First time on a forum so be gentle!

Here's the general background on me and my condition.

Up until around 16 my skin was pretty decent. i would get the odd big spot, but nothing to write home about. After i started 6th form (which to americans i guess would be senior year?!) the flood gates opened. I was covered in what i would call papular/pustular acne. Lots of white heads. Immediate pus. Etc.

This continued for a couple of years. It subsided heavily due to oxytetracycline, continually on the go.

That was stage 1.

Stage 2.

At the age of 21 or so i wasnt riddled with typical acne anymore, my skin wasnt even scarred from previous years of having it. Instead it had developed further into basically large nasty zits. The kind that sit on horrible parts of the face (like the cheekbone, or jawline) and that take about 4-5 days to come to a head or even be in a position to be drained. I would probably have these 3 - 4 weeks out of 6 on average. There'd be a small gap where i'd think "has it ended? is it up now?" and then no. I would wake up the next morning with a horrible bruised feeling on my cheek and have to endure the cycle once more.

It might behoove me to mention that the healing time for one of these was like 2 weeks before the redness would go down. Sometimes the redness would go down and almost be invisible and i would get another lump come up in the same place. Incredibly humiliating and really tests ones patience.

During this phase i was on erythromycin, benzyl peroxide, duac, oxytetracycline, and tetralysal. (not all at once, obviously)

Moving on!

Stage 3.

From around the age of 24 until present (im now 28) i dont get stage 1 or stage 2 spots really. The odd white head from not washing, or an infected hair in my stubble etc.

No no, instead i now get what i can only describe, as lumps. Thats all they are. They are lumps. Nice, juicy, red, lumps. They start as a bruise feeling (that oh so familiar feeling). They even feel SO tender that you could swear blind "ok, i could drain that". But nope. Nothing. If i attempt to squeeze it for relief from the immense pain they give me, all i get is clear fluid. If i lance them, all i get is clear fluid. There isnt pus, not in, nor on top, nor below this lump. Its as though someone has implanted an impregnable sac beneath my skin. These things come up out of no where. I came home 5 weeks ago, had the clearest skin, looked in the mirror an hour later, had a lump on my forehead. Literally hadn't done anything between coming in and looking in the mirror, laid down if anything and rested. This lump is still on my forehead. After 5 weeks!!!!

It doesnt hurt anymore, but its still there. So not only do i get searing pain and tenderness but once they've "gone away".. i am left with hard scar tissue.

Also, should i ever get a lump which is pop-able, it never surfaces. I have to lance it and then extract it. I get that popping spot's is not advised but seriously, sometimes i get these in places where every time i smile, or chew food, the movement in my skin is horrible. It is constant. I cant even ignore them if i tried because stupid things like that remind me they are there.

So this is where i am at.

At this point it might be worth me mentioning things i had done/tried to curb this ailment so that anyone who might reply would try telling me to "try this" etc.

1. Antibiotics: Oxytetracycline, Erythromycin, Tetralysal (all for at least 4 months at a time). Havent been on Accutane as my doctor says i am not severe enough for it.

2. Topical creams: Clearisil, Freederm, Isotrex, Duac, Benzyl Peroxide, Zineryt lotion.

3. Diet alterations (5 month trial on each minimum): Drank 3 litres of water every day, removed alcohol completely, Ate more oily fish, Tried fish oil supplements, Removed dairy completely, Cut onions/garlic out of everything, cut back on processed foods.

4. Alternate: at home Blue&red light therapy, hot compresses, UV light (tanning), gave up sex (incase it was hormonal), i dont see a difference when im stressed or relaxed either.

5. Cosmetics&products: Tried a million different washes and scrubs, moisturisers, products to control spots and acne etc.

6. Lifestyle: change linens every week, wash hair from product every night, sleep on my back to avoid contact with my pillow, dont let anyone touch my skin, dont touch it myself unless with clean hands, still drink plenty of water every day, eat 3 times a day.

7. My Routine: 7 hours sleep on average, wash face with hands and just hot water in the morning - pat dry. Followed by aloe vera gel to moisturise as its light and non greasy. Shower mid evening, exfoilate lightly (i work in london and daily exfoliation is very much needed), dinner, 1 hour of blue&red light therapy before bed, followed by zineryt and isotrex on rotation across 2 days.

I just feel like i have had every form of acne going. My doctor and dermatologist swear blind that its cystic acne, but i havent seen a single other case of cystic acne in person or online through searching that comes close to what i experience. If i had cystic acne, surely i would get more of it that what im getting? It's as though i only get one lump in one area and then one lump in another area. Also, wouldn't it be dark red and severe?

Again, it has been known for me to get the same lump in the same place months apart.

I've attached photos below as to what this condition looks like at various stages of its course and in different areas. If i held my hands up i would say i get them more on my right side of my face than my left but i've had them all over the place over the years.

Any suggestions people? Im all ears!!

It looks cystic since it is under the skin. I don't think topicals are as effective when acne is that deep so maybe you may need something that works from the inside (like accutane or supplements). Hang in there man.