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Hi so last December I had impetigo and the doctor prescribed me mupirocin. I should also probably mention that she thought I had herpes and also prescribed me medicine for that but I expressed my concern for taking those pills and the fact that when I was younger I also had impetigo. Anyways after that cleared a month later I broke out. I had acne that was usually caused by not taking care of my skin and hormonal acne on my chin. But this is different, it is only happening on my right cheek.The only thing I can think of that is causing this is stress since college has been very stressful for me and I think about it 24/7. There was a time in May that my skin was completely clear but that lasted only 2 weeks. I believe that it is cystic acne since when I pop them, they are still there and fill up again and are sometimes very painful. I also have not been wearing makeup a lot and try to take care of my skin, drink water, and wash my sheets ect. I tried zinc as well but after a time it stopped working. And fast forward to yesterday and I have another case of impetigo literally a year later! Thankfully I kept my tube of mupirocin so I applied that when I felt my nose itching and red. I found your Reddit and will be trying your method with mupirocin since it has not expired yet. But my question is could staph cause acne in one area (my right cheek)? As far as my ears go, they are very itchy because I clean them A LOT which I know is not good. I also have on my headphones on from the time I wake up to when I go to sleep. Because I've had impetigo three times now I feel this might be a possibility. The first time was when I was around 9/10 yo and then again when I was 18 (last year) and now when I'm 19. I also clean my nose alot too I have developed a lot of habits like that to cope with my stress this year (it mainly started in January the time of my breakout). I don't know what else it could be. You also mentioned nose pimples but I rarely get those or ear pimples. I wish I could test myself like you did but I don't have the resources and my doctor is always in a rush so she'd probably think I'm crazy. I also bought lysine yesterday but I will try the TAO treatment first to see if it works. Let me know if you have any insight on my issue! BTW my impetigo is basically in the same place it was last year which is the right part of my nose.
On 10/26/2015 at 2:09 AM, healthyalmonds said:You could buy MSA plates online to test for Staph. All else you would need is sterile swabs. The bacteria grow slowly at room temperature but eventually they'll grow. Otherwise, the only definitive way that I know about would be through lab testing.Daily pillow and bed sheet changing wouldn't be necessary. Cleaning headphones or wearing them when sleeping? Cleaning wouldn't need to be frequent, except maybe if they're in-ear. Wearing them while sleeping should be fine so long as they stay in their position overnight. I couldn't give a specific date of death but so long as the focus is on cleaning the nose and ears, the other environments should have less acne-causing bacteria..
I don't have the capabilities to test those ingredients for effectiveness. The antibiotics disks I used were company-made and contained specific antibiotic concentrations. Also, the media I used was specific for an antibiotic disk-based test. To get appropriate concentrations of those extracts and expose them to Staph bacteria is a different pay grade
It would be great if you could explain step-by-step so I perform test for Staph at home 
@teveunOnce you get the MSA plates and sterile swabs, you'll rub the inside of both of your nostrils and then rub it on the gelatin in the plate. Grab a fresh sterile swab and plate and repeat for the ears. Label them appropriately, put a layer of plastic wrap over the plates and let them sit for about a week.
Interesting, I should ask for my doctor regarding this.
Currently, I'm more likely to get acnes on my cheek jawline area than any other areas of my face, heck the only inflamed acnes I have now is on my cheek jawline areas, one on each side.
Does thismean it is likely that I have this staph infection on my ears? I only recall having sores in my ear once but I'm unsure its actually staph infection since it has been many years ago. Is it possible to have staph infection without having any sores ongoing in those particular areas?
Which now I think, assumed that I'm diagnosed with staph infection, can this bacteria travel through the air from my ears to the pillow cases which then resides on my cheek jaw areas?
@mayaaaaI believe Staph can cause localized acne depending on where the Staph is residing. Acne only showing up on your right cheek may indicate the presence of Staph on your right ear. For myself, I know that my ear Staph correlated with cheek acne. When I covered my ears with ear bags before bed, the cheek acne stopped. I believe I was rubbing my ear Staph onto my pillow at night, then transferred the bacteria to my cheeks as I slept.
Best of wishes with the treatment. Please keep us updated 🙂
@ZerecThe area where your acne is popping up is very similar to my own when I had a heavy Staph presence in my ears. You have the option of cleaning your ears with hibiclens, rubbing alcohol, povidone iodine, or rubbing triple antibiotic ointment onto them.
It's possible for the Staph to fall out of your ears onto your pillowcase, but I think it's more likely that ear Staph is directly transferred to the pillow when one sleeps on their side. From there it can be transferred to multiple parts of the face. Sweating and gravity can also drag the bacteria down from the ears to the jawline.
On 18/12/2016 at 6:18 AM, TaleTrekker said:I'm impatient so I improvised an incubator 🙂
Right now I'm using a topical colloidal silver gel, but since s. aures in the anterior nares corresponds to its presence in deeper parts of the nasal cavity, I'm going to try a colloidal silver nasal spray. I've also been using 5% (minimum) tea tree oil and Nexcare acne covers for spot treatment on my chin, and it seems like the infection is starting to heal.
Hi, I would be interested in getting some feedback of how you have progressed with the colloidal silver nasal spray. I still get bouts of small pimples every so oftenand am curious to see if s.aures can be eliminated from someone completely. I do have some colloidal silver spray (10PPM) which I do spray occasionally in my nose, but I have never used it continuously.
19 hours ago, UberDude said:Hi, I would be interested in getting some feedback of how you have progressed with the colloidal silver nasal spray.
The folliculitis got so bad that I ended up needing an oral antibiotic. I have noticed my nose is less congested but it's hard to isolate a causal factor for that symptom reduction. I plan on re-culturing my nose/ears once the pustules start healing. But I'm approaching this from a holistic perspective, so I'm also addressing diet and internal balance.
I came across an interesting article of where the staph resides in the nose
I wonder that my application of TAO is not reaching the sphenoethmoidal recess which is why it keeps re-appearing.
@healthyalmonds, do you think application with a cotton bud will reach this area?
@UberDudeI personally don't think a cotton bud will be able to reach that area. I have read about Staph residing deeper within the sinuses, and I don't have a good answer on how to combat that besides a neti pot or prescribed oral antibiotics.
Are your bouts of pimples showing up around your nose? Have you tried iodine instead of TAO to kill your Staph?
3 hours ago, healthyalmonds said:@UberDudeI personally don't think a cotton bud will be able to reach that area. I have read about Staph residing deeper within the sinuses, and I don't have a good answer on how to combat that besides a neti pot or prescribed oral antibiotics.Are your bouts of pimples showing up around your nose? Have you tried iodine instead of TAO to kill your Staph?
My bouts are mainly on my chin, usually tiny pus filled ones as the cystic acne ones have disappeared. I was thinking of heating the TAO and applying it with a syringe.
@UberDude That's interesting that your breakouts are on your chin. I currently have the same type of pimples on mine even though I am testing negative in my nose for Staph. My pimples pretty much follow where drool dribbles out of the mouth while sleeping. Both sides. Staph aureus has been isolated from saliva https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18065673 . I was thinking about starting an antimicrobial mouthwash routine to see if it helps.
A problem I can see with applying TAO deeper in the sinuses is that you have cilia there that is constantly beating to expel mucus. It may remove the TAO before it can exert enough antibacterial effect.
@UberDudeAdditionally, do you have a partner? I know that I have transferred S. aureus from my nose to my girlfriend. I believe that through kissing, Staph in someone's nostrils can be transmitted to the face and nostrils of another person.
On Ž20Ž/Ž01Ž/Ž2017 at 8:29 PM, healthyalmonds said:@UberDude That's interesting that your breakouts are on your chin. I currently have the same type of pimples on mine even though I am testing negative in my nose for Staph. My pimples pretty much follow where drool dribbles out of the mouth while sleeping. Both sides. Staph aureus has been isolated from saliva https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18065673 . I was thinking about starting an antimicrobial mouthwash routine to see if it helps.A problem I can see with applying TAO deeper in the sinuses is that you have cilia there that is constantly beating to expel mucus. It may remove the TAO before it can exert enough antibacterial effect.
I'm not sure its saliva related for me as my pimples are not isolated to my chin, and do get them around the nose and moustache region. I have started melting the TAO and applying it with a popper for the last few days and will let you know how I progress. I think I put too much the other day as after an hour, I got lumps of it appearing at the back of my throat.
I'm married with kids and my wife does not have it at all, but my kids are beginning their teenage years and getting pimples, and my wife think they are contaminated with staph as they occasionally get spots in their ears.
@UberDude Ugh, yeah I've had TAO fall to the back my throat. Unpleasant. Hopefully the syringe method is helping you.
On 24/01/2017 at 10:03 PM, healthyalmonds said:@UberDude Ugh, yeah I've had TAO fall to the back my throat. Unpleasant. Hopefully the syringe method is helping you.In my experience, Staph is easier to treat in the ears than in the nose. Best of wishes for your children in combating their acne.
Hi Healthyalmonds. I am trying to figure out if my pimples are fungal or bacterial related due to staph aureus. Can an overuse of oral antibiotics cause staph to get worse? My pimples around my mouth and chin always clear up 100% when I am on oral antibiotics but usually 2 weeks after I stop them, they come back worse than ever.
Would really help if you could offer some insight. They are usually whiteheads or yellowish pus filled comedones which hang around for 2 or 3 days but don't scar. I have realized I also drool a lot when I sleep on both sides of my face. Can that contribute? Also, my right side of the nose is blocked completely for a couple of years. I had not realized this till my doctor told me this 3 weeks ago. Not sure if that has an impact of staph aureus.
Also, were you able to get rid of your pimples on your chin even though you tested negative for stap? Did the mouthwash help or do you still use BP?
Thanks!
@silverlight22
I believe it is possible for a Staph infection to become worse after taking an oral antibiotic, particularly if the bacteria is resistant to that antibiotic. That resistance would allow the Staph to persist while its competition is killed off.
I found that the white heads (acne) around my nose and chin were associated with nasal carriage of S. aureus. When I killed my nasal Staph the face acne went away. Also, when I was young, I was prone to chronic congestion which I believe was due to my nasal Staph.
I like BP as I've found that it prevented acne long before I learned about the cause of my acne. I still do put it on my face as a protective measure, but I sometimes skip days and I am not concerned that I will break out as a result. I believe mouthwash helps, but I've never made it a routine to see if it stopped chin acne.
@healthyalmondsCan I use rubbing alcohol inside my nostrils to kill staph like you have been using it for your ears?
3 hours ago, silverlight22 said:@healthyalmondsCan I use rubbing alcohol inside my nostrils to kill staph like you have been using it for your ears?
I have been applying 91% rubbing alcohol to my nostrils with a cotton swab every day for the past two months without issue.
Hi healthyalmonds, first gotta say thanks so much for all your information and taking the time sharing your knowledge.
Your thread has really given me hope of what the culprit of my acne could be...as I read each post, I could relate more and more,
and it really seems like Staphylococcus aureus could be the cause.
Here's a some background info on my ordeal...I'm in my 40's, and have been suffering with this 'adult' acne for the last 10-12 years...
I had teenage acne, but luckily got over it....during my 20's, I would still get the occasional pimple here and there,
but those were most likely because I got dirt/food on my face and didn't wash it off.
Then in my 30's, I started breaking out on my upper lip 2-3 at a time (I should mention, during this time I started using a lot of Purell)...
over the years it got worst and moved down to my chin also...now I break out constantly around the mouth (from 3-4 to 10+ pimples)
usually white heads but sometimes cysts.
I have since stopped using Purell, but I'm thinking using it so much may have affected my immune system.
These pimples are not like the ones from my teenage years (I remember, those ones would disappear after I popped them)...
these ones will ooze clear yellow liquid continuously after popping, eventually it'll stop leaking and harden into an 'amber' like grain of sand.
They will either remain 'live' after popping...or appear to 'die' and start healing, but come back 'alive' after a few days or even weeks later.
Also, around 8-9 years ago, I started getting painful cysts on my scalp and occasionally in or around my ears.
(they also form 'amber' if I squeeze them)
I've been to a few dermatologists, and have tried various antibiotics and creams...but the acne would come back after I stopped the prescription.
I've changed my diet and even bought a juicer thinking a lot of vegetable juice would help, but no success.
Tried the natural route (tea tree oil, ACV, Oil of Oregano, probiotics..etc) but didn't really help.
I've tried being very hygienic (constantly washing hands, face and laundry) and even tried changing all my toiletries, but still no success...
Tried the caveman regimen, again no success...also, went to a Chinese skin specialist, and drank herbal drinks...but nothing.
I constantly scour the interwebs in hopes of finding out what could be the cause of my acne and hopefully finding a cure.
Up until recently, I thought it might have been Candida or some form of fungus infection, and so have been trying a Candida diet...
it hasn't really helped ( but at least I've lost weight, since I cut down a lot on sugars and carbs)
But after coming across this thread, it now seems more likely that the cause could be Staphylococcus aureus.
So, I want to try your method of TAO in the nostrils and ears....however, I'm a little concerned because the ingredients
of the TAO here in Canada is not the same as in the U.S.
I can't find Neosporin up here, instead we have Polysporin and the 3 ingredients of the TAO of various brands up here is usually:
Polymyxin B Sulphate - 10,000 units
Bacitracin Zinc - 500 units
Gramicidin - 0.25mg
The Walgreens TAO or Neosporin ingredients are:
Polymyxin B - 10,000 units
Bacitracin Zinc - 500 units
Neomycin - 3.5mg
It appears none of the antibiotic ointments here in Canada contain Neomycin.
So in this situation, is Neomycin better than Gramicidin in getting rid of Staphylococcus aureus?
If Neomycin is considered more effective, then I'm willing to make a trip across the border to get it.
Or do you think Polysporin or any of the other TAO in Canada would work just as well?
Sorry for the extra long 1st post, initially I was just going to ask which TOA to use...but then thought, the background info might be relevant.
Hope you can advise, and thanks again for this thread.
@bluemirage Thanks for sharing your experience. It never hurts to leave a record for others who have no doubt gone through many of the same situations you have.
I've also had the crusty yellow acne, particularly when I was a teenager, but generally the acne at my worst was the deep cyst kind. With regards to your symptoms, I am optimistic that you will see results by killing the bacteria living in your nostrils, ears, and skin. I've put together the routine I followed to get rid of the Staph on my body, you can find the link on the bottom of my sidebar. I'd personally recommend rubbing alcohol to the ears prior to the TAO, just to give any ear Staph a double dose of damage.
I honestly couldn't say if Neomycin is more or less effective than Gramicidin. I have specifically tested my nasal Staph against Neomycin (N 30), and it killed the bacteria. https://imgur.com/m0e7Ont With that said, for what I've read about Gramicidin, it is designed for killing gram + bacteria, which Staphylococcus aureus is; so I believe it would help. I've never used Polysporin, but I believe that would also be an effective alternative.
Best of wishes on the treatment method you choose! Please keep us updated with any progress you have
I've been using a colloidal silver spray (Sovereign Silver 10ppm) and gel (Heritage Store) for the better part of a year now. I haven't re-cultured my nose so I can't say if it's had an impact on the presence of staph, but it has done wonders for my congestion and dry nostrils. But bacteria is only one piece of the acne equation, and after 15+ years of adult acne, I finally feel like I found the solution to my problem.
1) Letting go of my anxiety about my skin. Only once I was able to stop obsessing about my skin and frantically trying to fix it, was I able to listen to my skin and find out what it needed.
2) Stop picking at my pimples. We all "know" this rule but it's nearly impossible to follow. I realized picking was connected to my anxiety so when I felt anxious I redirected my energy to something else (like picking at my teeth, haha). I also asked myself, "Why is a huge, red self-inflicted wound any more attractive than a giant, white pustule?" I was amazed when I left them alone how much better they healed.
3) Benzoyl peroxide is not optional. I like Create Cosmetics BPT3.1 for everyday. It's the least drying formula I've ever found. I also use The Skincare Company's (fka Skin by Pom) BENZD. They both are BP/tea tree oil combinations that smell and feel great on my skin.
4) Exfoliate, but don't over exfoliate. I used to use Proactiv cleansers with their plastic beads and my skin was always flaky (and oily, thus a sticky mess). Now I use a gentle cleanser (CLNS by The Skincare Company) twice a day, and a microdermabrasion machine for weekly exfoliation, and the texture of my skin has never been better.
5) Don't underestimate the power of a good moisturizer. Right now I'm using Elta MD SPF 46 and I can't believe how supple my skin is. It actually feels hydrated and balanced for the first time ever.
I will always have problem skin -- the unfortunate combination of genetics and being a staph carrier -- but now I feel like it's managed with a routine that's easy and natural, something I don't have to put a lot of thought or effort into anymore.