White Bumps or Plugs Deep Under The Skin

I am confused. I have been reading a lot of posts on here searching "white bumps under the skin" and I found some stuff, but dont know if what I have is the same.

Most people are talking about white plugs or bumbs that are on their nose or chin or cheek, the oily areas. Mine are in the areas that get dry if I'm taking too much sun, use something drying on my skin, or in the pool too much, etc....like specifically the folds b/w the nose and mouth and the jawline. You can't see them at all even close up unless I stretch my skin or push my tongue into the area from underneath right up close in front of the mirror...so they are really under there. I have a few lately that have turned into big inflamed pimples eventually coming to a head after a few days (but they get big). They have started coming to the surface since I am using the OCM (with castor oil and jojoba) and Tazorac gel .05% instead of the cream. I am concerned with the ones that turn into inflamed acne. It's like I am just waiting until it happens and can do nothing b/c it is already a plug. Is there anything I can do to prevent it from turning into a big pimple or I just have to wait until they eventually surface? Some end up going away on their own, how can I encourage that?? Is that the skin re-absorbing the sebum? Will heat help to do this? Do you think I'm irritating my skin and that is why they are coming up or is it good and that is just purging? Some people have suggested extractions, but these are deep, they would probably have to cut into my skin and make it bleed to get at it. Ideally, I would like them to come to a head as a small pimple with a head without much inflammation at all.

Thanks..I have two weddings coming up that I am in...and I don't need them exploding on the weddings for all the photos!!

Switch from Tazorac .05 to .1

I had been using Benzaclin one night and a .025 retinoid cream mixed with a moisturizer the next, alternating. I didn't experience any severe initial breakout (only a slight one), and I went from getting frequent breakouts to getting one pimple a month, but I wanted to smooth out my skin more and minimize pores, improve texture etc, so I asked for a higher retinoid and told the derm that I didn't experience any peeling with the .025, so he gave me Tazorac .05.

I still didn't experience any peeling with this, and I started using it without a moisturizer. I was also using a 5% BP during the day with a moisturizer. This was 2 months ago. Did this for a month.

Then I started using the Tazorac .05 every night and still no peeling or IB. But no pimples, inflammation, some blackouts that were deep in nose disappeared. So I thought it must be doing something, let's go deeper. This I did for a month.

I went back and explained no peeling, no IB, can I have Tazorac .1? I got it, and now some peeling, and some breaking out. I've been using it for a week and a half. WHAT CAN I EXPECT? SHOULD I EXPECT A FULL IB, EVEN THOUGH I HAD BEEN ON RETINOIDS FOR 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS STRENGTH? OR SHOULD IT BE A LIGHTER IB SINCE I'VE BEEN MILDLY EXFOLIATING FOR MONTHS ON A RETINOID?

ALSO, IF SO, IS IT WORTH IT? I HADN'T BEEN GETTING ANY BREAKOUTS, JUST WANTED TO IMPROVE THE TEXTURE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO IMPROVE THE TEXTURE AT THE COST OF EXPERIENCING RIDICULOUS BREAKOUTS.

Is this normal?

I have been using Benzaclin and Minocycline now since early September (3 1/2 months). I added the retinoid cream to the regimen mid October (I was afraid to use it after hearing horror stories on here). I had been using Dan's BP regimen for just a month before seeing the derm and that was actually going pretty good, but I said, hey if the derm can make it better-why not?

Anyway, so I've been on the retinoid for 2 months. I had no initial breakout in the first month, maybe a very slight one, but I am only using the retinoid cream every other night. Now at 2 months, I am experiencing what seems to be an initial breakout. Is this a little too late for this? Is it possible that this is just a sign that it is not working for me, since it came so late? I know people say wait at least 3 months-maybe 6 months-but isn't it strange that I didn't have hardly any peeling and hardly any IB in the first month and a half?

Current state of skin-red, scaly, flaking, dry esp around mouth and chin, breakout in areas peeling, looks a little more bumpy.

What do you think? Am I about to get a bad IB? Or has the mino/Benzaclin countered that? I don't want to get cysts....I haven't had them in months. The pimples that come up leave in a few days.

My derm gave me Minocycline, Tretinoin Cream .025%, and Benzaclin???

So I've been using Dan's regimen but with the Acne Free 3.7% repairing lotion as my benzoyl peroxide, it's been 5 weeks, and it seems to be working pretty good (but it could just be the summer weather and time in the sun and ocean, the real test comes in the next few weeks when the weather changes - I always break out then). I had scheduled a derm appt. b/c I really did want to supplement with an oral antibiotic or birth control and keep doing the regimen, but I did not express that, I just nodded and went with what he gave me.

He put me on Minocycline 50 mg twice a day, Benzaclin for daytime, and Tretinoin Cream .025% for nighttime. I've read the Tretinoin cream may clog me up and break me out (not just an initial breakout). THAT SCARES ME! I kind of want to stick with Dan's regimen for a little longer before trying all this new stuff out. His regimen seems to have had a lot of success for people on here, and it seems to be working good for me too. I have 1 blemish and about 3 very small whiteheads that you can barely see even without makeup. WHAT SHOULD I DO? FOLLOW THE DR's ORDERS? OR JUST DO THE MINOCYCLINE AND DAN'S FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS, THEN IF I'M NOT COMPLETELY HAPPY, TRY HIS?

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK AND WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE REGIMEN, MINOCYCLINE, BENZACLIN, AND TRETINOIN CREAM .025% HAVE BEEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

It seems like there are answers for acne, but none for scars....what I've tried, discouraging.

I seem to have read everything, all the message boards, informational websites, procedures, seen the photos before and after. However, it seems that nothing is even a near guarantee to improve scars. You would think that laser treatment would be the way to go, as that is what every other site and doctor out there would tell you, but then you come on here, and it seems that 8 out of 10 people who have gotten the treatments done have seen little to no results after spending thousands of dollars. You look on the Scar Treatment Review page, and there is really nothing substantial that gets great reviews. The people who do post good reviews are mostly talking about hyperpigmentation, which can be gotten rid of with a number of quality products out there. I'm talking about rolling scars, ice pick, stuff that shows up bigtime when you project light upward under your face.

How can you form a solid plan of attack on scars recently formed in the past 4 months to 2 years?
I've tried Mama Lotion (no good for real scars), Jan Marini glycolics, microdermabrasion over 1 1/2 hrs at a medical spa, 15% salicylic acid peels every 3 weeks for 4 months, 40% glycolic peels, EZ PEEL with TCA, and copper peptide serum for about a year with the glycolics. None of it has made any significant difference. The only thing that does work temporarily is a tan or the tightening effect after a peel, and that is unhealthy to rely on that.

Mederma-worth a shot? Strivectin? Fraxel? Pixel laser? Subcision? Punching techniques? TCA Cross? Derma fillers? Acne Free pock mark filler with HA? What is the best way to go? Try certain ones as combination? We all want smooth tight skin. Let's talk about this. Can we come to any consensus on what works best or what works best for a particular skin type? Thanks for anything!