38 y/o male here, long time bp user. Recently, had the worst breakout since my teens, possibly the worst breakout in my life. Yes, that is correct. Worst breakout ever. 7 inflammatory lesions left cheek leaving scars. I'm finally defeated folks.
I'm looking for adult advice only. Don't you think I've tried everything under the sun and more? I've tried any product you wish to name, and any lifestyle change you wish to name, all without effect. I'm just now starting a light therapy with a little effect but nothing huge.
I'm tired. Do any of you have real answers? It just doesn't make sense, guys. How can someone be an otherwise healthy, normal person, with flawless skin over my body, and have acne for 26 years! It's the acne causing my life to be this way, not the other way around. It's like God or nature or whatever else you wish to name, has declared to me "thou shalt have acne" and that's that.
Somebody just listen and offer anything if you can.
I feel your pain, I'm 36 male. I only started getting serious acne from my late 20s, I only got occasional zits as a teenager.
I'm getting pretty sick of all the clean eating, changing pillowcases, warm compresses, BS type advice. It doesn't work for many people. I've had so many light bulb moments where I thought I found the answer but didn't.
Right now I think my skin is ok but I still get some really bad blemishes pretty often. Mostly deep, red bumps around my mouth and chin. I also have that solid type acne that comes out like a seed or stringy paste.
At the moment in using a salicylic acid cleanser, then argan oil, salicylic acid, and centella. Followed by the regimen BP gel and moisturiser.
At night I do the same but replace the BP with tretinoin. And I use the regimen AHA+ to replace moisturiser 3 times a week.
Supplements, I use NAC, probiotics and zinc.
Lifestyle, I do weight training 5 times a week. I avoid dairy and sugar for the most part, but occasionally treat myself which doesn't seem to have a negative impact.
I hope that's of some help. Also if you've found anything that's worked for you that you can share with us let us know.
How many of you aren't replying because you are in your 20s and you are scared as heck of me? Because you want to believe that something, anything will make it go away for good.
What if I told you it doesn't? Then you would hate me, more than you've ever hated anyone, correct? But that might be my message.
Anyways the only thing that helps is keeping bp on my face 24/7. Which I do not want to do! Precisely because it dries out your face and makes your face dependent on it.
Check out my post here. I was having some pretty dark thoughts come the end of last year having has cystic acne since tee years (37 now), but came up with a natural strategy that has worked for me to clear my lifetime acne in about 4.5 months. PM me with any questions. I love sunshine in public again lol and looking forward to summer like never before.
Hi Dolph. Im 35 and I still have consistent acne - with maybe two to four cleanish days each month. Im on spironolactone and I still have the face of a teenager. I am still searching for something that works for me so I cantoffer that much advice on treatments but on the emotional front, youre not alone. Its great that so many of us have chimed in with our struggles. Know that its not your fault. Sometimes, despite healthy lifestyle, our bodies are programmed in such a way that makes us very prone to acne, sometimes, the hard to treat kind (which I think may be my case). Continue to treat your body well and keep up a positive emotional energy. Dont let acne take away your stride.
People who are not teenagers, and who have taken antibiotics, and who have what looks like acne usually have candida or malasezzia (which are fungi whose outbreaks are caused by taking antibiotics, or sometimes by taking birth control pills or having contraceptive implant).
Diagnostic symptoms of candida are a white tongue, itchy/painful red rash, what appears to be acne, ingrown hairs, and sometimes tiredness/headaches, sinusitis and sometime digestive problems. Diagnostic symptoms of malassezia are dandruff, flaking skin, seborrheic dermatitis, what appears to be acne, ingrown hairs, etc.
I can provide advice on how to get rid of fungal "acne". Malassezia is relatively easy to get rid of - apply topical terbenafine cream topically (lamisil) and use shampoo with climbazole in it. Candida can be more difficult to treat, but it can usually be treated with topical nystatin cream (mycostatin), and oral nystatin (nilstat - which is safe) if necessary. Applying clotrimazole cream (not to be confused with climbazole) can help with candida and malasezzia, although the above, specific antifungal creams are usually better. Short term use of topical 0.5% hydrocortisone cream and/or 1% lignocaine/lidocaine topical cream with the topical anti-fungal cream (nystatin or clotrimazole) also helps to control candida.
And (most importantly), keep skin dry (dust skin with maize flour), never NEVER apply moisturisers (becsause malasezzia feeds on the organic oils in moisturisers, and both candida and malasezzia flourish in the moisture), wash in chlorhexadine wash, etc.
13 hours ago, Aussie Scientist said:People who are not teenagers, and who have taken antibiotics, and who have what looks like acne usually have candida or malasezzia (which are fungi whose outbreaks are caused by taking antibiotics, or sometimes by taking birth control pills or having contraceptive implant).
Diagnostic symptoms of candida are a white tongue, itchy/painful red rash, what appears to be acne, ingrown hairs, and sometimes tiredness/headaches, sinusitis and sometime digestive problems. Diagnostic symptoms of malassezia are dandruff, flaking skin, seborrheic dermatitis, what appears to be acne, ingrown hairs, etc.
I can provide advice on how to get rid of fungal "acne". Malassezia is relatively easy to get rid of - apply topical terbenafine cream topically (lamisil) and use shampoo with climbazole in it. Candida can be more difficult to treat, but it can usually be treated with topical nystatin cream (mycostatin), and oral nystatin (nilstat - which is safe) if necessary. Applying clotrimazole cream (not to be confused with climbazole) can help with candida and malasezzia, although the above, specific antifungal creams are usually better. Short term use of topical 0.5% hydrocortisone cream and/or 1% lignocaine/lidocaine topical cream with the topical anti-fungal cream (nystatin or clotrimazole) also helps to control candida.
And (most importantly), keep skin dry (dust skin with maize flour), never NEVER apply moisturisers (becsause malasezzia feeds on the organic oils in moisturisers, and both candida and malasezzia flourish in the moisture), wash in chlorhexadine wash, etc.
Hi!! I used to use anti fungal shampoos and creams and they worked and got rid of my fungal acne on my forehead but after using them consistently for several months my skin became immune to the anti fungals so they stopped working and the forehead bumps are back.Ive since tried new anti fungal creams such as lamisil like you suggested but they dont work AT ALL. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do? (Im 100% sure I also have Candida)
Yes, I do (have suggestions). You are quite correct - both candida and malasezzia do become resistant to antifungals, particularly to azole antifungals. If you get no positive response from terbenafine, then you probably have candida.
Do you have a white tongue ? (and maybe unexplained tiredness, headaches, sinusitis etc). If so, you do have candida. The best topical treatment for candida is nystatin cream - sold as mycostatin cream in many countries and OTC in most countries (but not all).
If you cannot get mycostin cream, get back to me and I will provide some advice about how you might be able to find an alternative way to get nystatin (depending on which country you are in).
The other option is to use an antifungal azole cream (such as clorimazole) TOGETHER with terbenafine and ibuprofen (crush the tablets and mix into the cream or mix ibuprofen gel or the contents of ibuprofen capsules into the cream). You can add lidocaine/lignocaine to the miox alspo. The terbenafine and the ibuprofen and the lidocaine help the antifungal azole to overcome the resistance of the candida to the azole, partly by helping to smash the candida biofilm.
See if you can get mycostatin, or other topical nystatin cream, and let me know how you go. I am happy to hear back from you.
I can also provide advice on how to kill the candida in your gut, if you have unexplained tiredness, headaches, etc.. Killing the candida in one's gut will not solve the skin problem (contrary to mythology on the web), but one does not want candida proliferating in one's gut for a whole lot of reasons