I see my derm on the 23rd, so I will see what she has to say. I am having a cystic outbreak on my right jawline...I wanted to cry when I felt it. There are still the cysts sitting on my neck as well. I have so much going on, and my skin is making me cry

well your appointment is coming up then so thats good but that is awful about the cystic breakout on the jawline. when my acne was bad i was getting a lot of cysts there too. i had one cyst that was like the size of a nickel injected twice and it left an awful dent and i remember freaking out cuz it was just too much to deal with on top of everything else but thank god it all filled in or i probably would have just had a heart attack. i really think stress makes it worse so if there is anything you can do to try and lower your stress levels a bit that would really help. are you going to get those cysts injected? i say if you have to cry then do it. sometimes it feels better to just get it all out but just know that it will get better i promise you!! if you ever want to chat more send me a message on here and we can chat on fb too if it helps. sending tons more hugs your way

I was getting a lot of cysts too, about 5 or 6 at a time that I also had to go get injected Tracy is right tho, it will get better its just going to take time. Hang in there kirks! We are here for you!

Thank you Tracy and Valerie--you two are amazing! Seriously helping me through this struggle. I am hoping the cystic outbreak is due to my period coming up. But you are right Tracy, I need to de-stressify. It helps not looking obsessively in the mirror like I used to so at least there is that. I have not been able to get injections because my derm is across the state, so hopefully next week, or even more hopefully, it won't be necessary. Again, thank you for your kind words! It puts a smile on my face

kirks you are so welcome! i only wish there was more i could do for you. if you lived in pittsburgh i would be at your house trying to cheer you up that is for sure i am glad to be able to help you and yeah that would make more sense about the cystic break out and your period being due. the first so many months of spiro i was getting 2 periods a month and i always got my worst acne then so it was just killing me. once i started to get normal periods again and get on antibiotics i was totally fine and now being off the antibiotics since march my skin is totally fine now at any time of the month. once you get past this shitty time and you start to really clear you up you will so happy and then can really start to live your life again. i had a new appreciation for things and just felt so much happier to re-join the world again. you will be amazed at how something simple like going to dinner is exciting again!

yeah i agree you need to just totally stay away from the mirror and whatever you do dont touch your face. i find with myself if i touch my face and feel the spots i get the worst anixety its like if i dont touch it then i dont realize how bad it is. try to do something this weekend that will just totally relax you like read a book or binge watch your favorite tv show. in a few more weeks i believe you will be at such a better place i know it.

yeah i knew your derm was across the state but was just wondering if you will be getting injections when you go but yeah i agree i hope you dont need them either and that the keflex really kicks in and knocks those suckers out. you dont want to have to worry about atrophy too!

you are very welcome and i am always here for you anytime you need me. like i said before if you ever want to chat on here or fb or anything just message me.

more prayers for ya and have a great weekend!

sending positive energies your way, kirks. its so wonderful to see such supportive people here.

i don't have much experience with spiro but i do empathize with how you must be feeling

when i feel completely defeated and at my lowest, i have learned that yoga is really really helpful.

even if you aren't flexible, just the act of stepping away from the things troubling you to breathe and stretch is very cleansing.

i hope you don't think i sound cliche!

hey kirks just checking in to see how are you doing today. you have your appointment this saturday right? did you get to relax at all this weekend?

Not doing so well today. I'm starting to breakout in cysts again on my right jawline (two right underneath, one on my lower cheekbone and one on my upper cheekbone). In addition to that, I have a big old cyst right under my lip on my left side. Also getting a cyst on my left jawline starting to emerge as well, with one popping up smack dab middle of my neck. Ugh. This is just awful. I have my appointment tomorrow, so I am going to ask to have those injected (my derm is so awful and rude) not looking forward to it. Also to refill all my prescriptions which hopefully she will do without an issue (spiro and keflex and tazorac).

School is starting back up for me soon, and I am so upset that my face seems to be taking a turn for the worse. YET AGAIN. Still super oily as well, with so many blackheads on my nose. I am upset right now. I was looking forward to being home and doing things, but these cysts are so obvious in their size and placement, make-up won't even help. Especially the one by my lip. I want to cry.

So the cysts are still booming, but I did have injections in them today. She also prescribed me finacea for scarring, as it is pretty bad on my left cheek. Has anyone used this before?

Also, she talked about taking me off keflex at the next appointment (in October). Still on Spiro and keflex for now, will probably stay on spiro. 102 days on spiro. Still getting cysts. Feeling icky. The one by my lower lip left side deserves a plaque for its size. The other two on my right side aren't far behind. I am so afraid that it is going to continue to worsen. And with the school year approaching, I am mortified. I just want my skin to clear up! Feeling so down these past few days :\

Ugh i feel so bad that you keep getting the cysts. Have you thought about trying aha instead of the tazorac? They have it on this site. I never had luck with retinoids but aha works amazingly for me. Just a thought. I have tried to use finacea multiple times but nevet had it do anything for my acne.

More prayers on their way for you. I know this is so hard.

I don't know if I want to add anything else new to my regimen. But it is so frustrating still being in this cyst-outbreak stage. Since April! Started the spiro in May. I am crying right now. I absolutely hate what I see in the mirror. What I feel on my skin. I am past depressed. I am just vacant. Nothing works.

I am just wondering if the tazorac is making things worse. When i use that stuff or retin-a it turns my clogged pores into cysts but the aha doesnt do that. Just something to think about but washing with a gentle cleanser and using aha and then bp for spot treating i think would work so much better.

wow kirks im so sorry to hear your still struggling with cystic break outs!! I truly hope things start looking up for you soon! I know for me it was a battle the whole first 6 months. As of today I have zero acne so there is still hope with the Spiro! I posted 2 or 3 pics of how Spiro has worked on my skin, I don't think I could live without it now but for those 6 months they were hell, l would of never thought I would be at this point when I look back and see how painful and horrible my acne and cysts were. Don't lose hope kirks!!

I can't remember if I already said this, but for some people retinoids just don't work. They will turn small sebum plugs into cysts. Retinoids have always done this for me. I just can't touch the stuff.

Even after I cleared up on spiro (meaning ZERO zits), my skin isn't perfect. I get little blackheads here and there. I tried adding back in retinoids after I'd been clear for months and got a whole crop of deep bumps. It was really frustrating.

Tazorac is also one of the strongest retinoids out there. I would just stop using it.

I've been using retinoids for awhile though, so I'm not sure if that is what is causing a cystic outbreak. My derm seems to think they help. Almost at four months of spiro. I still have this prevailing cyst right by my bottom lip. Erghhh. It is seriously the most disgusting and PAINFUL thing. I want to wear one of those hospital masks around campus.

Not sure if the finacea will help with the scarring/redness...

I seem to be forming another cyst on the other side of my mouth/lip area. What the heck is going on??? I haven't been swapping spit with anyone recently, and I don't smoke, not a heavy drinker. These are gross, and I want to get rid of them STAT. Any suggestions for these cysts?? Natural remedies or any ointments for the redness/swelling?

My skin is so red and patchy! I don't know why :/ and the red marks/scarring are so hideous today. Seriously contemplating not going to class today. This is so awful, I feel so hideous and marked.

taking 2 aleve twice a day and then putting AHA and then BP over cysts seems to work pretty well. i would ice them too that helps a lot.

seriously though i know you said you have been on tazorac for a while but were you breaking out on it before starting spiro? i would seriously consider switching to AHA because it works very well and most people do really well on it. it will also help with any red marks too so its a like a double bonus. the tazorac is probably chewing up your skin!

What is BP and AHA? I was using epiduo before spiro, then my derm prescribed tazorac, which I had used before. It didn't really seem to cause issues, it seemed to help zapping pimples away faster than without, so I'm not sure what is going on. These two cysts make it look like I have that snake bite piercing on the lips...ughh, and they hurt! I cant smile without pain/discomfort.

Taking care of skin is such an expensive thing too. I need to watch the cost of everything with all these prescriptions. Insurance helps some, but it doesn't cover everything.

Thank you for your replies Tracy, it means a lot. I know I have been a negative Nancy of late, but I really appreciate seeing your responses, they do comfort me!

benzoyl peroxide and alpha hydroxy acids so think glycolic acid. i use a toner that glycolic in it and it really helps with the exfoliation process but its pretty gentle and doesnt chew up my skin like retinoids do. its amazing stuff but they also sell a glycolic acid lotion on this site as well. it all depends on how you like to use it and its super cheap. just something to think about because aha works so well for just about everybody and its not expensive and you dont need a script. bp you can find at any store for like $5 a tube.

you are welcome and i just want to help you i feel so bad. i totally get how you feel so you can rant as much as you want! i just want you to clear up so you can start living life again. i am sure you are like so done with all this crap.

Okay, what toner do you use? I currently use witchhazel toner (which is also cheap). Will be making a grocery run probably in a few days, so I'll pick up some bp then, and investigate this aha. Part of me wonders how much my derm knows because she is always so quick to prescribe retinoids. Even at my last visit, she was eager to take me off of keflex and use a cream instead. I asked if I could wait at least a few months, so I have until October until my script runs out.

Again, thank you. I really am sick of it. A daily/nightly struggle and an emotional abyss. It really is awful, I seriously want this nightmare over. I was going to call my school's health center and asked if they did injections haha.

Getting ready for bed, these two cysts on both ends of my bottom lip are GIANT, red, swollen, and painful. I've never had an issue with toothpaste/toothbrush/chapstick--aquaphor before. I do not know what is causing these two cysts. And at the same place, end of my mouth. They are cystic, round, it is not a coldsore. Aghh, even the one I had injected is in bloom again. What the heck is going on? I want these gone and fast. Lip cysts are the most unattractive thing ever!!! They are right there and impossible to cover up. Especially these ones, with their size and redness and over all grossness. Ugh, feeling so disgusted currently. On both sides, I just don't understand.

i use proactiv toner it works really well and is cheap. i get it on ebay for like $8 for a decent size bottle. i do think witch hazel toner works is good stuff but the proactiv toner might work better for you. it does have witch hazel in it as well and is pretty gentle on the skin. i only use it once a day but you can use it twice a day but beware it will dry out your skin unless you are using a good moisturizer. omg yeah i dont think derms really know that much either every derm i have had has always put me on retinoids and my skin cant tolerate them no matter how long i use them for. last time i tried retin-a i got a bad cystic breakout on my chin and the derm was like well yeah retin-a and all retninoids have the ability to make those clogged pores turn into cysts for some people so after that i was beyond done with that stuff. i just use the toner once a day and spot treat with bp and thats it. i think sometimes less is more when it comes to that stuff but if you try the toner and like it then you can always try the lotion on this site it has 10% glycolic acid vs 6% in the toner.

yeah it really is a struggle because it really gets you down on yourself. i lost so much weight last year i was so upset and just was so damn depressed. nobody understands it unless they have gone through it themselves ya know? its like after a while you are just done dealing with it. yeah call around and see if you can get those cysts injected. what i did last year when my derm was booked i would call every derm in the area until one could fit me in. also some medical spas do injections as well so cant hurt to exhaust every option. those ones near the mouth are a bitch they hurt so damn bad! i was living off aleve just for the pain i can feel you on that. try icing them and take some aleve or ibuprofen today that should help a bit with the swelling and inflammation.

take care of yourself and just keep hanging in there but yeah i would ditch that tazorac like stat!

I've tried proactiv before, and that stuff does not sit well with my skin. I don't think tazorac is the cause of my cysts, as it has seemed to help more than hurt. All the same, I'll use my epiduo instead, as that has bp in it and is way less harsh to spot treat. I now have a cyst right above my nose, in between my eyes. With the two cysts by my lower lip it looks like an ugly isosceles triangle on my face. That coupled with the two cysts on my right-side of the jaw and one on my right temple. UGH. I feel so gross. I can't even just casually scratch an itch without feeling a bump and worry about how much worse I have made it.

The ones on my mouth just seem to be increasing in size, as does the jaw ones and nose/forehead one. This is hell. The worst it has been in awhile, and I am almost at four months?!?! Misery does not even describe my current mindset. I am done, just so so so done. I feel disgusting, I am disgusting. This is awful. Insurance and all of that is too expensive for the copay of injections on top of all these prescriptions. I'm ready to wear a bag over my head for the rest of my life or move to Antarctica where I have to keep my face covered up. That's my plan, you all can find me there.

yeah i hate proactiv myself but the toner is really good because of the glycolic acid and witch hazel in it. it was probably due to the fact that the cleanser and lotion in the proactiv both have bp in them so i could see how that with the glycolic acid could be way too drying. just the glycolic alone would be totally fine for you and very gentle. if you are totally against proactiv then try the aha sold on this site. i think its pretty cheap.

i would at least try the epiduo to see how that goes. differin is more gentle on the skin so you might do a lot better with that stuff. i cant believe your insurance charges you for all those injections. i think after i went to the derm like 5 times all the other injections i got were free but yeah the scripts are pricey it all adds up. i spent 4k trying to get my skin clear last year it was a real hit to my bank account. any luck on finding a derm for injections? are you not close to a city where they have lots of derms to choose from?

i know what you mean though when you feel that you look awful hiding out and never seeing anybody is very appealing! why not ask the derm next time you see him for some prednisone to try and calm everything down?

I think I will stay away from proactiv just because of how my skin reacted last time. I like my olay/witchhazel toner routine well enough, and aveeno daily moisturizer works for me (though aveeno is expensive). I'll look into the AHA on this website as well--thank you for all of your input. I value that. Yeah, I usually have at least a $50 copay when I get injections. I scoured through derms here, and all the ones I called could not fit me in until October, so why bother when my appointment with my derm at home is in October? Gah, I am so frustrated today. The drastic change I will make is stopping the tazorac, or maybe stopping it in a certain area and seeing what happens compared to the rest of my face. So just epiduo for spot treatment and finacea for scarring. Isn't it incredible the amount of money spent on skin??? I am so envious of people who do not even wash their face and still have clear skin (grrr). I'll ask my derm about predinsone, but keep your fingers crossed for me, she rarely takes what I say seriously unless I am crying.

Thanks for sticking with me through all my whiney posts of late. I think I am getting my period which might explain some of this. Gonna make this a low-key night, friends calling to go out is not what I need, as alcohol will certainly just make me feel like crap and look it guaranteed.

If you have hormonal acne. Try your spiro 100mg with Diane 35 contraceptives. Works better than spiro and antibiotics... At least for me. Ask with your doctor tho.