18 hours ago, GrumpyPainter said:I did take colostrum for a while but there's only a tiny amount of lactoferrin in it. Now I am taking 500 mg per day. I think it is highly beneficial for reducing skin inflammation and reducing Staph population through iron sequestration.
No pustules for weeks and weeks while drinking beers, partying, eating pizza... life is good!
I'm currently using BP every other night and will continue weaning off, maybe I can replace it with a lactoferrin cream.
edit: I've also been using a facial wash called Flogan Det withciclopirox olamine/lactoferrin and my skin is ridiculously smooth now. Definitely a seb derm component to this white pustule condition.
@GrumpyPainterGreat to hear that is working for you! What exactly does lactoferrin do? Reading up on it gives me the impression that it increases iron intake? I know from personal experience, when I took a single 20mg iron supplement I had the worst folliculitis on my beard I had ever experienced, very deep infections and pustules everywhere around my mouth and chin. Reading up on this, a lot of research says staph aureus and other bacteria feed on the iron in the blood, which would explain why I broke out so badly.
Would taking lactoferrin then do the same thing as an iron supplement? Or is it meant to lower the amount of iron in the blood?
3 hours ago, perpetualsadness said:@GrumpyPainterGreat to hear that is working for you! What exactly does lactoferrin do? Reading up on it gives me the impression that it increases iron intake? I know from personal experience, when I took a single 20mg iron supplement I had the worst folliculitis on my beard I had ever experienced, very deep infections and pustules everywhere around my mouth and chin. Reading up on this, a lot of research says staph aureus and other bacteria feed on the iron in the blood, which would explain why I broke out so badly.
Would taking lactoferrin then do the same thing as an iron supplement? Or is it meant to lower the amount of iron in the blood?
Yep Staph and other bad bacteria love iron. I know lactoferrin can be used to treat anemia as it does contain some iron molecules, but the awesome thing about lactoferrin is that it also "steals" iron from these bad bugs which means they can't reproduce. Additionally it binds free iron in the body(highly toxic)which reduces inflammation/oxidative stress. Basically lactoferrin fixes iron dysregulation and prevents bad bacteria from growing.
I have had a bad staph problem (as you can see in the pictures I posted) and have had nothing but positive results from taking lactoferrin. Might be a good idea to not take lactoferrin with high iron meals e.g red meat to not boost absorption. Giving blood is another option to empty iron stores.
3 hours ago, GrumpyPainter said:
Yep Staph and other bad bacteria love iron. I know lactoferrin can be used to treat anemia as it does contain some iron molecules, but the awesome thing about lactoferrin is that it also "steals" iron from these bad bugs which means they can't reproduce. Additionally it binds free iron in the body(highly toxic)which reduces inflammation/oxidative stress. Basically lactoferrin fixes iron dysregulation and prevents bad bacteria from growing.
I have had a bad staph problem (as you can see in the pictures I posted) and have had nothing but positive results from taking lactoferrin. Might be a good idea to not take lactoferrin with high iron meals e.g red meat to not boost absorption. Giving blood is another option to empty iron stores.
This is very interesting. Could you provide a link to the supplement you take? I'm willing to give this a try in the future as it makes sense logically. Do you know if this is a long term solution? I'd assume there would be some negative side effects associated with it.
As for giving blood, dont think I can continously do that hahaha
38 minutes ago, perpetualsadness said:This is very interesting. Could you provide a link to the supplement you take? I'm willing to give this a try in the future as it makes sense logically. Do you know if this is a long term solution? I'd assume there would be some negative side effects associated with it.
As for giving blood, dont think I can continously do that hahaha
I use lactoferrin from supersmart . com but I am sure any brand will work just fine! If you want to lower iron stores you may want to get the apolactoferrin form which contains no iron.
Yeah honestly I see no problems with using it for a few weeks/months; there are no side effects, unless you are severely lactose or dairy intolerant. You may feel a bit off during the first few days due to the bacteria die-off. When staph bacteria is under control again then I think the immune system should be able to take care of any infection. Lactoferrin is naturally present in your body, saliva, tears, etc.
Yeah I wouldn't recommend blood donation for everyone, best to check ferritin, iron status, etc before.
Quote"Although the mechanism of action whereby dietary bLf reduces S. aureus infection is unknown, several modes of action are plausible. First, lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein, which may exert antimicrobial effects by preventing microbes from accessing adequate iron. Lactoferrin is also released by neutrophils at the sites of injury or infection. The release of lactoferrin inhibits infiltration of inflammatory neutrophils while attracting monocytes, suggesting that lactoferrin plays an important role in regulating inflammation, thereby preventing sepsis without inhibiting the original immune response (12). In addition to having effects on the early immune response, reports in the literature suggest that lactoferrin is important in generating a T-helper 1 (Th1) adaptive immune response in mice (13, 14) and piglets (15). A Th1 adaptive response would favor a cellular-immune response to intracellular S. aureus that would increase bacterial clearance from tissues. Lactoferrin also promotes the growth of beneficial commensal bacteria of the Bifidobacteria spp., especially Bifidobacterium infantis (16). Forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3)-expressing intestinal and splenic T-regulatory cells were increased in B. infantisfed mice (17) and humans (18). This evidence suggests that lactoferrin and B. infantis may act synergistically to influence regulatory immune function in addition to having independent effects on the innate and adaptive immune responses, resulting in an improved immune response to a pathogenic challenge."
i am going to try lactoferrin too, i did read a study which says the stomach acid destroys most of it so to look for one which can pass through the stomach. probably they all do this if in capsule form... looking at dosages atm
do you take it with food or on empty stomach?
@folliculitinggMostly out of convenience I've been taking it with meals, but probably would be better absorbed on an empty stomach/between meals.
It's funny because you would think that stomach acid would make it less effective, but as it turns out another more powerful antimicrobial peptide calledLactoferricin B is created when lactoferrin comes into contact with pepsin. So it's not necessarily a bad thing that lactoferrin is being "digested", in some ways it seems to make it more effective.
Another pro is the positive effect that lactoferrin has on the gut microbiome. I have done gut tests and have0 bifidobacterium and lactoferrin has been shown to restore healthy gut bacteria like B. infantis.
17 hours ago, GrumpyPainter said:
i agree, i wanna try this mainly for the other benefits, if it helps pustules aswell its winwin. it looks a very interesting supplement especially as i dont really consume dairy, so i am getting almost none from foods.
how long are you going to take it for? i am thinking daily before bed for 2 weeks then take a break.
On 8/29/2022 at 1:35 PM, folliculitingg said:i agree, i wanna try this mainly for the other benefits, if it helps pustules aswell its winwin. it looks a very interesting supplement especially as i dont really consume dairy, so i am getting almost none from foods.
how long are you going to take it for? i am thinking daily before bed for 2 weeks then take a break.
I don't really have a plan, I guess until I run out of pills lol.
Another thing which I believe have helped with skin health is a special diet excluding starches. Since I stopped eating all starches/grains my skin and overall health are better than ever. I live off of organic milk, skyr (fermented dairy) meat and fruits. My mood and energy levels are great all day long and I have no reason to change anything.
I thought dairy and milk was a problem in the past but now I know it was starchy carbs. In fact milk makes my hair and skin look amazing.
@GrumpyPainter are you still getting dead skin buildup on your face since using the italian clenser?
im glad you have found a good solution that is also sustainable. i am still eating the majority of calories from carbs but i also eat 100% organic. Out of all the carbs, rice seems to be the most problematic for me which is odd as its the most natural. i eat lots of wholegrain pasta and sourdough bread and i dont seem to get pustules from it, but i do continue to get the dead skin buildup which is a whole different issue. it is less than it was 6 months ago though so i think im going in the right direction
i think something changed in my gut over the past months, i used to belch quite a lot after eating but now almost never. i am going to try eating kefir grains with my meals next
On 9/6/2022 at 7:53 PM, folliculitingg said:@GrumpyPainter are you still getting dead skin buildup on your face since using the italian clenser?
im glad you have found a good solution that is also sustainable. i am still eating the majority of calories from carbs but i also eat 100% organic. Out of all the carbs, rice seems to be the most problematic for me which is odd as its the most natural. i eat lots of wholegrain pasta and sourdough bread and i dont seem to get pustules from it, but i do continue to get the dead skin buildup which is a whole different issue. it is less than it was 6 months ago though so i think im going in the right direction
i think something changed in my gut over the past months, i used to belch quite a lot after eating but now almost never. i am going to try eating kefir grains with my meals next
No not any significant skin buildup, skin texture looks good though my nose is not perfectly smooth like when I was a kid... I wonder how to fix that. I feel like it's some internal problem that I can not seem to figure out. Maybe I still have high ferritin and need to donate blood or something.
Same lol rice is not good for me, wheat agrees with me more (though I don't eat that either).
Did you try lactoferrin?
On 9/5/2022 at 7:49 PM, GrumpyPainter said:I don't really have a plan, I guess until I run out of pills lol.
Another thing which I believe have helped with skin health is a special diet excluding starches. Since I stopped eating all starches/grains my skin and overall health are better than ever. I live off of organic milk, skyr (fermented dairy) meat and fruits. My mood and energy levels are great all day long and I have no reason to change anything.
I thought dairy and milk was a problem in the past but now I know it was starchy carbs. In fact milk makes my hair and skin look amazing.
Interesting. Milk is the worst trigger for me, because of the lactose and whey combination I guess. I don't break out from cheese at all, I eat a lot of cheese. However yogurt and milk do break me out, just like honey and too much fruit!
For me pustule free means a diet of meat, fats (butter too, it doesn't cause pustules), cheese, fish, very few low fructose fruit or even fewer high fructose fruit, whole grains if I want to.
And a 20percent calorie deficit everyday. One cheat day a week with a calorie surplus is no problem, but after eating a lot for a week (and also carbs, fruit, potatoes, whatever), I get a pustule rash.
@GrumpyPainterare you using any form of nose decolonisation protocol right now or used it previously?
When I am trying to clean my nose with alcohol I usually get breakout and my nose mucus becomes dry even if I only clean 1 cm inside my nose. So basically it becomes worse.
Have you guys ever checked your calpro levels? ( it indicates if you have inflammation going on in the gut. ) you can do it by poop test.
I am also suffering from IBD. So my calpro is always somewhere 100-200 in remission. For normally people the value should be less than 50.
It's so stupid. I just drank 250ml whole milk a day for two days and ate just slightly more fruit than usual and I have pustules on the chin corner and between nose and lips.
Literally all I have to do to stay clear is never ever drinking milk or anything containing lactose (cheese doesn't make me break out but yogurt etc does) and keep my fruit intake to a bare minimum of low fructose fruit. Sugar, in whatever form, is the driving mechanism of the pustules.
Interestingly I can eat bread, pasta etc and don't break out. Only sugar makes me break out, other carbs that then turn into sugar don't cause pustules.
On 10/15/2022 at 10:51 PM, Eevs said:It's so stupid. I just drank 250ml whole milk a day for two days and ate just slightly more fruit than usual and I have pustules on the chin corner and between nose and lips.
Literally all I have to do to stay clear is never ever drinking milk or anything containing lactose (cheese doesn't make me break out but yogurt etc does) and keep my fruit intake to a bare minimum of low fructose fruit. Sugar, in whatever form, is the driving mechanism of the pustules.
Interestingly I can eat bread, pasta etc and don't break out. Only sugar makes me break out, other carbs that then turn into sugar don't cause pustules.
That is really interesting. I don't understand what mechanism is behind this... somehow lactose and fructose must be triggering inflammation or insulin spikes or something, but not glucose from starches.
What specific fruit did you eat? Citrus fruits and strawberries are histamine triggers so that might be the reason.
I can't restrict my diet because it is not good for my mental health and I lose weight quickly, so I have to keep using BP to be clear from white pustules. But I do notice I get small staph-looking breakouts on other parts of my body when I don't eat clean so I am sure that some foods are triggering inflammation, but it doesn't show up as white pustules on my face thanks to BP. It is kind of a band-aid solution, but like I said, diet restrictions is not good for me. So I choose the "lesser evil". If I had no problem with carnivore/keto diet I would do it.
Actually I recently did a short experiment with Soolantra (ivermectin cream) to try the demodex theory again and it went so bad that I stopped within a week. Soolantra caused big red bumps + white pustules and I can't live with getting 'die-off reactions' for up to 12 weeks, it would completely ruin my mental health. Besides I have already tried ZZ cream for 4 months with bad results so demodex mites are probably not the issue for me.
On 9/27/2022 at 9:48 AM, ExquisiteHunt said:@GrumpyPainterare you using any form of nose decolonisation protocol right now or used it previously?
When I am trying to clean my nose with alcohol I usually get breakout and my nose mucus becomes dry even if I only clean 1 cm inside my nose. So basically it becomes worse.
No not doing any nose decolonisation at the moment. Too much of a hassle lol. I did do it before and honestly I can't say if it helped much or not. BP every other day helps me the most.
I wondered what happened to all white pustule sufferers who posted back in 2016-2018. It would be great if you gave us an update on your condition and how you are managing it.
Hey guys, thought I'd give an update as its been a couple months. I'm pretty much pimple free now thanks to a herbal formula my naturpath gave me. It contained a bunch of different herbs, but the most important one I think was the barberry (berberine). This herb has a bunch of benefits for the gut including increasing butyrate producing bacteria which I was lacking based on my stool test. It also kills staph aureus in the gut, which I was shown to have a high amount of. Took that for about 4 weeks and now I don't really need it anymore, however I have it handy incase things get out of hand for whatever reason. Have also been dabbing a small amount of sulfur ointment 10% to the problem areas.
This isn't a cure by any means, as if I have anything that contains sugar or oils (any type of processed junk food) I will break out again. Also, growing a beard helps immensely with the anxiety, so recommend growing one if you can.
Hopefully wont have to visit this forumn again as I think I've got good control over the situation. Good luck to anyone else thats reading through all this and hope my experience helps a bit.
I'm a female. Just wanted to tell you any oral antibiotic doesn't stop it forever. It will always come back and the antibiotics are HORRIBLE for your gut health.
Steroid creams are also a temp fix and your skin will go into a withdrawl if you use them to much - symptoms of that are dry, flaky, sore, red rash like skin. Google topical steroid cream withdrawl.
Any of you had hormone levels tested? Hormonal unbalances can cause extremely oily skin & hair
Has anyone tried not shaving while doing any of these treatments? I can't imagine shaving would add any benefit. Just more irritation and bacterial exposure.
The lactose in dairy - mainly milk & yogurt are terrible for oily skin & hair! Insulin levels are a major factor in over acting oil/sebum glands!
If you have really dry skin your sebum/oil glands work extra hard and makes your skin more oily - leading to more washing and products - which makes skin more dry - see the cycle?
Using any creams, oils, sunscreens, ext on your face that don't state are "non-comedogenic" is bad. Non comedogenic means " this product will NOT clog your pores"
Using to many products on your skin can make it worse - any treatment unfortunately takes up to 6 months to see full effects. Less is more could be the answer.
Wash face with a gental facial cleanser morning and night then apply a hydrating facial moisturizer morning and night. NOT ALL BODY LOTIONS CAN GO ON YOUR FACE!
I've seen talks of antibiotics, steroid creams, etc, etc has anyone tried a face wash with salicylic acid? If yes, Google BHA products and BHA "skin purging". BHA products can cause your skin to get worse before it gets better AND should only be used once- twice A WEEK!
antibacterial soaps can be helpful too but your also killing GOOD bacteria which the skin& body needs!
I feel like a skin detox (minimal product use, only gental cleansers) buying a facial moisturizer that's !!!non comedogenic!!! to rebuild your skin barrier (Google damaged facial skin barrier), try to not drink milk (lactose free is okay) and eat yogurt and not shaving for ATLEAST 3 months - 6 is best might be best treatment.
Good luck. Trust females understand this struggle!
I have commented here before years ago on what worked for me but maybe it's gotten lost in the comments so I'll bring it up again.
Healthyalmonds on here has a routine which involved nasal decolonization so please check it out.
4 years ago, after years of antibiotics usage, I picked up hibiclens and did the nasal decolonization stuff following @healthyalmondsroutine - I did it for 7 days only. Then, as an added step of my own, I picked up povidone iodine and did the same nasal decolonization for another 7 days (for some reason I believed it kills Gram neg. bacteria - can't remb why, maybe I read it on a research forum). Do remember these pustules can be caused by either gram negative or gram positive (staph) bacteria. At the same time I started applying Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% to only my nose chin and mouth regions once a day.
Here's how I think it works. Hibiclens kills and wipes out the source of staph which is in your nostrils. Povidone Iodine does the same but for gram negative bacteria. With the sources of bacteria now wiped clean, benzoyl peroxide kills whatever bacteria remains on your face and then daily application of it keeps you clean as maintenance. But first you need the nasal decolonization because our bacteria ratios probably way off. Also, there's a lot more research now which indicates that it's not just antibiotics that can give you staph issues but other regular medications too like anti-depressants or birth control pills etc.
I have not had to use hibiclens for these small white pustules again because I have applied benzoyl peroxide daily after I did my decolonization 4 years ago. Sometimes I get lazy and stop using BP, and the pustules start popping up here and there but if I apply it again daily for a week or so, they tend to go away.
Another tip, if the above method does not work for you, then you likely have fungal folliculitis and need an anti-fungal topical. Nizoral is usually good but people tend to be resistant to it so you can try other antifungals like climbazole ( E45 shampoo is great). If your whiteheads are not responding to bacterial treatments like hibiclens, iodine and BP, then go the antifungal route. Check out simpleskincarescience's website for that.
Overall, my life has been great since then. Just the over-usage of antibiotics in the past has led to other issues for eg. I suffer from some type of rare boils I get in my beard region which causes beard loss. I would get them on my back, when I was using antibiotics several years ago but they seem to have started popping up in my beard region causing beard loss so that's my battle now. Anyway, hope this post helps you guys because this is the only thing that helped me and 100s of other people
3 hours ago, silverlight22 said:I have commented here before years ago on what worked for me but maybe it's gotten lost in the comments so I'll bring it up again.
Healthyalmonds on here has a routine which involved nasal decolonization so please check it out.
4 years ago, after years of antibiotics usage, I picked up hibiclens and did the nasal decolonization stuff following @healthyalmondsroutine - I did it for 7 days only. Then, as an added step of my own, I picked up povidone iodine and did the same nasal decolonization for another 7 days (for some reason I believed it kills Gram neg. bacteria - can't remb why, maybe I read it on a research forum). Do remember these pustules can be caused by either gram negative or gram positive (staph) bacteria. At the same time I started applying Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% to only my nose chin and mouth regions once a day.
Here's how I think it works. Hibiclens kills and wipes out the source of staph which is in your nostrils. Povidone Iodine does the same but for gram negative bacteria. With the sources of bacteria now wiped clean, benzoyl peroxide kills whatever bacteria remains on your face and then daily application of it keeps you clean as maintenance. But first you need the nasal decolonization because our bacteria ratios probably way off. Also, there's a lot more research now which indicates that it's not just antibiotics that can give you staph issues but other regular medications too like anti-depressants or birth control pills etc.
I have not had to use hibiclens for these small white pustules again because I have applied benzoyl peroxide daily after I did my decolonization 4 years ago. Sometimes I get lazy and stop using BP, and the pustules start popping up here and there but if I apply it again daily for a week or so, they tend to go away.
Another tip, if the above method does not work for you, then you likely have fungal folliculitis and need an anti-fungal topical. Nizoral is usually good but people tend to be resistant to it so you can try other antifungals like climbazole ( E45 shampoo is great). If your whiteheads are not responding to bacterial treatments like hibiclens, iodine and BP, then go the antifungal route. Check out simpleskincarescience's website for that.
Overall, my life has been great since then. Just the over-usage of antibiotics in the past has led to other issues for eg. I suffer from some type of rare boils I get in my beard region which causes beard loss. I would get them on my back, when I was using antibiotics several years ago but they seem to have started popping up in my beard region causing beard loss so that's my battle now. Anyway, hope this post helps you guys because this is the only thing that helped me and 100s of other people
Hey man, thanks for coming back and updating us on your white pustule regimen!
This is what works for me too, I used a bunch of stuff to decolonize my nose and then use BP to keep clear. We should be able to pin this post at the first page of this thread so people don't get lost trying a bunch of ineffective stuff. BP and diet are really the only two things that help IME.
That is interesting about the over-usage of antibiotics causing boils. I started developing cystic acne on my back after a course of antibiotics and will still occasionally get them when my diet is not perfect. I think it may be a form of folliculitis or something.
On 10/26/2022 at 3:11 AM, GrumpyPainter said:Hey man, thanks for coming back and updating us on your white pustule regimen!
This is what works for me too, I used a bunch of stuff to decolonize my nose and then use BP to keep clear. We should be able to pin this post at the first page of this thread so people don't get lost trying a bunch of ineffective stuff. BP and diet are really the only two things that help IME.
That is interesting about the over-usage of antibiotics causing boils. I started developing cystic acne on my back after a course of antibiotics and will still occasionally get them when my diet is not perfect. I think it may be a form of folliculitis or something.
Yep I got boils on my neck few months after antibiotics course. It was massive and that kinda stuff it oozed out was straight from hell. It went away eventually and never returned. But then I started getting other random skin issues just all over the body like minor fungal infections etc.
What a lot of doctors don't share with their patients is that antibiotics will work 100% while you're on them, but a month of not using them, your issues will come back 10x worse and you'll likely develop secondary infections like fungal infections or different types of folliculitis.
I'll try my best to not use antibiotics till it's for something very serious because the side effects are insane and can permanently alter the quality of your life.
I've been clear for weeks now without doing anything really. I pretty much eat what I want but make sure to not eat something too sugary in too big amounts. I drink one glass of milk a day and I don't get pustules which is huge for me!!! Also I enjoy fruit now. I eat pasta on the weekend.
I hope it stays like this. I hope my skin microbiome has now healed/restored thanks to all the dieting, calorie restriction and natural approaches.
On 10/29/2022 at 5:30 AM, silverlight22 said:Yep I got boils on my neck few months after antibiotics course. It was massive and that kinda stuff it oozed out was straight from hell. It went away eventually and never returned. But then I started getting other random skin issues just all over the body like minor fungal infections etc.
What a lot of doctors don't share with their patients is that antibiotics will work 100% while you're on them, but a month of not using them, your issues will come back 10x worse and you'll likely develop secondary infections like fungal infections or different types of folliculitis.
I'll try my best to not use antibiotics till it's for something very serious because the side effects are insane and can permanently alter the quality of your life.
High dose turmeric could be an interesting approach to cure recalcitrant cases of staph boils/deep folliculitis - see the massive amounts of positive reviews on the article "Turmeric Cure for MRSA" over at earth clinic .com.
Here is just one testimonial for example (sounds quite similar to your situation):
"I'll add another "yea" to the growing pile of positive feedbacks for turmeric treating staph.
Ailment: I have been suffering with chronic folliculitis (s.aureus was cultured) in my beard area. Usually 5-10 active boils are present at any one time, varying in size from a single hair follicule to deep, 2cm diameter nodules.
Prior Treatments: I have tried just about everything under the sun for this: antibiotics for three months; prescription antibiotic cream; medicated shampoos; chlorhexidine washing; tea tree oil; witch hazel; apple cider vinegar rinses; not shaving (I grew a beard three years ago when this started). All were ineffective. I seem to get reinfected over and over again, even though I take care to use clean towels, pillowcases, etc.
Turmeric: Now this is more like it. The turmeric really works. The effect was not immediate, like so many report, although it was quick. I started taking full-spectrum highly concentrated turmeric capsules (400mg, 3X per day) and it took about three days to notice the healing. At first the inflammation calmed down, and those nasty boils began to retreat. I've been on it for four days without any new outbreaks and the last of pre-turmeric boils fading away. No other treatment (doctor- or self-prescribed) has been nearly as effective.
Kudos to Earth Clinic and all those Earth Clinicians out there for pointing me in the right direction!"
Sad to say, I also recently developed another staph looking breakout on my jaw and I even went to a doctor to get it cultured for MRSA etc. They prescribed me antibiotics which I was about go on despite all the side effects (because this is fucking miserable) but then I found this so-called turmeric cure for staph. It is to early to say whether it's helping or not as I only started taking large amounts of turmeric yesterday, but the infection has definitely gone down. I will update on how the turmeric works long-term for keeping staph infections away. I have had a staph problem for more than 10 years at this point, ever since I started taking antibiotics. I hate it.
On 11/4/2022 at 10:41 AM, GrumpyPainter said:
High dose turmeric could be an interesting approach to cure recalcitrant cases of staph boils/deep folliculitis - see the massive amounts of positive reviews on the article "Turmeric Cure for MRSA" over at earth clinic .com.
Here is just one testimonial for example (sounds quite similar to your situation):
"I'll add another "yea" to the growing pile of positive feedbacks for turmeric treating staph.
Ailment: I have been suffering with chronic folliculitis (s.aureus was cultured) in my beard area. Usually 5-10 active boils are present at any one time, varying in size from a single hair follicule to deep, 2cm diameter nodules.
Prior Treatments: I have tried just about everything under the sun for this: antibiotics for three months; prescription antibiotic cream; medicated shampoos; chlorhexidine washing; tea tree oil; witch hazel; apple cider vinegar rinses; not shaving (I grew a beard three years ago when this started). All were ineffective. I seem to get reinfected over and over again, even though I take care to use clean towels, pillowcases, etc.
Turmeric: Now this is more like it. The turmeric really works. The effect was not immediate, like so many report, although it was quick. I started taking full-spectrum highly concentrated turmeric capsules (400mg, 3X per day) and it took about three days to notice the healing. At first the inflammation calmed down, and those nasty boils began to retreat. I've been on it for four days without any new outbreaks and the last of pre-turmeric boils fading away. No other treatment (doctor- or self-prescribed) has been nearly as effective.
Kudos to Earth Clinic and all those Earth Clinicians out there for pointing me in the right direction!"
Sad to say, I also recently developed another staph looking breakout on my jaw and I even went to a doctor to get it cultured for MRSA etc. They prescribed me antibiotics which I was about go on despite all the side effects (because this is fucking miserable) but then I found this so-called turmeric cure for staph. It is to early to say whether it's helping or not as I only started taking large amounts of turmeric yesterday, but the infection has definitely gone down. I will update on how the turmeric works long-term for keeping staph infections away. I have had a staph problem for more than 10 years at this point, ever since I started taking antibiotics. I hate it.
I have read about turmeric a lot but something I read online put me off which was that turmeric (like any other antibiotic) is unable to differentiate between good vs bad bacteria in the gut and eliminates both regardless. So in the longer run, you may still give yourself gut issues but I am not too sure. I hope you try it out and it works well for you and you report positive results. But yes, I have read a lot on turmeric working for all kinds of staph infections and reducing inflammation so do let us know if it works or does not work.
Update:
I stopped using BP on my face as I suspect it is actually causing the bigger bumps/breakouts on my jawline, maybe it is just too irritating to my skin and/or destroying skin barrier.
I switched back to using azelaic acid again, and stopped drinking coffee, and have had no white pustules or redness or inflammation around mouth and nose. Azelaic acid (finacea) seems to work better than BP together with no coffee/good diet.
The recent bigger jaw breakout is slowly healing. Anti-fungal creams really helped with the healing process, so maybe the bacteria/fungus skin flora balance is off due to long-term benzoyl peroxide usage. I am very glad I did NOT take the antibiotics I was prescribed because if this is fungal then it would have made it even worse. I'm not sure if taking turmeric internally is helping or not, been having some everyday, who knows?
For now I will stick with no coffee (very difficult!) and azelaic acid and clean diet.