AHhh i had this 3 or 4 weeks ago. I cant use any type of creams on my face - but one day i saw my face was really dry, and i was decided i wanted to add a moisturizer to my skin to relieve the dryness. So i put Cerave hydrating lotion on my face and like the next day woke up with horrible, itchy bumps that sorta resembled white heads (but not really). Oh man.. my self esteem went sky rocketing down. I researched that adding moister makes the issue worse, so i decided not to touch it. It went away within a week. And now as im typing this, you cant even tell a problem ever existed in the area.

I also had it on both my legs 4 years ago. Horrible when i ran cross country, because it looked as if i broke out all over my legs. It sucked.

UKMan,

It is important to know if the folliculitis is bacterial or fungal. If I remember correctly, doxycycline is an antibacterial. It will not help a fungal problem and may even make the condition worse. You might need an antifungal med like ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole. Ask the derm doc about a biopsy to confirm with certainty what kind of folliculitis you have. Then pick the med type accordingly. Hope you can get it sorted out.

The folliculitis only flares up on my chin and above my top lip. I was put on Doxycycline which didnt help at all. Then they tried me on Flucloxacillin which didnt do anything either. The only thing that seems to help is Amoxicillin which clears my skin up unbelievably well to the point where Id actually say its perfect and blemish free. However, as soon as I stop taking Amoxicillin the folliculitis returns within a week or so and badly too.

I have tried various vitamins, probiotics and antioxidants, diet changes, every face wash, cleanser and moisturiser out there but nothing seems to help. Also, I dont smoke, only drink in moderation and exercise regularly. I am not overweight and believe I lead a healthy lifestyle.

I truly feel that I am getting to the end of my tether. I would love to know of anyone else in the same boat as me or anyone who has been in my position and can offer some hope?

I am due to see my dermatologist again soon. I am wondering whether perhaps I would be better off remaining on a controlled amount of Amoxicillin for a while as I dont suffer any side effects and I feel so much better in general when my skin is completely clear.

I am in a very similar boat as well. My story is very similar to yours.

I am 22 and ever since puberty I have had very severe cystic acne. It used to be all over my face, neck, back, basically my whole body. I tried proactive and some other commercial products, but none of that stuff ever helped. Amoxicillin was the only thing that ever worked. It cleared up everything and kept it clear. When I'm on it the only thing I have to do to my face is wash it with water, or in the shower, and add some lotion to it.

I've been on it for about 3 years now. The dermatologist I am currently seeing is trying to get me off amoxicillin because he is afraid my body will start to become immune to it. I went down to one 500mg pill a day. That worked. But when I completely stop taking it, all my acne starts to come back. As of typing this right now, I have broken out really bad around my upper lip, mouth, and jaw area. I believe it's do to razor burn.

For the past couple months I have been trying relentlessly to find a replacement for amoxicillin, but to no avail. Currently I am taking:

5000IU of Vitamin D3 daily

30mg of Zinc daily

500-1000mg of Vitamin C daily

500mg of Allicin daily (Really thought this was going to work. Allicin is where garlic gets all of its anti-bacterial and anti-fungul fighting properties from)

Queen's Delight (Combination of Bee Pollen, Bee Royal Jelly, and Bee Propolis)

I am also a vegitarian and meditate daily. So I don't think my acne is greatly influenced or effected by my diet or stress.

From my research I have found that amoxicillin is a type of penicillin that fights of a broad range of gram-negative bacteria. So I have been trying to find natural alternatives that also kill of gram-negative bacteria, or just a replacement for amoxicillin in general.

Any answers or advice is greatly appreciated.

The folliculitis only flares up on my chin and above my top lip. I was put on Doxycycline which didnt help at all. Then they tried me on Flucloxacillin which didnt do anything either. The only thing that seems to help is Amoxicillin which clears my skin up unbelievably well to the point where Id actually say its perfect and blemish free. However, as soon as I stop taking Amoxicillin the folliculitis returns within a week or so and badly too.

I have tried various vitamins, probiotics and antioxidants, diet changes, every face wash, cleanser and moisturiser out there but nothing seems to help. Also, I dont smoke, only drink in moderation and exercise regularly. I am not overweight and believe I lead a healthy lifestyle.

I truly feel that I am getting to the end of my tether. I would love to know of anyone else in the same boat as me or anyone who has been in my position and can offer some hope?

I am due to see my dermatologist again soon. I am wondering whether perhaps I would be better off remaining on a controlled amount of Amoxicillin for a while as I dont suffer any side effects and I feel so much better in general when my skin is completely clear.

I am in a very similar boat as well. My story is very similar to yours.

I am 22 and ever since puberty I have had very severe cystic acne. It used to be all over my face, neck, back, basically my whole body. I tried proactive and some other commercial products, but none of that stuff ever helped. Amoxicillin was the only thing that ever worked. It cleared up everything and kept it clear. When I'm on it the only thing I have to do to my face is wash it with water, or in the shower, and add some lotion to it.

I've been on it for about 3 years now. The dermatologist I am currently seeing is trying to get me off amoxicillin because he is afraid my body will start to become immune to it. I went down to one 500mg pill a day. That worked. But when I completely stop taking it, all my acne starts to come back. As of typing this right now, I have broken out really bad around my upper lip, mouth, and jaw area. I believe it's do to razor burn.

For the past couple months I have been trying relentlessly to find a replacement for amoxicillin, but to no avail. Currently I am taking:

5000IU of Vitamin D3 daily

30mg of Zinc daily

500-1000mg of Vitamin C daily

500mg of Allicin daily (Really thought this was going to work. Allicin is where garlic gets all of its anti-bacterial and anti-fungul fighting properties from)

Queen's Delight (Combination of Bee Pollen, Bee Royal Jelly, and Bee Propolis)

I am also a vegitarian and meditate daily. So I don't think my acne is greatly influenced or effected by my diet or stress.

From my research I have found that amoxicillin is a type of penicillin that fights of a broad range of gram-negative bacteria. So I have been trying to find natural alternatives that also kill of gram-negative bacteria, or just a replacement for amoxicillin in general.

Any answers or advice is greatly appreciated.

This is very interesting. I've been on Amoxicillin (namely for sinus infections) but never for cystic acne. The only time my skin has seemed to respond to medical-grade treatments is when I was on Doxycycline and later Solodyn. But, eventually my cystic acne came back. I've found that while antibiotics may be great at managing acne, they only really help for a few months and then that's it. I was also on Bactrim for an extended period of time (after doxy and before Solodyn) but saw little, if any, results. I am tempted to try antibiotics again, if not to get some temporary relief, but I am also weary of the long term side effects and further killing the good bacteria throughout my body. I wonder if taking a quality probiotic with an antibiotic would be of any benefit as opposed to simply taking an antibiotic alone. Have you looked into topical probiotic treatments at all? I know they're still relatively new but a lot of research has indicated that they may be useful.

More and more I am starting to think that my persistent cystic acne is the result of internal bacteria since antibiotics are the only time I saw mild and temporary relief. I don't drink or smoke. I don't drink milk. I try to eat organic as much as possible and avoid processed foods. I've also started juicing for the past month but have yet to see any benefits. I even when gluten free for a month plus but saw no change in my skin.

i was having an issue with pimples all over my forehead a few months ago. it could be one of two things-your hair products or whatever youre using on your face.

for me, it was this dry shampoo i was using which was somehow ending up on my forehead. it also was my daily lotion that was a huge part of it. i was using the cheap stuff from target or walmart. i actually switched to strivectin's wrinkle/stretch mark cream and apply it to my palms then gently pat it on my face. pimples are gone.

I used to have exactly the same thing. Try Epiduo. Trust me.

I've tried everything else - the entire spectrum of antibiotics and accutane as well. Epiduo has done an amazing job for me.

A male friend of mine had folliculitis. He was given minocycline 100mg 2x day and a light bp face wash 2.5 % use twice a day and made a huge difference for him. I think it took like a month for some noticeable results. I know cus I remember for a month I had to go buy his face wash and pick up his meds up cus he was embarrassed and hid in his house .