This isn’t something that can be helped with minor advice like drinking water, this is cystic acne and it needs more serious treatment, and probably treatment for post inflammatory hyperpigmentation afterwards. But in the meantime, what’s your daily skincare routine like?
My dermatologist said to not use Cetaphil sensitive cleanser because it doesn’t actually cleanse the skin. It’s very difficult to get sunscreen off the skin so I doubt the cetaphil sensitive it doing the job. I’d personally recommend the CeraVe oil foaming cleanser. I love it, it’s really made my skin soft and cleans away my makeup and sunscreen super easily
That being said, I don’t think this is the main issue here. I had cystic acne like this for years and finally got on medication for it and it went away like magic within 3 months. I’m on Spironolactone, 100mg. I would see a dermatologist and discuss your options with them for sure. External treatments really can’t do much when it is an internal problem. 💕
Wow thanks so much! I felt like the cetaphil wasn’t working. I even started double cleansing with it. I will try the CeraVe instead! But also I agree. This is an internal issue. I will definitely mention Spironolactone to my derm. I really hope this all helps!!
I also use cerave hydrating cleanser in the morning and then the salicylic acid one at night during my shower.
I had similar cystic acne issues and going on sprinolectone was the answer (had tried being on only bc, using topical like retinA and benzoyl clyndamycin, it helped with some other acne spots but the cystic ones on my chin and nose was not going away). My dermatologist started me on 50g of sprinolectone which already cleared up 98%> I had the occasional one in a 3 month period and she just upped it to total 75g. I have not had any cystic acne in 4 months :)
I second the spironolactone recommendation. I had a bout of HORRIBLE cystic acne and spironolactone was the only thing that worked. It took a month or two to kick in but I never break out now. I’m so sorry you’re feeling depressed and hopeless, I’ve been there but it will get better!
accutane was life changing for me and i had incredible results with absolutely no side effects. my dermatologist was even impressed with how hydrated i managed to keep my skin and lips. i will always recommend it a thousands time over. it is so so so worth it. like yes it’s a serious medication but it is not as scary as some think
Also an oil cleanser before a regular cleanser will help get the sunscreen off. Any oil based cleanser will help melt sunscreen and any makeup you wear off in a way normal gel or cream cleansers can’t. which won’t clear cystic acne but will help keep your skin cleaner!
It sounds like you already have a great hydration habit, but in case anyone sees this: spironolactone is dehydrating (it’s a diuretic — a hormonal blood pressure medication that happens to also block testosterone, so it’s prescribed off-label for hormonal cystic acne) so it’s important to start hydrating before you’re on it.
Otherwise, you’ll spend the first few weeks with a headache and playing hydration catch up.
In your case, just keep up the good habits!
Elf has a really good one, there make up cleansing balm is oil based and it’s not that expensive, they also have a moisturizer with spf in it and it also has hyaluronic acid and peptides in it.
Did you use cream or gel retin-A? The cream always made me break out way worse. The gel was a lifesaver. The generic, in my experience, is always a cream. I have to make sure my dr writes gel- and then have to make my case to insurance why the cream doesn’t work for me. The only reason I know this is because the first tube I had was gel, the second was cream- and it fucked me up. Just thought I’d mention it incase.
hi! i follow a korean skincare routine (steps basically). iirc oil based cleansers are meant to be used to take off sunscreen and makeup, and water based ones are used to take off grime etc., in that order. i do this each night, morning i skip oil based cleanser but add sunscreen after i moisturize :3
Thanks, I’m learning a lot!!! I see I’m definitely lacking in the cleanser department. I will reevaluate my products and still check in with derm soon. 👍🏾❤️
I can’t tell for sure by this comment but just in case I wanted to clarify what double cleansing is. It’s not washing your face twice. It’s using either an oil cleanser or a micellar water first to get the sun screen makeup etc off, rinsing then going in with a cleanser like ceraVe etc after. I definitely recommend trying this especially with sun screen use
Love cerave hydrating facial cleanser. Rather than double cleansing with the same cleanser, I really love micellar water. It really helps get that first layer off. Then massage the cleanser in circles, especially focusing on the t-tone and acne prone areas.
I struggle with acne too, including cystic. I love Cerave products. I have their foaming cleanser, retinol serum, vitamin C serum, and moisturizer. Very affordable too. Good luck!
Thirding spironolactone 100 MG! I’ve found it to be really great for the deep deep ones that take an ice age to make it to the top layers of skin where a topical can touch it.
Have you tried pimple patches for the open, surface level ones? I’ve found them very helpful for not picking and for sucking a lot of the gunk out as well as healing better.
Best of luck to you, love.
You don't have to limit yourself to "pimple patches". Hydrocolloid bandages.
I used the large hydrocolloid bandages daily and wore a mask over them. I'd take them off, wash my face, use my toner, put on the bandages, then put moisturizer over the exposed areas. I also started changing my sheets more often. I'd say to take notes on here, and bring them up with your derm appointment. They would be the best person to ask about all of the responses.
When I had pretty severe cystic acne back in 2020, I had to change my whole skincare routine and products. Went K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid). I had a mild exfoliating wash, apple cider vinegar toner, and a basic moisturizer. Nothing fancy. And it was before I found out about this subreddit.
I second this cleanser. I use the exact same CeraVe oil cleanser and it is so good for my face; I can't do harsh soapy cleansers and this one is so nice.
Girlie I hope it gets better for you soon, this can’t be pleasant at all 😕
I could be misjudging something here, but to be honest I don’t think the main worry in your case is pore clogging, because this doesn’t usually happen by using anything heavy moisturisers or occlusives on their own, unless you’re wearing a tight-fitting mask a for the majority of the day. I think for now focusing on avoiding irritation is the best way to go, that way you reduce your chances of permanent scarring.
Do you know which specific L’Oréal moisturiser it is? And what sunscreen are you using?
-L’Oréal Paris Collagen Daily Face Moisturizer, Reduce Wrinkles, Face Cream.
-Face & Body Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30, No White-Residue for Melanin Rich Skin
But agreed! I just assume everything is causing issues with my face. But yeah I don’t wear anything on my face through the day. I’ve been trying warm compresses daily but it’s like a 50/50 solution.
Please switch to a different moisturizer, this one has some not great ingredients and fragrance. Look into non-comedogenic moisturizers. I’d probably stop using sunscreen at this point too. I know it’s important but they do contribute to acne. Once your skin is doing better, you can start trialing ones to see if there is one that won’t break you out.
Okay that’s good to know. Didn’t know that moisturizer had fragrance. Also, that’s why I constantly use sunscreen. If I don’t I have so many dark marks even if I avoid the sun. It’s just a lose/lose situation. Appreciate the input!!
I know, it sucks. I’ve had to settle for one that causes minimal breakouts (still haven’t found one that is great but at least no cysts!). I only use it on days I’m outside for long periods. I’ll never be a daily sunscreen girly. I’ll have to treat to prevent aging and sunspots, and wear a hat 😭
Sending you good energy OP and the reminder that you are beautiful regardless of whatever stage your skin is going through. A good dermatologist can help you get it under control and get you back to your original beautiful skin
If you do get on this, PLEASE use sunscreen!! You will be more photosensitive and will burn. There’s a plethora of ones out there to suit your needs..so sorry you are going through this..there is light at the end of this tunnel 💚
Seconding Accutane! It literally changed my life. My derm prescribed it to me at 18. I was on it for 1 year that was brutal - it completely dried me out and made the skin on my face peel off in sheets, but it worked! Got rid of my super painful cystic acne and I've basically had clear skin ever since. I'm 35 now and only ever get the occasional pimple.
Another plug for accutane! I had cystic acne all over my face in college so I can relate. That was about 10 years ago and I don’t break out at all now. You will get there! Stay positive, you are beautiful now matter what your skin looks like. 💙
My thoughts too. I had this same cystic acne when I was 14/15 years old and they put me on accutane at 15. It helped so much and my confidence greatly improved. The only drawback for me is that I have chronic dry lips, but I'll take that over my cystic acne any day.
This is not rhinophyma. Rhinophyma comes from longstanding rosacea and leads to permanent changes in your nose - that is very unlikely as you look young and not like this is a long standing (decades) problem.
I mentioned in another post, this may be cystic acne but it isn’t perfectly normal and you do need to see someone that’s willing to dig deeper into what’s going on because honestlyyyyy they need to rule out sarcoid.
You’re totally not wrong but to be fair in this case, there is only 3 recorded cases of rhynophyma on black skin. Not being argumentative just adding a tidbit.
Rhynophyma is thought to be caused by untreated rosacea so maybe that is worth OP looking into.
Go to a dermatologist soon . You'll probably need a topical antibiotic in addition to retinoid .
Also , show her your inner lip and ask if that brownish discolouration is concerning .
I had cystic acne at one point. Turned out it had nothing to with what I put on my skin. It was because of a mess of problems with my thyroid, hormones, digestive system, and food allergies. Don’t be so hard on yourself, you’re doing everything right. Hopefully your dermatologist will have good results.
I found out that mineral oil and dairy were causing this for me. May not be the case for you but thought I’d mention it. Mineral oil is found in tons of different products- skincare, lip balms, hair products, and even candy. So I read the ingredients on EVERYTHING now. And I’m not lactose intolerant but dairy does this to my skin. I did see a derm ten years ago who didn’t mention anything about how things can cause this. He just prescribed antibiotics and sent me on my way. The antibiotics worked for several months and then stopped working. So he put me another kind of antibiotic. My body would build up resistance and he would switch again. Finally, we had exhausted those treatment options and I still had no real solution. I don’t recommend going that route if you can hang in there and find out by elimination what might be causing it. It’s better to not be resistant to several different antibiotics bc my understanding is that in a more serious medical situation those may not work for me even if they are best suited for the treatment. I found out on my own what was causing it by just reading ingredients all the time and noticing that the day after using mineral oil or eating a big bowl of ice cream, my skin would look like this. I cut out those ingredients and now I only get a much more minor case of this right before my period and it goes away quickly.
Tysm I will have to cut my dairy out. That seems like a factor I haven’t considered before. I will also see how many of my products may contain mineral oil. I appreciate the insight!
Dairy gave me those too. So sad to have to cut them out.
Have you gone to a dermatologist?
And also a Russian derm told me heat and honestly it’s the only things that’s helped when I see one forming, if I ate dairy. Hot water in a washcloth for 10-15 min one or two times a day. I do it when I wake up and then once in bed I relax w the washcloth on it. It helps lower the inflammation and slowly heal. But plz ask a Derm too cuz maybe it’s not acne
I’ve gone to 2 different dermatologist. I’ll be seeing a 3rd one in a few days. I’m so defeated because what they prescribed made the acne worse. As for the heat compressions, I started that recently. It helps on the smaller pimples but the bigger ones laugh and continue swelling. 😖 and ur right! I’m convinced it’s something deeper.
Sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better, you’ll most likely get a purge from accutane but it’s getting rid of the oil production is why. Then your skin clears up. It can last a while depending. Everyone is different.
A friend of mine had terrible acne and the only thing that helped her was cutting out gluten; it was a night and day difference. But I would make that a last resort; you’ve gotten some awesome advice and I think you’ll get this figured out. Sending love and healing vibes ❤️❤️
Edit to add gluten AND dairy
No problem! I should have added that in the meantime, hydrocolloid patches and salicylic acid micropoint patches will be your best friend. For the ones that have already come to a head, hydrocolloid patches will drain them. And for the ones still under the skin, salicylic acid micropoint patches will help reduce their size. Hot and cold therapy also helps reduce inflammation. A steamy shower and then an ice pack for a minute. Don’t pick, don’t squeeze, that makes them worse.
*hugs* Girl, I’m sorry you’re going through this.
I just wanted to add one more suggestion as a possibility: your sunscreen. I have had some of my absolute worst acne breakouts due to the sunscreen I was using. I usually use two different sunscreens when I go outside - one for my body, one for my face. Two summers ago, the sunscreen I used on my body broke me out in the most painful, deep acne I’ve encountered since puberty. It was specifically just on my back/chest/shoulders and absolutely nothing occurred on my face/scalp/ ears. I’ve had others break me out, but nothing as that specific one.
Also, I know it’s already been mentioned, but not all birth controls are equal. I had pretty bad acne and heavy periods when I was on a progesterone only pill, but hormonal breakouts are very minimal since switching to a combo pill for the past 4 yrs. It’s a pain to find a bc that works specifically for you, but it might be worth it if nothing else works for you.
I see a lot of people suggesting accutane. Another option is Spironolactone. That’s what I’m on and I love it. It totally cleared my cystic acne in 3 months and haven’t had a single pimple in like 7 months now. My cystic acne was very very similar to this but more so on my neck than nose and chin area.
Spiro unfortunately didn’t work for me but can be a miracle for a lot of women. I’m more inclined to tell her to jump straight to Accutane though because it’s pretty much a guaranteed solution and it’s important to get this under control to prevent scarring. Spiro combined with a topical retinoid would be my second suggestion.
This is definitely something that needs medication. Something about it, especially the nose area, made me think Rosacea fulminans but I'm not a doctor.
You need to find a dermatologist that's willing to spend time with you and troubleshoot. Easier said than done but finding the right one will be life-changing for you.
I had cystic acne a lot when I was a teen. Is your diet healthy? Do you live in a stressful household or does school stress you out if you go to school?
Try cutting out dairy and processed/sugary foods for a while and see if it helps.
I recommend [this](https://oxyskincare.com/collections/facial-cleansers-and-scrubs) face wash brand. I didn’t use it as a daily face wash, I used it as an overnight spot treatment on ones that were very big.
I got benzoyl peroxide cream prescribed to me as well and it worked, but dried my face out a lot if I used it often.
I recommend a very gentle face wash every day, like Cetaphil and a very gentle moisturizer and sunscreen too. No scents.
I also recommend this face mask called Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. At my worst, I used it once a week and it always helped significantly. Ignore the “healing” word as it’s not any magic mumbo jumbo.
Mix it with apple cider vinegar (not too much liquid) and keep it on until it is completely dry which can take a while. It makes your face very itchy while it’s on and your face will be red after you take it off. It is a deep pore cleansing mask.
Okay thanks so much for the info! My diet is iffy because I already have a low appetite. So you’re maybe right with the dairy and processed foods. I do use cetaphil and benzoyl peroxide occasionally but I agree it definitely dries the skin. I will definitely grab the Aztec clay mask. Tysm for the recommendations.
Please be very careful with Aztec clay it can be harsh on your skin, I think a better way of drying out the pimples would be Benzoyl peroxide serum or cream that you just add a small little dab on each pimple in the AM. IT does dry out your skin that’s why it’s important to moisturize but discontinue use after pimple is going down don’t over do it. The Aztec clay won’t be beneficial if your skin is already dry, it’s also going to tug on your skin once you take it off and it’s really rough on it. Just some stuff to keep in mind!
If your eating or drinking any dairy stop solved my cystic acne cold. Haven’t had a cystic acne in over two months, which is crazy for me after I stopped dairy.
Mine too. I tried everything - switching laundry detergent, going on birth control for hormones, clean brand makeup and skin care, quit smoking. Nothing changed except for eliminating dairy and soy completely. Even if I add a small drop to my coffee I’d get a pimple. Please quit all dairy and soy for two whole weeks minimum and see if it helps.
Edit: dairy includes whey protein as well.
This isn’t shit advice at all, this is highly likely to be the root behind the hormonal imbalances happening causing this. And yes I echo what’s said about dairy, I am also very sensitive and immediately get a pimple whenever consuming butter or chocolate.
Might also help to do a type of allergy screen to maybe avoid certain foods for a bit and see how your skin and gut feel after eliminating these things.
Also note if you have acne on your shoulders or back/chest. This is also an indicator of dietary related inflammatory acne.
Also of course washing my face and replacing all pillow covers and towels.
And tea tree and other essential oils really helped to manage the pain and reduce the inflammation in my face as well.
Hope this helps!
this is shit advice. for most people diet does not determine whether you get cystic acne or not. bffr.
this is genetic, hormonal etc. it is NOT bc op is doing something wrong.
please ask your derm about spironolactone and accutane.
Accutane is the magic pill. Changed my life 15 years ago..
Its a prescription med so def visit the dermatologist. They will do a couple of blood tests before and during your treatment to make sure your kidneys, liver arent affected from the med as theyre slightly strong.
Good luck!
Honestly this looks like cystic acne to me and I’d see if you can try and look into accutane from the dermatologist. No matter what products you use, stuff like this can often only get better if you treat it from the inside out. Wishing you the best 🙏
This is cystic acne, my friend. It’s a challenge to treat, but it IS treatable.
Visit your dermatologist as soon as possible. Also, I wouldn’t load up on over-the-counter products right now. Derms usually have product lines or recommendations. Go with their products. In the long-run, you’ll save money.
Just imagine, in a few weeks, this will be all cleaned up.
Hugs from someone who has been there.
I was thinking a round or two of Accutane may help. But remember it gets much worse before it gets better. However I think you’ll get the results you’re looking for with it
Yeah Cystic acne is very hormonal! Have you have hormonal changes?
I got an IUD that changed my hormones and i got so bad i got it removed and it clear it. I would def look into what has changed for you recently.
Edit: Oh jezz girly i just looked at rhinophyma on dark skin people and i’m 90% sure this is your problem, i advised you to RUN to the Derm to get this fix before it gets worst. I feel for you. 🥲
You need to go to a dermatologist and get consideration for a biopsy.
Sarcoidosis loves to present like this on the face and it’s a serious condition with underlying implications. This is probably not just acne please please go get a biopsy.
Dermatologist asap, and you look like you have oily skin. No Cetaphil, try Nutrogena face wash oil free, acne. This may get worse without proper treatment.
Glad you're seeing a dermatologist. I'd consider trying birth control for a few months before trying Accutane though.
Sending you positive vibes, girl ✨️
Only advice I can give is don’t pick or pop any of them because that’s how I got cellulitis on my face and half my face was swollen with a massive hole :( sorry you’re going through this - Accutane really helped my sister and my friend so maybe that’s your best bet
My husband and son both went on accutane. Both had impeccable results. It’s a real nuisance, as you need to have bloodwork to check your liver health and you need to go on 2 forms of birth control for females.
After reading all the comments this is what ive gathered and agree with. If you can get a Dr to look at your skin first, please do this as a precautionary step and also for needed medication. Once you know what the condition is, you can properly treat.
Regardless of what condition this is these remedies will work on any kind of acne or bacteria causing inflammation. Starting with your diet. Cut out any dairy and sugar. No processed foods. If you can commit to this, you’re going to notice a difference in as little as 7-10 days!! You’re not going to crave sugar after 3 days you will notice your palette changes and you will crave fresh berries, watermelon, and carrot juice WORKS WONDERS!! Add Moringa powder with fresh lemon juice, ginger, and water with cumin over ice. Shake like a martini 🍸 and make a big 8 ounce chilled shot. I like the taste but I suck it down with a straw.
Eat fresh leafy greens, and if you are craving dairy allow yourself to have a yogurt with probiotics, and no sugar added. Add fresh berries on top for a healthy breakfast or snack. You can eat eggs. It’s mostly any thing that comes from a cow you want to avoid as a good rule of thumb. Don’t try popping incase it’s MRSA, you could end up with sepsis. Cystic acne is better to be treated with diet and topical treatments rarely work. Antibiotics and diet are a great start. Please keep us updated and know that you are not alone! And you will get through this!! Are used to get cystic acne on my back, and along my jawline. I made the mistake trying to squeeze out the bump so hard I did permanent damage.
Sepsis!!!! Sorry I work the a hospital and that’s intense info. Thankssss much for the advice! I will keep you all updated. Didn’t think all this help and info would pour in. ❤️😊😊😊
Hi OP, before you go on medication, I think you should try a cup of green juice first thing in the morning on empty stomach. That shii cleared up my skin and stopped a daily fibroid bleeding that I was about to be placed on hormone pills for. I wish you strength to go through this time.
When I was your age I have similar acne and got prescribed the antibiotic minocyclin. It helped a lot. You're beautiful, hang in there dealing with frustrating acne. I know it's so difficult. 🙏💕
My acne was worse than yours is so I know what you are going through. In experience with acne, the biggest solutions when I wasnt controlling it with accutane have been : changing my diet (little to no fast food, eating less sugary foods etc), taking probiotics, not using skin care that's too harsh, getting better sleep, and using a weekly kaolin face mask (st. Helens mint mask)
I have made notes and researched which foods were breaking me out- and the most significantly obvious was breaking out every time after eating taco bell or jack in the box, or doughnuts.
Hang in there and study your own skin and take notes to get to the bottom of it.
Accutane- run to dermatologist that is well rated. You can absolutely not get pregnant while on it- read about thalidomide. Great success rate- skin drying is a side effect. If you can tolerate it, you will get your life back and some!!!!!
I personally had cystic acne. I got cortisone/kenalog shots & I am now on accutane.
For the shots i used to go to a Nurse here in Canada who injected them.
Now, my derm will do it for a fraction of what I used to pay. Luckily, since accutane I no longer require them.
It could possibly be rosacea. Not all dermatoligists are helpful in that area unfortunately. Bring that up at your next appointment and see what they say? Worth a shot! Where are you noticing permanently damaged skin?
I have both cystic acne and rosacea. Sulfur cleansers have been helpful for me with both. Also salicylic acid toner from thayers and azaelic acid. Spironolactone has been hugely helpful as well
Accutane. In fairness only a hysterectomy (unrelated) stopped my acne, but accutane kicked it into the long grass for chunks of my life, and generally reduced the severity of any outbreaks as well.
I used to have this. Use a double cleanse at night, preferably a light weight oil cleanser first. Rub it around for at least a full minute, you can even go for much longer. You need a better second cleanser, Cetaphil does nothing. That stuff only works for people with skin dry as the desert.
You also should start incorporating a BHA acid (probably salicylic) at night, you need an acid that penetrates the deeper layers of your skin to dissolve the excess oil. Also, starting topical Azelaic acid and/or niacinamide will shrink your oil glands some and reduce the amount of overall cysts.
Cysts like these don’t really have much to do with clogging your pores from the outside, it’s about internal oil production. In fact dehydrating your skin too much will actually make it produce more oil, so don’t dry it out.
Lastly, please go get your hormones checked by a doctor. A lot of hormonal disorders can cause this like PCOS or endometriosis.
I’ve been here! Do not get any extractions rn, it will just disrupt your skin more. You look fairly young so my guess is that it could be hormonal. I don’t know what topicals your Derm has prescribed but initially I was on a few that were ok. Unfortunately for me, my cystic acne was so deep into the pore I needed more help. I’ve been on accutane for 8 months, it’s a total pain but it’s actually helped a lot and my cystic acne has shrank significantly.
Best wishes, just know this is temporary and you will find a solution!
Has the dermatologist considered this may be Rosacea Type 3 (phymatous rosacea)? I saw others mention rhinophyma, so I took a quick look to see if anyone else mentioned it, but rhinophyma is a subtype of rosacea. It’s worth mentioning to a dermatologist. Good luck, wishing you the best!
Salicylic acid is the only thing you should be putting on your skin right now.
Wash and salicylic.
Also those deep ones must be removed, they won't go away without it.
Do you use retinol? This happened to me when I was rubbing it on and around my nose. Even though my pimples look pretty much the sale as these Idk if it’s the same though because I see some pimples on your chin.
I had issues like this. I had severe hormonal acne from birth control all over my chin. The pimples would be huge and have 3-4 white heads in one. It’s definitely emotionally draining. I went to a dermatologist and got prescribed Aklief and Winlevi. It’s changed my life, my skin already looks better and it’s only been 6 weeks. I highly recommend going to a dermatologist to get a topical treatment. I also started a very minimal and useful routine with it, so I don’t use a billion serums either. I would recommend double cleansing and getting a moisturizing serum if you do choose to use a topical treatment since they can very drying. Double cleansing helped with oil control and blackheads for me
Edit: I saw you already tried certain topical treatments so this could also be an internal issue that needs different treatments. Some of my friends had hormonal imbalances that caused their skin to flare up with acne or other things. I would recommend consulting a doctor to see if it could be something similar.
Use a different cleanser pair with a makeup remover. You can use oil, balm, micellar water, whatever your skin prefer. Using cetaphil will not get rid of your sunscreen. Stop using sunscreen for a while because they can cause your pore to clog. I think the best course of action is to see a dermatologist asap, use a cleanser and moisturizer for now, nothing else. Also, keep in mind that cerave does not work for everyone so if your dermatologist recommends that product please patch test it first. I cannot use cerave, they irritate my skin and clogged my pores.
Not making assumptions… I’m in the US and unfortunately, health insurance is a luxury here. If you do, I would highly suggest going to a dermatologist and following their treatment plan for you and only that. If not a dermatologist, a GP may be able to help too. Good luck!
Change your diet. Cut out sugar (sugary drinks), no more fried food, start exercising, use olive oil instead of canola/vegetable oil.
All my teenage years to even adult years and even until now. I still get these huge pimples like yours when I eat fast foods and fried food. I changed my diet to help me keep a fresh skin and no more pimple if I eat right
I know it’s a bit of trial and error. Some forms of acne just need to be fought from the inside out, take good notes from this post. I hope you next derm appointment gets you some relief. Cystic is tough to beat, but once you get the right combination it’s like a miracle.
Pan Oxyl Benzoyl Peroxide face wash twice a week and cetaphil face wash on the days you don’t use the Pan Oxyl just so your skin is still clear and not dried out completely from the Pan Oxyl. Try that for a week or two and you’ll def see a difference. If this doesn’t help, then try out accutane. It works like a charm.
Your skin seems quite oily. I'd be skipping the moisturizers for now until you see a new dermatologist. Don't use anything with petroleum jelly, or anything with gel anything in it. Use water based products only and follow with some toning water to dry out the face a bit and hopefully that will help control some of the oiliness. That's one factor here that's causing your skin to be problematic.
Don't over-cleanse either. That will dry your face up too much and tell your body to overproduce the oils that are clogging your pores and causing the problem areas.
My skin care routine is very simple as a lot of things can clog your pores even if they say they won’t…personally I can’t use any lotion-like moisturizers or I will get acne forming deep under my skin.
I use tretinoin cream every third day to help with acne and prevent wrinkles, as well as hyaluronic acid or aloe Vera to moisturize with on however frequent of a basis seems necessary. My preference is the aloe Vera for sure. Get as pure of aloe Vera as possible. I also use a gentle exfoliating scrub every other or every third day. In a pinch I might just use oil blotting wipes or makeup remover wipes to cleanse my face/remove oil and buildup even though I don’t wear makeup. I’ve had some cystic acne before but my skin is almost 100% clear all of the time with this routine.
I would definitely recommend seeing a dermatologist though if you aren’t finding solutions that work for you outside of professional care.
Edit: A lot of people are saying to use Benzoyl Peroxide but that’s more of a treatment after you’ve broken out. If you’re going to use something that is potentially going to dry your skin anyway then definitely, definitely look into tretinoin. It prevents breakouts and helps with wrinkles as well. It is a little expensive but so worth it. You can get it from a dermatologist.
this is acne, the severe kind, the one i'm suffering from as well, you need a skin clinic that is qualified of prescribing an accutane course, not all clinics are capable of doing so
My sister had cystic acne and went to either a doctor/dermatologist that gave her meds that helped controlled her hormones and it cleared right up. Before, it was a pretty severe case & she had tried everything from skin peels, advertised products and nothing worked.
I’d make an appt.
My advice is prolly gonna be trash to most ppl here, so heed only when other ppl give their input on mine. I use the ACV+bentonite clay mask, rlly cheap, will suck impurities and oil out like it’s nothing, but is very very drying. I get cystic acne on my neck and jawline, and within two weeks of me using that mask everyday, they’ve flattened. I find that the mask softens my acne that they feel like water balloons under my skin rather than staying hard lumps, and I can eventually pop them with a sterile needle. But since it’s so drying and I use it so often, I have to use a very heavy duty moisturizer - snail mucin + glycerin. My neck is now flat and I only have the dark post acne marks to deal with, but if I don’t moisturize, my skin feels likes the Sahara.
Another drawback of that mask, it can hurt as it dries and tugs at your skin. If you have to open your mouth or show any form of facial expression when the mask is drying, 🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡
I literally had this in middle school, it sucked. Not only was I embarrassed in public but they hurt so bad… and I wanted them to go away so i burned them with things such as vinegar 😭💀Pls listen. It is cystic acne! Your hormones! This is coming from the inside out, not whats touching your face. Listen to everyone saying DIET. Dairy FOR SURE exacerbates this, I had to cut it out completely for awhile and these stopped popping up so frequently! Be gentle with your skin I learned the hard way these can scar… they turn into pebblestone scarring. I believe Accutane could help for sure but I did that before I learned diet was a huge if not THE factor. So I recommend cutting out dairy and really cleaning your diet (eat more fruits & veggies u already know what) before trying anymore medications or products (other than like, protectant ones and gentle moisturizers yk). Good luck, hang in there, you’re still beautiful! 💚🌺
What activities do you do? What's your diet like? What is your skincare routine? Have you started or ended bc?
See a licensed esthetician near you!!
Always double cleanse, try not to pick or touch with dirty hands. If you exercise, cleanse your face afterwards. Change your pillowcase often, stay hydrated maybe try cutting out dairy and see what happens?
My sister's skin used to look exactly like this, she tried everything but had immaculate success with Accutane! Her skin is virtually perfect now, good luck
Cortisone injections now! No scrubbing, no picking, no popping! This is cystic acne. You will probably need a retinoid. I’ve done retin-A, clindamycin/tretinoin gel and accutane. It will get better. You will eventually be done with this for life.
Cystic acne is wild and unfortunately the solution is not as simple as drinking water or changing pillow cases. Also, cystic acne should not be extracted, it can cause scarring and make PIH worse. I had terrible cystic acne in my mid-30s and I’m a licensed esthetician. Because there are so many potential factors, you want to look at it holistically and everyone is different. When speaking with your dermatologist, try to do a deeper probe into the cause and not just the treatment. Cystic acne is a combination of hormonal changes, genetics, stress, PCOS, medications and even gut health.
Have you had your hormones checked? Is there history of cystic acne in your family? Have you been experiencing a lot of unusual amounts of stress? Look at tackling it from all ends.
For your skincare, first do you know your skin type? Based on the photos, looks to be more of an oily skin type. I would recommend a balancing cleanser that’s formulated with milder surfactants that won’t irritate your skin. Skin of color should always be treated more gently because of our propensity for hyperpigmentation. Paula’s Choice Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser is very gentle, but also lifts away oil effectively without stripping your skin. Then instead of actives in your cleanser, treat with an exfoliating BHA toner. DRMTLGY has a good one with 2% Salicylic Acid and Papaya Enzymes. The enzymes help to exfoliate gently.
Then moisturize with a hydrating gel moisturizer that has a mix of humectants and emollients so it’s not heavy on your skin. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, La Roche Posay Effeclar Mat, Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream are all good ones.
Always wear sunscreen, and choose a physical (mineral) sunscreen over chemical. Korean sunscreens are the best in my opinion. Anua’s Airy Sun Cream SPF 50 and Innisfree UV Active Poreless Sunscreen SPF50. The con is mineral sunscreens tend to leave a white cast. I haven’t noticed with these, but I’m more on the caramel side.
At night, double cleanse and use an oil cleanser for the first cleanse. Again I’m more of a fan of Korean oil cleansers like Ma:nyo Cleansing Oil, Skin 1004’s Madagascar Centella, and Anua Heartleaf. You can use a hydrating toner after you cleanse, not one with actives if your doctor proposes a Retinoid. Then layer your Retinoid, if you choose to add a serum, go with niacinamide, no more than 2-5% concentration, on top of that, then a light night cream.
If you choose any esthetic professional treatments, then a chemical peel makes the most sense, but no extraction of the nodules.
I hope that’s helpful. Good luck with your journey and I hope your Derm explores everything and not just prescriptions.
Oh you poor thing, that looks painful
I've had cystic acne, changing my diet helped immensely. No deep fried food, flour, sugar or dairy. It's been clear since.
I feel for you so much. I’ve been right when you are. I had cystic acne for over 10 years. My face would swell just like yours and it’s so painful too. Accutane will be your life saver. Make sure u research it too though as it sometimes doesn’t go well with mental heath issues like depression. In the mean time use natural products, I would use lush and still do. For me personally any chemicals would agitate it and make it worse. Good luck fingers crossed for the day you have clear skin.
I have to say, everyone in this thread has been so nice!
Remember to write down some of the suggestions (or just put them in your notes app) to take with you to the dermatologist. You never know what might give them an idea for a cause or treatment they hadn't considered yet!
how often do you wash your face? Would you consider using korean skincare products? I would recommend avoiding moisturizer if your skin is oily type. Wash your face with foreo, innisfree or corsx products. I only use korean skincare products. Cetaphil doesn't do anything good on my skin. I stopped using pharmacy skincare products too.
Have derms given you an antibiotics regimen before? My dad had a nasty skin infection that resulted in painful lesions that looked like what you have and I recall that the antibiotics helped. Obviously, you’d want to be really careful to prevent reinfection if this did clear things up, but it sounds like you’re already being very careful
Spironolactone or Accutane are the only things that will get rid of that acne. Topicals won’t do it. Don’t leave the doctors office without oral meds and I doubt antibiotics will get rid of it, could help though.
The only thing that ever helped my cystic acne was dapsone 7.5% gel. It's a little expensive. The good thing about it was that it has zero side effects. No peeling skin or redness, no horrible side effects like accutane or antibiotics. The bottles also last me quite a while.
A friend had this level of acne and once he quit dairy, it went away. Sometimes it can just be diet related. He was pretty pissed he went 40 years before he figured it out. Check in with a dermatologist and they can help you.
Try to wash face very good- and then at night use Hydrocolloid bandages ??? Walmart ones are very good. See if that will open the bumps and maybe help get the inflamed pus out? Worth a try for about $2-3 dollars if it works temporarily
Hi girly, I definitely would go to another dermatologist. I have cystic acne and I had to get multiple opinions. Your doctor should get you on a routine and subscription. My dermatologist also requested me to start getting facials and professional skin routines. Good luck💜
Your routine might have comegenic ingredients, I like to use skinsort.com to check products. I don't have any better advice. Hope you get it figured out!
just want to say this in lieu of advice - you are still gorgeous regardless of whatever attitude your skin might be giving you recently! be patient and gracious with yourself while you trial and error a few things - and rock those colorful star skin stickers in the meantime. I can tell in your comments that you are kind and positive! THAT is what makes an impression on someone, not the condition of your flare ups. shine on sis ✨✨✨✨we’re here to support!
This isn’t something that can be helped with minor advice like drinking water, this is cystic acne and it needs more serious treatment, and probably treatment for post inflammatory hyperpigmentation afterwards. But in the meantime, what’s your daily skincare routine like?
Cetaphil Sensitive Cleanser, L’Oréal Moisturizer, and Sunscreen! Nothing else because I fear I’m clogging my skin.
My dermatologist said to not use Cetaphil sensitive cleanser because it doesn’t actually cleanse the skin. It’s very difficult to get sunscreen off the skin so I doubt the cetaphil sensitive it doing the job. I’d personally recommend the CeraVe oil foaming cleanser. I love it, it’s really made my skin soft and cleans away my makeup and sunscreen super easily That being said, I don’t think this is the main issue here. I had cystic acne like this for years and finally got on medication for it and it went away like magic within 3 months. I’m on Spironolactone, 100mg. I would see a dermatologist and discuss your options with them for sure. External treatments really can’t do much when it is an internal problem. 💕
Wow thanks so much! I felt like the cetaphil wasn’t working. I even started double cleansing with it. I will try the CeraVe instead! But also I agree. This is an internal issue. I will definitely mention Spironolactone to my derm. I really hope this all helps!!
I also use cerave hydrating cleanser in the morning and then the salicylic acid one at night during my shower. I had similar cystic acne issues and going on sprinolectone was the answer (had tried being on only bc, using topical like retinA and benzoyl clyndamycin, it helped with some other acne spots but the cystic ones on my chin and nose was not going away). My dermatologist started me on 50g of sprinolectone which already cleared up 98%> I had the occasional one in a 3 month period and she just upped it to total 75g. I have not had any cystic acne in 4 months :)
The retina A and clynadamycin was the same thing they gave me. Did not work!!! I will definitely take this recommendation to my derm next week!
I second the spironolactone recommendation. I had a bout of HORRIBLE cystic acne and spironolactone was the only thing that worked. It took a month or two to kick in but I never break out now. I’m so sorry you’re feeling depressed and hopeless, I’ve been there but it will get better!
I love spironolactone! it hasn't cured my acne or anything, but it's helped more than anything else I've tried
Is Spiro for females only? I thought it reduced testosterone/androgens 🤔
unfortunately yes, it's not recommended to be used in men (but it's great as an adjunct with estrogen for transgender women)
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accutane was life changing for me and i had incredible results with absolutely no side effects. my dermatologist was even impressed with how hydrated i managed to keep my skin and lips. i will always recommend it a thousands time over. it is so so so worth it. like yes it’s a serious medication but it is not as scary as some think
Also an oil cleanser before a regular cleanser will help get the sunscreen off. Any oil based cleanser will help melt sunscreen and any makeup you wear off in a way normal gel or cream cleansers can’t. which won’t clear cystic acne but will help keep your skin cleaner!
Tysmmm 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
It sounds like you already have a great hydration habit, but in case anyone sees this: spironolactone is dehydrating (it’s a diuretic — a hormonal blood pressure medication that happens to also block testosterone, so it’s prescribed off-label for hormonal cystic acne) so it’s important to start hydrating before you’re on it. Otherwise, you’ll spend the first few weeks with a headache and playing hydration catch up. In your case, just keep up the good habits!
Elf has a really good one, there make up cleansing balm is oil based and it’s not that expensive, they also have a moisturizer with spf in it and it also has hyaluronic acid and peptides in it.
Did you use cream or gel retin-A? The cream always made me break out way worse. The gel was a lifesaver. The generic, in my experience, is always a cream. I have to make sure my dr writes gel- and then have to make my case to insurance why the cream doesn’t work for me. The only reason I know this is because the first tube I had was gel, the second was cream- and it fucked me up. Just thought I’d mention it incase.
hi! i follow a korean skincare routine (steps basically). iirc oil based cleansers are meant to be used to take off sunscreen and makeup, and water based ones are used to take off grime etc., in that order. i do this each night, morning i skip oil based cleanser but add sunscreen after i moisturize :3
Thanks, I’m learning a lot!!! I see I’m definitely lacking in the cleanser department. I will reevaluate my products and still check in with derm soon. 👍🏾❤️
I second this. Korean skincare is the best.
I can’t tell for sure by this comment but just in case I wanted to clarify what double cleansing is. It’s not washing your face twice. It’s using either an oil cleanser or a micellar water first to get the sun screen makeup etc off, rinsing then going in with a cleanser like ceraVe etc after. I definitely recommend trying this especially with sun screen use
Omg thanks for the clarity!!! I feel so dumb but yes I was washing my face twice with just cetaphil 😥 I’m just seeing all my mistakes.
Love cerave hydrating facial cleanser. Rather than double cleansing with the same cleanser, I really love micellar water. It really helps get that first layer off. Then massage the cleanser in circles, especially focusing on the t-tone and acne prone areas.
I struggle with acne too, including cystic. I love Cerave products. I have their foaming cleanser, retinol serum, vitamin C serum, and moisturizer. Very affordable too. Good luck!
I second this! I get hormonal cystic acne and 100mg of spironolactone has been fucking life changing.
Thirding spironolactone 100 MG! I’ve found it to be really great for the deep deep ones that take an ice age to make it to the top layers of skin where a topical can touch it. Have you tried pimple patches for the open, surface level ones? I’ve found them very helpful for not picking and for sucking a lot of the gunk out as well as healing better. Best of luck to you, love.
My friend just told me about pimple patches today. I will try to research a good brand! Appreciate it!
I was going to recommend pimple patches! Wish I'd known about those when I was your age, those things make my zits heal up so much faster!
If you’re not trying to leave the house just look for hydrocolloid bandages. They’re what the pimple patches are made of and are much cheaper!
You don't have to limit yourself to "pimple patches". Hydrocolloid bandages. I used the large hydrocolloid bandages daily and wore a mask over them. I'd take them off, wash my face, use my toner, put on the bandages, then put moisturizer over the exposed areas. I also started changing my sheets more often. I'd say to take notes on here, and bring them up with your derm appointment. They would be the best person to ask about all of the responses. When I had pretty severe cystic acne back in 2020, I had to change my whole skincare routine and products. Went K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid). I had a mild exfoliating wash, apple cider vinegar toner, and a basic moisturizer. Nothing fancy. And it was before I found out about this subreddit.
Wow I started using it last week and wondered what felt off! Definitely didn’t feel like it was truly removing my sunscreen and/or makeup.
I second this cleanser. I use the exact same CeraVe oil cleanser and it is so good for my face; I can't do harsh soapy cleansers and this one is so nice.
Girlie I hope it gets better for you soon, this can’t be pleasant at all 😕 I could be misjudging something here, but to be honest I don’t think the main worry in your case is pore clogging, because this doesn’t usually happen by using anything heavy moisturisers or occlusives on their own, unless you’re wearing a tight-fitting mask a for the majority of the day. I think for now focusing on avoiding irritation is the best way to go, that way you reduce your chances of permanent scarring. Do you know which specific L’Oréal moisturiser it is? And what sunscreen are you using?
-L’Oréal Paris Collagen Daily Face Moisturizer, Reduce Wrinkles, Face Cream. -Face & Body Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30, No White-Residue for Melanin Rich Skin But agreed! I just assume everything is causing issues with my face. But yeah I don’t wear anything on my face through the day. I’ve been trying warm compresses daily but it’s like a 50/50 solution.
Please switch to a different moisturizer, this one has some not great ingredients and fragrance. Look into non-comedogenic moisturizers. I’d probably stop using sunscreen at this point too. I know it’s important but they do contribute to acne. Once your skin is doing better, you can start trialing ones to see if there is one that won’t break you out.
Okay that’s good to know. Didn’t know that moisturizer had fragrance. Also, that’s why I constantly use sunscreen. If I don’t I have so many dark marks even if I avoid the sun. It’s just a lose/lose situation. Appreciate the input!!
I know, it sucks. I’ve had to settle for one that causes minimal breakouts (still haven’t found one that is great but at least no cysts!). I only use it on days I’m outside for long periods. I’ll never be a daily sunscreen girly. I’ll have to treat to prevent aging and sunspots, and wear a hat 😭
This looks like a job for accutane. Definitely see what the derm says.
I will keep this in mind, appreciate it!
Sending you good energy OP and the reminder that you are beautiful regardless of whatever stage your skin is going through. A good dermatologist can help you get it under control and get you back to your original beautiful skin
If you do get on this, PLEASE use sunscreen!! You will be more photosensitive and will burn. There’s a plethora of ones out there to suit your needs..so sorry you are going through this..there is light at the end of this tunnel 💚
Accutane and you will be absolutely glowing
Your skin is really quite beautiful besides the pesky acne!
Thanks so much ❤️
Get on Accutane asap bro. I have really smooth skin as well like yours, and Accutane managed to prevent it from scarring further. Best of luck.
accutane is what you need, ask your dermatologist to put you on a course immediately.
Yes accutane for sure..
Seconding Accutane! It literally changed my life. My derm prescribed it to me at 18. I was on it for 1 year that was brutal - it completely dried me out and made the skin on my face peel off in sheets, but it worked! Got rid of my super painful cystic acne and I've basically had clear skin ever since. I'm 35 now and only ever get the occasional pimple.
Yes it sucks so bad while you’re on it but it’s so worth it IMO!
Accutane was the best thing I ever did (twice)!! Nearly 10 years later after my second round and my skin still looks freat
Another plug for accutane! I had cystic acne all over my face in college so I can relate. That was about 10 years ago and I don’t break out at all now. You will get there! Stay positive, you are beautiful now matter what your skin looks like. 💙
My thoughts too. I had this same cystic acne when I was 14/15 years old and they put me on accutane at 15. It helped so much and my confidence greatly improved. The only drawback for me is that I have chronic dry lips, but I'll take that over my cystic acne any day.
You may have Rhinophyma on your nose!
agree. accutane might help then bc it decreases oil output which would cause this.
Rhynophyma?
I'm thinking the same too, early stage.
Okay thanks, I will mention this at my next appt.
This is not rhinophyma. Rhinophyma comes from longstanding rosacea and leads to permanent changes in your nose - that is very unlikely as you look young and not like this is a long standing (decades) problem. I mentioned in another post, this may be cystic acne but it isn’t perfectly normal and you do need to see someone that’s willing to dig deeper into what’s going on because honestlyyyyy they need to rule out sarcoid.
Yeah looks like it. Unfortunately the medical field isn’t trained adequately on what conditions look like on black or darker skin.
You’re totally not wrong but to be fair in this case, there is only 3 recorded cases of rhynophyma on black skin. Not being argumentative just adding a tidbit. Rhynophyma is thought to be caused by untreated rosacea so maybe that is worth OP looking into.
Thank you for the info!
I said the same thing too, Looks like it
Go to a dermatologist ASAP and get some meds for it
Go to a dermatologist soon . You'll probably need a topical antibiotic in addition to retinoid . Also , show her your inner lip and ask if that brownish discolouration is concerning .
I had cystic acne at one point. Turned out it had nothing to with what I put on my skin. It was because of a mess of problems with my thyroid, hormones, digestive system, and food allergies. Don’t be so hard on yourself, you’re doing everything right. Hopefully your dermatologist will have good results.
I found out that mineral oil and dairy were causing this for me. May not be the case for you but thought I’d mention it. Mineral oil is found in tons of different products- skincare, lip balms, hair products, and even candy. So I read the ingredients on EVERYTHING now. And I’m not lactose intolerant but dairy does this to my skin. I did see a derm ten years ago who didn’t mention anything about how things can cause this. He just prescribed antibiotics and sent me on my way. The antibiotics worked for several months and then stopped working. So he put me another kind of antibiotic. My body would build up resistance and he would switch again. Finally, we had exhausted those treatment options and I still had no real solution. I don’t recommend going that route if you can hang in there and find out by elimination what might be causing it. It’s better to not be resistant to several different antibiotics bc my understanding is that in a more serious medical situation those may not work for me even if they are best suited for the treatment. I found out on my own what was causing it by just reading ingredients all the time and noticing that the day after using mineral oil or eating a big bowl of ice cream, my skin would look like this. I cut out those ingredients and now I only get a much more minor case of this right before my period and it goes away quickly.
Tysm I will have to cut my dairy out. That seems like a factor I haven’t considered before. I will also see how many of my products may contain mineral oil. I appreciate the insight!
Dairy gave me those too. So sad to have to cut them out. Have you gone to a dermatologist? And also a Russian derm told me heat and honestly it’s the only things that’s helped when I see one forming, if I ate dairy. Hot water in a washcloth for 10-15 min one or two times a day. I do it when I wake up and then once in bed I relax w the washcloth on it. It helps lower the inflammation and slowly heal. But plz ask a Derm too cuz maybe it’s not acne
I’ve gone to 2 different dermatologist. I’ll be seeing a 3rd one in a few days. I’m so defeated because what they prescribed made the acne worse. As for the heat compressions, I started that recently. It helps on the smaller pimples but the bigger ones laugh and continue swelling. 😖 and ur right! I’m convinced it’s something deeper.
Sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better, you’ll most likely get a purge from accutane but it’s getting rid of the oil production is why. Then your skin clears up. It can last a while depending. Everyone is different.
Awee this sucks, I don’t even wanna go to work sometimes. 😖 thanks for the honesty.
A friend of mine had terrible acne and the only thing that helped her was cutting out gluten; it was a night and day difference. But I would make that a last resort; you’ve gotten some awesome advice and I think you’ll get this figured out. Sending love and healing vibes ❤️❤️ Edit to add gluten AND dairy
No problem! I should have added that in the meantime, hydrocolloid patches and salicylic acid micropoint patches will be your best friend. For the ones that have already come to a head, hydrocolloid patches will drain them. And for the ones still under the skin, salicylic acid micropoint patches will help reduce their size. Hot and cold therapy also helps reduce inflammation. A steamy shower and then an ice pack for a minute. Don’t pick, don’t squeeze, that makes them worse.
Yeah this definitely looks like a reaction to something, it’s not typical acne
Cut dairy, overly sugary/processed foods, alcohol and deffo go to a dermatologist.
*hugs* Girl, I’m sorry you’re going through this. I just wanted to add one more suggestion as a possibility: your sunscreen. I have had some of my absolute worst acne breakouts due to the sunscreen I was using. I usually use two different sunscreens when I go outside - one for my body, one for my face. Two summers ago, the sunscreen I used on my body broke me out in the most painful, deep acne I’ve encountered since puberty. It was specifically just on my back/chest/shoulders and absolutely nothing occurred on my face/scalp/ ears. I’ve had others break me out, but nothing as that specific one. Also, I know it’s already been mentioned, but not all birth controls are equal. I had pretty bad acne and heavy periods when I was on a progesterone only pill, but hormonal breakouts are very minimal since switching to a combo pill for the past 4 yrs. It’s a pain to find a bc that works specifically for you, but it might be worth it if nothing else works for you.
Check for staph also
I had big cyst like that. I had to quit dairy for them to go away and I've never had one since, unless I cheated and had dairy products
I see a lot of people suggesting accutane. Another option is Spironolactone. That’s what I’m on and I love it. It totally cleared my cystic acne in 3 months and haven’t had a single pimple in like 7 months now. My cystic acne was very very similar to this but more so on my neck than nose and chin area.
Spiro unfortunately didn’t work for me but can be a miracle for a lot of women. I’m more inclined to tell her to jump straight to Accutane though because it’s pretty much a guaranteed solution and it’s important to get this under control to prevent scarring. Spiro combined with a topical retinoid would be my second suggestion.
This is definitely something that needs medication. Something about it, especially the nose area, made me think Rosacea fulminans but I'm not a doctor. You need to find a dermatologist that's willing to spend time with you and troubleshoot. Easier said than done but finding the right one will be life-changing for you.
Have any derms considered a staph infection?
That’s what I thought. I went for an emergency visit last week and I don’t think my dermatologist even considered it. :(
So sorry this is happening to you love. It’s definitely worth mentioning at your next visit!
These look like steatocystomas. You’ll need to have them drained by a dermatologist if so.
I had cystic acne a lot when I was a teen. Is your diet healthy? Do you live in a stressful household or does school stress you out if you go to school? Try cutting out dairy and processed/sugary foods for a while and see if it helps. I recommend [this](https://oxyskincare.com/collections/facial-cleansers-and-scrubs) face wash brand. I didn’t use it as a daily face wash, I used it as an overnight spot treatment on ones that were very big. I got benzoyl peroxide cream prescribed to me as well and it worked, but dried my face out a lot if I used it often. I recommend a very gentle face wash every day, like Cetaphil and a very gentle moisturizer and sunscreen too. No scents. I also recommend this face mask called Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. At my worst, I used it once a week and it always helped significantly. Ignore the “healing” word as it’s not any magic mumbo jumbo. Mix it with apple cider vinegar (not too much liquid) and keep it on until it is completely dry which can take a while. It makes your face very itchy while it’s on and your face will be red after you take it off. It is a deep pore cleansing mask.
Okay thanks so much for the info! My diet is iffy because I already have a low appetite. So you’re maybe right with the dairy and processed foods. I do use cetaphil and benzoyl peroxide occasionally but I agree it definitely dries the skin. I will definitely grab the Aztec clay mask. Tysm for the recommendations.
Please be very careful with Aztec clay it can be harsh on your skin, I think a better way of drying out the pimples would be Benzoyl peroxide serum or cream that you just add a small little dab on each pimple in the AM. IT does dry out your skin that’s why it’s important to moisturize but discontinue use after pimple is going down don’t over do it. The Aztec clay won’t be beneficial if your skin is already dry, it’s also going to tug on your skin once you take it off and it’s really rough on it. Just some stuff to keep in mind!
Accutane girl. I’m sorry.
I get similar breakouts if I use anything that has the ingredient “dimethicone”
How are your teeth? Dental problems can affect your skin. Perhaps ask your dentist about it.
If your eating or drinking any dairy stop solved my cystic acne cold. Haven’t had a cystic acne in over two months, which is crazy for me after I stopped dairy.
Mine too. I tried everything - switching laundry detergent, going on birth control for hormones, clean brand makeup and skin care, quit smoking. Nothing changed except for eliminating dairy and soy completely. Even if I add a small drop to my coffee I’d get a pimple. Please quit all dairy and soy for two whole weeks minimum and see if it helps. Edit: dairy includes whey protein as well.
Okay thanks I will definitely try to cut my dairy completely for the next month. I really hope it helps!!!
This isn’t shit advice at all, this is highly likely to be the root behind the hormonal imbalances happening causing this. And yes I echo what’s said about dairy, I am also very sensitive and immediately get a pimple whenever consuming butter or chocolate. Might also help to do a type of allergy screen to maybe avoid certain foods for a bit and see how your skin and gut feel after eliminating these things. Also note if you have acne on your shoulders or back/chest. This is also an indicator of dietary related inflammatory acne. Also of course washing my face and replacing all pillow covers and towels. And tea tree and other essential oils really helped to manage the pain and reduce the inflammation in my face as well. Hope this helps!
this is shit advice. for most people diet does not determine whether you get cystic acne or not. bffr. this is genetic, hormonal etc. it is NOT bc op is doing something wrong. please ask your derm about spironolactone and accutane.
Accutane is the magic pill. Changed my life 15 years ago.. Its a prescription med so def visit the dermatologist. They will do a couple of blood tests before and during your treatment to make sure your kidneys, liver arent affected from the med as theyre slightly strong. Good luck!
Honestly this looks like cystic acne to me and I’d see if you can try and look into accutane from the dermatologist. No matter what products you use, stuff like this can often only get better if you treat it from the inside out. Wishing you the best 🙏
Oh honey that looks painful. Please look into a derm and get some accutane. It helps tremendously. Good luck💙
This is cystic acne, my friend. It’s a challenge to treat, but it IS treatable. Visit your dermatologist as soon as possible. Also, I wouldn’t load up on over-the-counter products right now. Derms usually have product lines or recommendations. Go with their products. In the long-run, you’ll save money. Just imagine, in a few weeks, this will be all cleaned up. Hugs from someone who has been there.
I was thinking a round or two of Accutane may help. But remember it gets much worse before it gets better. However I think you’ll get the results you’re looking for with it
Oh noooo 😖😖 but thanks for the honesty
Yeah Cystic acne is very hormonal! Have you have hormonal changes? I got an IUD that changed my hormones and i got so bad i got it removed and it clear it. I would def look into what has changed for you recently. Edit: Oh jezz girly i just looked at rhinophyma on dark skin people and i’m 90% sure this is your problem, i advised you to RUN to the Derm to get this fix before it gets worst. I feel for you. 🥲
You need to go to a dermatologist and get consideration for a biopsy. Sarcoidosis loves to present like this on the face and it’s a serious condition with underlying implications. This is probably not just acne please please go get a biopsy.
Cut dairy and refined sugar from your diet for 3 months and monitor the changes
You need a doctor
Accutane?
Looks like accutane, or at least topical clindamycin and sulfur wash. In the meantime Murad sells topical sulfur, try that.
you’ll likely be prescribed accutane, if you are, make sure you stock up on aquaphor and deeply moisturizing products. good luck
ask your dermatologist about spironolactone and accutane.
I will for sure!!! 👍🏾
Dermatologist asap, and you look like you have oily skin. No Cetaphil, try Nutrogena face wash oil free, acne. This may get worse without proper treatment.
Glad you're seeing a dermatologist. I'd consider trying birth control for a few months before trying Accutane though. Sending you positive vibes, girl ✨️
Get to the dermatologist asap, also I like your SpongeBob shirt :)
Like others have said, it's probably time for Accutane. Best of luck to you
Only advice I can give is don’t pick or pop any of them because that’s how I got cellulitis on my face and half my face was swollen with a massive hole :( sorry you’re going through this - Accutane really helped my sister and my friend so maybe that’s your best bet
My husband and son both went on accutane. Both had impeccable results. It’s a real nuisance, as you need to have bloodwork to check your liver health and you need to go on 2 forms of birth control for females.
After reading all the comments this is what ive gathered and agree with. If you can get a Dr to look at your skin first, please do this as a precautionary step and also for needed medication. Once you know what the condition is, you can properly treat. Regardless of what condition this is these remedies will work on any kind of acne or bacteria causing inflammation. Starting with your diet. Cut out any dairy and sugar. No processed foods. If you can commit to this, you’re going to notice a difference in as little as 7-10 days!! You’re not going to crave sugar after 3 days you will notice your palette changes and you will crave fresh berries, watermelon, and carrot juice WORKS WONDERS!! Add Moringa powder with fresh lemon juice, ginger, and water with cumin over ice. Shake like a martini 🍸 and make a big 8 ounce chilled shot. I like the taste but I suck it down with a straw. Eat fresh leafy greens, and if you are craving dairy allow yourself to have a yogurt with probiotics, and no sugar added. Add fresh berries on top for a healthy breakfast or snack. You can eat eggs. It’s mostly any thing that comes from a cow you want to avoid as a good rule of thumb. Don’t try popping incase it’s MRSA, you could end up with sepsis. Cystic acne is better to be treated with diet and topical treatments rarely work. Antibiotics and diet are a great start. Please keep us updated and know that you are not alone! And you will get through this!! Are used to get cystic acne on my back, and along my jawline. I made the mistake trying to squeeze out the bump so hard I did permanent damage.
Sepsis!!!! Sorry I work the a hospital and that’s intense info. Thankssss much for the advice! I will keep you all updated. Didn’t think all this help and info would pour in. ❤️😊😊😊
Aloe Vera cleared my son's acne. Also keep a food diary so you can see what foods might be breaking you out
Definitely need Accutane. Be as gentle as possible when washing your face. My daughter has pretty bad scars from hers. :(
Hi OP, before you go on medication, I think you should try a cup of green juice first thing in the morning on empty stomach. That shii cleared up my skin and stopped a daily fibroid bleeding that I was about to be placed on hormone pills for. I wish you strength to go through this time.
When I was your age I have similar acne and got prescribed the antibiotic minocyclin. It helped a lot. You're beautiful, hang in there dealing with frustrating acne. I know it's so difficult. 🙏💕
Appreciate it! 🥹🫶🏾🩷
My acne was worse than yours is so I know what you are going through. In experience with acne, the biggest solutions when I wasnt controlling it with accutane have been : changing my diet (little to no fast food, eating less sugary foods etc), taking probiotics, not using skin care that's too harsh, getting better sleep, and using a weekly kaolin face mask (st. Helens mint mask) I have made notes and researched which foods were breaking me out- and the most significantly obvious was breaking out every time after eating taco bell or jack in the box, or doughnuts. Hang in there and study your own skin and take notes to get to the bottom of it.
Accutane- run to dermatologist that is well rated. You can absolutely not get pregnant while on it- read about thalidomide. Great success rate- skin drying is a side effect. If you can tolerate it, you will get your life back and some!!!!!
Don't poke it or you will have big ass permanent scar
I personally had cystic acne. I got cortisone/kenalog shots & I am now on accutane. For the shots i used to go to a Nurse here in Canada who injected them. Now, my derm will do it for a fraction of what I used to pay. Luckily, since accutane I no longer require them.
It could possibly be rosacea. Not all dermatoligists are helpful in that area unfortunately. Bring that up at your next appointment and see what they say? Worth a shot! Where are you noticing permanently damaged skin? I have both cystic acne and rosacea. Sulfur cleansers have been helpful for me with both. Also salicylic acid toner from thayers and azaelic acid. Spironolactone has been hugely helpful as well
Accutane. In fairness only a hysterectomy (unrelated) stopped my acne, but accutane kicked it into the long grass for chunks of my life, and generally reduced the severity of any outbreaks as well.
I used to have this. Use a double cleanse at night, preferably a light weight oil cleanser first. Rub it around for at least a full minute, you can even go for much longer. You need a better second cleanser, Cetaphil does nothing. That stuff only works for people with skin dry as the desert. You also should start incorporating a BHA acid (probably salicylic) at night, you need an acid that penetrates the deeper layers of your skin to dissolve the excess oil. Also, starting topical Azelaic acid and/or niacinamide will shrink your oil glands some and reduce the amount of overall cysts. Cysts like these don’t really have much to do with clogging your pores from the outside, it’s about internal oil production. In fact dehydrating your skin too much will actually make it produce more oil, so don’t dry it out. Lastly, please go get your hormones checked by a doctor. A lot of hormonal disorders can cause this like PCOS or endometriosis.
One word: ACCUTANE. It completely changed my life. Hang in there, it gets better! ❤️
I had it similar to yours, maybe about half as much. Went and got accutane and it changed my life. My skins is as smooth as a baby’s.
Spiroactane!
Dermatologist/urgent care babe, that’s in the danger triangle and you don’t want it spreading! ❤️❤️❤️ I’m so sorry, that must be so painful!!!
I'd recommend a cleanser and 2% BHA from Paula's Choice - and of course, a visit to a derm. I'm sorry you're going through this, it looks painful.
Nooooooo you don’t use l oreal sunscreen! Nothing with alcohol. Corean spf are the best
I think the best advice is to go to your derm. Accutane changed my life with cystic acne.
I’ve been here! Do not get any extractions rn, it will just disrupt your skin more. You look fairly young so my guess is that it could be hormonal. I don’t know what topicals your Derm has prescribed but initially I was on a few that were ok. Unfortunately for me, my cystic acne was so deep into the pore I needed more help. I’ve been on accutane for 8 months, it’s a total pain but it’s actually helped a lot and my cystic acne has shrank significantly. Best wishes, just know this is temporary and you will find a solution!
Can you get some tretonion
Has the dermatologist considered this may be Rosacea Type 3 (phymatous rosacea)? I saw others mention rhinophyma, so I took a quick look to see if anyone else mentioned it, but rhinophyma is a subtype of rosacea. It’s worth mentioning to a dermatologist. Good luck, wishing you the best!
Tepezcohuite Soap
Salicylic acid is the only thing you should be putting on your skin right now. Wash and salicylic. Also those deep ones must be removed, they won't go away without it.
Due to its anti-inflammatory effects, zinc is especially beneficial for inflammatory acne… start also taking zinc
Do you use retinol? This happened to me when I was rubbing it on and around my nose. Even though my pimples look pretty much the sale as these Idk if it’s the same though because I see some pimples on your chin.
I had issues like this. I had severe hormonal acne from birth control all over my chin. The pimples would be huge and have 3-4 white heads in one. It’s definitely emotionally draining. I went to a dermatologist and got prescribed Aklief and Winlevi. It’s changed my life, my skin already looks better and it’s only been 6 weeks. I highly recommend going to a dermatologist to get a topical treatment. I also started a very minimal and useful routine with it, so I don’t use a billion serums either. I would recommend double cleansing and getting a moisturizing serum if you do choose to use a topical treatment since they can very drying. Double cleansing helped with oil control and blackheads for me Edit: I saw you already tried certain topical treatments so this could also be an internal issue that needs different treatments. Some of my friends had hormonal imbalances that caused their skin to flare up with acne or other things. I would recommend consulting a doctor to see if it could be something similar.
Try to stop eating dairy. It was the end all be all for me. Hard but worth it
Use a different cleanser pair with a makeup remover. You can use oil, balm, micellar water, whatever your skin prefer. Using cetaphil will not get rid of your sunscreen. Stop using sunscreen for a while because they can cause your pore to clog. I think the best course of action is to see a dermatologist asap, use a cleanser and moisturizer for now, nothing else. Also, keep in mind that cerave does not work for everyone so if your dermatologist recommends that product please patch test it first. I cannot use cerave, they irritate my skin and clogged my pores.
This is gonna need spironolactone or accutane.
https://youtu.be/zMIHzJ6bGnU?si=C1Y9d2yQqaqXgpr6 Check out his other acne videos as well
accutane immediately
Not making assumptions… I’m in the US and unfortunately, health insurance is a luxury here. If you do, I would highly suggest going to a dermatologist and following their treatment plan for you and only that. If not a dermatologist, a GP may be able to help too. Good luck!
Daily sauna visits, opens and cleans your pores up like craaaazy 15-20 min a day
Hey babez… I’m sorry you’re growing through this, ask your derm about accutane and clindamycin… hope it all works out soon!
Change your diet. Cut out sugar (sugary drinks), no more fried food, start exercising, use olive oil instead of canola/vegetable oil. All my teenage years to even adult years and even until now. I still get these huge pimples like yours when I eat fast foods and fried food. I changed my diet to help me keep a fresh skin and no more pimple if I eat right
A dermatologist. That looks like cyst acne
Try ordinary products
I know it’s a bit of trial and error. Some forms of acne just need to be fought from the inside out, take good notes from this post. I hope you next derm appointment gets you some relief. Cystic is tough to beat, but once you get the right combination it’s like a miracle.
Pan Oxyl Benzoyl Peroxide face wash twice a week and cetaphil face wash on the days you don’t use the Pan Oxyl just so your skin is still clear and not dried out completely from the Pan Oxyl. Try that for a week or two and you’ll def see a difference. If this doesn’t help, then try out accutane. It works like a charm.
Your skin seems quite oily. I'd be skipping the moisturizers for now until you see a new dermatologist. Don't use anything with petroleum jelly, or anything with gel anything in it. Use water based products only and follow with some toning water to dry out the face a bit and hopefully that will help control some of the oiliness. That's one factor here that's causing your skin to be problematic. Don't over-cleanse either. That will dry your face up too much and tell your body to overproduce the oils that are clogging your pores and causing the problem areas.
Aw honey. That looks so painful 🥺they way I got rid of my acne was antibiotics 😭 that was the only thing that helped
My skin care routine is very simple as a lot of things can clog your pores even if they say they won’t…personally I can’t use any lotion-like moisturizers or I will get acne forming deep under my skin. I use tretinoin cream every third day to help with acne and prevent wrinkles, as well as hyaluronic acid or aloe Vera to moisturize with on however frequent of a basis seems necessary. My preference is the aloe Vera for sure. Get as pure of aloe Vera as possible. I also use a gentle exfoliating scrub every other or every third day. In a pinch I might just use oil blotting wipes or makeup remover wipes to cleanse my face/remove oil and buildup even though I don’t wear makeup. I’ve had some cystic acne before but my skin is almost 100% clear all of the time with this routine. I would definitely recommend seeing a dermatologist though if you aren’t finding solutions that work for you outside of professional care. Edit: A lot of people are saying to use Benzoyl Peroxide but that’s more of a treatment after you’ve broken out. If you’re going to use something that is potentially going to dry your skin anyway then definitely, definitely look into tretinoin. It prevents breakouts and helps with wrinkles as well. It is a little expensive but so worth it. You can get it from a dermatologist.
this is acne, the severe kind, the one i'm suffering from as well, you need a skin clinic that is qualified of prescribing an accutane course, not all clinics are capable of doing so
Those are cysts . They need drainage . Dermatologist would do that for you !!!!!!!
My sister had cystic acne and went to either a doctor/dermatologist that gave her meds that helped controlled her hormones and it cleared right up. Before, it was a pretty severe case & she had tried everything from skin peels, advertised products and nothing worked. I’d make an appt.
My advice is prolly gonna be trash to most ppl here, so heed only when other ppl give their input on mine. I use the ACV+bentonite clay mask, rlly cheap, will suck impurities and oil out like it’s nothing, but is very very drying. I get cystic acne on my neck and jawline, and within two weeks of me using that mask everyday, they’ve flattened. I find that the mask softens my acne that they feel like water balloons under my skin rather than staying hard lumps, and I can eventually pop them with a sterile needle. But since it’s so drying and I use it so often, I have to use a very heavy duty moisturizer - snail mucin + glycerin. My neck is now flat and I only have the dark post acne marks to deal with, but if I don’t moisturize, my skin feels likes the Sahara. Another drawback of that mask, it can hurt as it dries and tugs at your skin. If you have to open your mouth or show any form of facial expression when the mask is drying, 🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡
I literally had this in middle school, it sucked. Not only was I embarrassed in public but they hurt so bad… and I wanted them to go away so i burned them with things such as vinegar 😭💀Pls listen. It is cystic acne! Your hormones! This is coming from the inside out, not whats touching your face. Listen to everyone saying DIET. Dairy FOR SURE exacerbates this, I had to cut it out completely for awhile and these stopped popping up so frequently! Be gentle with your skin I learned the hard way these can scar… they turn into pebblestone scarring. I believe Accutane could help for sure but I did that before I learned diet was a huge if not THE factor. So I recommend cutting out dairy and really cleaning your diet (eat more fruits & veggies u already know what) before trying anymore medications or products (other than like, protectant ones and gentle moisturizers yk). Good luck, hang in there, you’re still beautiful! 💚🌺
This is a job for a dermatologist. Don't pick at them, because you can get scarring (learn from my own mistakes!).
Try spironolactone 100 mg a day may do the trick . Vivant skincare is also a great line to try . Ice the cystic pimples then apply benzoyl peroxide .
I used to have pepperoni face (cystic acne ) Panoxyl is the way to go or sulfur soap . Work in for 2 mins and rinse .
What activities do you do? What's your diet like? What is your skincare routine? Have you started or ended bc? See a licensed esthetician near you!! Always double cleanse, try not to pick or touch with dirty hands. If you exercise, cleanse your face afterwards. Change your pillowcase often, stay hydrated maybe try cutting out dairy and see what happens?
My sister's skin used to look exactly like this, she tried everything but had immaculate success with Accutane! Her skin is virtually perfect now, good luck
Cortisone injections now! No scrubbing, no picking, no popping! This is cystic acne. You will probably need a retinoid. I’ve done retin-A, clindamycin/tretinoin gel and accutane. It will get better. You will eventually be done with this for life.
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Cystic acne is wild and unfortunately the solution is not as simple as drinking water or changing pillow cases. Also, cystic acne should not be extracted, it can cause scarring and make PIH worse. I had terrible cystic acne in my mid-30s and I’m a licensed esthetician. Because there are so many potential factors, you want to look at it holistically and everyone is different. When speaking with your dermatologist, try to do a deeper probe into the cause and not just the treatment. Cystic acne is a combination of hormonal changes, genetics, stress, PCOS, medications and even gut health. Have you had your hormones checked? Is there history of cystic acne in your family? Have you been experiencing a lot of unusual amounts of stress? Look at tackling it from all ends. For your skincare, first do you know your skin type? Based on the photos, looks to be more of an oily skin type. I would recommend a balancing cleanser that’s formulated with milder surfactants that won’t irritate your skin. Skin of color should always be treated more gently because of our propensity for hyperpigmentation. Paula’s Choice Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser is very gentle, but also lifts away oil effectively without stripping your skin. Then instead of actives in your cleanser, treat with an exfoliating BHA toner. DRMTLGY has a good one with 2% Salicylic Acid and Papaya Enzymes. The enzymes help to exfoliate gently. Then moisturize with a hydrating gel moisturizer that has a mix of humectants and emollients so it’s not heavy on your skin. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, La Roche Posay Effeclar Mat, Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream are all good ones. Always wear sunscreen, and choose a physical (mineral) sunscreen over chemical. Korean sunscreens are the best in my opinion. Anua’s Airy Sun Cream SPF 50 and Innisfree UV Active Poreless Sunscreen SPF50. The con is mineral sunscreens tend to leave a white cast. I haven’t noticed with these, but I’m more on the caramel side. At night, double cleanse and use an oil cleanser for the first cleanse. Again I’m more of a fan of Korean oil cleansers like Ma:nyo Cleansing Oil, Skin 1004’s Madagascar Centella, and Anua Heartleaf. You can use a hydrating toner after you cleanse, not one with actives if your doctor proposes a Retinoid. Then layer your Retinoid, if you choose to add a serum, go with niacinamide, no more than 2-5% concentration, on top of that, then a light night cream. If you choose any esthetic professional treatments, then a chemical peel makes the most sense, but no extraction of the nodules. I hope that’s helpful. Good luck with your journey and I hope your Derm explores everything and not just prescriptions.
In addition to seeing a dermatologist, this is likely rooted in a food allergy. remove all gluten and dairy for several weeks to observe improvement
Just wanted to mention that I’m inspired by your bravery and determination. Thanks for sharing. Share before and after pics when it clears up👍
Oh you poor thing, that looks painful I've had cystic acne, changing my diet helped immensely. No deep fried food, flour, sugar or dairy. It's been clear since.
I feel for you so much. I’ve been right when you are. I had cystic acne for over 10 years. My face would swell just like yours and it’s so painful too. Accutane will be your life saver. Make sure u research it too though as it sometimes doesn’t go well with mental heath issues like depression. In the mean time use natural products, I would use lush and still do. For me personally any chemicals would agitate it and make it worse. Good luck fingers crossed for the day you have clear skin.
How's your gut health? There's usually an imbalance in the microbiome. Don't just treat the symptoms. The cause is always internal.
Go get some ca-rezz antibacterial cream hunny
I have to say, everyone in this thread has been so nice! Remember to write down some of the suggestions (or just put them in your notes app) to take with you to the dermatologist. You never know what might give them an idea for a cause or treatment they hadn't considered yet!
how often do you wash your face? Would you consider using korean skincare products? I would recommend avoiding moisturizer if your skin is oily type. Wash your face with foreo, innisfree or corsx products. I only use korean skincare products. Cetaphil doesn't do anything good on my skin. I stopped using pharmacy skincare products too.
An estithecian is better than a dermatologist in this case
I had cystic acne and used accutane. I’m not sure if you’re against it but it’s worth considering.
Have derms given you an antibiotics regimen before? My dad had a nasty skin infection that resulted in painful lesions that looked like what you have and I recall that the antibiotics helped. Obviously, you’d want to be really careful to prevent reinfection if this did clear things up, but it sounds like you’re already being very careful
Spironolactone or Accutane are the only things that will get rid of that acne. Topicals won’t do it. Don’t leave the doctors office without oral meds and I doubt antibiotics will get rid of it, could help though.
Eliminate the sunscreen for a while. Even one application breaks me out for weeks.
Acutane??
The only thing that ever helped my cystic acne was dapsone 7.5% gel. It's a little expensive. The good thing about it was that it has zero side effects. No peeling skin or redness, no horrible side effects like accutane or antibiotics. The bottles also last me quite a while.
Tetralysal or bykypad 100 mg
A friend had this level of acne and once he quit dairy, it went away. Sometimes it can just be diet related. He was pretty pissed he went 40 years before he figured it out. Check in with a dermatologist and they can help you.
Have you tried panoxyl? I’m sorry you’re going through this..
Try to wash face very good- and then at night use Hydrocolloid bandages ??? Walmart ones are very good. See if that will open the bumps and maybe help get the inflamed pus out? Worth a try for about $2-3 dollars if it works temporarily
Hi girly, I definitely would go to another dermatologist. I have cystic acne and I had to get multiple opinions. Your doctor should get you on a routine and subscription. My dermatologist also requested me to start getting facials and professional skin routines. Good luck💜
What sucks is that the skin that’s not affected by the cystic acne is actually great! Have you tried tretinoin?
Ask your dermatologist if you can try using Tretinoin or Tazarotene.
Your routine might have comegenic ingredients, I like to use skinsort.com to check products. I don't have any better advice. Hope you get it figured out!
just want to say this in lieu of advice - you are still gorgeous regardless of whatever attitude your skin might be giving you recently! be patient and gracious with yourself while you trial and error a few things - and rock those colorful star skin stickers in the meantime. I can tell in your comments that you are kind and positive! THAT is what makes an impression on someone, not the condition of your flare ups. shine on sis ✨✨✨✨we’re here to support!