Hi y'all,
Over the last two months I've experienced extreme acne on my cheeks and chin. Since then I have done everything in the book: no cheese, no dairy, clean pillows, and reduced stress. It only seems like the acne has gotten worse. I have sensitive skin too, so most acne products seems to irritate my face. Any suggestions on what I can do/ use that'll get this all cleared up? Currently using SebaMed wash,and tret. cream and occassional clay masks.
Also, I prefe. not to take any oral medications. The healthier; the better.
Your gonna have to take oral anti biotics,realy when i look there isnt any other option.
changing diet wont do much if anything at all.you need to keep your skin clean just wash with warm clean water and pat dry with clean towel.dont finger and pick your face.
you need to get to your dr and get a course of oral anti biotics,something like tetracycline and get a prescription strength topical also.
i wouldnt suggest throwing loads of products at your skin,just a gentle cleanser only that is kind to your face after washing 2x daily.
so get to your dr,dont leave without oral anti biotic and get a topical if you can,they can work in conjunction with each other and in couple weeks should see big difference.
I don't think antibiotics is the only option at all -- in fact, I would not recommend it. Antibiotics take a huge toll on your healthy gut bacteria and, in my experience, only make the problem worse in the long run.
There are other potential diet-related changes you could make that could help. Many people who suffer from acne are sensitive to dairy, so cutting that out to see if it makes a difference is great! Additionally, you could try cutting out other anti-inflammatory foods out as well, such as gluten and sugar, to see if your body is reacting to one of those. For me, a paleo diet has helped my acne tremendously in the past, and I am now trying to identify the source of my acne with a Whole 30 elimination diet.
SebaMed is a great cleanser and I have used it occasionally throughout the years. However, I switched over to Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash that contains salicylic acid and it has worked really well in times when I have a particularly nasty breakout -- it's still pretty gentle, but it provides medication to help fight acne. I wholeheartedly believe in the diet-acne connection, but it is also important to keep in mind that active acne is also a bacterial infection, and, as such, it should be treated with 'gentle' topical medications that kill acne-causing bacteria (e.g. salicylic acid, very occasional BP on spots). Battling acne requires a holistic approach for sure. I also recommend reading up on "The Acne Project". This changed the way that I thought about acne and made me realize the importance of having a strict skincare routine and adopting a healthy diet.