Hello everyone,

I'm new here on acne.org. I'm an 18 year old female, and it's the first time I ever write on a forum like this, so it feels kind of weird...

Anyway, I thought I could get some helpful advice for my skin.

I started getting acne when I was 15, on my face (mostly my forehead) but also on my body (chest and back), which was even more disturbing. I would pick at my skin, which made it look worse. I would never wear something that showed my back or chest(which is always the worst), or I would wear scarves to hide my blemished skin. For some reason, it was better in the summer, were I would expose my skin to the sun and the open air a bit more.

Last year was my prom, and I managed to get rid of almost all my body acne in time, using cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer, honey/sugar/ACV scrub, coffee scrub, honey/cinnamon mask, tea tree oil, Shea butter and sun exposure. I also stopped the picking. After prom, my skin had its ups and downs. The acne was mild, but always there. Then college started. I'm in a special program were I dance a lot. And I sweat almost everyday. And I take the bike to go to school. As the year started, my acne became worse and worse. The stuff I did to keep it in check no longer worked as well. I also took hot baths with Epsom salt because I heard it could help(might have made things worse). And I would pick a lot. Like, a LOT, a lot. I still pick everyday, put less than before. It's so hard to stop, especially with a skin full of blackheads and clogged pores.

I tried the caveman regimen, water only, hemp seed oil... Did not help. My skin got worse. I'm eating pretty healthy, drinking only water and green tea, sleeping, exercising. But no progress. While I was researching on acne, I found out about pityrosporum folliculitis. I saw the pictures and it really looks like what I have. Lots of small red bumps and clogged pores everywhere. And it's mostly caused by sweating, which I do a lot. So I'm going to try head and shoulders, as it appears to work for some people. The problem is that I don't have the possibility to take a shower straight after every dance class... Should I use rubbing alcohol pads or are theses too harsh for the skin? And what about moisturizer? Is it okay to use some? I don't want to dry out my skin. Is coconut oil a good idea? Apparently it's antibacterial and antifungal. And what about exfoliation?

I would love to hear your thoughts about this or to hear some of your stories if you have pityrosporum folliculitis!