66 replies to this topic

[Namespace]

Sound Advice. Thanks Wynne!

Hi Wynne- Great post.

I had been battling a cyst for a couple months. It had gone up then down then up again and back down. The aftermath was a darker red mark with a smaller purplish circle within it. I went to see the derm and, knowing that my family has a history of skin cancer, he strongly recommended I get a biopsy on the purplish thing. So I've got an opening from the slice that the nurse said to put Vaseline on nightly, but I'm wondering if I should put a neosporin/polysporin on it as well. Any ideas?

Also, I am taking Aczone now (a decision inspired by the aforementioned saga) which has definitely helped fight off inflammation. I've got a deeper pimple (perhaps cyst, not sure) that is brewing right now that I put the aczone on to ward off further inflammation. Would it be alright to use both aczone and neosporin at night?

I don't know what's in aczone, I'd just treat the biopsied area as directed by the doctor/nurse, without adding ANYTHING else to that spot. That will increase your chance of healing it appropriately without scarring. Vaseline is marvelous for assisting in healing almost any wound. It's even used on deep tissue/muscle injuries with success.

If the aczone seems to be working fine for warding off inflammation, I'd use that (not on the biopsied site). I do not know if it would be compatible with neosporin, but most likely it would be compatible with plain old petrolatum jelly, over which you can still apply the bandaid on the new spot.

[tarabear]

Actually, my recommendations are in the first post.

I've been icing, taking ibprofen, and using ointment/honey.

How long do your suggestions take to work?

[Wynne]

I do not know anything about honey or how effective it is. The effectiveness of the suggestions in the first post will generally show results within a week. The actual redness of the spot should be reduced within 48 hours or so. I also do not know anything about the effectiveness of tea tree oil. If you find those work for you, continue to use them.

Not all cysts can be reduced quickly; time will generally take care of the majority of the problem. The suggestions in the first post merely help reduce inflammation and redness and pain in the short run and may sometimes help reduce or even kill a cyst but not always.

[Wynne]

I have updated the first post with a bit more information and reasoning/rationale. Along with some language change for our non-US persons: I added in 'plaster'!

[takkarmeg]

Seriously... thank you.
Just dealing with the real shitty part of having an enormous cyst... so someone just answering me is a small comfort.

I agree, when someone on this board answers its such a confort:D like someone with the same problem cares <3 THANKS PEOPLE! FOR ALL RESPONDING, WHEN I GET CLEAR ILL BE HERE HALF AN HOUR EVERYDAY JUST MOTEVATING PEOPLE!

[rfeolino]

OK. How do you exactly ice the cyst if it's not directly? What do you mean by buffering the skin?

[Wynne]

...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.
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