This question comes up so frequently.

Here’s what to do when you’ve messed with a pimple and it looks horribly swollen, red and painful now.
Keep in mind that the treatment may also prevent an incipient cyst from getting worse.
The treatment may also help prevent Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) or ‘red marks’.

Basic recommendations:
Apply ice.
Take ibuprofen or naproxen sodium.
Do not mess with the lesion anymore AT all.
Antibiotic cream/ointment and a band aid/plaster for night.

You can repeat these techniques for as many days as you like. Do not give up too early, try the icing and bandaid/ointment for at least a week before assuming it won't work.
Detailed explanation and rationale:
Ice how-to:
Wrap an ice cube in a thin cloth towel or paper towel so the ice doesn't directly touch your skin or just stick it in a plastic baggie. Some recommend freezing a bunch of water-filled little paper Dixie cups in the freezer. The thin paper cups make it convenient to hold and apply ice to the lesions. That’s a great idea from Laura, the esthetician that Willow569 goes to.

Hold the ice to the lesion for one minute or so on, five minutes or so off. Repeat as often as necessary throughout the first 24 hours, but not to the point that your skin turns pale or feels uncomfortable. The ice will reduce the swelling and the pain and the redness. The ice may also limit the development of post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, PIH, or ‘red marks’.

You could also just glide an ice cube gently over your whole face, not holding it in one spot for too long. This technique will help decrease inflammation over the entire surface of your face. This is also a good technique for use after cleansing and prior to applying your active, medicated topical.

Anti-Inflammatory how-to:
Ibuprofen and naproxen sodium are anti-inflammatories. Inflammation is redness, swelling, pain. One or the other medication will help reduce the inflammation of any type of infection and may also help with pain. Use only as directed on the package, pick one or the other, and don’t use for longer than directed. Of course, don’t use one if you’re allergic to it! Depending on where you live there may be other anti-inflammatories available as well; ask your pharmacist or chemist what you can take as an anti-inflammatory. Over the counter medications for arthritis are generally effective.

If your doctor has ordered an antibiotic due to the inflamed lesion(s), continue to take the antibiotic as ordered. You may still take an anti-inflammatory for pain and swelling. The antibiotic is for the infection (bacteria) and the anti-inflammatory is for the pain, redness, and swelling.

Topical antibiotic cream/ointment and band aid/plaster how-to:
(Neosporin, Polysporin, Bacitracin, etc. I use Polysporin more often.)
Apply a dab of antibiotic cream/ointment to a small band aid (this prevents contamination of the tube provided the bandaid is sterile and you’ve not touched the pad part with your fingers or anything else).

Put the band aid/plaster on the lesion. Leave on overnight. This is the part of the step that helps prevent PIH; the petrolatum jelly in most antibiotic ointments/creams is what provides the soothing relief that irritated, inflamed skin needs. You CAN use plain petrolatum jelly. It is not comedogenic. The bandaid also helps keep you from picking so you can use it during the day if you're going to be at home or not much in public, unless of course your self-esteem is high enough so that you can go in public with bandaids/plasters all over your face.

The antibiotic cream/ointment may help prevent indented scarring.

There you go. Good luck!

Hey all,


I've browsed these forums for a long time now, and have used Dan's regime a lot as well (almost a year and a half now)

I have rather sever acne. Or I should say, without treatment, my face is very severe acne prone, it's rather under control now, but not to my satisfaction.

Initially I tried Proactiv (2 years ago), I stuck with it for about 4 months with little success.

After that I tried Dans regime (yes, I followed it to the dot) for about 8 months. It worked very well to clear up my Acne, I'd say it took my acne from severe (15-20 new pimples a day) to rather mild (only about 5). I would say after about 3 months on the regime, my face had settled down as far as It was going to on Dan's program, it continued to stay that way for the following months, it had its ups and downs but on the whole stayed about the same. It wasn't completely gone, I'd have 5 or so red marks on my face every day, along with the occasional cyst that would really protrude out.

Due to this long period of no-change acne, I decided to up the ante a bit on the program, I started using 10% Benzoyl washes, along with an occasional gritty wash (sal acid sometimes). I basically replaced Dan's wash with 10% washes for a while, with some good success. Due to this change I decided to try 10% Benzoyl cream as a spot treatment on the big cysts and zits that Dan's 2.5% didn't seem to have any effect on. This also worked with good success, though still didn't complete the problem because due to the fact I was using it as a spot treatment, I was only applying it AFTER a zit showed up.

I had read that 10% Benzoyl was highly irritating on the skin so I was hesitant to use much of it, however, through spot treatment after spot treatment, I slowly fazed out 2.5% for all 10%. My face didn't really get irritated much at all.

Now, this worked VERY well. I know people claim/state that 2.5% is just as effective, however, I have tried both 2.5% and 10% extensively, and for long periods of time to establish their effectiveness, and I would say definitively, for me, 10% works better than 2.5%.

I've been on this "Modified" regime of mine for about 5 months now to establish that constant "State", to see if my face would clear up completely. However, it hasn't.

Though, better than all other variations I've tried, it still isn't the ticket.




Now, my question to all you guys is, what else can I try? Accutane is far out of the question, I don't care enough about how I look to start taking oral medication and messing with hormone levels.

I've also read recently that 10% benzoyl can be a bit damaging to the skin over time, is this true?

Would Sal Acid be worth a try? I've used it as a spot treatment from time to time with varying success, though never enough or consistent enough to establish if it works, and I'm also afraid of ditching 10% benzoyl for a while to try Sal, in fear of getting severe acne back.


Thanks for the input,

-E

has anyone of you tried the st ives apricot scrub? it is an exfoliator.. is it okay to use it for an everday facial scrub?

ok so i have a 1 large cyst on my left cheek and its really dark because of all the dry up blood and it seems like the flakes also made it look darker and its really pissing me off cause im not dry or flakey in that part just that one spot is fill up with flakes and dried blood any suggestion how am i going to get rid of all this stuff? or should i just let for the cyst to slowly go down and remove all this?? am i allergic to this or my skin is sensitive?
thanks for the help in advance

I hope this is not a reoccurring instance. I have a cyst on my shoulder blade. This pisses me off because I have no back acne so I am wondering where the hell it came out of. Also, I have no cysts on my face. What should I do about it?

I just recently have been breaking out wit cystic acne on my neck and jawline around 2 months ago and i just turned 18.

I used to be clear like totally wit a pimple here or there and i used to eat fast food alot and smoke (weed alot, sometimes cigs and cigars) and drink beer and only use a facewash in the shower and eat alot of sugar.

Now since i keep getting cysts i dont do anything i just mentioned up there anymore and im wondering if u guys have any ideas why i started to break out soooo bad.

also since i used to do all these things would they have an effect on my acne now or is it from another reason.

i personally think i broke out from smoking weed because it became so stressfull when i did it i would have anxiety attacks pretty much and i started smoking ALOT of black and milds but stopped

Hey there guys!

For about 8-10 months i had a pimple on my nose, that was pretty strange... it wasn't like a typical pimple. (i have a lot of blackheads on my nose)

It always grew, went red, and got small again and disappered. Than all the shit restarted and i was pretty depressed.

However, for abou 6-8 months now, all i have left is a small hump on the nose, which is VERY annoying, as it's visible and i have a big nose anyway. sometimes it's small and a bit visible, but most of the time it's bigger and annoys me a lot.

I went to the derm and she wasn't sure but thought it is a sebaceous cyst and can just be removed with surgery, and it would leave a big scar. Of course, that scared the shit out of me!

However, I'm not willing to give up. Has anyone got experience with it? I mean, there must be a way to help me on this... Past year has really sucked for me, and now i want to do a little "restart" for my life, and removing this cyst would be the first step for me!

here's a little pic (it looks small on here, but it's bigger than it looks here, sry for the bad quality).

http://250kb.de/u/081205/j/97582fb2.jpg

Can anyone help me out? PLEASE. Anyone have experiences about this? Never really had bad acne problems.

Has anyone ever tried Aqua Glycolic for cystic acne? If so, did you use the facial cleaner, or the toner? Did you have any success? If so, how long? Did it work with redness as well??

I have just been put on doxycyline 100mg once a day, and I also use clindamycin phosphate 1% gel. My cysts have calmed down, but I still have some and lots of inflammed redness and also redmarks.

Im in need of suggestions and help please

Accutane has kept my skin dry for 3 years now. I would love to get some sebum back to the surface of my skin. How can i do that? If you an decrease sebum buy using oral isotretinoin, (namely: accutane) there has got to be a way to INCREASE sebum production. Somebody please help me here. Thanks

I am an RN. I am in my 30s. I am fed up. Well for a long time I have had acne. Oily skin, hair etc. Acne for like 20 years. I have always used Neutrogena products which work wonderful for me. Their products that are mostly clear are without a lot of moisturizers so my skin doesn't get oily right away. I use the clear blue liquid (clarifier) through the day. I usually have used the orange Neutrogena bar soap for acne. It makes the skin feel nice and tight-not oily. I like Neutrgena because it uses the salicylic acid. I also use their skin clearing makeup = which has 0.5% s.a. in it. WHAT I LOVE has been the "clear pore treatment" by them, but I believe it has been discontinued. It was a clear gel you put on at night after cleaning with the bar soap. It was like it got into the pores and dried up the little plugs-almost crystallized them so that when you wash next time they just get washed away. And they dried up blackheads. ANYWAY I THINK they have a similar product now called Oil-Free Acne Stress Control - 3-in-1 hydrating acne treatment. It goes on after washing my face with the bar soap (well I will get to that part) and it is less sticky feeling than the other discontinued stuff. And you can apply it any time of day. This has always worked good for me-when I stayed at it. Now I have a new tube and am trying to be religious about it because I am having issues. It really makes the skin feel great and it takes along time for it to get oily again. Often though I would just use the bar soap if things were going well. I am now using the grapefruit scrub in the shower because of my PROBLEM ! I believe I had the flu in July and it was awful. Sinus infection then raging strep throat infection. My throat was just a huge white patch. While I was getting better and taking an antibiotic I noticed my forehead was bumpy and sandpapery feeling. It eventually travelled down the sides of my face and then to my neck below my ears. It is still there. I am back at using all the products I have mentioned but has anyone had this happen? I half imagine it was the strep infection that started it all. I am an RN and at first thought I was allergic to the antibiotic but it didn't itch and hasn't really gotten better. I also am restarting lactobacillus (probiotics over the counter) that I did take recently for bronchitis in October while I took another antibiotic to prevent antibiotic related stomach upset. Lactobacillus is good bacteria that can inhibit bad bacteria throughout your system-so I am using it again. It seemed to help my face out. That or it was the other antibiotic. So has anyone had this happen? I imagine it was the strep only because when I was little I had scarlet fever and that procuces a sandpapery rash on the trunk due to the infection in your bloodstream. It felt like my forehead feels now. Also this flu was just vicious and took me out. Talk about a stress to the system. SO I will keep at it and let you all know how it goes. HOPEFULLY IN A SHORTER POST> But has anyone else had this happen after an illness? and no I don't think it is sensitive for using too many products. I am trying to stagger them so I can see what will work best now that my skin has changed.

I'm beginning to think there a real waste of time.
All their environ products have done have made my skin red and chapped and now they choose to tell me that even when they do laser treatment my skin will be this bad again after a while
I've seriously had enough
I've completely stopped going out unless its entierly necessary
I'm thinking of going on Acutane it seems to be the only option I have left!

Hi im coming 21 and still have face, neck, chest and back acne.
I have very oily skin on my face but it goes really dry when i wash it.
It consists of lots of blackheads and these random big spots that are very painful.
I don't and never have had the common rash sort of acne just lots of big spots and loads of noticeable blackheads that sometimes don't amount to anything sometimes do.
Can anyone share their experiences with this type of acne and anything that worked for them?
I currently use Benzoyl Peroxide 10% and Isotretinoin cream both of which have severely irritatred my skin and made my acne much much worse....

Hey Guys
I'm new to this
Infact it's my first post!
I've come on here as I need support from others who suffer like I do! As well as to give my advice to others as best I can

I have had acne since I was 15, I'm now 19, it was nothing that bothered me too much as I was never to fussed about how the world saw me.

As I grew up my acne is now sooo much worse my skin is all dry and I can red spots with heads on them when I wake up every morning, it is also very very painful!

My dermatologist has put me on the environ range which is designed to change the way the skin works (I think) but a certain chemical in it makes the skin worse before it does better (I suppose with all products you use it will) TBH I'm starting to doubt this is going to work at all but I've come this far so I'm just going to stick it out and see what happens (I'll keep you posted)

Ok down to the origional title post:

When I wash my face I use a hairdryer to dry it, as I thought using towells that have not been completely clean would make my skin worse but now I realise how a hairdryer works I'm starting to think this could be what is making me skin worse!

I know I sound silly but it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Thanks for any advice given

J xxx

Hey guys, I've been mostly clear for the past 2.5 months since starting a new regimen. My acne had been hovering around moderate for the past year and I was mostly developing cystic acne which really sucked plus was painful. I was considering accutane because I was so tired of the cysts, but I was afraid of the side effects. I decided to change my regimen when I devloped 3 of the largest cysts I have ever had right next to my nose. All three surfaced around the same time so it was extremely embarassing. Anyway this is what I do now, it's pretty simple.

Morning
Wash with Cetaphil Gentle Clenser
Moisturize with Cetaphil
Spot Treat with Clearasil Sulfer Resorcinol Acne Medication
Take 1 50mg Zinc pill
Take 1 Fish Oil Pill

Lunch/Afternoon
Drink Roibos Tea (sometimes)
Take 1 Fish Oil Pill

Night

Wash with Benzoyle Peroxide Wash (3.5%)
Take 1 50mg Zinc Pill
Take 1 Fish Oil Pill

If I have a cyst or feel one growing, I put a large amount of the Sulfer Resorcinol cream on that spot overnight. This has worked amazing for me. When I had those huge cysts 2 months ago I used this and it helped shrink them within a few days. The sulfer cream is also a lot more gentle than Benzoyle Peroxide. I have had good results and less problems with sulfer, however it does kind of smell. I also think the fish oil and zinc has helped my body get over cysts faster, they def don't get as inflamed and are a lot smaller than usual. I haven't had a new one last more than 3 days in a while and the frequency of me getting cysts is a lot less. I'm not acne free but I'm really happy with the results so far and my scars are clearing up slowly. This obviously doesnt work overnight but it's been worth it so far. Hopefully this works for others as well. Good Luck.

Out of the 7 years I've had acne.. I never broke out on my left side of my face until recently. I used to get nodules that lasted for months or years.. eventually turn into a cyst. I'm slightly overwhelmed. Half of these nodules/cysts come back.

The same spot over and over is such a pain. Using a cream can't help by it's own, right? I feel like I'm missing something.

My boyfriend has problems with nodules and I'm not sure how to help him since those rarely ever get a white head. Much larger than mine too..


I'm putting together a file full of info/products to avoid being one of the many duplicate posts. Sorry!

Hi everyone,

I believe I have a nodule on my neck..it's a big, hard lump and has been there now for over one week. There is no sign of a white head forming etc. For nodules, do you need to get an injection, or can you just put benzoyl peroxide on it etc and hope it goes away? I am a bit worried, since it's rather big and will likely dent. I have never been told about injections etc before for acne.
The other ones I have around my chin are cysts, I think, since they always come back in the same place and get whiteheads. I always used to pick and squeeze them when I was younger, so is there any hope they will clear?

Hi, ive been on 40mg Accutane for 4 months now and my acne started clearing up at the end of month 3. Though recently ive been having joint pains which have been gradually getting worse over the last month so I am thinking of stopping the course. Im pretty much clear now apart from red marks.

Other side effects I get are fatigue (been feeling REALLY tired both mentally and physically), dry lips, depression and feeling weak overall. I can tolerate them only if they wont become permenant.

So if I stop now I have 2 months of pills left, should I stop or carry on and hope these will go away? Maybe completeing the full course will lessen the chance of acne reappearing? If i stop now though I have a 2/4 month supply for if it does come back (I can take 1 20mg pill a day instead of 2).

I really need to know this soon as I would be starting the next month tomorrow, thanks.

Within the past month or so i have been getting cysts like crazy. i would usually only get one a month(im a guy)and that would suck. but now i have like six. they're not all noticeable but 3 are and they are horrible. Should i go to the derm? do you know how ppl even get these things?

I've tried everything, antibiotics, topical creams, diets, herbal medicines, green tea... I'm still getting this STUBBORN F*****G ACNE, I feel like giving up... Where do I take it from here..? :'(

I get zits on my face that will not stop pussing. They are itchy and I get them on my chin. They will not go away until it forms a thick yellow crust. So the first day it itches and then the next day it oozes with yellow pus and it takes a couple of hours for it to stop(this is if I don't touch it). Sometimes the pus is dripping down my face as gross as that sounds. I would love any ideas about what this could possible be. Its been going on for quite some time now.

Have any of you ever taken this course of anti-biotics in the past.

I have taken a weeks worth a few times and the temporary results are fantastic, with me my acne was reduced by 80% within a week, it was like a miracle.

The only problem was that after about two weeks, when the anti-biotic was out of the blood stream, my acne would come back almost systematically.

There are no immediate side-effects except apparently it can effect your immune system later in life.

For anyone wanting quick, temporary results for severe acne, I'd definitely recommend it. Dut to the strength of the drug you can only have a weeks worth at a time and my doctor was reluctant after a few courses to prescribe, so no longer allows me to take it.

Anyone else been down this route?

I have severe acne.

When people say they are on 80 mg of accutane, do they mean two tablets of 40 mg a day or one 80 mg tablet a day?

Also can I still use clearasil on my face whilst taking accutane?


Thanks in advance.

... the itch is killing me!!! I know I shouldn't touch them, but its making me go crazy...

Having acne is bad enough already, it sucks more when the itch constantly reminds you that you have acne...

Is it just me?

Ok i think imma start icing my face after cleansing it and before apply bp everyday at night
is this a good idea?

I had a small cyst injented with cortisone three weeks ago. It was the second time the dr. had injected the area (he had injected a cyst in the same spot 3-4 weeks prior). Because it was in the same spot, he said he was going to put more medicine in. He didn't even mention there could be any side effects.

One week after the injection, a large swelling appeared and I went in to see him, but he dismissed it. Several days later, a dent appeared at the site of the injection.

Now, 3 weeks since the injection, and the indentation has gotten worse (it is now a depression that runs up and down my forehead). I've read the previous posts about it, and most people say it should go away in 6 months. But, it's quite upsetting. Anyone who is self-conscious enough to get a cyst injected is obviously self-conscious, so Im not dealing with this well. Plus...6 months is a long time! And some people said it could take a year or be permanent.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone decided to seek treatment for these dents/depressions caused from cortisone i.e. seeing a plastic surgeon?

Thanks for your input.

So i woke up this morning and there was nothing there, my neck was a little red but didn't think anything of it, no sign of a bump. The day goes on and my neck starts to inch, I take a look in the mirror and my jaw dropped. And I thought the cyst by my ear was bad enough. I've never really had anything like this. What should i do? Ice it?

okay well I kept picking and squeezing on my nose last night and put some aloe vera gel on it before sleep, and I woke up this morning and my nose was so sore.... and there is this one spot where when i gently press on it, its really painful and its red around it. Im pretty sure its a cyst thats under my skin, there's no bump or anything-yet... Im so scared this is gonna turn into a full blown cyst, I have graduation next week so I'd rather this NOT surface :/ Is there any topical I can put on it to make it go away without surfacing? I have mupirocen, cortisone, neosporin.... Right now I'm too scared to put anything on it.....

oops, wrong board sorry guys

Had a cyst on my chin for about a week and ended up with circular black scab a little bigger than the size of an eraser on a pencil after aggressively trying to squeeze the stuff out yesterday. It had a blistery thing on top of it that sort of split open after i kept applying hot water trying to get it to come to a head. I just couldn't leave it alone after that. i am thinkin of skipping class until wednesday. i gotta go to a dentist on wednesday (embarrassing.)

anyone know of anything to to do to help it look better or heal faster? I've been doing the ice/polysporin thing recommended here but i'm not really sure how often i'm supposed to apply it.