Hi all, really sorry if this post has been done before. I've done so much research on this, spent hours on these forums for help/hope/advice but I decided it would be best if I just started a thread so I could maybe get some direct help.
Basically for the past year and a half, almost two years, I've had a very stubborn bunch of closed comedones on my chin. It's sort of like a red blotch, until I smile or stretch the skin and it gets redder and you can see loads of small white granules - embedded under the skin so I can't pop/extract them, even if I wanted to. I also have some closed comedones on my forehead, though they're more flesh coloured and bigger, and a few inflammatory spots, a couple on my forehead and a couple on my cheeks. And some blackheads on my nose. I guess what you could say is my acne is mild/moderate, but the psychological discomfort is quite something. For my chin acne especially, I am so paranoid I literally either will spend the day staring obsessively into a mirror at my chin, or avoiding mirrors completely.
Regarding treatment, last year I was on Duac for about 6 months - this really helped for my inflammatory acne (which was quite a bit worse then, of January 2013) but didn't do anything to budge the stubborn chin comedones. I also tried going dairy free back in summer of last year in an attempt to budge my chin acne (as I read chin acne=hormonal, hormonal=dairy related). But that lasted about a month, saw no improvement and gave it up. Guess maybe I should have stuck it out a bit longer?
At the moment, I've been on Differin 0.1% cream for about 3 weeks. I haven't seen any notable difference yet - a couple of my chin comedones (and I mean two out of about 50) are looking more bumpy? Which I'm hoping is a good sign for more to come to the surface and explode already!! I'm going to stick with DIfferin for at least another 2/3 months - I know patience is a virtue but I just cannot stand it anymore.
Also, I've decided to try out the dairy free diet again. I've been very strict with dairy, absolutely none whatsoever not even whey powder in cereals. It's tough but I'm determined. But then my mum suggested I may have a gluten intolerance - I guess sometimes after I eat gluten my stomach does feel a bit weird and I feel tired but I'm not sure if that's true or the placebo effect? Not sure I would have noticed it if my mum hadn't pointed it out. I don't live with her, I'm at university - I was just wondering, would it be better to try dairy free or gluten free?
Also, what do you guys think about my situation? Is Differin cream the best way forward for my situation? I just want it gone Is there any hope for comedonal acne on the chin? It's just so unbearable. Any more tips for getting rid of it, any amazing things that have worked for you? Up until about a week ago I was obsessed with the idea of having Roaccutane/Accutane and just giving up on creams/antibiotics etc but after reading up about retinoids and how Differin is good for comedones, I've decided to stick it out and really give it a try.
Please, any help would be really appreciated.
Girl,most of my acne is comedonal. Is not super severe,but there are pretty much plenty of them on my cheeks and forehead. I have to tell you that i tried differin for 6 weeks. Biggest mistake ever. Transformed my mild acne into a moderate one,and comedones were not improving at all. It was like an permanent purging. Awful. I am now fighting to at least return to a light acne like i used to have. I'm 17 years old,almost 18.
I would say to try an good bha exfoliant and if u can pay for an extraction. Is the best path available. Don't waste your time on crappy creams that are intended for more serious acne. A good extraction - facials monthly - good cleansing regimen should keep them away pretty much. Don't do my same mistake. And if u can't pay for these things,just hold on till you can. Comedonal acne is super mild and visible when you are under really bad lighting.
AND please,for the love of god,don't do antibiotics or fucking acuttane for that kind of mild acne...
Girl,most of my acne is comedonal. Is not super severe,but there are pretty much plenty of them on my cheeks and forehead. I have to tell you that i tried differin for 6 weeks. Biggest mistake ever. Transformed my mild acne into a moderate one,and comedones were not improving at all. It was like an permanent purging. Awful. I am now fighting to at least return to a light acne like i used to have. I'm 17 years old,almost 18.
I would say to try an good bha exfoliant and if u can pay for an extraction. Is the best path available. Don't waste your time on crappy creams that are intended for more serious acne. A good extraction - facials monthly - good cleansing regimen should keep them away pretty much. Don't do my same mistake. And if u can't pay for these things,just hold on till you can. Comedonal acne is super mild and visible when you are under really bad lighting.
AND please,for the love of god,don't do antibiotics or fucking acuttane for that kind of mild acne...
Thanks for the reply. I did try using Paula's choice BHA exfoliant, but I broke out in tiny bumps all over my jawline as a result - so I stopped using it. I still have it, though, I guess I could give it another try but only put it on my chin?
Re. extractions - I had researched that. I'm not sure where you're from, but I'm from England so I'm not sure if I can get them free on the NHS? I would have to be referred to a dermatologist first but is it possible when the comedones are just sooooo firmly embedded under the skin?!
How is your skin now by the way? What's working for you? Have you tried BHA exfoliants or extractions?
I have never used Differin so I do not have much of an opinion there, but you could try going gluten free for a bit and see if there is any difference. And if not try doing the dairy free. Or you could try both? The way you described your chin, mine does the same thing
Thanks for the reply - yeah, I want to try both but because my food is provided by my university (I am catered) it is near impossible - so I think I'll try dairy free for the first 2 months then if that isn't working, do both (as that's when I won't be at uni anymore, so have more control over my diet).
What are you doing at the moment for your chin acne? Is it quite bad?
BUMP - any other advice/help? Would be much appreciated!!!
I'm actually fighting with otc products the purge differin caused on me,some papules on my cheeks. Extractions are even available for cysts and they are at least 5x deeper than closed comedones,so yes,there is no problem in extracting the most deepest comedones. Obviously this have to be done by a competent dermatologist,and they will come back if u don't follow a good cleansing regimen. You usually get an acidic peel (glycolic most of the times) to open your pores and then the dermatologist proceeds to extract them. Your face will look red,sore like an bad picking session lol,but your face will start to glow days after. I'm from Argentina and here if something is cosmetical,you have to pay for it. No insurance cover them,and they are pretty expensive. Pd: i'm starting to use an bha exfoliant after clearing the inflamed lesions i have now,but i don't have to much faith on it.
Thanks for the reply. I did try using Paula's choice BHA exfoliant, but I broke out in tiny bumps all over my jawline as a result - so I stopped using it. I still have it, though, I guess I could give it another try but only put it on my chin?
Re. extractions - I had researched that. I'm not sure where you're from, but I'm from England so I'm not sure if I can get them free on the NHS? I would have to be referred to a dermatologist first but is it possible when the comedones are just sooooo firmly embedded under the skin?!
How is your skin now by the way? What's working for you? Have you tried BHA exfoliants or extractions
Girl,most of my acne is comedonal. Is not super severe,but there are pretty much plenty of them on my cheeks and forehead. I have to tell you that i tried differin for 6 weeks. Biggest mistake ever. Transformed my mild acne into a moderate one,and comedones were not improving at all. It was like an permanent purging. Awful. I am now fighting to at least return to a light acne like i used to have. I'm 17 years old,almost 18.
I would say to try an good bha exfoliant and if u can pay for an extraction. Is the best path available. Don't waste your time on crappy creams that are intended for more serious acne. A good extraction - facials monthly - good cleansing regimen should keep them away pretty much. Don't do my same mistake. And if u can't pay for these things,just hold on till you can. Comedonal acne is super mild and visible when you are under really bad lighting.
AND please,for the love of god,don't do antibiotics or fucking acuttane for that kind of mild acne...
Thanks for the reply. I did try using Paula's choice BHA exfoliant, but I broke out in tiny bumps all over my jawline as a result - so I stopped using it. I still have it, though, I guess I could give it another try but only put it on my chin?
Re. extractions - I had researched that. I'm not sure where you're from, but I'm from England so I'm not sure if I can get them free on the NHS? I would have to be referred to a dermatologist first but is it possible when the comedones are just sooooo firmly embedded under the skin?!
How is your skin now by the way? What's working for you? Have you tried BHA exfoliants or extractions?
>I have never used Differin so I do not have much of an opinion there, but you could try going gluten free for a bit and see if there is any difference. And if not try doing the dairy free. Or you could try both? The way you described your chin, mine does the same thing
Thanks for the reply - yeah, I want to try both but because my food is provided by my university (I am catered) it is near impossible - so I think I'll try dairy free for the first 2 months then if that isn't working, do both (as that's when I won't be at uni anymore, so have more control over my diet).
What are you doing at the moment for your chin acne? Is it quite bad?
BUMP - any other advice/help? Would be much appreciated!!!
My sister had fairly bad acne and when she went on a gluten free diet starting in october, ever since a couple months ago her face is pretty much perfect now. As far as my chin it does not concern me very much because I can only see the little bumps if I stretch my skin, like you said. But I wish you luck, cutting out dairy will probably help alot 
Dairy and gluten are some of the main causes for acne with a lot of people, and soy
Hi Laura,
I had what appeared to be small bumps on my chin that appeared in a cluster. I was so sure that they were just clogged pores and all I needed was something like a BHA exfoliant to bring them to the surface and eventually be clear. Nothing unfortunately worked for me, I have gone to see a private doctor and he said he would extract them one by one, he said the worse case scenario they would come back.