A little background (skip through to epsom salts section if you don't want to read through all of this post):
I'm in my early 30's, have had acne on and off (mostly on) most of my life. Like most of us pimply peeps, I've tried everything! Accutane, benzoyl peroxide, multiple antibiotics, countless cleansers, etc.
Mostly I just had regular acne pimples that would go away after picking at them for a couple of days and they were regular breakouts. The only time i've had completely clear skin was after I came off accutane (more on that horrible experience later) and for about 6 months straight, for the first time in my life, I had completely clear skin! It felt amazing! Well, that was about 6 years ago and the regular acne came back after. 
And as of the beginning of this year I have started to develop huge, nasty, stubborn cysts on my chin and border of my lips. They get as big as the size of a penny, right on my chin and sometimes 3-4 at the she time.
Treatments I've tried for cystic acne:
First dermatologist suggested I had rosacea, put me on several rounds of 3 different kinds of antibiotics. They were great as long as you stayed on them but as soon as you stopped the medicine the cysts would develop almost instantly. Who wants to be on antibiotics the rest of their lives?!
I finally got frustrated with the dr and told him the antibiotics were doing NOTHING to cure my cystic acne, I guess I should I known that it wouldn't "cure" anything as that's not what they are meant to do.
He then suggested I do several treatments of laser therapy and purchase several of the face products his clinic sold at a not so modest price. I went looking for another doctor...
Second doctor injected the existing cysts with cortisone and those shots have been amazing! Other than the depressions in the skin they can leave, its been well worth it! Did that for a while but it started getting really expensive and still it wasn't really curing anything.
I was on the verge of going back on accutane... as much as my partner begged me not to. I was desperate.
Then I came upon a post about epsom salts!
My experience so far with Epsom Salts:
Okay, so I've only been doing this for about 2-3 weeks... I'm still skeptical and waiting for my face to just have a full on cyst attack.... my emotional trauma from so many products falling flat. 
There isn't any research out there that I could find on the effectiveness of magnesium sulfate in treating acne but several posts here and on other sites raved about it and since it was cheap and I was desperate, I thought why not?
I used it before bed one night and I could instantly see the texture of my skin almost completely smooth out.
The redness had almost completely disappeared!
The cysts that were still healing still remained but felt less irritated and therefore less painful than they were before.
3 weeks later I have yet to develop a new cyst on my face! I'm ecstatic... but still nervous and anxious that it may just be a fluke.
I'd highly recommend you try epsom salts if only for the benefit of smoother skin. If it actually helps keep acne away then that'd be a huge bonus! It has for me, so far.
I'm also applying it to the back of my next around the hair line where I used to have constant breakouts. I'd feel a new pimple every other day at minimum... haven't seen/felt a pimple since epsom salts!
Another bonus is that it doesn't dry out your skin! No more flakes!
I still use benzoyl peroxide as an added measure but I'll probably stop using it once my current bottle runs out. The first week I started on epsom salts I didn't use BP and didn't seem to make a difference, but like I said, just adding it for double protection.
My treatment/regimen:
AM: Cleanse with Dan's cleanser (gently, follow his instructions), make epsom salt paste/solution, gently press on to towel dried skin, leave on for about 5-15 min (sometimes just a few minutes if I'm doing it in the shower), rinse off, pat dry, apply Dan's Benzoyl Peroxide, finally I apply moisturizer (Dan's moisturizer + 2-3 drops of Jojoba oil).
PM: Basically same routine but I usually only use benzoyl peroxide once a day.
Epsom salt paste: The aim isn't to completely dissolve the salt crystals. I put about 3 tablespoons of salts in a little glass container and add enough water as to not make the paste too runny. I mix with my fingers to break apart some of the big salt crystals. I'm still playing around with ratios.
Some people have said that they scrub their face with it but I would think that scrubbing would really irritate the skin. Pressing it gently onto your skins does minor scrubbing on its own but whatever works for you.
Hope you guys give it a shot and that it works for you! $2-3 for a small container at almost any store.
espsom salt is magnesium sulfate so it's probably the sulfur in it that is helping
I've been meaning to order some sulfur soap called Sal3 which contains 10% sulfur and 3% salicylic acid but I'm in Canada and they want you to order a 60$ ten bar "international" pack. Not very practical for someone who wants to test it out... If the soap is irritating or does nothing for me well I'm stuck with 9 bars and down 60$. But you guys in the states can order one bar for 5.99$ including shipping, you might wanna give it a go
therefore I will give this a try as I had never really thought about it despite taking the occasional epsom salt bath for soreness.
espsom salt is magnesium sulfate so it's probably the sulfur in it that is helping
There's another thread on this sub-forum that discusses various sulfur-based products, which may be of interest to the people following this thread. Still, I'm a bit confused, as I thought that no external treatment is able to penetrate the skin deeply enough to prevent cystic acne. (I get it, too, btw.) But I'm willing to try putting epsom-salt paste on my face, if it seems to be helping others. 
I've been meaning to order some sulfur soap called Sal3 which contains 10% sulfur and 3% salicylic acid but I'm in Canada and they want you to order a 60$ ten bar "international" pack. Not very practical for someone who wants to test it out... If the soap is irritating or does nothing for me well I'm stuck with 9 bars and down 60$. But you guys in the states can order one bar for 5.99$ including shipping, you might wanna give it a go.
I just want to point out that all bar soap is generally not recommended for acne-prone skin, since ingredients used to created (hold together) the bar form are what tend to block pores. If you can find a sulfur-based liquid facial cleanser, all the better, I'd think. Not sure one exists, but I'd be curious to learn if anyone knows of one.
therefore I will give this a try as I had never really thought about it despite taking the occasional epsom salt bath for soreness.
Same here. I've had a large bag of epsom salts sitting in my bathroom cabinet for the last several years' time. I guess it's time to bust it out and treat myself to both a warm salt bath and a salt-paste facial. Heh.
P.I.
Hello, I am a 17 year old girl and know exactly what you are going through trust me! Black heads and acne suck! I have finally found something that helped me though and it's cheap and not very hard to do at all and has helped my skin so much!
My soap is made by Dr. Ohiira (called a beauty bar) which has all natural ingrediants and probiotics to help kill of bad bacteria on the skin but maintain the good bacteria that heal your skin. You can order this soap online, but if you want something from the drug store try Dove's unscented soap bar. I reccomend going to a health food store instead and getting a very natural soap instead though.
Next after washing your face with a mild, gentle cleanser you are going to need:
Epsom salt (salt of magnesium) you can get this at any drug store for very cheap. It is great for the skin, aches, buises, scrapes, etc and it even helps kill bad bacteria and retain moisture in skin.
You can either put two table spoons of this in pretty warm water and stir it around until it is cloudy white ish and tastes bitter. You can use this as a toner for your skin with a cotton ball and let it dry as a mask. You can even sleep with this, but it will dry as a slightly white salty film so I would sleep on a towel or some sort of pillow protector although I never have noticed a noticible salty film in my bed or anything. The toner helps all oilyness and seriosuly reduced redness so much. A less potent toner with less epsom salt would leave a less white residue and could be used for daily wear, under make up even.
The next way to use epsom salt is to grind it up into a almost a powder like form. I do this using a coffee bean grinder (I do this because the grains are to big and don't scrub as much and the sand like texture helps more when using as a scrub). I then mix it with either a creamy gentle cleanser, or just a little bit of water, or some sort of natural home made mask and use it as a scrub / exfolient and the grains will eventually disolves soaking into your face and then you rinse.
There is yet another way to use epsom salt, and this is good for body oilyness and acne. Put two cups of epsom salt into a hot bath and soak. This is very effective plus relaxing as the magnesium sulfate (that makes up epsom salt) is very soothing to your muscles as well as good for taking out redness and inflamation in the skin.
Two other types of salts I use on my skin are Hemilayan Sea Salt (naturally a light pink or greyish color) and I also use Dead sea salt.
A hot compress can help those big ones to surface and pop! If you put raw honey on the zit it usually brings it to the surface fast and helps it to be a lot less sore. Hot water and epsom salt can be soaked onto a towel and held onto sore big pimple to help bring out the infection. Do not pick at the pimples, try to juse dry them out with sea salt/epsom salt water and cotton balls / Q tips for the next few days.
Both of these salts are great at fighting blemishes and reducing oils but are a more drying salt for the skin. If you choose to you can add 1 tea spoon of each of these salts to 2 cups of warm water. OR even more effectively you can make a toner using all three, (Hemilayan, Dead Sea, and Epsom salt) into one toner.
I would alternate between using the mixed salt toner, and regular epsom salt toner so you do not dry your skin out to much but to keep it balanced.
Apple cider vinegar used in the ratio 1:1 with water makes an excellent claryfying agent and even lightens the skin (: (apple cider vinegar half and half with water on a Q tip and through out the day keep applying it to the pimples I swear it will help them!) I had a huge scab and it litterally fell off within 2 days of using this over and over and it looks so good. As well as it kills bacteria, will dry it out and help the infection.
You can look up the reviews for most of these items too and see how other people rate them also. The sight acne.org has a lot of info on products and skin even if you don't have acne it can be helpful. ! Hope this helps with everyones skin! XO (:
table salt should never be used on the skin because it is bleached and will actually harm your skin as well as your body. Eating pure sea salt is a million times better too!
You may be surprised at how many of these items you probably already have!
taking a cod liver oil supplement will really benifit your skin and hair. Many models do it.
Freakily enough people say some models put urine on their face to get it so perfect, they even put the element urea in a ton of skin care products and it is derived from urine.
Extra virgin coconut oil is a great supplement to keep you trim and helps fight acne from the inside out! Miranda Kirr from victoria secret even takes it! (;
Hi, I have struggled with cysts on my chin for at least 5 years and tried everything that the doctors recommended. The benzoyl peroxide seemed to work but over this past Christmas I experienced a cyst under my arm. I went online and ' grandma's' best remedy was Epsom Salt with Lavender. I soaked a facecloth in hot water and dabbed this in the Epsom Salt and let sit on cyst for at least 20 mins. After a couple days the cyst was gone - following many sessions of draining. And, in just the past month I applied this concept to my chin cysts, except I would spray water on my cysts and dab the crystal salts on and let sit for at least an hour. This was ok but not practical. I had my Arbonne Sea Salt scrub which I use on my body and under arms and decided to coat the cyst and let dry over night. Well, both times (I have had two bad cysts in the last two weeks) this scrub brought the cyst to a head and I was able to drain with hot water. What a miracle!! My cysts that use to take weeks to months to remove I can clear up in a couple days! Therefore, I strongly believe Salt is the homeopathic method for cysts. I hope this information helps because it has been a huge help for me - I just wish I discovered the old methods of treatment sooner.
I started using Epsom salts and the first 2 weeks were fantastic everyday I cleared up but then it just stopped just like the last time I used it, it just stopped working/ clearing up my skin. Should I mix it up a little like use a face wash one day then Epsom salt the next? I have been mixing a salicylic acid 2.0 treatment with it as well. I'm going to start eating better as well, the foods I won't eat are: Dairy, Sugary, Spicy, Fast Food, Greasy Food... that's about it I'm not going to go crazy on the eating right thing I'm a guy so that's too hard for me plus I'm only 16 so yeah I love food :] lol My face isn't all that bad honestly but really it could be better than what it is you know and it's been too long for me to just keep sitting here and wondering when it's going to be gone....I hate trying new things absolutely hate it, but I tried Epsom salt and liked it until it stopped working so yeah I started eating better as of Today I'll keep updating :].....
