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Squeezed & Squeezed (Pic)

 
MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 10/30/2014 10:59 pm

After going off BCP in January, my face flipped out. I ended up on Spiro 50 mg, Minocycline 100 mg, and Retin-A. I'm still struggling.

 

I had a deep blind pimple on my chin that had been growing for a while. I had resisted popping until today. I got a teeny string of pus out, but nothing else. It was still full. So what did I do? I keep squeezing and squeezing, hoping the rest of the lump would come out. It didn't, a couple of pieces of skin came off as I squeezed, and now I'm left with a nickel-sized, beet-red, throbbing mass on my chin. It protrudes far off the skin, as if there were a small ball underneath. It hasn't gone down in 7 hours despite icing, taking Advil, and glopping on hydrocortisone. I upped my Minocycline to 200 mg tonight, so I'll probably be sick as a dog tomorrow. Any suggestions? I have very sensitive skin, so BP, SA, clay masks, toothpaste, and the like are definite don'ts for me. I have on Neosporin and hydrocortisone right now.

 

I surrender. I'm going back on birth control.

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MemberMember
6
(@ballen)

Posted : 10/31/2014 12:00 am

Don't touch it. Do nothing for days or weeks, and it will fix itself. Learn from this experience; never squeeze anything. Especially if it isn't going easy. Applying more pressure will harm the skin, no matter what. There comes nothing positive out of squeezing, if you're lucky though, it'll be puss.

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(@lisaj1298)

Posted : 10/31/2014 5:02 am

I had one of these monsters a couple of weeks ago, you are not alone!

 

I also have sensitive skin so I went for the hot compress approach and this really did the trick. It took a while - a good week of compresses (I use a sock filled with rice, heated in the microwave) twice a day, but eventually it came to a small head. I gently squeezed this but it remained a big lump until a few days later after more compresses and it came to another head. This time it drained fully and the next day it was flat!

 

I know everyone says to leave these kinds of spots alone, which is good advice because it will eventually go by itself but personally I can't stand them just camping out on my face and don't think there's anything wrong with giving them a helping hand! Good luck and remember it will go eventually!

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MemberMember
23
(@gkitten25)

Posted : 10/31/2014 6:31 am

Hey do you have topical ibuprofen, I think it's called neosprin in the states? That will reduce any swelling better than the hydrocortisone and also help with the pain. Topical antiseptic is also a good idea just a little amount on a cotton bud held over the spot to stop any spread of bacteria. We all do it, I did it the other day as well, sooo frustrating!!!

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11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 10/31/2014 10:56 am

Thanks, everyone. It's always nice to know I'm not alone. I put on a mixture of Benzaclin, Neosporin, and hydrocortisone last night. It's still beet red, but maybe it's a teensy bit smaller (if that's not just my wishful thinking). It's unfortunately a mountain with a small crater in the middle from picking. Basically, it's a bright red volcano with a little bit of green scabbiness. I haven't squeezed since last night and have an appointment with the dermatologist this afternoon to see what I need to do. He may give me a small cortisone injection, but the last time he did that after I had picked a blind pimple, I ended up with a hole in my chin that still remains after a year. The Minocycline is making me feel gross, too. No Halloween festivities for me tonight! Unless I wanted to go as Scab-Face. Or hell, just as Mount Vesuvius!

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599
(@delovely)

Posted : 10/31/2014 12:23 pm

NEVER FORCE A ZIT....especially a blind zit...completely fruitless, as you found out. That hard mass is deep under the skin, which is why they're so painful and can last for days. Just leave them alone. Oftentimes they just shrink back down on their own. Give it time. The photo doesn't really look that bad. Maybe you can darken it with makeup, turn it into a sexy mole...just a suggestion...try not to let it bother you. Go out and have fun tonight! :)

Happy Halloween!

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 10/31/2014 12:36 pm

Thanks. :) I just washed my face and made it worse unfortunately, even though I was gentle. I'm going to the derm shortly. It's hard to even get out of the house because I feel awful about my appearance, but I hope he will be able to help, and quickly. Here is an updated pic. The swelling is more localized than it was last night, but it's still bulbous and has a green crater. Now the rest of my face is breaking out, presumably due to tears and stress.

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/01/2014 2:56 pm

The injection site now has raised red edges and is slightly indented and green. It isn't pretty. I have no idea how I'll be able to cover it or how it will heal properly. I scar badly enough as it is, and this is a disaster. Interesting how the pics never look as bad as the actual blemish, but trust me on this one. Maybe it's the lighting.

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/03/2014 10:23 am

I'm a little worried because the injection site is still very green and uneven. I realize it's only the third day out from the injection, but the scab looks dry around the edges and wet under the green part. Obviously impossible to cover with makeup. I assume that the green color means that it's infected. I'm scared to shower, too, because I don't want to cause any damage with water or heat. Also, the oil gland the dermatologist lanced is still a pinprick hole with raised red edges. I'm less worried about that one because it's smaller, but it's still frustrating to have more than one open wound on my face. I've doubled my dose of Minocycline to 200 mg for the past four or five days, and I'm taking 75 mg of Spiro now, In the meantime, I'm breaking out around the pinprick site near my mouth. It could be stress, I suppose. I think I'm going to pick up my Yaz prescription today and start that. I'm also terrified of an initial breakout with Yaz, although I don't remember experiencing that when I started it five years ago.

I think I need some exposure therapy today since I haven't been out of the house since Friday... I guess I'll go get some lunch somewhere eventually.

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/03/2014 10:25 pm

Now it's a major problem. It is an indented scab. It's a target on my face. I don't know what to do. Please, please help.

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MemberMember
23
(@gkitten25)

Posted : 11/04/2014 6:37 am

Just try and let time do its thing. Silicone gel/cream can help with healing scars, I don't think you can put it on open wounds, but if there is a scab then it helps to keep it moist which provides the best environment for the skin to heal. Scabs always leave a bit of a dent at first try not to panic your skin will just need a while to repair itself. And try not to pick the scab, keeping the area moist is the best thing you can do and less stress, you could try putting some moisturiser or silicone gel over the spot and a small plaster to cover it so that you are not tempted to pick or look at it every two minutes. I bet in a week it will look much better :)

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MemberMember
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(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/04/2014 3:00 pm

Thank you again for the support. :) I went to the dermatologist again this morning. He said I would probably end up with an indentation, which I expected. He gave me some Bactroban (Mupirocin) 2% to put on the lesion three times a day. I'll do that religiously, no doubt. It's just hard to see past the end of this, you know? I'm so mad at myself for squeezing this thing, and now I'm suffering the consequences. It's tough to not know when this thing will heal. By the end of the week, the month, the year? Ah, I'm catastrophizing, but that's what I do best! I actually went to the dermatologist and the pharmacy with no makeup covering the scab, so I was pretty proud of that.

Praying this Bactroban kills the scab and makes the area heal without being all puckery, raised, and indented.

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/05/2014 5:08 pm

I think my face looked better four days ago. Ugh. It certainly looked better a week ago before I squeezed this thing! But I'm feeling very low. Still taking 200 mg Minocycline and rubbing Bactroban on three times a day. I took a shower earlier, which seemed to make it worse. I haven't left home to do anything except go to the dermatologist since last Friday. If I only had this one crater scab and the rest of my face were clear, I may be able to go out with a Band-Aid. But this is really getting me down. It's hard to seen an end in sight when it's deep and green and uneven, plus it doesn't seem to be improving in any fashion.

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/06/2014 2:43 pm

I went to another dermatologist. She prescribed Doxycycline to replace my Minocycline and added Neosalus to put on the wound. I put it on the wound and didn't like what was happening. The scab is dry and indented. I doubt it will raise to skin level for years, and it's gotten bigger.

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MemberMember
160
(@megtree)

Posted : 11/06/2014 3:10 pm

Hi -

Today looks much better than before. It really does appear to be healing, and sometimes during the healing process things can look worse but are actually getting better. One thing - you really should keep up with your regimen exactly how the dermatologist prescribes it and for the length of time she/he prescribes it *especially* when it comes to antibiotics. Don't take more or less then you are supposed to, and take it all. Resistance is very easily built with these antibiotics, and you really don't want antibiotic resistant bacteria on your skin. Also, I would not put ANYTHING else on it except for what your dermatologist prescribed.

If it itches, I would also recommend putting a sensitive-skin friendly bandage over it, because scratching it or messing with it at this point will inhibit healing.

DeLovely liked
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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/06/2014 5:09 pm

Thank you. I think it's deeper than ever, and I'm terrified that the skin will not regrow for months. I need to know that I will be able to cover this with makeup eventually, preferably by next Monday, but at least by the end of next week. I can't see this ever getting better. :(

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0
(@paul-flynn)

Posted : 11/06/2014 10:30 pm

Avoid squezing it might get infected.

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/07/2014 10:43 am

Since the Neosalus the dermatologist gave me doesn't have any wound healing properties, and since the spot is indented and oozing, I decided to use Biafine instead. Any thoughts on hydrocolloid bandages? I'd like to be able to go to a meeting on Monday, but I know I can't use makeup on this thing. Nobody has ever seen me with such a skin issue, and I don't want them to. I figured maybe a hydrocolloid bandage is less conspicuous than a round Band-Aid, and I can maybe (I don't know yet) even dab some makeup over it. Thoughts? I will post an updated picture later.

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MemberMember
8
(@twosteps)

Posted : 11/07/2014 1:16 pm

Rock the bandaid. I only break out on my forehead (really bad though) but if I have a meeting to go to I will throw a bandaid up there. If anyone ever asked me I would probably say I fell a few days ago.

There are a few people who have seen me months apart with the bandaid in a different place! lol I'm about the point now where idgaf. If my acne ever goes away I'm waiting a year, rolling out the scars then getting a job somewhere else.

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599
(@delovely)

Posted : 11/07/2014 1:18 pm

It really doesn't look that bad in the pic if it makes you feel any better...Megtree offers good advice to leave it alone and not put anything on it that your derm didn't prescribe. Is the wound infected?? Hydrocolloid bandages are not recommended if the wound is infected. Personally I think letting it dry out in the open air might do more good unless it poses a picking risk. Eventually you'll be able to cover with makeup but I would wait for it to fully heal.

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MemberMember
160
(@megtree)

Posted : 11/07/2014 2:29 pm

Hi, like delovely said, I really wouldn't put a hydrocolloid bandage on it. The only reason I would recommend a bandage actually is to prevent you from scratching or picking at it. I think putting a bandage over it for your meeting is appropriate. Things like this really wont heal completely in a few days time, but once it heals to the point that it isn't seeping (i.e., a dry scab) or infected, I don't think there is anything wrong with putting makeup on it.

DeLovely liked
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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/07/2014 7:38 pm

Thanks, everyone. It's so deep. I'm afraid it's fully healed, and I'm left with a major puncture wound. I went to the store tonight and put some powder on it to cover the redness. I filled it in a little with powder, too, so you can't see how deep it really is. Do you think it will raise to the surface soon or ever, or at least come closer? :(

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DeLovely liked
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MemberMember
2
(@inalitterbox)

Posted : 11/07/2014 7:45 pm

Don't touch it. Do nothing for days or weeks, and it will fix itself. Learn from this experience; never squeeze anything. Especially if it isn't going easy. Applying more pressure will harm the skin, no matter what. There comes nothing positive out of squeezing, if you're lucky though, it'll be puss.

waiting days and weeks for it to go away means nothing will fix it.

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599
(@delovely)

Posted : 11/07/2014 9:03 pm

Probably a better question for your derm, but I do know that everyone's skin heals differently and some people see rapid scar fading, with or without scar treatment, and for others it's slower. Just depends on your skin.

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MemberMember
11
(@just-call-me-ocd)

Posted : 11/08/2014 10:08 am

I feel like it's getting worse again. Started Doxycycline last night and am using Biafine religiously for wound healing. I woke up with some yellow crust in a haphazard pattern around the deep wound, and the edges are redder. I've reapplied the Biafine this morning. If I even saw slight improvement, I would feel okay. But I don't see anything but steps backward and a gaping wound. I wish my camera had better resolution.

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