Hey everyone, so this is my first topic on the Org, though I've been lurking for a while, scouting out little remedies to my skin problems, and honestly it feels really good to finally be a part of the site. So, to start, I have a question.
Why am I suddenly breaking out so badly around my mouth, even though I've been somewhat clear for over half a year?
I mean, I've tried what feels like everything: different otc stuff, various antibiotics, moisturizing more frequently, drinking more water, cutting dairy, no fast food, sleeping for 7+ hours a night, etc. It feels like just a few weeks ago my face was so much clearer than it is now, and all of a sudden, within the last 2 weeks, I'm getting 1 or 2 big, inflamed pimples a day. They keep coming faster than I can get rid of them. It has gotten to the point where I get big pimples along my mouth that cause the whole lip to swell.
I've looked into the different skin "zones" and typically people say acne around the mouth is commonly hormonal and due to stress. Is this true at all? Throughout high-school and middle-school I dealt with moderate to severe cystic acne that I inherited from my dad (thanks dad). But I cleared up fairly well around the latter half of 2012, when I started taking Ampicillin. I thought I was fine. I was able to eat what I wanted and I could stay up all night with no consequences, despite having loads of acne all over my face in 2011 and early 2012. I can't honestly think of anything that's making my life more stressful now than it was last November, when my skin was probably at its clearest, and I haven't significantly changed my regimen, except for cutting out scrubs and some of the harsher creams.
One thing I will mention is that this winter, I had some kind of skin-type change. My skin has always been so oily that I never moisturized until a few months ago. I put 10% benzoyl peroxide on my ENTIRE FACE (not exaggerating) every single night, and I was fine. But recently, my skin has been incredibly dry and tight, and very picky about what I put on it; even my oil-free, sensitive skin moisturizer will sometimes burn.
What can I do to get rid of this infuriating mouth infestation? I've got a presentation and some kind of court interview this Friday.
Sorry this is sort of a long post!!
EDIT: Also, I apologize if this is the wrong board for this kind of question. I'm bad at forums.
Hey everyone, so this is my first topic on the Org, though I've been lurking for a while, scouting out little remedies to my skin problems, and honestly it feels really good to finally be a part of the site. So, to start, I have a question.
Why am I suddenly breaking out so badly around my mouth, even though I've been somewhat clear for over half a year?
I mean, I've tried what feels like everything: different otc stuff, various antibiotics, moisturizing more frequently, drinking more water, cutting dairy, no fast food, sleeping for 7+ hours a night, etc. It feels like just a few weeks ago my face was so much clearer than it is now, and all of a sudden, within the last 2 weeks, I'm getting 1 or 2 big, inflamed pimples a day. They keep coming faster than I can get rid of them. It has gotten to the point where I get big pimples along my mouth that cause the whole lip to swell.
I've looked into the different skin "zones" and typically people say acne around the mouth is commonly hormonal and due to stress. Is this true at all? Throughout high-school and middle-school I dealt with moderate to severe cystic acne that I inherited from my dad (thanks dad). But I cleared up fairly well around the latter half of 2012, when I started taking Ampicillin. I thought I was fine. I was able to eat what I wanted and I could stay up all night with no consequences, despite having loads of acne all over my face in 2011 and early 2012. I can't honestly think of anything that's making my life more stressful now than it was last November, when my skin was probably at its clearest, and I haven't significantly changed my regimen, except for cutting out scrubs and some of the harsher creams.
One thing I will mention is that this winter, I had some kind of skin-type change. My skin has always been so oily that I never moisturized until a few months ago. I put 10% benzoyl peroxide on my ENTIRE FACE (not exaggerating) every single night, and I was fine. But recently, my skin has been incredibly dry and tight, and very picky about what I put on it; even my oil-free, sensitive skin moisturizer will sometimes burn.
What can I do to get rid of this infuriating mouth infestation? I've got a presentation and some kind of court interview this Friday.
Sorry this is sort of a long post!!
Hi there, former lurker!
Acne around the mouth is a little strange. I still can't locate the exact paper, but I remember reading that the chin/jawline is particularly prone because of the dense number of sebaceous follicles and that it takes longer for the skin to heal there.
The nice thing about being a guy is that acne tends to settle down when you're 23-25. But having severe enough acne can also make it persistent.
Did you go on Accutane at any point, or would you consider it?
Hi there, former lurker!
Acne around the mouth is a little strange. I still can't locate the exact paper, but I remember reading that the chin/jawline is particularly prone because of the dense number of sebaceous follicles and that it takes longer for the skin to heal there.
The nice thing about being a guy is that acne tends to settle down when you're 23-25. But having severe enough acne can also make it persistent.
Did you go on Accutane at any point, or would you consider it?
I went on Accutane once in late 2010, or early 2011, I think, but I quit after about a month because it was making me extremely depressed. I don't know if my dosage was too high or what. I've been considering trying it again, but I hate all the side-effects. My ampicillin WAS working.
And my mouth acne is typically concentrated around the lips, although I have been getting some on my chin. Those aren't as persistent though. I'm afraid mine won't settle down, but I really hope you're right about that 23-25 thing.
Are you still using 10% BP or just the one time? this is probably causing unwanted irritation, I recommend knocking it down to 2.5%. Some people claim their toothpaste may also be a culprit with acne around the mouth, perhaps change your toothpaste? Best of Luck
I discontinued the 10% about a month ago, and I'm using 2.5% now, and it keeps getting worse. I read that fluoride in toothpaste can cause mouth-acne, but I don't understand why it would just now be having an effect. Regardless, I've switched to brushing with baking soda and then using toothpaste every two nights because I know I'm missing out on some nutrients for my teeth with just the baking soda. I rinse with scope which I think is fluoride free. Every single toothpaste I find in stores has fluoride in it, though. :\
Nice BrBa avatar, btw.
Hi there, former lurker!
Acne around the mouth is a little strange. I still can't locate the exact paper, but I remember reading that the chin/jawline is particularly prone because of the dense number of sebaceous follicles and that it takes longer for the skin to heal there.
The nice thing about being a guy is that acne tends to settle down when you're 23-25. But having severe enough acne can also make it persistent.
Did you go on Accutane at any point, or would you consider it?
I went on Accutane once in late 2010, or early 2011, I think, but I quit after about a month because it was making me extremely depressed. I don't know if my dosage was too high or what. I've been considering trying it again, but I hate all the side-effects. My ampicillin WAS working.
And my mouth acne is typically concentrated around the lips, although I have been getting some on my chin. Those aren't as persistent though. I'm afraid mine won't settle down, but I really hope you're right about that 23-25 thing.
Was it 80 mg? 80 mg is really high.
There are 10 mg to 20 mg dosages out there. I think they can go as low as 5 mg, but it depends on the country IIRC.
I'm venturing that you went on doxycylcine and/or minocycline at one point because were on ampicillin.
I got a bad breakout this past week even forcing myself to stay home because i was emotionally wrecked about it- but it turns out it was folliculitis!!! And went away in 3 days. 
Im certain is got it because i used mouisterizer for the first time in like 4 or 5 months... which i cant use any creams because my skin doesnt like it att alll.
I got a bad breakout this past week even forcing myself to stay home because i was emotionally wrecked about it- but it turns out it was folliculitis!!! And went away in 3 days.
Im certain is got it because i used mouisterizer for the first time in like 4 or 5 months... which i cant use any creams because my skin doesnt like it att alll.
That's interesting... I don't think my breakouts look exactly like some of the pictures I've seen. But if it is folliculitis, I'd expect I have a pretty mild case of it. Is there any way at all to know for sure it's folliculitis vs. acne?
@Michelle:
Unfortunately, I have no idea what dosage it was, as it was pretty long ago. I do know that my acne was becoming pretty severe at the time (particularly on my chest and back), so it probably wasn't 10 or 5.
I got a bad breakout this past week even forcing myself to stay home because i was emotionally wrecked about it- but it turns out it was folliculitis!!! And went away in 3 days. Im certain is got it because i used mouisterizer for the first time in like 4 or 5 months... which i cant use any creams because my skin doesnt like it att alll.
That's interesting... I don't think my breakouts look exactly like some of the pictures I've seen. But if it is folliculitis, I'd expect I have a pretty mild case of it. Is there any way at all to know for sure it's folliculitis vs. acne?
@Michelle:
Unfortunately, I have no idea what dosage it was, as it was pretty long ago. I do know that my acne was becoming pretty severe at the time (particularly on my chest and back), so it probably wasn't 10 or 5.
Theres many forms of folliculitis (pretty sure like 6 forms) - 2 types almost look like (whiteheads - ew) but anyways some will have puss (oh i hate that word). My upper lip waas soooooooooooooooo itchy- like i had to train myself to not touch it. The spots also dont really scar either - like when they died down and went away you couldnt tell anything was there prior.
Also if its around your mouth- type of toothpaste could cause a reaction. I know for me - anything that has whitening properties, gel- like or colgate give me a pimple like rash.
I got a bad breakout this past week even forcing myself to stay home because i was emotionally wrecked about it- but it turns out it was folliculitis!!! And went away in 3 days. Im certain is got it because i used mouisterizer for the first time in like 4 or 5 months... which i cant use any creams because my skin doesnt like it att alll.
That's interesting... I don't think my breakouts look exactly like some of the pictures I've seen. But if it is folliculitis, I'd expect I have a pretty mild case of it. Is there any way at all to know for sure it's folliculitis vs. acne?
@Michelle:
Unfortunately, I have no idea what dosage it was, as it was pretty long ago. I do know that my acne was becoming pretty severe at the time (particularly on my chest and back), so it probably wasn't 10 or 5.
Theres many forms of folliculitis (pretty sure like 6 forms) - 2 types almost look like (whiteheads - ew) but anyways some will have puss (oh i hate that word). My upper lip waas soooooooooooooooo itchy- like i had to train myself to not touch it. The spots also dont really scar either - like when they died down and went away you couldnt tell anything was there prior.
Also if its around your mouth- type of toothpaste could cause a reaction. I know for me - anything that has whitening properties, gel- like or colgate give me a pimple like rash.
Oops, I think I'm actually using the Colgate optic white or something... Looks like its time to check health stores for all-natural toothpastes. Man, I hate my skin.
I got a bad breakout this past week even forcing myself to stay home because i was emotionally wrecked about it- but it turns out it was folliculitis!!! And went away in 3 days. Im certain is got it because i used mouisterizer for the first time in like 4 or 5 months... which i cant use any creams because my skin doesnt like it att alll.
That's interesting... I don't think my breakouts look exactly like some of the pictures I've seen. But if it is folliculitis, I'd expect I have a pretty mild case of it. Is there any way at all to know for sure it's folliculitis vs. acne?
@Michelle:
Unfortunately, I have no idea what dosage it was, as it was pretty long ago. I do know that my acne was becoming pretty severe at the time (particularly on my chest and back), so it probably wasn't 10 or 5.
I think you should go to a derm to make sure it is acne. It could be seborroehic dermatitis, folliculitis like AKA said, or maybe some ingrown hairs mixed in there.
I got a bad breakout this past week even forcing myself to stay home because i was emotionally wrecked about it- but it turns out it was folliculitis!!! And went away in 3 days. Im certain is got it because i used mouisterizer for the first time in like 4 or 5 months... which i cant use any creams because my skin doesnt like it att alll.
That's interesting... I don't think my breakouts look exactly like some of the pictures I've seen. But if it is folliculitis, I'd expect I have a pretty mild case of it. Is there any way at all to know for sure it's folliculitis vs. acne?
@Michelle:
Unfortunately, I have no idea what dosage it was, as it was pretty long ago. I do know that my acne was becoming pretty severe at the time (particularly on my chest and back), so it probably wasn't 10 or 5.
Theres many forms of folliculitis (pretty sure like 6 forms) - 2 types almost look like (whiteheads - ew) but anyways some will have puss (oh i hate that word). My upper lip waas soooooooooooooooo itchy- like i had to train myself to not touch it. The spots also dont really scar either - like when they died down and went away you couldnt tell anything was there prior.
Also if its around your mouth- type of toothpaste could cause a reaction. I know for me - anything that has whitening properties, gel- like or colgate give me a pimple like rash.
Oops, I think I'm actually using the Colgate optic white or something... Looks like its time to check health stores for all-natural toothpastes. Man, I hate my skin.
ahhh natural may be fine (ive tried Toms) but really i just use crest tarter paste the original kind. Its not a gel- just like a light blue cream and ive used it since i was a wee baby and ive always gone back to it because its safe for me.
So, I have been reading up on folliculitis (particularly gram-negative), and I have seen that It can sometimes be caused by long-term antibiotic treatment for acne. I currently have a big, red, cyst-like bump on my upper lip (right along my left philtral collumn), which popped up about 2 days ago out of nowhere and, by the end of the day, it was inflamed and has not gone away or even gotten smaller since (I usually don't get cystic acne around my mouth, btw). I've been treating it with the Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish stick. Should I stop doing that? All I know is that I think BP or Adapalene would probably make it worse.
I've been on various antibiotics for years now, almost continually. I'm doing blood checks every six months, but honestly, I'm a bit worried, because everyone I talk to says "Oh! You shouldn't be on antibiotics for so long!" But Accutane made me depressed when I took it and I just start breaking out again as soon as I go off antibiotics. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if taking Ampicillin, Doxycycline, Minocycline, and Tetracycline over the years has caused some sort of complications like gram-negative folliculitis. How long does folliculitis usually take to clear up? Should I stop taking my antibiotics even though I was recently prescribed a two week course of Kelfex that I haven't completed? All I know is that I've never had breakouts quite this stubborn; benzoyl peroxide doesn't help, it just makes it worse, and that doesn't usually happen to me. The change happened so suddenly, too. One day all my meds just seemingly stopped working.
P.S., I bought a different toothpaste. The brand is Crest and its for tartar control, instead of whitening. I used it tonight. I'll see in a few days if this changes anything.
I havent read all these posts, but i read that you had super oily skin, and now it is dry and you are gettign acne. There is only one reason for this that I can think of that can bring these changes so rapidly, and that is poisons. Have you taken any antibiotics recently? These are the worst of the poisons for causing this. I"ll assume (even tho I kno what assuming does) without reading the rest of the posts (only read 3 or 4 lines of your original post) that you indeed HAVE taken antibiotics, and thus, this is where your problems now stem from.
Your acne is NOT caused from antibiotic defeiciency, so stop poisoning yourself, and pray your DNA can recover. Yes ANtibiotics damage DNA. If im ranting out my ass for no reason (you have not taken antibiotics) then I apologize, and you wont hear from me again (its 2am and im too lazy to read) But ... nothing else in my over 2 years of continual research about skin and acne points to anything OTHER than, antibiotics causing what you are going thru right now.
Shame on whoever prescribed them to you. He just robbed your health and made alot of money doing it. Congratulations, you've joined the club! (hopefully not, but I believe you have)
You'll prolly note, stomach senitivites, food allergys maybe... the list of the damage those poisons can and do cause could fill a football stadium...
You might also start notice rapid aging... *dna damage*
Sorry...
I havent read all these posts, but i read that you had super oily skin, and now it is dry and you are gettign acne. There is only one reason for this that I can think of that can bring these changes so rapidly, and that is poisons. Have you taken any antibiotics recently? These are the worst of the poisons for causing this. I"ll assume (even tho I kno what assuming does) without reading the rest of the posts (only read 3 or 4 lines of your original post) that you indeed HAVE taken antibiotics, and thus, this is where your problems now stem from.
Your acne is NOT caused from antibiotic defeiciency, so stop poisoning yourself, and pray your DNA can recover. Yes ANtibiotics damage DNA. If im ranting out my ass for no reason (you have not taken antibiotics) then I apologize, and you wont hear from me again (its 2am and im too lazy to read) But ... nothing else in my over 2 years of continual research about skin and acne points to anything OTHER than, antibiotics causing what you are going thru right now.
Shame on whoever prescribed them to you. He just robbed your health and made alot of money doing it. Congratulations, you've joined the club! (hopefully not, but I believe you have)
You'll prolly note, stomach senitivites, food allergys maybe... the list of the damage those poisons can and do cause could fill a football stadium...
You might also start notice rapid aging... *dna damage*
Sorry...
Yes, I am on antibiotics, and have been for quite a few years. However, I don't see many other options for keeping my skin clear. Derms have been very reluctant to keep me on my antibiotics for this long but it has been the only that made me clear up. Im going to try to get an appointment with a dermatologist ASAP, but life is already so busy right now. Like i said in my post above yours, I was suspectng the antibiotics. Do I just quit them altogether? What do you mean "hope my DNA can recover"?
So, here is an up-close picture of what my mouth area currently looks like, as of a few minutes ago. Here is a picture of the rest of my face as well. As you can see, the rest of my face is virtually clear. I've got quite a bit of hyper-pigmentation, but it's mostly inactive, aside from whats on my upper lip and the one directly above my chin. I look so bad, I apologize for the grossness . I look ok at a 15 ft distance, I swear.
Does this look like standard acne? These breakouts are so strange and sudden. They pop up in a matter of an hour, turn bright red, and stay for days and days.
EDIT: I don't know what the hell those red spots on the borders of my lips are. They're not bumps and they don't hurt. They're just discolored. Especially in natural light.
Hmm..the blemishes farther away from your mouth look very much like folliculitis or inflamed acne to me. Gram-negative folliculitis does appear very suddenly, and is related to antibiotic use, which makes me think it might be that. It could be standard acne, but the fact that the breakouts happened so suddenly is strange, acne typically happens a little more gradually.
The redness around your lips does NOT look like acne. At first I thought herpes simplex, but you said it didn't hurt and there was no bumps, so it's probably not that. It may be a reaction to the burt's bees or another product you are using in that area.
I have never seen any information about "DNA" damage from antibiotic use. I'm not saying it doesn't happen (I've just never heard of it or read about it), but I don't think that you should needlessly concern yourself. However, long-term antibiotic use is not ideal. It can damage your body's natural bacterial flora, which is a vital component of your immune system. Long-term antibiotic use can also contribute to bacterial resistance, making it more difficult to treat other infections in the future.
You should definitely NOT treat a sudden and severe break out like the one you are describing by yourself . I would recommend seeing a dermatologist immediately. If you cannot find one that is available now, I would recommend seeing a general practitioner, and emphasizing that the breakout was extremely sudden and uncharacteristically severe so that they do not dismiss you as an acne patient. Also, be sure to let the doctor know that you have been on a steady dose of antibiotics for an extended period of time.
I've heard about fluoride being the cause of around-the-mouth acne. I stopped using fluoride toothpaste and am using Trader Joe's Antiplaque Toothpaste with Fennel, Propolis & Myrrh instead. I did notice that, after two weeks, my around-the-mouth acne is lessening. Fluoride is a skin-irritating agent, and clogs pores. I know that it is also in tap water, but there's more in toothpaste than tap water, so you can most likely still wash your face in tap water, but changing to a toothpaste without fluoride helps a lot.
It's true that gram-negative folliculitis is due to long-term antibiotic use. Another thing you need to watch out for is for white bumps that don't respond to topicals. That may be little calcified bone lumps.
You may need to have some lesions biopsied.
This is turning out to be way more complicated than I thought 
What does a biopsy usually entail?
It's true that gram-negative folliculitis is due to long-term antibiotic use. Another thing you need to watch out for is for white bumps that don't respond to topicals. That may be little calcified bone lumps.
You may need to have some lesions biopsied.
This is turning out to be way more complicated than I thought
What does a biopsy usually entail?
Here's a video about a biopsy:
and another one with an explanation of two techniques :
--> They might be a little "gross".
Well, yeah. Some medications have more side effects than others, and we're warning you of the possibilities. We don't want you to be lost, dazed, and confused.
I have a dermatology appoint made for tomorrow. Hopefully, they can give me some suggestions as to what's going on with my face and what to do about it. My derm has a habit of prescribing things that are completely useless. I'm getting pretty tired of looking like this, so I hope it goes well. I'll make a list of everything I want to bring up.
@Michelle: Yeah, I sure hope it doesn't come to them having to do that. Ow. 
Until then, should I not take my next doses of Keflex, or will it not really make a difference? Thanks for everyone's help so far.
I have a dermatology appoint made for tomorrow. Hopefully, they can give me some suggestions as to what's going on with my face and what to do about it. My derm has a habit of prescribing things that are completely useless. I'm getting pretty tired of looking like this, so I hope it goes well. I'll make a list of everything I want to bring up.
@Michelle: Yeah, I sure hope it doesn't come to them having to do that. Ow.
Until then, should I not take my next doses of Keflex, or will it not really make a difference? Thanks for everyone's help so far.
I wouldn't discontinue it unless a doctor or derm told me to.
I think your derm doesn't want to prescribe you Accutane unless it's the last resort (it's protocol anyway), and particularly considering you had a bad experience.
