Adult Acne (I think)

A question about : Adult Acne (I think)

When I was growing up, I never had any acne issues, not even pimples apart from occasional ones.

After 25, it started to go bad. I do have a lot of black/whiteheads and also developed an acne problem.

It first started when I lost my father, around my chin, I have developed big bumps, painful and sometimes red.

They are still there and on my face, I do have couple of spots, when I touch, feels as big as a chickpea perhaps, can be painful too. Obviously gets worse before periods.

I have also dry skin so many products doesn't help as they dry out the skin.

I'm thinking whether any medication could help - I will need to speak to my GP but it is just too much work at times to try to make an appointment and just not sure how attentive they would be.

Has anyone experienced similar issue ?

Best answers:

• I would definitely see your GP, I started to get large painful bumps (nodules) around my chin area that would last for a month, and the only way I got rid of them was antibiotics, which I really hated taking, but it was the only thing that worked. I left it far too long before seeking help.
• The doctor will most likely reach for the antibiotics. Fine if you get on with them, but personally I've found they have minimal if any effect and the side-effects from taking them are worse than the blemished skin.
• Thank you, I will have a chat with GP and see.
  They gave me a solution previously which worked well but it was something needs to be used within a week of opening so not really for long term use.
• I was always under the impression acne is not the same as spots, it's slightly different and more to do with a hormonal imbalance than spots which can be caused by many other things from a reaction to a product to bacteria on skin or a build up of dirt on your skin (I noticed I got spots after needing to use the tube every day when I was studying as it's pretty filthy on the underground!) and no doubt there are other things that could cause spots.
  But acne tends to work differently as it's more likely to be caused by hormones (not that spots aren't but that there are other reasons for spots sometimes which isn't the same for acne).
  Hormonal imbalances can come on after many things, from a change in diet to increased stress levels, going on the pill, even eating certain types of food.
  If you can I'd suggest speaking to your GP about finding out the cause rather than just trying to keep the symptoms in control.
• I took a course of antibiotics for about 6/7 months after getting severe sets of spots / acne I'm not sure what it was at 36. Female doctor was great and could see how sore my fave was and how it was effecting me and my skin ( touch wood) has cleared up great. The antibiotics do make me feel a little yummy but that did ease. Call it vanity but with how sore my face was I was willing to put up with tablets to help.
  Good luck- but don't put up with painful uncomfortable skin see your gp for advice
• I also have acne due to PCOS. I have had many a thread on this subject!!
  Sweetcheeks, it isn't vanity. If yours was anything like mine is, it is awfully painful and unsightly. I hate it and it really gets me down when my face is lumpy, red and sore all the time.
  Unfortunately antibiotics didn't do much for me although my doc wants me to try them again as I haven't had them for a while.
  OP, I would definitely pop to the docs first of all and see what they say.
  I have tried everything and must have spent a small (actually large) fortune on products, lotions and potions. At the moment I am using. Paula's Choice products and have to say there is a considerable difference. I still get the spots of course but they do seem to be clearing more quickly.
• I'd recommend going to your GP, taking the antibiotics they will inevitably give you, then if they don't work getting a referral to a consultant dermatologist. The dermatologist will be able to prescribe things like Roaccutane if they consider it appropriate for you. Roaccutane really does work against acne, but it's a very strong medicine and you need to understand the potential side-effects.
  If you do take this route it'll probably take 9 months or so from seeing your GP to completing the treatment, but it may get rid of your acne for good.
• I had similar and fairly sure they're hormonal. Doctor wanted me to come off the pill for a few months to see if that changed anything. I decided in the end not to try that but am still convinced it is hormonal.
• Yes, it's best to visit your GP and ask what best course of action you can take. I have hormonal acne too and thankfully, after more than a year of battling it, it stopped. Decreasing what I put on my face probably helped a lot too. Also, I opted using non-comedogenic products on my face, as advised.
• I've had acne all my adult life, it's only been this year since I started replacing meals with eating fruit & veg, that it's cleared up. I've had the clearest skin over the past few weeks that I've ever had.
  I've used most products on the market as well as tablets from the doctor, they all had immediate results but soon wore off after a few weeks.
  Stacking cheese sandwiches with lettuce, peppers, radishes, cucumber etc, salad for lunch, granola bars and fruit salads have replaced the chocolate bars, pasties and crisps etc I used to eat throughout the day.
  I'm not saying this is the answer, it just worked for me, and hopefully will for someone else.
• I stopped eating dairy for a couple of weeks as an experiment, and very rapidly noticed a huge difference.
  I stopped getting new ones coming up, and the scars started healing up better. Since then I've done a bit of research and there is a suggestion that dairy can effect hormones, and therefore cause acne.
  Before anyone jumps on me I Know there are is no scientific evidence to this effect, and that doctors will tell you it makes no difference.
  But for me, it's the only thing that has made a difference in the last 20 years. Nothing to lose by giving it a go for 2/3 weeks to see what happens.
  Hope you get sorted one way or another, it is miserable.