17 replies to this topic

[Bshack618]

Well I am starting to come to a deadend I have tryed everything no mater what My cystic acne on my forehead keeps poping up and once they all go away I have acne scars which as of right now im still dealing with 5 cyst on my forehead.. I started working out 1 year and half ago or so and never had a problem well I started taking a cheap creatine from walmart and quit taking that a month later because my buddy told me to upgrade to something else so I got off that and kept working out with no creatine I run maybe 2 miles every other day and work out on my other days so mayb 4-5 days a week im at the gym.. In october sometime I was alittle angry so my mom told me I should get some meds for it. I got put on cymbalta well I took it for one month and thats when I had 1 cyst come in on my forehead. I quit taking it and nothing serious came in but when Winter hit thats when it went all bad and I started getting cyst all over my forehead. I started going to the dermatolgist and started my accutane I took that for 5 months and nothing still had cyst coming in the whole time. I quit taking it because my knees where killing me as I walk 2 miles a day at work since I work in a hospital. Now she has put me Sulfameth pills and tretinoin cream to put on my face.. Had one good week where it all went down and just had scaring but it came right back.. I tryed milk thistle for cleaning out my liver and vitamin d and vitamin c. I tryed the apple diet thing and I dont think its the food im eating. I even use a special soap that the derm suggested me to use when on accutane and I switch shampoos that are SLS free. I used to wear hair gel I quit wearing that along time ago because I heard it can drip down on youre face and clog youre pores.. Im just trying to figure else what I shall do im LOST iM tired of getting shots in my forehead everytime I go to the derm to get rid of them which only last for a week and they come right back in a different spot or the same spot.. What should I do next? Can my hormone levels be messed up? How do I fix them I am a 22 male bout 5-9 Im in shape I never had acne on my forehead always around my mouth and stuff but I have it in control and no cyst around there I only get cyst on my forehead.
Please help, If you took the time to read thanks alot!!!! I hope I can get some help because this is very embrassing specially at work when I see alot of clinets everyday.. Thanks, Brian S

Here is a pic that i took two months ago which it is much worst now!!

Attached Files

•  291836_10150335692625683_579545682_8517793_1959440884_n.jpg   7.92K   137 downloads

[AcneeHater]

Do u drink lots of water and sleep early?

Cause working at a hospital probably messes ur sleeping schedule which can mess up ur body clock and healing process.

[Bshack618]

I drink maybe 5-6 bottles of water a day and My sleep schedule im usually passed out by 10ish or so and I get up at 630. I work the same hours everyday

I dont drink anything else besides water..

[AcneeHater]

Humm. When i was on creatine i had the worst break out of my life. So i stopped and it helped. But then you also stopped using it too so I have nothing else to add. Not sure what is causing this problem. This is a tuffy. Well let me know if u figure it out.

I think hormones can have an effect on acne. Only tip i got is dont pick or touch at all cost. If u feel like it then just make a fist and down some cold water

Good luck

[Bshack618]

Yea quit taking creatine know of anything else to use in the gym to give me energy?? & Thanks man for reading and trying to help and it really is tuff its really scaring looking and people ask me if i got hit in the head or something n i have to tell them no its just acne..

[AcneeHater]

U prob feel like u need something to give u that extra rep or some days ur just not feeling it and tired of working out. Im not taking anything else at the moment cause i dont want to risk getting acne or making it worst but what i find that helps is changing up the routine. This really gives me motivation to hit the gym hard. Also having a good diet can leads to more energy. Soo i hope that helps cause thats all i got for ya.

[AutonomousOne1980]

i would suggest making some additional dietary adjustments.

try eating more cooked carrots and eat them with fat in the same meal, and less sugar and milk, get your calcium from a mix of cheese, and supplements, to reduce your dairy intake a bit, dairy is a good source of protein so keep some in there, people with acne generally are sensitive to dairy products.

only consume whole grains, never white bread.

the only topical you should use is glycolic acid to exfoliate, forget anything a dermatologist will ever give you its all crap, a never ending cycle that may damage your skin in the long run, glycolic acid is a fruit acid, use it for the rest of your life no worries.

i hate giving advice because rarely do people tend to consider it, good luck and keep reading about what a healthy diet is, get most of your info from looking up studies in nutritional science, or books on nutritional science, thats where i get most of my info, and any other study i can find about how the human body works, no doctor will teach you what you can teach yourself through hard work, its up to you to teach yourself.

[Bshack618]

Thanks alot for the ideas I will start adding better solutions to my diet as I been reading the diet part of the forum to and switching some vitamins up also.. I just don't under how I am 22 years old and if it's food I'm just now allergic to it and it's showing on my forehead maybe I'm allergic to something in the creatine or the muscle milk I drank before that which I heard that's not good for u at all.. Thanks alot for the ideas I'll keep doing research it's just really embarrassing working around little kids and they say what hit u in the forehead honestly that puts my whole day down the drain!! Thanks again for the ideas I'm gonna switch some things up and see how it gos also gonna get a cortisone shot in the 4 cyst I have on my forehead now to speed the process up then I can start working on the scar issue because I have alot on my forehead but the rest of my face is mostly clean no cyst..

[Panic!!]

Think hard about what you changed between the time you were clear on your forehead, to when you started breaking out. I know you mentioned the hair gel etc; but really think about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you might have changed. Just because your using a SLS free shampoo doesn't mean it might not be breaking you out, ESPECIALLY since you have a shaved head.

My hair is a little longer than yours and since we have less hair, you need less shampoo. I only shampoo 2x a week. And I NEVER let the shampoo get on my face. I put on the shampoo, then have my back facing the shower, til my head back and let the shampoo run down my back, never on my face.

Secondly, Muscle Milk for surrrrrre causes acne. Almost everyone I know started breaking out as soon as they started taking it. I don't think your taking it anymore?

If your on any sort of whey protein, switch to an egg protein powder because as Auto said, your likely sensitive to dairy. There's a big difference between a food allergy and sensitivity. Educate yourself on that.

List your diet here and I mean everything. Are you eating junk food on a regular basis?

Also something else to consider. Your working out quiet a bit. If your body is in the stress response mode, working out so much is only going to make things worse. I'd definitely still work out, but not as much.

Also when you do cardio or sweat in general bring a towel with you and wipe off the sweat. To me it looks like you could be sweating a lot when you do cardio, esp since you have a shaved head and its clogging your pores. Combine that with your diet and its turning into cystic acne; something your body doesn't agree with.

What I would do is start a food journal. Write down everything you eat for a week. Then one by one, eliminate one of the items for a 3-5 days and see how your skin reacts. This should help you figure out what in your diet is contributing to your breakouts.

Lastly, I would get off all those products the derm put you on. All they do is dry out your skin and keep you dependent on them. Not to mention they thin out the epidermis and cause premature aging.

Also you could simply be severely deficient in a key vitamin or mineral. So def list your typical diet and we can figure it out.


Stay positive this will pass

[Bshack618]

Thanks alot for the great response!! When I use the shampoo I use it 2 times a day the only thing is if I don't wash my hair everyday it gets greasy and I feel that's mOre of a problem wouldn't it be if I touch it also and then I sweat down my face?? I quit using creatine last Thursday because it seems like it just breaks me out even worse!! & I'm not using muscle milk at all because I did alot of reading on it and it causes acne so that's a no.. My diet on Wednesday starting in the morning I just had a muffin and then lunch I had lasangna that had chicken in it with an apple then dinner a bratwurst and two apples and Thursday I had a muffin I made muffins because I live on my own n haven't went grocery shopping till today and I had an apple again and at lunch I had the lasangna left overs with an apple and then dinner I had spaghetti with a 2 apples and Friday today I had a muffin with an apple and for lunch I had spaghetti with an apple have not had dinner yet will prolly have chicken .. I just started eating a bunch of apples because I heard it will help... When I go to the gym I usually lift mayb 140 which sometimes 200 I weigh 150 but haven't been very motivated since I don't take creatine anymore when I go to the gym I I usually work out or I run but yesterday I ran a mile and lifted for alittle n then did some an workout I do sweat alot which I take a bottle of water with me and maybe drink 1 1/2 while I'm there and they have clean towels there I use but maybe I should take my own.. I never thought maybe my body is stressed out from working out but how do I get over that I refuse to just keep working out and don't wanna have no muscle.. & you said something bout the egg protein I think I'm gonna stay off all protein boosters as of right now to see how it gos .. I ate two apples before the gym yesterday before I went to the gym and felt excellent you kno not like I took creatine but workout for 40 mins when I usually go for an hour.. Thanks alot man for the response sorry for spelling or anything in typing it up on my phone at work.. Thanks again!! BRian

& I have a derm appOintment on Tuesday I plan on going to get atleast the cortisone shot in 3 of them since they hurt so bad inless they go down by then..

I stay away from junk food mayb I'll have a bag of chips on the weekend but other then that nothing bad.

[Panic!!]

No worries bro, I can imagine how the situation stinks.

Your eating almost nothing and your working out almost everyday! That will definitely stress the body big time. A typical apple is only a little over 100 calories. And muffins? That's garbage processed food; all sorts of vegetable oils, fillers and preservatives in there. Definitely not helping you.

Why not eat eggs, potatoes, a wider variety of fruits and vegetables? Also what kind of cooking oil do you use?

The hair thing; if you run oily, shampooing it twice in the same day is going to strip the oil yes, but then your body will INCREASE oil production because it senses the stripping. I would shampoo it 1-2x a week MAX, then on the days where you feel like its raining on your head, just use a conditioner. But you will have to go thru a transition phase where it might be oiler since its clearly out of balance.

Working out so hard and NOT eating enough calories, plus mentally stressing over your skin is definitely a recipe for disaster. You need to eat a lot more, but make it from real foods. You can't be scared to eat something because of acne, I mean I understand it. But what I'm saying is if you eat whole foods, get rid of muffins, chips and eat an adequate amount of calories, I bet you your skin will improve.

Try one thing at a time and eventually you will have your answer.

[jannellebelle]

I think alot of the time, we need to STOP messing with our skin. Let it be, and it will get better. I cant stress enough, NEVER EVER pick at your skin. Im sure you already know that though.

Here are some tips:

1) Water. It will change your skin. Maybe not dramatically at first, but over time If you drink 6-7 glasses of water a day, your skin will begin to look a lot better!! Trust me, its literally all I drink.

2) Perhaps use a tea tree oil shampoo! It will cleanse your scalp, and if any of the remainder of the shampoo falls onto your forehead.. it wont harm your acne. If anything it will make it better, simply because tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant.

3) See a doctor. I know you mentioned you see a derm and got prespribed accutane. But, most derms only look at a patient for 5 seconds and prescribe them accutane. Perhaps its not the drug for you. Id go see another doctor for a second opinion. Also, maybe you need to think about your health internally. Sometimes the skin is the first warning sign when something is wrong within the body.

4) Dont tear yourself down. Nothing is going to change over night, which I know is frustrating.

5) Look into getting the Obagi ClenziDERM system. It worked really well for my boyfriend who had bad cystic acne. His brother used it as well, and his skin cleared up really quickly. Your derm should have it!!

6) After working out, always wash your face. Typically, you should have a hot shower to open your pores and then use your acne cleanser. .etc. The steam of the shower will really allow the product to get into your pores.


Overall, dont give up!!! Just know that everything gets better. Also, anyone who judges or makes fun of you because of your skin.. is certainly NOT worth your time. I think having acne can sometimes be a good thing. It allows you to see WHO is worth having as a friend. I know a lot of people are very accepting.. and couldnt care less if you have acne.

Just stay strong and remember it will get better. Drink water, and stick to a routine.

[Bshack618]

Ok I will start eating better and add some better vegitables in fruit and eat more.. I am going to start only shampooing only 2 days a week and try conditioner when its really oily and hmm what do you suggest like a daily diet should be for me? and what should i eat before the gym.. Also I drink maybe 5 bottles of water a day right now and hmm never heard of the tea tree oil but ill check into it..Im setting up a doctors appointment with my doctor for the next coming up week ill have to see what he says because my derm doesnt do much besides put me on meds and shes a crook.. What is this ?? Obagi ClenziDERM system.. and I always wash my face after working out and very true about the acne on my face how people look at me sorry i didnt talk much I just answered questions but i just got out of class and have class in the morning again. Im really thinking I stressed my body out in the gym so im gonna start eating better and eat before i go to the gym to.. Thanks alot for helping guys when I get off class tomorrow im really gonna sit down and write what u guys said and go over acouple things n write this out better. THANKS ALOT!

[Panic!!]

For your diet, I'd start eating things like eggs, fish, grass fed beef (if you have access to it). Carbs, eat some oatmeal, potatoes, bright veggies and fruits. Also I'm a big fan of coconut oil, its all I use to cook my food. It has insane healing properties and can do wonders for your skin.

Cut back on your work outs big time and one other thing that I would suggest is start using the steam room if your gym has one. Sweating in a heated environment is very cleansing; gets rid of toxins etc.

I think Janelle had good advice for the most part; but you don't need to by all that Obagi crap; unless you enjoy pissing away your money on over-hyped, expensive products.

You don't want to become dependent on OTC stuff. Your skin is clearly telling you it needs something its not getting.


Start with changing your diet, cutting out all the crap (soda, processed food, bread etc) Also cut your workouts waaaaay back, sleep more and drink water as she mentioned.

I bet you your skin will noticeably improve just from that. Then add the steam room in and let us know where that takes you.

[SoontobeMD]

Bshack618, sudden cystic acne on my forehead happened to me for the first time this year, and I am in my 20s as well, but I was able to find a simple fix. Your forehead is probably producing an extreme amount of oil during to a natural change in your body. All you need to do is wipe the entire area down approximately every 2-3 hours with a wet cloth or a gentle cleansing towelette from your local drugstore. You MUST do this every 2-3 hours or the cysts will occur. For a nighttime treatment, apply a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide cream on your entire affected area before bed. Neutrogena makes a good one. after about a week of this you will see signficant results.

You'll hear a lot of people tell you to change your diet, or a variety of hollistic treatments but this is the ONLY thing that worked for me. Drink plenty of water and this will go away. Good luck.

[Bshack618]

I'm gonna try the diet idea but I really don't think it's the diet as I been eating the same for years and I can't just become allergic to a food right now... And are you talking about the little wipes that are in the container???

I drink alot of water that's all I drink and when I cook I use butter but never had a problem and I'm gonna try not washing my hair everyday I added vitamin A to my diet

I'm gonna slow down lifting so much weight but not gonna cut back working out so much as running and working out is healthy for u..

Thanks for the ideas since I been off creatine for a week an half I'm seeing improvements I had acouple new ones pop up this weekend but it's going down....

[SoontobeMD]

Any wipes, even a wet paper towel if you dont have access to anything else will work, you just need to get the oil off of your forehead before they clog the pores and cause the cystic acne. That is how I was able to 100% clear my forehead. Preferably use non salicylic acid containing wipes as that may cause further irritation.

[Bshack618]

I been doing the diet thing and quit using protein well last Tuesday I had two pop back up the only think I've been doing different is riding my bike and having a helmet on a started cleaning the inside and just not got wipes today gonna start wiping my face before I put it on