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On 7/19/2021 at 10:24 AM, Shoober said:Hello All!
It's been about 10 months and I wanted to post a (final) update.
I have been free of the sores/plugs since the start of taking an antiviral.For myself this was not demodex or other parasites, no skin cancer, nothing autoimmune.
It is truly worth a shot.
I™m stoked to see this post last night. I made a appointment with my dr in 2 hours. I feel like there™s hope! Thanks for updating!!
WHAT THIS IS AND THE CURE
Hi Everyone, I too have the same curse but not as bad as someof you. I too have been so frustrated by doctors who don't listen and think they know what it is. I finally found out:
This is FUNGUS. It's an overgrowth of a type of fungus(there's many types including Candidayeast) that's throughout your body naturally which is why there seems to be an endless supply.The overgrowthusually showsin the nostrils so you may see white dots in your nose.
I use a topical Ketoconazole in the form of Nizoral Shampoo. I put it on my face several times a day, let it sitfor 10 minutes, then rinse. It brings it to the surface and I can just wipe it away. Thenit starts to dry out and will get better. I've had white dots in the crease of my chin for years and thought they were white heads but when I used the Nizoral the first time they disappeared. So did all the bumps on the back of my arms which I assumed was just dry skin.
The above response to the Ketoconazole is the proof that this is a fungus because that's the only thing it's prescribed for soI'mgoing to try and kill the overgrowth myself using something I found on Etsy. Even if it gets the overgrowth under control,Yeast will continue to live in mybody no matter what and so I may need to continue to wash my face with Nizoralevery few days and go on aCandida diet before/during the cleanse.
I'll post once I have results from the cleanse just to let everyone know how it's working.
Note: A topical may not be strong enough depending on your situation so a different drug in the same family may need to be prescribed becauseoral Ketoconazole can be dangerous. A decent doctor should know what to prescribe to you.
Hopefully this will be a solution but if not I'll get a prescription.
Keep ya posted!
On 11/15/2021 at 8:35 PM, SkinPlugHell said:
I also did buy Nizoral, used it 5 minutes and was shocked by first time result - white dots on my chin gone! Also white weird things somewhere were coming out from the skin - some almost liquid condition (kind of wet) and some later very small and dry white things. Two days after I again used Nizoral for 5 minutes and didn't get same result. Probably need to keep it longer on the skin as you said for 10 minutes.. By the way may I ask do you just leave it to dry for 10 minutes or keep washing your face with a hands all that time? Tomorrow I will start again with Nizoral. I'm going to use it twice a day for 10 minute, will keep posted. I also suspect it's a fungus..
I also will use Pixie glycolic lotion (around 5 percent) and will try to not use anything else
Athletes FOOT CREAM!! I was dealing with the same issue for three years on things that literally would not go away I had some type of open wound on my face that I thought was acne but it won™t heal and there™s some type of white fruit plug type thing that would be forming underneath the skin when I thought it was healing and finally when one would go away after six months it would spread somewhere else somewhere on my face which results in these huge black scars all over my face I don™t think I ever had mental problems but this definitely was a huge reason for me to fall and a pretty bad depression without even realizing it it was so embarrassing so humiliating and¦ I™m able to say was¦ As of like 34 days ago it™s the first time I™ve heard of any sort refurbishment some sort of solution yeah I know¦ I absolutely know I am seeing results¦ After waiting in the emergency room waiting area for two hours at 2 AM a few nights ago because I™m son embarrassed to be out with that thing on my face which make up and never help because it would start crusting over and I won™t check my face during the day because I just wouldn™t want to see but it™s so humiliating¦ Anyways after reading And doing a little research instwas of wallowing in my sorrow
Which was the past three years because anytime I would try to go to the store and spent hundreds of dollars on products that did not work at all in fact products for making it worse I was literally going to the store and paying to continue to keep this on my face and literally in bed it further and further to me anyways I went to the store I bought the generic athletes foot cream put it on my face¦ The next morning it™s the first time in three years my face started looking clear and my entire complexion started looking like a different actually whatever kind of gross was on my face I don™t know where it started but __
it works
Try it please!
The worst that will happen is that you™re gonna spend an extra 10 bucks on some thing that you might just have to be in your cabinet for a while but
What could happen is this could be your solution as it was for mine!!
Clotrimazole 1%
anti fungal cream
that™s the one I got that worked
On 4/13/2019 at 1:01 AM, Aussie Scientist said:You might have to use anti-fungal cream for the rest of your life, if your malasezzia and/or candida are caused by taking antibiotics. Having said that, you will know when the problem is under control as your skin will look "normal". I would keep applying topical anti-fungals for some weeks after your skin looks normal.
Take the dosage pf nystatin that is on the Nilstat bottle of liquid for mouth thrush, or the number of tablets specified on the container for gut candida (thrush is candida). You swish the liquid around your mouth and swallow it. Nystatin is very saoe. Oral nystin will NOT control skin candida, as nystatin does not leave the gut (the nystatin molecule is too large to go through the gut wall).
Which country are you in ? I can send brand names of anti-fungals to you, when I know which country you are in.
Do you have dandruff or a white tongue, or both? the first thing is to work out whether you have candida (painful/itchy red skin, nodules, cysts, "pimples", ingrown hairs, infected hairs, etc., cracks at corner of mouth, white tongue, sometimes headaches, tiredness etc) or malassezia (itchy spots, nodules, sometimes cysts, ingrown infected hairs, flaking skin, "pimples", dandruff, sebborrheic dermatitis). Malasezzia does not get into one's gut; candida does. Nystatin cream is best for skin candida (although clotrimazole will have some effect). Terbenafine cream is best for malasezzia. Also, shampoo with climbazole (not to be confused with clotrimazole) if you have malassezzia - I can give you brand names depending on which country you are in.
Use 0.5% hydrocortisone cream and/or cream or spray with lignocaine/lidicaine with the anti-fungal cream on your skin, for a few days (not for too long) to stop the inflammation. Candida make prostiglandins which cause inflammation and help the candida to colonise and attack skin. It is necessary to use topical, anti-inflammatory cream/gel for a while to stop the inflammation, while you are killing the candida, to let one's skin recover. Hydrocortisone (like all cortocosteroids) decreases one's own immune response, so don't use it for too long (0.5% hydrocortisone is safe to use for a short while, including on one's face for a while). Lignocaine/lidocaine cream can be dangerous if overused (but OK to use for a short while on not too large areas of skin - read the instructions).
Wash you skin with an anti-bacterial wash - one with chorhexadine is the best, while you have candida and/or malasezzia on your skin, to prevent secondary bacterial infections such as golden staph!! Don't touch infected areas of skin without twice washing your hands first and especially NEVER touch your nose and then touch your skin. Most people carry staph in their nose. Use a different towel to dry affected areas. Wash the towel frequently.
Do NOT use moisturiser on areas of ski affected by candida or malassezia, as malasezzia feeds on organic oils in moisturisers, and both candida and malassezia flourish on moist skin. Dust your skin (not your face if you are going to be seen in public !) with cornflour (maize flour) after showering and after applying anti-fungal cream.
I am not convinced that candida travels to one's skin from one's gut. I think it simultaneously "erupts" in both places, following the destruction of good bacteria by antibiotics. Candida attacks organs in people whose immune systems are seriously compromised from HIV or chemotherapy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1797637/; https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/docserver/fulltext/jmm/62/1/10_jmm045054.pdf?expires=1555134469&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=C511DF1A40A71D4E6956FA61264902BB.
Candida does not generally attack the organs in people who are healthy and whose immune systems are not seriously compromised (so don't worry), as our immune systems fight the candida. But, after taking antibiotics, our immune systems are compromised to some extent (not as much as in people with HIV etc) by the loss of the good bacteria, and hence candida erupts on skin and sometimesi one's gut. The signs of having an eruption of gut candida are tiredness, headaches, feelings of disorientation. If you don't have those symptoms, then you probably just have a skin candida problem (if you have a skin symptoms of candida and a white tongue) or a skin malasezzia problem (if you have skin symptoms of malasezia and dandruff, flaking skin).
Re diet - avoid dairy products, (yeast or mushroom products - yes, I know that seems weird, and I did not believe it for a while, but I think it is true because candida sensitises one to all fungal species) and gluten (because gluten is inflammatory). Yeast is a fungus. In my experience, it is not possible to fix a skin candida (or malasezzia) problem with diet, but the wrong diet can make the problem worse. Some vitamins, herbs and foods do possibly help - pau d'arco, magnolia bark, turmeric, berberine (tastes dreadful!), quercetin, mangosteen, vitamin B3, undeconoic acid, coconut oil....
I suffer from this skin problem as well. Over 2 years it spread from just my lower arms to my upper arms, my chest, my legs and my face. I have extreme fatigue and over all feel terrible all the time. Doctors have been useless, in helping me solve this problem. I am in the US and have no idea what to try. Many posts say different things to treat with. But your advice seems sound, and I would greatly appreciate your advice.
Thank You
I have been diagnosed, at least with something very real and significant, and am on medications (Acyclovir daily pills and Acyclovir ointment - very different from Abreva), and also a anti-fungal daily pill. For me, the Anti-viral made the most difference. I have been diagnosed with an Immune Deficiency (very different from Autoimmune), and an over-active inflammatory response, and chronic infection. Immune deficiency, also know broadly as Primary Immune Deficiency (PID), causes me to be susceptible to mainly viral infections (Herpes Family) which presents atypically and chronically due to immune and is exasperated by over-active inflammatory response. I've attempted to share my story in other posts - you can find if you click on my name. There is definitely more to story, such asgenetic testing, what doctor you would need to go to, what immune blood tests to get, etc.
Here's the thing - no one on this site can say we are the same. I do believe I have Morgellons - for lack of a better word. I am now 7 years in, diagnosed a year ago with immune deficiency which validated me as a patient. During the previoushorrendous years, I researched and read everything I could, on as many sites as I could. There is not a lack of people expressing to use this or that. I think some over-the-counter (otc)/alternative meds maybe made a dent (I liked Grapefruit Seed Extract, Yucca, and a couple others. I liked my Traditional Chinese Practitioner) - but they never healed me. It was nevera cure - and that'swhat I was looking for.I absolutely have cabinets full of alternative meds and various OTC meds (such as OTC anti-fungalcream), tea tree, etc, etc, etc. My cabinets are still full of them, for a reason. AndI beggedthose treatmentsto help me. I have no idea if my story is your story, just sharing my story in the hopes of sparing at least one, from moreyears of suffering.
I find it very strange that these appear only on my face, first as a normal pimples, then become itchy.. If i leave them alone, a wound is formed, with raised edges and these hard plugs inside. It looks almost cancerous.
The wound never heals, only If all the plugs are removed, which isimpossible. How could this appear so sudden? How could it so hard to get rid of it? Months and months with these on my face? I had hopes with acyclovir but now it doesn't seem to work, still there, reforming
I feel so bad i refuse to leave my house. If anyone had this healed, please help me... i feel i am going crazy
Hello everyone, I have struggled with the same plugs for going on 4 or 5 years now, recently I had a MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH I thinkthese "plugs" might actually be as others have stated on here, a strain of HPV or something similar to a WART what I have found works very effectively, is to put peroxide onto a band aid, and LEAVE BAND AID ON FOR A FULL DAY OR OVER 20+ HOURS, TAKE OFF REPEAT AND DO NOT TOUCH AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 24 HOURS. i think what these are, are warts, and with all warts, they need a supply to oxygen and blood vessels, and as others have said, when you remove these plugs they bleed profusely for less than 30 seconds and then instantly clot as fast as they started bleeding, and I think that is because they are warts and warts bind to nerves and blood vessels. So by choking them out of oxygen it kills the virus and let's a scar form, I had one on my forehead, and did this for 2 days straight only changing a bandaid and looking at theprogress, and NOT ONLY DID IT HEAL, BUT THE PLUGS SHRIVELED UP AND AFTER PULLING THEM, THEY DIDNT COME BACK. I think this is the key, I wanted to share so I could help someone else with this info. If anyone wants to try please post results.
On 11/24/2021 at 8:38 AM, Symo95 said:I find it very strange that these appear only on my face, first as a normal pimples, then become itchy.. If i leave them alone, a wound is formed, with raised edges and these hard plugs inside. It looks almost cancerous.
The wound never heals, only If all the plugs are removed, which isimpossible. How could this appear so sudden? How could it so hard to get rid of it? Months and months with these on my face? I had hopes with acyclovir but now it doesn't seem to work, still there, reforming
I feel so bad i refuse to leave my house. If anyone had this healed, please help me... i feel i am going crazy
I am so sorry for you. I feel your exact pain. Sometimes I want to skip stuff and I get so frustrated. But I dont skip the stuff, because its just skin and if people are going to not like me or judge me by my skin then they are doing me a favor by not being part of my life. Stay strong friend
On 11/29/2021 at 11:32 PM, Anonymous345690 said:Hello everyone, I have struggled with the same plugs for going on 4 or 5 years now, recently I had a MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH I thinkthese "plugs" might actually be as others have stated on here, a strain of HPV or something similar to a WART what I have found works very effectively, is to put peroxide onto a band aid, and LEAVE BAND AID ON FOR A FULL DAY OR OVER 20+ HOURS, TAKE OFF REPEAT AND DO NOT TOUCH AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 24 HOURS. i think what these are, are warts, and with all warts, they need a supply to oxygen and blood vessels, and as others have said, when you remove these plugs they bleed profusely for less than 30 seconds and then instantly clot as fast as they started bleeding, and I think that is because they are warts and warts bind to nerves and blood vessels. So by choking them out of oxygen it kills the virus and let's a scar form, I had one on my forehead, and did this for 2 days straight only changing a bandaid and looking at theprogress, and NOT ONLY DID IT HEAL, BUT THE PLUGS SHRIVELED UP AND AFTER PULLING THEM, THEY DIDNT COME BACK. I think this is the key, I wanted to share so I could help someone else with this info. If anyone wants to try please post results.
I defiantly agree that they have to be related to HPV. I started the antiviral valtrex and I had the area on my chin finally clear up and the area between my eyebrows. I have one spot that healed but then traveled a little bit to a form a new area next to it that is working on healing. I was hoping valtrex was going to be the answer. Im only 2 weeks into treatment and I would say my face is 85% better than it was 2 weeks ago. I will update if I see significant progress.
23 minutes ago, Smith Jhonsan said:Our skin naturally wrinkles, sags, and loses its shine as we age (don't worry, you're not alone). Botox therapy is a sort of skin rejuvenation in which Botulinum Toxin Type A is injected into our faces to remove wrinkles and sags. BOTOX works by blocking facial nerve endings, causing the targeted muscles to relax and become immobile. BOTOX treatments are quick and painless, and they are applied with a small needle to the problem regions. Following that, a cold compress is applied to the administered region to avoid bruising or swelling.
I recommend seeing an Immunologist, based on my experience. I would ask for all typical immune tests, but also Natural Killer Cells - ideally numbers and function. Two different blood tests. Cytokines too (Interferons/Interleukins). Genetic testing of Immune Genes even better. I am in a research study where they are doing a full genome on me, but prior I had genetic testing (Immune Deficiency Panel) through Invitae. It was very affordable if I didn't go through my insurance. More expensive for me if I went through insurance. I called Invitae to get this information. Genetic testing can circumvent years of pain, but docs will need a reason - see an immunologist for reason, or convince your doc to order. Any doc can order, literally one blood draw.
I'd also recommend taking a very good look at your health history and write it out for doctors. Anything that you assumed was normal, but isn't necessarilynormal? Sometimes that takes someone/doc asking the right questions, as assumptions can blind us. Any procedure you might have had, but would now be considered a done deal or not on the top of your consciousness?Any issues with Herpes Viruses? HPV, ever? What was your Chicken Pox like? Sinus/lung infections, any type of asthma, how is your mouth, teeth, Hair/nails, ears/eyes? Our skin pulls our attention, but other symptoms and health history can be of importance. Writing out a thorough health history was what gained me credibility before blood tests proved. Prior, I knew docs didn't believe me, which made me nervous and therefore unable to communicate well. And I hadn't really delved into my health history, as I always functioned and played many things off or attributed to "no longer an issue".
Dermatitis Artefacta
Picking necrosis
These are the diagnosis that should come to mind.
Please listen, and know that Im coming from a place of understanding and expirience, not judgement. Please try to hear your doctors when they mention mental illness, because there is a very important link between dermatology and psychiatry. Stress, can cause IBS, stress can also cause sensations like itchy skin, which can lead to other issues of the skin that could also help the disease of dermatis artefactapresent itself in the patient. It is a painful cycle, the non healing lesions create more stress and the self mutilating behaviours rise, often on impulse. Patients are often unconscious and ashamed, it is common tolie to medical professionals about picking at the lesions.
it is common to find reasons to pick at them, convincing yourself or others on the internet that they are foreign plugs, or plugs caused by fungus that must be removed or the lesion wont heal. No, you must leave them alone and stop looking at them with a magnifying glass, then, only then, will the lesion heal. This behaviour satisfies a unconscious psychiatric need or emotional need. Dont feel ashamed, because most of you arent even conscious that this is what is going on. Many of you are truly convinced you have an infection that trained professional(S) cant diagnose and recognize. When you begin to trust them, and research on the disease Dermatitis Artefacta (with an open mind) you may find peace and you may heal.
cover your lesions with occlusive dressing, dont touch them, dont clean them with anything but benzol peroxide 10% with a Q tipno fingers , NO FINGERS your fingers are not your friend, they pick up tweezers, nail clippers, and use their sharp nails fo hurt and damage your beautiful skin. Dont let your hands go near your face at all. Q tip only and set a timer for 25 seconds it should not take longer for you to clean it and cover it. Once a day max. The less you see it, the better. Please trust me, you will get better.
and stop putting canesten and all these strong steroidson your face. Long term use only leads to dryness and damaged skin which will make it harder for your lesions fo heal. Stop putting the whole kitchen sink, apple cider vinegar, stop stop stop, full stop.
Stop touching it stop looking at it, stop THINKING about it, this is rooted from a problem in the mind so lets work on changing the thoughts that drive us to do these things to ourselves.
Dermatitis artefacta (DA) is a dermatologicopsychiatric illness that is a conscious self-infliction of lesions to accessible regions of the body. The lesions usually do not resemble those of any know skin disease and there are no specific diagnostic tests to recognize them. This makes dermatitis artefacta a very slow, challenging and expensive disease to diagnose
please read this, many of you may eventually come to terms and accept treatment. Treatment consists of ongoing constant dermological care and supervision working with a psychiatrist side by side. This is a long term disease, but you cant start healing until you accept it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3560551/#!po=2.08333
On 11/2/2021 at 5:06 AM, stepharoo said:I have been struggling with this for so long, and along with it, I have an excoriation disorder. As soon as I mention that I have dermatillomania, any doctor immediately discredits anything else I have to say after that.
Ive seen so many unhinged things being said in this thread like I snorted crystalmeth and it revealed the little worms floating in my skin all throughout my body, you should try that too no thats because meth causes subcutaneous tactile hallucinations that cause you to believe things are crawling or wriggling under your skin.
Like. Cmon.Im an addict to something else (not meth lol) too but please go to rehab and stop saying deluded things or suggesting using ANTI PARASITIC MEDICINE ON OPEN WOUNDS CAUSED BY ACNE(????? Big no no)with such a guise of authority that you definitely dont have.
anyway,
what I think this most likely is (for me, at least) is just an overproduction of sebaceous filament. Sebaceous filament on its own isnt dangerous, and its a natural process that protects pores from infection, they are NOT blackheads. They are small plugs that arent often visible until multiple layers of skin are either taken off (eg; picking scab) or until they become blackheads. My case is the former, picking. You are picking your skin until it is raw, and tearing out the very things that protect your pores from deep infection (sebaceous filaments are alsoattached to hair follicles which bleed when ruptured, explains the profuse bleeding). And youre allsurprised that the sore wont heal? Iwas in denial about if it was just due to skin pickingup until the end of the thread. Not a single person here knows what is really going on, and some people are posting photos of a completely different issue and suggesting that it is some kind of papilloma virus or something or due to vaccines and I just want to say, I can smell the desperation from here because Ive been there.
Please just stop touching it. And yes, Stop touching also means do not use any sort of tool on it, sterile or not, dermatologist approved or not. Just do. Not. Physically. Aggravate. The ragingopen wound. Common sense. I had one of these sores all week this week and I randomly went wow its probably because I keep ripping it open to take out these plugs so I stopped and over 2 days it scabbed up and is now 1/3 of the size and redness that it used to be.
being in denial of a skin picking disorder is one of the most socially debilitatingkinds of denial toward mental illness, your face will be covered in 1inch diameter sores with white plugs until you stop touching them COMPLETELY. No ifs,ands,or buts. Stop touching the area completely.
THIS Is exactly what I needed to hear and understand 6 months ago. It took me many doctor visits, frustrated family members, destruction of my social life, isolation, hours in doctors offices and emergency rooms
Finally when an amazing dermatologist who has been seeing patients for almost 50 years, gave me a copy of my consultation before I left he said we are going to make you better not once did he mention picking.
He gave me a copy of my consultation for a reason. He knew I would research, he knew I was dealing with skin picking neurosis combined with dermatitis arrifecta (this is the part that makes you unconscious).
i have both, I had conscious moments, but I believed that I was removing a foreign substance and that I would be otherwise infected or ill if I didnt remove it. They are just exactly what you said, sebaceous glands that we usually dont see but since we destroyed layers of skin, there they are.
most of you here are unconscious of your picking disorder. I understand because I was too. Now that I understand, I am finally able to heal myself and protect myself from my brain. Im finally ready to see a psychologist and open my mind to therapy. I take anti anxiety/anti depressantmedication.
mostimportant change and step to healing is changing the way you think about these sores. Think of them as wounds that will only heal if you leave them completely alone. You have done a lot of damage so it will take time, but you will heal.
On 11/23/2021 at 8:36 PM, Symo95 said:Could this beprurigo nodularis?
It could definitely be triggering the picking behaviours.
---DIAGNOSIS:Trichomycoses is a fungalinfection of the hair follicle.
---CAUSE: Dermatophytes, Malassezia species and those causing Piedra.
Hi Everyone,
I have the same thing that most of you seem tohave... the stretchy plugs, the open sores, etc. It's FINALLY been diagnosed asTrichomycoses. It results from a few things. Mine is most likelyMalassezia Furfur butI'm waiting for test results to make sure.The website below talks about how the fungus grows inside of the hair shaft and comes out the top - there's even a drawing of it. (Figures 1-3) Recently,for the very first time,I hada hard lump underneath the areawhere the sorestarted maybemine is getting worse.
If you take the info from the site below to your doctor, perhaps they will finally listen and help you. There are several things recommended and I'm going to try the Fluconazole. There are various treatments and you mayneed to find what works for you and your specific fungal type.
--- CURE: The cure is discussed under Figure 14 if you want to jump to that. The drug ofchoice seems to be Ketoconazole which you can get from an online doctor if you can't get to one in person. There are some creams listed that help superficially but won't cure it.
As soon as I have my results, I'll report back. I feel for everyone going through this and hope you find a solution. I'm currently using Nizorel shampoo and 2% Ketoconazole cream and it helps keep the sores small. I may start Fluconazole after they know what species I have.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938571/
Take care!
I'm only diagnosed with acne and prurigo nodularis but reserving zero treatment considering how severe my skin diseases are.
My whole scalp, body and face are severely affected.I have non healing/stubborn, widespread, deeply embedded, infected, congested,bloody,gooey, dry,itchy painful lesions of scabs and attached plugs, or whatever they are, un every crevice and iy is unbearable .
The impeccable and time consuming daily skincare ,hygiene self care that I out in has not shown to this day!
Currently, 04:27am on Tuesday morning and ,as with every other night or morning so far, I've had no sleep, I'm in agony, and uncontrollably itching and rotting away.
Please somebody finally help me.
What non sufferers must understand is that this is not self caused and that this isn't just a vanity issue,this affects,mental physical,emotional, social, financial, academic,vocational and all aspects of life especially when one has been suffering increasingly for over 15 years, non stop!
I am not coping whatsoever.
Mine is a very isolated case as I also happen to be ethnic minority, very undeveloped, and out of work and study, only volunteering and on no income
I should be in my prime as a late 20s adult. Instead I'm stuck indoors (as well as forcibly and unhappily having to go out for errands with multiple illnesses) diseased, itchy,pained, fatigued,ugly, rotting, not okay!
I deserve a better quality of life and that includes good dermatological care and respect from the NHS and private health care too .
Hi all on this forum.
I joined only today (depsite years of researching the Internet to see of there are other sufferers. I simply wanted to state that, whilst I wouldn't wish what I'm going through on my worst enemy, it's somewhat a relief and comfort to know that I'm not completely alone in this world in terms of some some the characteristics of the disease/s I've been suffering so long and which have, quite frankly, ruined my childhood, adolescence, and twenties.
It's bad enough being an undeveloped, ethnic minority, bullied, unemployed, marginalised woman in 2021, but these skin curses areinsults.
Thanks for providing a place where I can share with honesty and maybe get support and advice on the best treatment going forward.
Hope you have a fabulous new year everybody.
Hi all. I had this condition for over 5 years
I finally found something that works!!!! I was on Valtrex oral,acyclovir cream and taking L-lysine supplements for over 8 months with no change. The spots were healed (as in not an open/raw wound) however, I could very much so see the white dots under the skin! I dared not touch them, but it was obvious they were not responding to the antivirals. The area still felt sensitive and seemed inflamed to me.
What did work>
-Washing my skin with Dial BAR soap with benzalkonium chloride 1-2x per day!
-Using a hydrocortisone GEL (there is one sold at CVS with no alcohol)
-Very thin layer of Altabax ointment at night
-I use ivermectin topical 3-4x/week for rosacea as well (however Ive been using this for a little bit and dont suspect it contributed hugely to the plugs clearingits more so for my overall complexion/skin health).
Honestly, I think it was the bar soap that changed everything. Id been washing my body with bar soap for ages, and Inever had one of these sores anywhere other than my face! So I started washing my face with the Dial as well.The spots quickly started changing. Dont ask me how or why it worked, but I highly recommend picking up Dial antibacterial bar soap w/ benz.chloride and giving it a try. I had tried an OTC antiviral topicalwith benzalkonium chloride at one point with no luck,so I really have no idea why the bar soap worked. I honestly believe its just a super deep folliculitis thats easily inflamed/irritated?The body responds to the infection with overproduction of keratin, which plugs the follicle and creates that plug maybe?Avoid anything irritating on the area (acids, strong chemicals/antiseptics, essential oils).
Please bear with me and my english..
I remember this starting 2 years ago, in the summer, right between my eyes, then on my left cheek, they were small so after removing those plugs, they healed and stop.
Now, this year, in May a monster appeared on my forehead, never i had something so big, so i left it alone. Months passed, in time becoming a deep hole with raised borders, itchy, stingy, i could stick my small finger in it, that deep it was!
I guarantee you that i did not do this to myself, i even kept it covered so i wouldn't see it.
I tried everything. Acyclovir, topical antibiotics( tetracycline, benzilpeniciline,etc) , fungal cream, sulphur soap, natural remedies, leaving it alone for weeks, weeks...so how can people say i did this to myself? Do you think i want to walk around with a gaping hole in my face?
What i did that closed my wound, now is just flat surface, a little darker scar:
-zinc soap 2 times a day
-changed my shampoo to one that had zinc pyrithione in it
-rosehip oil occasionally ( because i was afraid i would have i horrible scar)
-fucicort 20mg cream (yes, it has an antibiotic in it, fusidic acid and an steroid that only helped with the itch). This cream helped in one day! In the morning after the first application i had no itchy raised borders with plugs in it
Now, i suspect a boy that i was dating back then gave this to me (we were on and off, he had bad skin problems, and these appeared out of nowhere only when i was with him)
I hope we all find answers one day, i will keep an eye on this forum, listening to your stories. A happy new year beautiful people! You are all beautiful! Stay strong
I was also Diagnosedat one point with Purigo Nodularis and Acne. Thatmeans nothing, other than Doc'sblame you.
It's not yourfault. It's not your fault.
I hearyou, I understand you, and you are absolutely not alone.
One huge theme of my illness has been to validate myself, to stop doubting myself, to trust myself. And by doing that I was diagnosed. You can do this!