First a little background information
· Girl, currently 19 years old
· Started getting acne around 14 years old
· Dry, sensitive skin + large pores (the most ironic combination)
· Few big ones on my forehead or near my mouth / chin, never my cheek, often pretty deep with no head + ooze for a really long time
· Doctor prescribed me clindoxyl(Benzoylperoxid/Clindamycin), did not do much but irritate my skin
· Dermatologist who put me on lymeceline pills (two years ago), helped with the inflammation + my pimples went away faster + removed the ones in the lower area of my face near my mouth.
· Still used the clindoxyl cream but was also described isotrex gel(isotretinoin) which only dried out my skin in a weird film like way
· Sometimes skin would be almost clear other times it would be bad(I also a have pretty serious picking obsession)
· Was advised to stop taking the pills in summer time = instantly bad(or worse) skin again + inflammation would stick for longer again
Half a year ago I started little hard bumps around my jawline, hair line and neck that I couldn't/can't stop scratching and I've also gotten more dandruff(could be seborrheic dermatitis?). Some of the bumps are 'poppable'(they dont really 'pop' like they that, it's very much a pushing process) and the things inside them are very firm, sometimes like a grain, sometimes just like a hard string and I suspect that they are ingrown hairs, because i have found little hairs inside the the 'stuff' sometimes. My dermatologist said they were acne and I also get the little bumps on my shoulders. If I pick them until they bleed, they often form a weird scab / scar looking surface and they won't really properly go away. Sometimes I squeeze/pick them again and a very grain like/black head looking thing comes out(sometimes with a little hair)! Only then will they disappear completely. It's also often really easy to squeeze something out of the bumps(makes it even more addicting ). She then prescribed me Finacea(15% Azelaic acid) but that didn't help. The bumps have only gotten worse and more irritated and I don't know what to do. My keratosis pilaris has also gotten worse on my chest / neck / shoulder area, it's like literally every part of my skin is filled with poppable bump.
My routine used to be/is: La Roche-Posay Effaclar H cleanser + Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant +
La Roche Posay Effaclar H moisturizer
I would also sometimes use pure acv directly on pimples to 'burn' them away because at least then it would form a scab instead of the constant oozing. I know it's a terrible method because of scarring, but the longer it would stay on my face, the more i would pick it and the scar would have become deeper. I have now switched the BHA liquid with the clindoxyl because i find that it's better to stop the oozing but it's still not getting completely rid of my acne. It has taken a huge toll on my confidence and especially the acne around my jawline / neck since it's hard to hide with make up. I already only wear long sleeved shirts because of a million scars and red scabs on my arms from picking my keratosis pilaris. I use Amlactin which helps and a tough scrubbing glove but the urge to pick doesn't help and the scarring is still too visible. I know physical exfoliating is a no-go but i have SO MUCH DEAD SKIN on my body, it's crazy. Especially on my back. Sometimes I even use my nails when I shower. I've just ordered mizon snail recovery gel in hope that it will help with the scarring. I'm seriously considering getting my facial hair lasered away because I suspect my hair follicles so much for causing all these bumps but it's so damn expensive. I also had red spot between my eye / nose / cheek area. There was a white part visible but it wasn't bumpy per se. I tried to squeeze it out but it was like the white part was too deep down. It would always end up with a messy scab and after it had healed, there was still a red spot with a white dot. Then finally yesterday I went at it one more time and out came an ingrown hair!!! I had been dealing with it for 6 damn months. It's like my body/skin hates me. Anyways, I'm really getting desperate and the fact that I have been on antibiotics for two years straight scares me a bit(a lot).
tl;dr
- acne + keratosis pilaris + sebhorric dermatisis(maybe) on forehead, jawline, neck, shoulders, lots of small firm bumps with no head but with stuff inside
- dry senstive skin with large pores
- have tried: clindoxyl, isotrex, finacea, pc bha liquid, amlactin(aha), hydrocortisone cream
- been on tetracyclin for 2-3 years
- i drink 2-3 litres of tea a day(no sugar or milk)
- nearly dont eat any dairy(a little cheesy maybe twice or thrice a week, no milk), tried no gluten(didn't help) tried drinking water mixed with two tbs acv a day(didn't help)
- considering laser hair removal, otherwise pretty desperate
- somewhat irregular period(interval is anything between 20-40 days), could be hormonal problems?
I have attached a link to a picture of my forehead, jawline and back just in case. http://imgur.com/a/6yo9w
Any advice is appreciated so incredibly much! I'm so sick of my skin preventing me from being happy and living my life and spending money on it. Also im sorry for any grammar mistakes.
For dry skin take double dose Vitamin E and 1-2 tablespoon flaxseed oil
it's important to take both of them at the same time
it cures dry skin
try herbal teas! They heal and prevent future acne breakout
honeybrush, milk thistle, red raspberry lead, nettle, burdock, calendula
drink on empty stomach for better benefit
take separate from other drugs
@AhaGuru thank you! I'll try it out