Have had acne since my early 30s started oxytetracyline for a couple of years then think I became immune so went back to the doctor who prescribed erythromicyn of which I have been taking for a year or so. The antibiotics helped a lot but last oct I started to drink a glass of grapefruit juice a day and without really noticing I hadnt had a spot for months so religiously since have drank at least one glass a day and my skin was the best its been. However, I recently had to take a high dose of antibiotic for sinusitis and therefore couldnt take the erythromicyn and picked a blocked pore on my cheek and now I have what looks like a cyst spot it had no head and feels liquidy inside. I left it for a week and it didnt budge or shrink so decided to stick a sterile needle in it to pop it, I know bad move, I squeezed it to bits but nothing came out! It has since crusted and peeled off top layer but the spot is still the same size and colour! I have since scoured the internet finding out allsorts of info and have discovered it is quite dangerous to drink grapefruit with erythromycin as it can cause heart problems but I also discovered the 2 combined also produce estrogen levels which I think could be what was helping my skin prior to this spot (which I think was caused by my picking) as my acne started after having my second baby and I think the hormonal inbalance was probably the problem as I had to stop taking the combined pill due to high blood pressure! Am interested to know if anyone else has opinions on low estrogen or grapefruit and I would greatly welcome advice how to shift this hiddeous cyst as Im getting quite depressed also has anyone tried hidrocoitzon on cystic acne? I use clinique clarifying lotion and Acne treatment gel as has salcylic acid in it
Hi Littlevoice!
I'm so sorry you're struggling with that horrid cyst. I've had many of them myself and know how hard it is to look in the mirror when one is staring back at you! Might be a good idea to share all this with your derm since it's taking a long time to go away.
If the grapefruit is helping then it sounds like your body is craving Vit C which helps heal the skin. Could you take a vitamin instead of grapefruit? Also taking antibiotics a long time is not good for the body. Are you doing any topicals? I think the newer versions of tretinoin cream are incredible and work really well on cystic acne. Only problem is that they take forever to kick in (months) so taking an antibiotic during that time helps while all the old plugs are getting pushed out.
I don't like salicylic acid products. Supposedly they're good for inflammation but my experience is the opposite and I think they inflame cystic acne. I think salicylic acid is good for the more surface kind of acne but cystic acne deep in the pores requires meds that get deep into the pores. The only topical meds that can do that are BP and tretinoin acid (retin-a). I used BP for years but then it started irritating my skin so I stopped. I think tretinoin cream is incredible stuff.
If you're done with childbearing then spironolactone is also really good for hormonal acne. Using tretinoin cream along with spiro is really effective for cystic acne --- one works inside and the other outside the body!
For the cyst you have now you may need to have your derm inject it or professionally lance it. That will help it heal faster. You may have a secondary infection going on with it and that can leave a scar which you'll want to avoid if possible.
Hope this helps!
I tried hydrocortizone cream a couple times but I also use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide every day. (not at the same time as they hydrocortizone). One time the zit went away fairly well after the hydrocortizone and benzoyl peroxide, the second time on a different zit, it took a 2-3 weeks for it to come to a head so I could pop it. I've had luck sometimes with using a good amount of benzoyl peroxide at night on it and then a little in the morning but that makes it dry and flaky. Some people swear by ice. (put ice in a paper towel, hold it against the zit gently for a 2-4 minutes a couple times a day). I think the fastest way by far is to call up the doctor's office and get it injected. I've done the needle thing too - last May I stuck a needle in a cyst by my eyebrow and it didn't pop and got more inflamed. It did go away on it's own and there is no scar or trace of it now, so I hope that's encouraging.
Thank you for your kind and helpful advice, I have decided to get an injection although there is a slight improvement one day it seems a little smaller but then the next day it swells up again very annoying, but basically its still there and doesnt seem to be going so am off to the doctors tomorrow!
Is it me or does it seem like everyone else you see throughout the day whether it be shopping, work, on tv or in a magazine, all have flawless skin and you feel like you are the only person that doesnt and it just adds to the misery! I am cross that having spots bothers me so much when there are far worse things people are going through so I try not to think about it and put it into perspective but occassionally it does get me down.
Grapefruit interacts with a lot of drugs.
it's just one of those things.
Check your drugs for food-drug interactions.
It should also bee in the drug information you get with your drugs at the pharmacy.
try this website:
If you are intent on having grapefruit, you can time it and don't consume it directly with your drugs. Ask your pharmacist, you can call a pharmacy hot line.
Hormones Suck.
Androgens are what cause acne.
Talk to your OBGYN or Family Doctor where you get your woman's check up. They will probably be more helpful with hormone problems.
I know this thread is old, but I just wanted to clarify something on here... the original poster is correct, grapefruit raises estrogen.
The reason grapefruit interacts with many prescription drugs is because it inhibits cyb34a (enzyme active in the gut and liver) in the gut. This enzyme also breaks down estradiol.
Also, grapefruit increases aromatase (the conversion of testosterone and it's precursors to estrogens). This could be beneficial if you're low in E and high in T, but bad if you have cancer or are predisposed. There is LOTS out there on this, including studies in the National Library....Google about it if you want to learn more.