Vitamin d.

Flax seed makes some people worse, especially males. And I wouldn't buy the oil anyway. It goes rancid too easily.

Thanks. I thought Vitamin D as I always clear up when I go abroad, but I hadnt really seen it recommended much. I've also heard Vit A alot because Accutane is basically a huge dose of Vit A?

Maybe I'll miss the flax seed then, any thoughts on borage oil?

What does you think is most important to start with? Vit A, D and E?

Also Im totally unsure of doses. Will a recommended daily dose tablet be sufficient?

If you do not get much sun (at least half an hour a day) take vitamin D3. I wouldn't mega dose any of the vitamins unless you get tested and actually know that you are deficient.

Zinc is good for inflammation.

Borage oil can be taken internally or externally (rub on areas that have acne). I would choose the borage oil over the flax seed oil.

My daughter breaks out when she takes omega 3, but everyone is different.

I have found that you really have to try things out for a while to see if they make a difference. Maybe just start out with one or two supplements otherwise it is hard to know which ones are helping and which ones aren't.

Good luck.

Vitamin D3, 2000 units (2 pills) per day, and Magnesium 250 mg every other day. These two deficiencies are common. I've read that about 80% of the US and the EU don't get enough of these two supplements. The magnesium helps your body convert the D3 into something useful for everyone's body, but it stored by the body, unlike D3, so you don't need to take it every day, unless you buy a real low dose variety.

The previous recommendation of being outside 1/2 hour per day is good too, but being behind car windows doesn't count, and it's actually difficult for most people to get enough sunlight every day. Salmon has a lot of Vitamin D3 too, but you would have to eat it every day. Vitamin D3 is actually pre-cursor to an a essential hormone, but it was named so early in the science of it that the name "vitamin" stuck.

Tea Tree Oil (TTO) at a 30% to 50% concentration will treat demodex mites, in about 8 weeks, and it's possible that's what the papules you're treating are caused by. You mentioned that you think you might be getting worse before getting better, which might indicate that you have another co-existing condition like demodex. Demodex is commensual, which means nearly everyone normally has a few of them, especially the elderly, but only a small portion of people have an allergic reaction to them. If you dilute the Tea Tree oil with glycerin, honey, Aloe Vera Gel, or MCT oil, you may find it easier to use. These four carriers are "neutral" (do no harm) for most people, and you can mix them with TTO because you will burn your skin if you use TTO at a straight 100%, although they will separate (into oil and water) without a vigorous shake before applying.

Thanks for the info. I have started to break out but I had put it down to the TTO, I hadnt considered it could be the Omega 3. Hmm.

I've heard some people swear by borage oil but Im not quite sure of the benefits. I would probably take it orally as I already put enough on my face.

I live in the UK, so unfortunately I dont get consistent sun unless Im abroad!

Tea Tree Oil (TTO) at a 30% to 50% concentration will treat demodex mites, in about 8 weeks, and it's possible that's what the papules you're treating are caused by. You mentioned that you think you might be getting worse before getting better, which might indicate that you have another co-existing condition like demodex. Demodex is commensual, which means nearly everyone normally has a few of them, especially the elderly, but only a small portion of people have an allergic reaction to them. If you dilute the Tea Tree oil with glycerin, honey, Aloe Vera Gel, or MCT oil, you may find it easier to use. These four carriers are "neutral" (do no harm) for most people, and you can mix them with TTO because you will burn your skin if you use TTO at a straight 100%, although they will separate (into oil and water) without a vigorous shake before applying.

I've read studies that found 50% TTO was effective against demodex in 4 weeks. No one uses 100% because it might damage the skin barrier function even if you can stand it. The skin barrier (sort of a useful concept rather than a real medical term) can be difficult to heal for a long time if you burn it with a volatile oil like TTO.

Avoid all uses of TTO around your eyes, or even above your eyes, because it will burn your cornea and sclera and make your eyes appear quite bloodshot.

As far as I know TTO is not effective against anything else, other than demodex. I know it's all over the web as cure-all but if you aren't treating for something specific with it, then I'd pass on it, but I've never had a demodex problem, although I read a lot and I thought some information would be a good starting point for you to do more research. Look at some pictures and diagrams, I mean.

When demodex dies, it blows up inside a hair follicle and that's the source of the irritation, which is somewhat deep-seated like acne can be. The adult mites live about 3 weeks but then another life-cycle of treatment is necessary to kill all the hatching larva. Demodex is an arachnid, with 8 stubby legs. As far as purging, I think that there are only a few conditions that will get worse before they get better with proper treatment, and demodex is one of those few conditions.

Topical Invermectin creams will also treat demodex, and maybe with less irritation than TTO. Amazon sells pet grade invermection cream for about $3, but some people have used it topically. You might check with an NHS doctor for more information, and perhaps a prescription. The doc might not believe that you're old enough for a demodex problem, so do some research before you go in.

thanks for the info, Ill have a read up on the subject.

Lets say hypothetically, the flare up is demodex and not an adverse reaction to TTO/Omega3.. If you say that everybody has some of these mites, is it even worth treating them? Sounds like they would just start to come back?

I have a reaction to a commensal fungus, malassezia, and my condition definitely improves when I use the anti-fungal climbazole. So yes, treatment is necessary, but since it could easily reoccur, it's logical to look for the mildest possible treatment. If I had to choose between TTO and Ivermectin, I would choose Ivermection.

So, in regards to treatment.. Does it become part of a full- time regimen or do you treat on and off? If the latter, how do you know at what intervals?

For myself, I look at my problem as an allergy to a commensal fungus, and so I need daily treatment. I don't know of any practical way to alter my body chemistry, so I looked for a useable daily treatment.

For example, I read several medical articles that showed lemongrass oil is effective against malassezia, at a 3% concentration. This wasn't practical for me because 3% lemongrass oil gave my skin a slight yellow tint and smelled strongly like lemon-scented furniture polish. That was the opposite of a daily treatment, because it wasn't remotely practical even as a temporary treatment.

It's very important to experiment and to keep track of your reaction is to whatever you decide to use. In my case if I stop treatment, the itching returns in a few days -- the feeling is something like brushing up against a stinging nettle plant. In my case, I know that itching is a pre-cursor to seb derm induced by malassezia, because when I resume treatment I have no itching and my skin texture continually improves.