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[population]

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.

[Buke]

I'll be honest, I didn't really read what you wrote, but this may be helpful.??
I replied this on several different posts: I also tried a lot of antibiotics: doxycycline, erythromycin, Bactrim, clindamycin (oral), penicillin, amoxicillin, and currently ciprofloxacin. Erythromycin and clindamycin didn't work at all for my acne. I think it's because those are most effective against gram-negative bacteria or gram positive, I can't remember which one. All the other antibiotics are effective on both the gram type bacteria. The derms suggested accutane many times. I had reasons, other than side effects, why I didn't want to take it. I left that hospital and went somewhere else, that's where i got the cipro. It isn't the only thing i got, though. Acne is mainly caused by hormone imbalances. Your body is has wayy too much testosterone, and is telling your body to produce all kinds of oil. That oil clogs your pores and traps the bacteria, forming acne. Antiandrogens are used to control the testosterone level. So the doctor also decided to put me on spironolactone "spiro". This is proven to treat server acne, and get rid of all the excess oil. Many people go on this for an acne medication. Some also get a birth control pill to improve the effectiveness. It takes anywhere from 1-3 months to start clearing acne. It only takes 1-2 weeks for all the oil to stop being produced. I was able to go 12 hours without washing my face; no oil. Usually I have so much oil, I have to wash it every couple hours. I read, I believe on this site, this girl was on antibiotics, and accutane. The accutane stoped working after a while, so she went on this and stayed clear. Go to google and type Spironolactone for acne, read the reviews. I would bring this up to your derm. You also want a healthy immune system. Take a multivitamin, and zinc 50 mg capsules (1 or twice daily). If you have scars, take a shower at night. After the shower, break a zinc capsule open, pour the powder on your finger tips, use your other hand to sprinkle water on the powder, rub it in untill it's like a liquid, and rub it on your face. Leave that on over night, and you'll be good. Zinc is amazing. I think give zinc and spiro a shot. After 3-4 months if you still have acne, may God have mercy on your soul. Good luck to you and enjoy your life.