19 replies to this topic

[callendula]

Just looking for some feedback/insight as I re evaulate my condition and understanding. I'm a 34 year old female.

Type of acne: I very rarely ever get small (what I consider the poster type of acne--little red bumps with white tops). When I do, BP is very effective for me to clear them up. 99.9% of my problem is always more cystic in nature. Although they do not seem as deep/large as they used to they still originate as painful bumps under the skin which make a red spot that you can't do anything with. They take a long time to either deflate or come to a head. Almost every single time when these either deflate or come to a head, a little "seed" will come out at some point. Even ones that come to a head and expel, they will start to heal but will not heal completely until that little hard seed thing comes out. I just wait and eventually it surfaces. Once it is out, I know the spot will not be a problem because it will completely heal.

So, My assumption is that the problem for me lies in these seeds (I guess these are comedones??) that plug the pores. Then for whatever reason they are too deep to expel and when too much oil is produced it starts to back up and get inflamed.

My thought is if I can get rid of these blockages, I shouldn't have a problem. However, I'm a bit confused on what will get rid of them. I have read that retinoids make the pores shed and clean them out. Apparently, it doesn't break down the blockages you already have but works in prevention so they don't form in the first place? So, when using the retinoids, you have to wait for your pores to clear..and from then on, it works to keep them that way.

It is my understanding that glycolic acid works on the surface? So, salicylic acid is the one that actually goes into the pores and can help dissolve these plugs? Can it be used by itself to prevent these plugs or is a retinoid better? I thought perhaps using both (different times) to work from the inside out and from the top in, to clear out teh pores faster then going exclusively to the retinoid for maintaining.

If salicylic acid is something that works on these plug things, I have read the ph matters. But does the ph matter only as a peeling action? Or does it need the ph to penetrate the pore? I'm confused on that point, because I don't really care for the exfoliation as much as I want the pore clearing. I have seen on here someone said that stridex was a ph of 4 so not as low as some around 2.5 or whatnot. But on another site I saw that the acid should not be above 5 or it becomes ineffective. In that case, a 4 should work..but if the ph only affets the actual peeling, it wouldn't really matter if it doesn't affect penetration into the pore. So, I'd like to know the answer on that in order to get a product that works for what I want.

I appreciate anyone taking the time to help as I work on my own "cure". If I am wrong in any of my assumption how products work above, please let me know! For me, I feel like these plugs are the root of my problem. I know oil and hormones, etc..but if the pores are clean, perhaps the oil won't be a problem if it isn't hindered in releasing.

[Green Gables]

Salicylic acid at a higher strength is very effective sebum plugs, or seeds as you call them.

pH is very important. Salicylic acid at too high of a pH, or even mixed with the wrong filler ingredients, is completely ineffective. This covers most, if not all, drugstore salicylic acid products.

I would recommend 5% salicylic acid from Diana Yvonne. I can handle this once a day, 5 days a week. When the bottle is gone, if you want more rapid improvement, look into pushing up to a professional peel (20%).

I have used many different retinoids over the years, and with that experience I do not recommend retinoids for active acne or even lots of plugs. I know this flies in the faces of what most derms say, but here is the problem. Retinoids are great for anti-aging and getting the skin to cycle faster than normal. But retinoids are also classified as irritants. They will take your little plugged pores and irritate them until they create a huge, red cyst that is more difficult to heal. This is counterproductive and increases risk of scarring. I highly recommend retinoids after you have all the plugs out and want to tighten up the skin a bit and fade red marks. But use something else to get the plugs out.

Edited by Green Gables, 10 October 2012 - 03:41 PM.

[chelslaw]

i have the same issue as you (all my bumps are on my chin, but sometimes they do not come to a head they just hang around forever then decide to go away if i use BP for a long while) and i used a medical grade skincare line called Biophora which contains SA and it just irritated my skin. I gave it 3 months and the whole time it was irritated and i think it was just too rough on my skin.

ill be following this thread to hear some other comments.

[callendula]

Thank you, Green Gables! I have been using Skinceuticals .3% retinol for 10 months and my initial thought was continued purging. After looking online about the length of purging for prescription retinoids they said up to 3 months or so. I figured perhaps with such a lower strength as I was using, it would take much much longer. But, I don't know for sure. lol When I started the retinol, I had no active spots so I figured perhaps this was just pushing them out. If so, I would like to speed things along. When I look at my pores they look mostly clean..but apparently there are plugs somewhere because they do come up. lol

So, maybe I should switch to the SA and then move to the retinol aftwards. I do want to fade the marks!! Will SA keep the plugs away with consistent use? I mean, I'm not sure how exactly SA gets rid of the plugs. Does it actually dissolve them or just loosen them so they will expel? I'm wondering which product (SA or retinol) would be better as long term maintenence in keeping plugs from forming. Or could I end up using them concurrently at some point..like retinol at night and SA in the morning?

"They will take your little plugged pores and irritate them until they create a huge, red cyst that is more difficult to heal." I am wondering if this is what might be happening during my cycle in which might be causing the "hormonal type". I do get oilier at times and wondering if the pressure behind the plugs are causing the irritation/inflammation/etc. Just tossing around theories to see what might end up as the cause. lol

Thank you so much for all of your insight! I am going to check out the site you listed.

[callendula]

i have the same issue as you (all my bumps are on my chin, but sometimes they do not come to a head they just hang around forever then decide to go away if i use BP for a long while) and i used a medical grade skincare line called Biophora which contains SA and it just irritated my skin. I gave it 3 months and the whole time it was irritated and i think it was just too rough on my skin.

ill be following this thread to hear some other comments.

Hello! I get bumps all around my chin/mouth..mostly in the T zone I guess but I do get some on my cheeks. No place is off limits, unfortunately. lol I hate when they won't come to a head or at least just flatten out on their own. I use ice, tea tree oil, bp..whatever it takes to make them go away! lol Once, I had some painful ones that I just couldn't stand anymore so I used some antibiotic cream the doc gave my son for an infection he had on his finger. Yeah, i was desperate. But, it did seem to make them come to a head quicker. I've also used cortisone cream (otc) on them to help inflammation.

Do you have dry, oily.. skin? Mine is mostly oily. It's chaotic. Sometimes it will be oily, sometimes it dries out. It can't make up its mind and it drives me crazy. It tolerates almost anything, though. I haven't heard of the line you mentioned. I have used a product called Skintactix and I like it pretty well. The cleanser is antibacterial and I think has triclosan in it. I don't like using it too much for fear of immunity, but also I don't really get small spots and I think it is more geared to those types. I do like their mask called green tea poultice which has green tea in it and some other stuff which helps control oil and green tea is anti adrogen I think. I used to wear a thin layer under my mineral makeup and it helped keep me matte.

I hope we both can get some good information! So much of the info confuses me. Trying to narrow down what might be at the root of my problem and then finding appropriate solutions. I used to use BP regularly thinking it would keep me clear because it was supposed to kill bacteria. Ok, but it didn' stop everything. Then I read that it is mostly for top acne (the little bumps) and wasn't for deeper problems. I don't know. Then I started noticing that every spot had one thing in common--these seeds (plugs)..so maybe they are a cuplrit as to why I keep getting the deeper lesions. I've always wondered why do I only get the inflammed bumps? Why not the small onesthat I could manage easily?? lol My husband gets the small bumps that expel and then goes away. I'm talking 3 days tops from start to end. But not me..no.. lol

[chelslaw]

My skin is oily. Sometimes dry too but Im doing The Regimen right now so the BP is drying out the spots I have right now.

My skin can go from good to bad in 48 hours. I had perfectly clear skin 3 weeks ago then overnight I woke up with 3 of the big inflamed bumps on my chin.

For me my skin is sensitive to new products. The biophore line (has to be medically supervised use it) was alot fo SA so I thought I was just purging then it would get better but all it did was put me in an endless cycle of purge (which I read here somewhere that retin a can do as well for certain people but i dont remember why)

I have Keritosis Pilaris on my arms and so I think that my skin in general doesnt shed fast and plugs up. However the BP dries it out and it sheds off so I think thats helping? Its hard to tell since its only been 15 days on the Regimen. I am looking forward to adding AHA which helps chemically exfoliate.

I also have removed gluten from my diet and just removed dairy to see if that helps too. I am starting on Saw Palmetto tomorrow which is a natural anti androgen as well so I'm going to see how that helps.

I was also prescribed Differin and 8 weeks of antibiotics to ward off the initial breakout but im not sure im going to use that. want to give the regimen/saw palmetto a solid 6 weeks to show me any signs of improvement before i decide.

[fairytalesandcoffee]

I have been struggling with adult hormonal acne for a few years now. Same problem - over jaw line, cheeks and chin. Figured out that Retin-A and Differin are basically useless. Differin was too weak and Retin-A was dusting my skin and irritating it badly, so that even using cosmetics for concealment were difficult. Tazorac, though, seems to be working very well. As is a 3% salicylic acid treatment I am using. My breakouts have calmed down dramatically. I don't know why Tazorac works over Retin-A. I do know as original poster mentioned that my problem is the super speed in which the plug is happening deep down in my pores. I refuse to go on birth control pills because I feel it is what caused the hormonal imbalance I have now. (I was only on birth control pills for about a year and half and when I went off, a month later, my skin broke out horrifically in the traditional pattern of hormona acne, that I hadn't broken out before. Also, if you are interested in bringing the acne to a head faster, especially the cysts, I suggest a product with dead sea salt. So far the Tazorac, 3% saicylic acid product I have, and the dead sea salt mask have dramatically calmed down my skin. Personally, I would like to go back to only having "stress" acne. Adult hormonal acne is the worst. It blows.

[Caseydperkins88]

So my acne isn't horrible all the time but when it begins it cant be stopped. I have the exact same problem and end up making the acne and scars worse by forcing them to unclog. I have teied hundreds of breakout medicines and face washes and nothing worked or even helped, onlu made it worse and me very sad for wasting money yet again. Then, I decided to try bare escentuals mineral makeup. That helped a little bit, but skin was still dry and occasionally breaking out. When I went back into their store I explained everything that was going on and I didn't know they had all kinds of face products their for everything from dry to oily skin, blemishes, breakouts... Everything. I tried a small sample bottle of some things and finally found one that worked. Its the purifier I believe. And its affordable, trust me, I'm a mother of two and wouldn't be buying it if it didn't work. My face would be flawless if I quit touching it all the time lol. Thats the best suggestion I have. Just go to their store if there's a local one by you or call them. Hope this was of some use.

[callendula]

My skin is oily. Sometimes dry too but Im doing The Regimen right now so the BP is drying out the spots I have right now.

My skin can go from good to bad in 48 hours. I had perfectly clear skin 3 weeks ago then overnight I woke up with 3 of the big inflamed bumps on my chin.

For me my skin is sensitive to new products. The biophore line (has to be medically supervised use it) was alot fo SA so I thought I was just purging then it would get better but all it did was put me in an endless cycle of purge (which I read here somewhere that retin a can do as well for certain people but i dont remember why)

I have Keritosis Pilaris on my arms and so I think that my skin in general doesnt shed fast and plugs up. However the BP dries it out and it sheds off so I think thats helping? Its hard to tell since its only been 15 days on the Regimen. I am looking forward to adding AHA which helps chemically exfoliate.

I also have removed gluten from my diet and just removed dairy to see if that helps too. I am starting on Saw Palmetto tomorrow which is a natural anti androgen as well so I'm going to see how that helps.

I was also prescribed Differin and 8 weeks of antibiotics to ward off the initial breakout but im not sure im going to use that. want to give the regimen/saw palmetto a solid 6 weeks to show me any signs of improvement before i decide.

My skin can become an oil slick in a minute. Overall it seems dry(not much actual moisture) but it still produces too much oil. I hate how oily I get throughout the day. I have found that rooibos tea seems to help me with it. I try to drink a cup a day but sometimes I just get lax and forgetful. I have noticed some good effects with it. I buy mint so it may be the mint in it. I am not sure. I have also found that eating salmon helps stop the oil and recently I started eating pumpkin and my skin is less oily when i do so. lol I don't know if it is the high Vit A content or what. I put a half cup of pureed pumpkin (not pie mix) in my smoothie. I'm thinking I read somewhere if you have a thyroid/hormone problem you coul dbe low on Vit A...I don't know if this is related to my situation or not, but pumpkin is healthy so I don't see any harm at least. lol

Hmm.. I have not yet come across that info on the endless purging. That ius good to know. I think my eventual course may be to go to differin or something similar--when I can get insurance and a doc. Right now i am using retinol and it seems to be a constant purge, but I did add in salycylic acid now because i looked back at some notes from last year and I had been using regular ole stridex. I emailed teh comapny and they told me the ph was a range of 3-4.5 I saw improvement, though, because my red marks were lighter and i was very happy. That is oen thing I had cut out after the horrid outbreak at the beginning of the year. Anyways, started back on it after reading the advice the Green Gables. That made sense about the plug issues, so I hope to dissolve/purge most of those so the retinol can work better.

I think BP does exfoliate to an extent. I do know if i put too much my skin leathers up and literally peels in layers. lol I think theh AHA should help keep the outer layers of dead skin removed so they don't block the pore openings. Hope the saw palmetto and gluten free venture works! If you do try the differin I'd be interested in your experience!

I have been struggling with adult hormonal acne for a few years now. Same problem - over jaw line, cheeks and chin. Figured out that Retin-A and Differin are basically useless. Differin was too weak and Retin-A was dusting my skin and irritating it badly, so that even using cosmetics for concealment were difficult. Tazorac, though, seems to be working very well. As is a 3% salicylic acid treatment I am using. My breakouts have calmed down dramatically. I don't know why Tazorac works over Retin-A. I do know as original poster mentioned that my problem is the super speed in which the plug is happening deep down in my pores. I refuse to go on birth control pills because I feel it is what caused the hormonal imbalance I have now. (I was only on birth control pills for about a year and half and when I went off, a month later, my skin broke out horrifically in the traditional pattern of hormona acne, that I hadn't broken out before. Also, if you are interested in bringing the acne to a head faster, especially the cysts, I suggest a product with dead sea salt. So far the Tazorac, 3% saicylic acid product I have, and the dead sea salt mask have dramatically calmed down my skin. Personally, I would like to go back to only having "stress" acne. Adult hormonal acne is the worst. It blows.

I have never been nor plan to go on birth control. I had considered it briefly but read many people here who came off them and had worse problems. I'm just too scared to risk it. lol Glad to hear your regimen is working! I am especially happy that the SA is working because I am adding that back in. I'd been using the BP with retinol and while my skin wasn't as bad as it had been, it wasn't impoving. I remembered i had used SA last year and that was the time my skin was really looking good . I would check my face without makeup and would have no active spots just a few red marks leftover. I thought, wow if the red would leave, I could actually try to go makeup free! lol But then I had a horribe brakout a few months later, freaked and stopped many of the products. Right now I am using the neutrogena 3 in 1 acne stress gel in 2% SA because it's what I have. Once I use that, I will look into some of the "better" products listed previously. I have no ida what the ph is in this one. I emailed them but they said you had to call for that info. It received a good review from PC, which is why I got it--Paula said it was a ph of 3.4. I just wanted to confirm with the company. Anyhow, I have had more of the seeds (or plugs) coming up and so far no active areas which is pretty encouring because I am now within that 2 week window before my period where I always break out. I imagine an even better formulated SA would do more wonders! I think I may be on the right track at least with the progress just from the cheap stuff.

Thanks for the heads up on the dead sea salt. Where do you get yours?

So my acne isn't horrible all the time but when it begins it cant be stopped. I have the exact same problem and end up making the acne and scars worse by forcing them to unclog. I have teied hundreds of breakout medicines and face washes and nothing worked or even helped, onlu made it worse and me very sad for wasting money yet again. Then, I decided to try bare escentuals mineral makeup. That helped a little bit, but skin was still dry and occasionally breaking out. When I went back into their store I explained everything that was going on and I didn't know they had all kinds of face products their for everything from dry to oily skin, blemishes, breakouts... Everything. I tried a small sample bottle of some things and finally found one that worked. Its the purifier I believe. And its affordable, trust me, I'm a mother of two and wouldn't be buying it if it didn't work. My face would be flawless if I quit touching it all the time lol. Thats the best suggestion I have. Just go to their store if there's a local one by you or call them. Hope this was of some use.

Thanks! I have used Bare Minerals and still have some. I loved them when I used them. Unfortunately, since starting the retinol, I can no longer seem to handle Bare Minerals. It is weird, and the only thing I can guess is the retinol made my skin more sensitive and the minerals irritate it. I had to switch to liquid foundation. Go figure--using something more synthetic and it works fine and the more natural item causes breakouts. lol However, I do reccommend them for anyone who can tolerate them because when I used them--I absolutely LOVED the product. Especially because I am so oily. I think my makeup actually looked better as the day wore on with the minerals. Now, it looks worse with the liquid, but with the minerals it became more opaque or something. It actually seemed to increase in coverage as I became oily. lol

Oh..and by the way, I understand what you mean about havign to make them unclog! lol I am bad about that as well. I just "know" I can get it out, but sometimes it ends up being futile. I should learn by now. lol

Edited by callendula, 22 October 2012 - 12:49 PM.

[greatsite18]

Hi Ive suffered varying degrees of acne from bad to mild to clear. Right now Im closer to clear than mild, and getting better. Im 24 and male but I think my advice is still relevant.

You seem to be quite focussed on topical solutions. In my experience topical solutions can be effective; but theyre very unreliable, expensive and dont make much sense. I'd try to encourage you to alter your diet and lifestyle before you bought a single topical skincare product. Advice I offer to everyone is: Take care of your diet, get plenty of cariovascular exercise, sweat, fresh air, sunshine, dont scratch/pick/sleep on your face, keep good oral hygeine, and finally keep you face clean.

Really my skin is virtually clear now. Ive used tonnes of topical products before to virtually no effect, please read what Im topically doing now: I do a 10 minute run in the morning, just enough to break a sweat, and have a shower. I dont use any kind of soap or cleanser in the shower, I just let the water run over me for some minutes. In the evening before I go out I will use a normal, cheap 2cent facewipe gently. At night I do another run, just enough to break a sweat, shower, shampoo and just use a cleanser. Ive suffered cystic acne like you describe, but I can also go totally clear when Im careful, and I know why I break out when I break out. If I ever break out, Ive not followed my own advice: Take care of your diet, get plenty of cariovascular exercise, sweat, fresh air, sunshine, dont scratch/pick/sleep on your face, keep good oral hygeine, and finally keep you face clean.

Now about your diet: Fish oil, cooking oils, oil generally doesnt make sense to me. I see oil and acne as closely related, so why put any into your body? I know there are some good oils, but if you want to clear I suggest eliminating oils from your diet and then slowly introducing them one at a time. I mean salmon, I used to eat salmon couple times a week because I heard it was healthy, but actually it made me oiler than ever. Ive read you use dairy also; Given how rich and hormonal a food it is, I suggest you eliminate that too. In my experience with diet less is more, because when I eat a lot its only a matter of time before I breakout.

I dont want to appear patronising so take what you will from my vitamin supplements: I eat 500mg timereleased Vit b5, Zinc 10mg and 1000 IU Vitamin D daily. Besides that Ive read Vitamin A is the next most important for skin, so every 10 days or so I buy a 200g liver pate and eat it for breakfast each morning. On days I dont have Pate I eat carrot also for Vit A, sometimes I have both. Finally Ive read that Vitamin E is good for skin so I have almonds which are good for calcium from lack of dairy too.

So there. I know we have different lives, but I figure we share common ground in that you'll get breakouts from doing the same wrong things Ive done, so try and do the same right things and hopefully you'll get better. I wish you all the best,

[callendula]

Thank you very much! I don't think you were patronizing at all, and I appreciate you taking the time to respond! I've come to the topical intervention because what I was doing internally brought me as close as I appear to get. I do believe that diet is very important. There are so many trash foods out there and even when you think you're eating right, you find out you've consumed GMOs or new research shows something unhealthier than you thought. lol I do try to eat as organic as possible. I love fruit sand veggies. I don't eat a whole lot of meat and I prefer grass fed types. I do eat eggs as I have my own chickens, so I can control what they eat and they are free range and clean. I also like to eat out of my graden. I had to smile at your cleaning routine. My husband does the exact same thing (not the running) but he uses nothing at all both morning and night and his skin is clear. lol He only rinses his face once a day--it's crazy! lol I've tried the morning water splash but unfortunately, my skin just isn't cooperative. I wish, though, because it would be so much simpler!!! I think my main probelm is the pore plugs and I can't seem to find a diet/natural fix for that. I am hoping the SA will clear them out.

I usually take flax oil and will alternate between that and fish oil a month at a time. The one thing I am considering on changing is the use of canola oil. I just recently read that it interferes with production of thyroid hormones! Of course, that is the oil I have used for years. So, I am thinking of switching over to coconut and olive oil. I am noting this in my notebook because I am wondering if this could be causing the plugs in my pores. I don't know, but I have read that sebum can become too sticky (and flax oil is supposed to help with that) and perhaps the canola is the culprit. I do know I have used flax for about a year or year and a half and i still have plugs. But I have used canola during that time as well, so maybe the canola is too powerful. I don't know--just a theory. It may the one thing standing in my way to success. I will eliminate that and see--maybe it is not only causing pore plugs but also homronal imbalance IF it does in fact mess with female hormones.

That is weird on the salmon. I am so oily, but if I eat salmon 2x a week, my skin dries up to what i consider would be normal (not dry and not oily). I do use dairy. I cut them out a few years ago because i thought they were an issue, but it changed nothing. I do not consume nearly as much as I used to and I don't drink just glasses ofmilk or anything. I will have cheese on pizza or a grilled cheese now and then. I do know that I have to severely limit white processed foods. I can seem to eat whole grains with little problems, but if I eat too much white hambuger buns or white pizza crust, I always get an inflammation. Every single time. I can go out and eat a pizza meal once or twice a week and no problems, but if I eat like that for several days in a row, I will pay for it.

I take the supplements you listed. I have a multi vitamin, a liquid B multi, the zinc. I also take ashwaghanda which is an adaptogen because i find my oil increases when I under stress. I have a bottle of Vit A pills, but lately I have been using pumpkin in my smoothies instead. 1/2 cup said it had around 280% Vit A. Coming in food form, there should be no toxicity, so I feel ok eating it. Vit E is in my multi but I also like almond milk in my smoothie. I didn't even realize it had a high amount of Vit E in there! lol I also load up my salads with sunflower seeds which have Vit E ( I love sunflower seeds!! lol).

Thank you for your input. It helps me look at other options and think deeper into solutions that I might not have considered before! I just wish acne wasn't so person specific! Then one cure for all..and no trial and error based upon the individual. I appreciate you helping me in my journey for my success.

[emmylouise]

Products with AHA's!!

[callendula]

Thanks! I'm looking into eucalyptus oil. I read it can be antibacterial, anti inflammatory and good for acne. I found a journal online talking about using it to reduce sebum production. It's pretty interesting.


http://nopr.niscair....(3) 345-349.pdf

[kasyani]

Thanks! I'm looking into eucalyptus oil. I read it can be antibacterial, anti inflammatory and good for acne. I found a journal online talking about using it to reduce sebum production. It's pretty interesting.


http://nopr.niscair....(3) 345-349.pdf

I think prevention is better than cure,fortunately I found my prevention quite by accident some 30 years ago after suffering for 10 years from the age of 15 to 25,although for the last 30 years I have still get caught out every couple of years and it worries me that you are continually suffering at 34,
I never had "common acne" like you,apart from the one big spot the rest of my face was reasonably healthy looking,I don't know how to post pics on here,but if you look under adult acne "phew fast disappearing for xmas"you will see 3 pics,one of a spot where I have extracted the pus,one of a extreme spot and one of a typical spot,with the pus buried deep down,I have always squeezed mine,having to insert a pin 0.5cm inside,(I don't recommend this to you)the trick is finding the right pore,then extracting every 4 to 5 hours for a few days until the seed flies out,(and yes ,it heals completely)only once have I had a solid seed come out and that was after squeezing daily for about a month.
So maybe you have the same condition as me and my 21 year old daughter,that causes the formation of these deep seeds,
I am just so glad that my daughter won't have to suffer for the rest of her life,it must be so much harder for you females to cope with.

[callendula]

I think prevention is better than cure,fortunately I found my prevention quite by accident some 30 years ago after suffering for 10 years from the age of 15 to 25,although for the last 30 years I have still get caught out every couple of years and it worries me that you are continually suffering at 34,
I never had "common acne" like you,apart from the one big spot the rest of my face was reasonably healthy looking,I don't know how to post pics on here,but if you look under adult acne "phew fast disappearing for xmas"you will see 3 pics,one of a spot where I have extracted the pus,one of a extreme spot and one of a typical spot,with the pus buried deep down,I have always squeezed mine,having to insert a pin 0.5cm inside,(I don't recommend this to you)the trick is finding the right pore,then extracting every 4 to 5 hours for a few days until the seed flies out,(and yes ,it heals completely)only once have I had a solid seed come out and that was after squeezing daily for about a month.
So maybe you have the same condition as me and my 21 year old daughter,that causes the formation of these deep seeds,
I am just so glad that my daughter won't have to suffer for the rest of her life,it must be so much harder for you females to cope with.

 

Hello! Thanks so much! I agree, prevention is always better. I just still seem to have those times something just pops up. I know, it really sucks, at this age! I don't have insurance, my husband is in school and my son has diabetes, so to say the least there isn't extra money for dermatogolist visits. lol Normally, tea tree oil keeps most spots from turning into uglies. I always have seeds come out. Either they come up without incidence and I can just pop them out with no problems..or they get stuck somehow in the pore and turn into inflammations. I'm looking at B5 now to see about reducing oil production a bit so these things can come out without having teh oil back up and agitate them. I also just received some 2% SA in the mail to start using 9at a proper ph this time!). I'm hoping to see it remove the plugs.

[kasyani]

I think prevention is better than cure,fortunately I found my prevention quite by accident some 30 years ago after suffering for 10 years from the age of 15 to 25,although for the last 30 years I have still get caught out every couple of years and it worries me that you are continually suffering at 34,
I never had "common acne" like you,apart from the one big spot the rest of my face was reasonably healthy looking,I don't know how to post pics on here,but if you look under adult acne "phew fast disappearing for xmas"you will see 3 pics,one of a spot where I have extracted the pus,one of a extreme spot and one of a typical spot,with the pus buried deep down,I have always squeezed mine,having to insert a pin 0.5cm inside,(I don't recommend this to you)the trick is finding the right pore,then extracting every 4 to 5 hours for a few days until the seed flies out,(and yes ,it heals completely)only once have I had a solid seed come out and that was after squeezing daily for about a month.
So maybe you have the same condition as me and my 21 year old daughter,that causes the formation of these deep seeds,
I am just so glad that my daughter won't have to suffer for the rest of her life,it must be so much harder for you females to cope with.

 

Hello! Thanks so much! I agree, prevention is always better. I just still seem to have those times something just pops up. I know, it really sucks, at this age! I don't have insurance, my husband is in school and my son has diabetes, so to say the least there isn't extra money for dermatogolist visits. lol Normally, tea tree oil keeps most spots from turning into uglies. I always have seeds come out. Either they come up without incidence and I can just pop them out with no problems..or they get stuck somehow in the pore and turn into inflammations. I'm looking at B5 now to see about reducing oil production a bit so these things can come out without having teh oil back up and agitate them. I also just received some 2% SA in the mail to start using 9at a proper ph this time!). I'm hoping to see it remove the plugs.

HI,do you eat ramen,gravy/goffee granules,instant rice/tea/noodles or packet mix in sauces or anything similar which you add boiling water to activate,

I don't understand people who say they are prone to spots,it's like being accident prone,just take more care.

[callendula]

 

I think prevention is better than cure,fortunately I found my prevention quite by accident some 30 years ago after suffering for 10 years from the age of 15 to 25,although for the last 30 years I have still get caught out every couple of years and it worries me that you are continually suffering at 34,
I never had "common acne" like you,apart from the one big spot the rest of my face was reasonably healthy looking,I don't know how to post pics on here,but if you look under adult acne "phew fast disappearing for xmas"you will see 3 pics,one of a spot where I have extracted the pus,one of a extreme spot and one of a typical spot,with the pus buried deep down,I have always squeezed mine,having to insert a pin 0.5cm inside,(I don't recommend this to you)the trick is finding the right pore,then extracting every 4 to 5 hours for a few days until the seed flies out,(and yes ,it heals completely)only once have I had a solid seed come out and that was after squeezing daily for about a month.
So maybe you have the same condition as me and my 21 year old daughter,that causes the formation of these deep seeds,
I am just so glad that my daughter won't have to suffer for the rest of her life,it must be so much harder for you females to cope with.

 

Hello! Thanks so much! I agree, prevention is always better. I just still seem to have those times something just pops up. I know, it really sucks, at this age! I don't have insurance, my husband is in school and my son has diabetes, so to say the least there isn't extra money for dermatogolist visits. lol Normally, tea tree oil keeps most spots from turning into uglies. I always have seeds come out. Either they come up without incidence and I can just pop them out with no problems..or they get stuck somehow in the pore and turn into inflammations. I'm looking at B5 now to see about reducing oil production a bit so these things can come out without having teh oil back up and agitate them. I also just received some 2% SA in the mail to start using 9at a proper ph this time!). I'm hoping to see it remove the plugs.

HI,do you eat ramen,gravy/goffee granules,instant rice/tea/noodles or packet mix in sauces or anything similar which you add boiling water to activate,

I don't understand people who say they are prone to spots,it's like being accident prone,just take more care.

 

 

Hi! I can't stand ramen.  hehe No coffee...we don't eat packet type processed  foods.  The only thing I use the hot water for would be tea but I rarely drink that except for herbal teas...oh and I make mashed potatoes and boil those.   If I do eat out and we have some packet type (like gravy on chicken fried steak for example) I don't have any issues. So, I'm not sure if this is a problem for me. I will be keeping more of an eye out when i do have these items and see if there might be a link. I do appreciate your thoughts and sharing your information!

[kasyani]

 

 

I think prevention is better than cure,fortunately I found my prevention quite by accident some 30 years ago after suffering for 10 years from the age of 15 to 25,although for the last 30 years I have still get caught out every couple of years and it worries me that you are continually suffering at 34,
I never had "common acne" like you,apart from the one big spot the rest of my face was reasonably healthy looking,I don't know how to post pics on here,but if you look under adult acne "phew fast disappearing for xmas"you will see 3 pics,one of a spot where I have extracted the pus,one of a extreme spot and one of a typical spot,with the pus buried deep down,I have always squeezed mine,having to insert a pin 0.5cm inside,(I don't recommend this to you)the trick is finding the right pore,then extracting every 4 to 5 hours for a few days until the seed flies out,(and yes ,it heals completely)only once have I had a solid seed come out and that was after squeezing daily for about a month.
So maybe you have the same condition as me and my 21 year old daughter,that causes the formation of these deep seeds,
I am just so glad that my daughter won't have to suffer for the rest of her life,it must be so much harder for you females to cope with.

 

Hello! Thanks so much! I agree, prevention is always better. I just still seem to have those times something just pops up. I know, it really sucks, at this age! I don't have insurance, my husband is in school and my son has diabetes, so to say the least there isn't extra money for dermatogolist visits. lol Normally, tea tree oil keeps most spots from turning into uglies. I always have seeds come out. Either they come up without incidence and I can just pop them out with no problems..or they get stuck somehow in the pore and turn into inflammations. I'm looking at B5 now to see about reducing oil production a bit so these things can come out without having teh oil back up and agitate them. I also just received some 2% SA in the mail to start using 9at a proper ph this time!). I'm hoping to see it remove the plugs.

HI,do you eat ramen,gravy/goffee granules,instant rice/tea/noodles or packet mix in sauces or anything similar which you add boiling water to activate,

I don't understand people who say they are prone to spots,it's like being accident prone,just take more care.

 

 

Hi! I can't stand ramen.  hehe No coffee...we don't eat packet type processed  foods.  The only thing I use the hot water for would be tea but I rarely drink that except for herbal teas...oh and I make mashed potatoes and boil those.   If I do eat out and we have some packet type (like gravy on chicken fried steak for example) I don't have any issues. So, I'm not sure if this is a problem for me. I will be keeping more of an eye out when i do have these items and see if there might be a link. I do appreciate your thoughts and sharing your information!

Hi,I have been reading your previous posts,my nose can also become a oil slick in a minute

 and I did notice that if I didn't pop my cyst straight away,the seed would be released rock hard.

I know that because I have an intolerance/allergy to certain chemicals,not everyone does,I discovered my poison some 30 years ago,after leaving my mothers home,she used a lot of packet mixes and I suffered week in week out for 10 years,when I moved I survived on fried food for months and my complexion became healthy,

 

a couple of years ago I helped a girl,who now no longer gets cysts,she became a vegan and changed her diet,which included a lot of packet sauces and granular products and interestingly consumed a lot of vitamins tablets,now 3 years ago my doctor prescribed a tablet for me for cholestral and I suffered an outbreak,I presume they contained a chemical my body rejects,don't be fooled by "but these vitamin tablets are good for me,how can vitamins be bad"

So please suspect(especially the packet type gravy on chicken and steak) that you could be causing the problem by what you are swallowing.

 

ps,love the Texan accent over here in England.

[Sarsar123]

I have this prob! I cannot get the plugs out and they continually swell over and over. I'm too nervous to force them out due to scarring but nothing ever heals, as the plug is stuck. There is a lot if info here and I'm still very confused as to what I should try. Right now I have no clue where to start

[callendula]

Hi,I have been reading your previous posts,my nose can also become a oil slick in a minute

 and I did notice that if I didn't pop my cyst straight away,the seed would be released rock hard.

I know that because I have an intolerance/allergy to certain chemicals,not everyone does,I discovered my poison some 30 years ago,after leaving my mothers home,she used a lot of packet mixes and I suffered week in week out for 10 years,when I moved I survived on fried food for months and my complexion became healthy,

 

a couple of years ago I helped a girl,who now no longer gets cysts,she became a vegan and changed her diet,which included a lot of packet sauces and granular products and interestingly consumed a lot of vitamins tablets,now 3 years ago my doctor prescribed a tablet for me for cholestral and I suffered an outbreak,I presume they contained a chemical my body rejects,don't be fooled by "but these vitamin tablets are good for me,how can vitamins be bad"

So please suspect(especially the packet type gravy on chicken and steak) that you could be causing the problem by what you are swallowing.

 

ps,love the Texan accent over here in England.

 

  I have the issue with some hair care products. I used a conditioner once and I had a terrible reaction. I found out the conditioner had algae extract in it...Apparently I cannot handle that stuff. I have found it in face washes, too..so I have to be very careful. It is sad, though, that we have to become such detectives--I wish every item and food was just natural and healthy..without any crazy additives.  Would make our lives a whole lot easier!!

 

Ahh... hehehehee Thanks!  I'd like to visit England some time, but planes terrify me. lol! I don't think much about my accent, until we go somewhere we don't blend in. Then our ya'lls are very noticeable!

I have this prob! I cannot get the plugs out and they continually swell over and over. I'm too nervous to force them out due to scarring but nothing ever heals, as the plug is stuck. There is a lot if info here and I'm still very confused as to what I should try. Right now I have no clue where to start

 

Hello! I am so sorry! Perhaps your plugs are stuck deeper. I rarely notice mine unless they start to protrude or make a little bump on the surface. By then, they are close and easily pop out. But, I know I have deep ones because they come out after swellings. I have been using some 2% salicylic acid at a pH of 3.2 and believe i am seeing good results! I am gauging this by having more plugs come out on their own. Also, I have noticed my skin a bit brighter and also my fine wrinkles are lessened! I didn't expect that but I have definitely noticed the fine lines at the corners of my eyes are almost gone. I haven't done anything else but the SA and trying to keep all my products close to 5.5 pH. Anyways, that is a nice plus. lol I still have some inflammation and it is taking a while to purge my sin, but I'm sticking with it for now since I can see more of these coming out than they had before. Maybe you might try it and see if it helps you get your plugs out?