's been linked to depression, high rates of birth defects and 3 cases have won lawsuits because of links to Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. those are rare cases- here are the other side effects listed (none of which sound too fun on top of regular SCI nonsense):

* Common: Mild acne flare, dryness of skin, lips and mucous membranes, infection of the cuticles, cheilitis, itch, skin fragility, skin peeling, rash, flushing, photosensitivity, nose bleeds, dry eyes, eye irritation, conjunctivitis, reduced tolerance to contact lenses, hyperlipidaemia, raised liver enzymes, headaches, hair thinning, myalgia and/or arthralgia.
* Infrequent: severe acne flare, raised blood glucose level, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fatigue.
* Rare: impaired night vision, cataracts, optic neuritis, menstrual disturbances, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, hepatitis, corneal opacities, papilloedema, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, skeletal hyperostosis, extraosseous calcification, psychosis, and it is believed that severe depression can occur, although there is no conclusive evidence for this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accutane

also, a 5% tea tree oil gel has been shown to be just about as effective as a 5% benzol peroxide gel.

:)

[jessie.gray]

Woah jessie.gray, acne since only 9 years of age! How awful for you.
I felt unfortunate to get it in my late 20's. :o

I'm gonna have to do something about my skin, it's so bad. I'm feeling like making less effort with my appearance, as I think "my skin looks so bad, nothing's gonna make me look better".

Yea, puberty came knocking at my door early. It was rather embarassing to have acne while still in grade school, and to be the only girl in my class to start their period (though several girls were jealous of me).

Jessie:friday: :bounce: :wtlftr:

[keps]

Yea, puberty came knocking at my door early. It was rather embarassing to have acne while still in grade school, and to be the only girl in my class to start their period (though several girls were jealous of me).

Jessie:friday: :bounce: :wtlftr:

You got your periods at 9 too? :zombie: I started mine at 15 - in retrospect, I'm glad I was comparatively late (now that I know how much hassle they are), although I felt weird at the time, as everyone else seemed to have started. :)

At puberty I did get spots, but only sometimes did I have a lot, and it wasn't what would be called acne.
I started getting bad skin on my face and back a few months after my sci - I think that might be something to do with it, but I'm not sure why.

[keps]

My new doctor has just prescribed oxytetracycline for my acne. *Gulp*
I've never had this drug before.

Has anyone tried this and found it got rid of spots? Or experienced any horrid side-effects?

[SCI-Nurse]

Keps, stay out of the sun. Tetracyclines can cause you to be very sensative and burn easily. Start probiotics if you are not taking them already.

(KLD)

[keps]

Thank you KLD. I didn't know about that.

[vjls]

i get blackheads on my face but i get them from my hand when i lean forward to prop me up. i go every sooften get a facial andshe has someinstrument that gets them out plus it feels so good

[feisty]

^its called an extractor. :) nowadays you can get them at places like sephora for under 20 bucks.

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P0417&searchString=blemish%20extractor

[Lorrie]

Try Cetaphil cleanser, also, Cetaphil lotion is the best for dry skin on body or face. I have very reactive skin and the Cetaphil products my dermatologist recommended have been fool proof. You can buy at most supermarket or drug stores here in US, they are inexpensive.

http://www.cetaphil.com/

[Cherbears]

Use a mud mask by pur minerals or dead sea salt mask to remove acne. I've had two dermabrasion surgeries for scars and it hurt! See your Dr. or dermatologist for treatment.

[quad79]

I know Mimi isn't here anymore but to help anyone else, I swear by Aveda exfoliating scrub. Very much worth the price!