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Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:06 pm  |
Although sebaceous hyperplasia (SH) has been brought up in a couple different threads (most recently by snypes13 and AnnieR ), I'm hoping that by starting a new thread with the specific subject of SH, more people might chime in.
I'm 52 and have had Grade III acne since I was 10. In addition to all the usual culprits of blackheads, pustules, cysts, and scarring, I've also had SH throughout my life, as well as milia and Fordyce spots.
I've been through just about every possible treatment - antibiotics, Retin A, Differen, Tazorac, Metrogel, topical isotretinoin, Accutane, light therapy, lasers (including a full face Erbium), peels (Obagi Blue, glycolic, salicylic, and TCA), subcision, cortisone injections, dry ice, electric needling, dermabrasion, and dermarolling. I recently started using Paula’s Choice BHA9, which specifically mentions treating SH, but feel it’s too soon to judge results.
Almost everything helped to some degree on the acne and there has been some improvement on the scarring over the years. However, the only time I had significant relief from SH was while on Accutane. Unfortunately, any improvements were temporary.
Since going through menopause, I rarely have active acne but still have plenty of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PHI), nodules, and SH. And now I'm dealing with aging skin on top of it all! I recently read that 1450-nm diode lasers (Smoothbeam) can help SH, but I’m reluctant to put more time and money into lasers, as I haven’t found them to be very helpful. The Erbium laser treatment was very expensive and painful, with the most noticeable result being a demarcation line along my jaw line.
My current regimen includes antioxidants, CP, Retin A, Vit C, and rolling. I’ve only done two 1.5 mm rolls, so I can’t tell yet if that will help. Topical isotretinoin is hard to get, and I didn’t use it long enough to see if it would really help, plus I’m reluctant to use something that strong indefinitely.
Does anyone have any comments, suggestions, experiences to share? |
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Sun Dec 02, 2012 5:46 am |
I also suffer from SH. Like you, I've tried most things, specifically, Retin-A, Lactic Acid peels, and a couple of laser treatments. Plus I'm currently using the Philips ReAura Laser at home. I have never found anything to be an outright cure - sometimes I think I have got rid of the lumps, only to see them come up again. I've also done allot of research on the net and the general consensus seems to be that SH is very hard to get rid of - Erbium laser is usually recommended by derms.
But it's not all doom and gloom, I do still have the condition, but the bumps aren't nearly as obvious as they used to be. When I look in a magnifying mirror and can still see lots of tiny ones, but they're not obvious to the naked eye. I have found that avoiding heavy creams and using oils has also helped. |
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Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Sun Dec 02, 2012 4:43 pm |
Thanks for the response, Kielu. I've read many of your posts in other forums, and you seem very knowledgdable, so I'm confident that if you've tried so many things, I'm not missing anything obvious.
It is very frustrating. Fortunately, they seem to be reducing themselves now that I've gone through menopause. One benefit of aging, I guess!
Did you try both Retin-A and Differen? There was some speculation that Differen was better for SH, but I never found any follow-up.
I recently started OCM and just stepped up my rolling routine, so I'm hoping I'll see more improvement soon.
Thanks,
Jwaduveev |
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Sun Dec 02, 2012 5:03 pm |
No, I have never tried Differen, only Retin-A. Why is it supposed to be better than RA?
I agree that SH is a very frustrating thing - and all the derms I've spoken too haven't been much help at all. I've resigned myself to just keeping it under control rather than getting rid of it entirely. I also use OCM - oils, in general, seem to be much better for handling SH. I find that oils don't "feed" the lumps like heavy creams do.
I'm also liking what the Philips ReAura Laser is doing for my skin. It is also helping to control the lumps - so you might want to look into that too. |
_________________
Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:46 pm |
When adapalene came out, there was some speculation that it might work better on SH but I'm not sure why. When I tried to find something on it just now, I couldn't. Maybe the hope was that because it was less irritating than RA, it could be used for longer periods.
While looking up that info, I found a site that referred to SH as a form of rosacea. I hadn't heard that before.
I've been following the Tria laser thread; I'll check out the ReAura thread as well. Thanks for the tip! |
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Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:08 am |
Yes, my derm has me on the Differin for the SH. She said it was a gentler form of retin-A for those with rosacea who could not tolerate it.
I am having a hard time though as it made me break out really bad and peel. So we are on an adaptation schedule of every third night and my finacea every night in between.
They are smaller but still there. It may take longer since I cannot use it every day.
If this does not do it, she will do a short dose of accutane for me. |
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Joined the 50 club several years back, blonde w/ fair/sensitive skin, Texas humidity and prone to rosacea, light breakouts and sunburns, combo skin type, starting to see sundamage and fine lines |
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havana8
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Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 3451
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Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:54 pm |
Fabulous information - thanks Havana.
I just did a quick Google search of Lytic products and found these: http://www.lovelyskin.com/products.asp?MID=489
I don't have the time now, but later on I'll go through the links more thoroughly. I have never heard of Lytic products before but they definitely look worth a try.
ETA: Looks like they get a good review on MakeupAlley: http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp?ItemId=97125 |
_________________
Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:18 pm |
Thanks for posting the links, Havana. I'm excited to see this info - I hadn't heard anything new about SH in quite some time.
My SH improved after going through menopause, so it would seem like there must be some hormonal involvement, but perhaps it's linked to overall sebum production rather than specific to SH.
I checked out the ingredient list in Lytic, and saw that salicylic acid (SA) was the primary active ingredient. I've usually had a good response to SA toners and peels. I started oil cleansing method (OCM) not long ago and hadn't felt anything come out. Then just last week, I added a little SA to my oil mix, and did start feeling plugs coming out.
I read somewhere that Lytic also has azelaic acid, but I didn't see it on the ingredient list. I'm just starting to learn ingredients, though, so maybe I missed it. I'm looking forward to hearing anything Keliu discovers about Lytic.
Annie, I hope the Differin works out for you. Accutane did help a lot for me, but only as long as I was taking it. Once I stopped, the SH came back, although not quite as bad as it was before. I toyed with the idea of taking a maintenance dose of Accutane but ultimately decided it had too many negative side effects for me to want to take it long term. |
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Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:28 am |
I am going to check into the Lytic as well but I may wait a bit as I don't want to start anything else new.
Let me know how it works out for you. |
_________________
Joined the 50 club several years back, blonde w/ fair/sensitive skin, Texas humidity and prone to rosacea, light breakouts and sunburns, combo skin type, starting to see sundamage and fine lines |
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Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:27 pm |
| AnnieR wrote: |
I am going to check into the Lytic as well but I may wait a bit as I don't want to start anything else new.
Let me know how it works out for you. |
The Lytic products just seem to contain Salicylic Acid - which isn't exactly a ground-breaking treatment. I definitely think that acids should be used by SH sufferers - but I don't see them as a cure. BTW, last time I was at the derm's office he treated many of my lumps with an Erbium Laser, and even this didn't fix them - I tell you, they're indestructible!
I wonder why Accutane clears them up but they come back when you stop taking it. What effect on the body does Accutane control? Sebum production? |
_________________
Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:56 pm |
| Keliu wrote: |
I wonder why Accutane clears them up but they come back when you stop taking it. What effect on the body does Accutane control? Sebum production? |
Maybe it has something to do with the massive amount of Vit A that Accutane has in it. Of course that much Vit A is hard on the body too. |
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Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it |
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Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:39 pm |
Apparently Accutane does limit the amount of sebum produced by the sebaceous glands - but when you stop taking it, the body must revert to its old habits.
What I don't understand is I would say I have dry not oily skin, so why do I suffer from this issue? I also think it's strange that I do so much better from using facial oils than using heavy creams. |
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Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Thu Dec 06, 2012 7:31 am |
When I created this thread, I accidentally posted it in the Skincare and Makeup forum, rather than in the DIY forum as I had intended.
Immediately after posting and before anyone had responded, I asked a moderator to move the thread to DIY. The move just occurred, so I’m sorry for any confusion this caused. |
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Thu Dec 06, 2012 7:34 am |
I always assumed SH affected those with oily skin, but obviously, I was wrong! I’ve had it since I was about 10 years old and was surprised to learn that SH emerges most commonly in middle age, a time when oil production is generally slowing.
SH is generally referred to as a ‘disorder of the sebaceous gland’ as opposed to an over-production of sebum, which is what I initially assumed. This is pure speculation on my part, but perhaps the disorder is more related to the glands ability to expel the sebum or the quality of the sebum rather than the quantity. Since the sebum isn’t being released to the rest of the face for general lubrication, that might cause SH to contribute to dry skin. Just a thought…
I’m not going to try Lytic at this time. Like Keliu says, it doesn’t seem to be anything really new. I’m having good success with OCM with a little salicylic acid mixed in, and I’m also responding well to the Paula’s Choice BHA 9 product, so I’ll stick with that for now. If anyone else tries it, though, I’d love to hear what they think.
Lytic also contains azaleic acid, but it was far enough down on the ingredient list that I wonder how much effect it has. In my recent readings, I have seen SH listed as a rosacea subtype. I hadn’t heard that before, so now I need to read up on rosacea. I do have some Finacea, so perhaps I’ll add that into my treatment plan as well. |
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havana8
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Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 3451
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Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:30 am |
That was amazing Havana! What is that thing exactly?
I was told the reason that Accutane works is that it shrinks the pore internally.
Mine did not start until I hit menopause, ugh.
As Keliu said, the laser did not work. I even had a "redo" but all that did was leave more red spots and they all came back.
I have also done the wart spot remover on them (which is the basic SA). That works pretty well, just leaves a red spot, is time consuming and they did come back. |
_________________
Joined the 50 club several years back, blonde w/ fair/sensitive skin, Texas humidity and prone to rosacea, light breakouts and sunburns, combo skin type, starting to see sundamage and fine lines |
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havana8
Moderator
Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 3451
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Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:26 pm |
Hi Annie, It seems to be a unit with probes. Here are a few descriptions explaining how it works:
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The Lam Probe works on the principle of radio vaporization by various probes. High frequency/radio frequency technology utilizes a current that is attracted to liquids on the skin surface. This technology enables rapid and precise removal of minor epidermal irregularities such as broken capillaries, cherry angiomas, skin tags and sebaceous hyperplasia (inverted oil glands). The number of treatments required will vary depending on the individuals and the areas being treated.
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The Skin Classic High frequency technology for the rapid removal of minor skin irregularities such as telangiectasis, spider naevi, cherry angiomas, fibromas, skin tags, hyperpigmentation, milia, cholesterol deposits and acne pimples. The Skin Classic treatments are quick, and may not even touch the surface. Small skin tags or blood spots disappear immediately and hyper pigmented areas such as liver or "age spots" take only a few seconds. There is minimal discomfort for the client and healing time is short, from a day or two and skin tags to a few weeks for larger skin abnormalities such as fibromas.
Treatments are usually only necessary once. No laser needed! |
So it seems the Skin Classic is also similar (or the same?) as the Lamprobe device. There are a few pics of the Skin Classic device here: http://www.rnfaces.com/catalog/c3_p1.html |
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Fri Dec 07, 2012 4:44 pm |
I would certainly love to have a treatment with the Lamprobe. Thanks for all this information Havana, it's all very enlightening.
I have also never heard SH referred to as "inverted oil glands" - so maybe there's a "physical" (if that's the right word) aspect to the problem.
BTW, I have also had a number of sebaceous cysts removed from my face (a couple when I was quite young) so I feel that I definitely have an issue with my oil glands, "inverted" or not!
Annie - I'm very happy with how the ReAura Laser has smoothed out my skin. It appears to be keeping the lumps at bay. If I peer in a magnifying mirror and stretch out my forehead skin, I can still see quite a few tiny SH - but unless I go searching for them, they don't bother me. Damn those magnifying mirrors!!
ETA: Here's some more information on the Lam Probe. http://skinsolutionsusa.com/lamprobe.html |
_________________
Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:06 pm |
| Keliu, you had mentioned on the HF device thread once that it got rid of your nodules on the decollete, if I remember it correctly.. was it SH or something else? Thank you |
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Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:15 pm |
| daler wrote: |
| Keliu, you had mentioned on the HF device thread once that it got rid of your nodules on the decollete, if I remember it correctly.. was it SH or something else? Thank you |
No, I don't have SH on my chest, only my face. My chest is extremely sun damaged and my main problem in that area is Keratosis spots (I've forgotten the full name but they're the ones caused by sun damage).
I think the HF device does help in refining the skin - but, to be honest, even the ReAura is having an uphill battle with my chest skin. |
_________________
Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:37 pm |
Thanks, again Havanna, for great new information. I’ll definitely look into the Lamprobe soon.
I’m also going to add some azelaic acid to my routine. Since I’m using SA in my OCM, I’m hoping it will act as a kind of generic version of Lytic.
If anyone else tries either the Lamprobe or Lytic, I’d love to hear what they think. I’m excited about having new options! |
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Wed Dec 12, 2012 6:07 pm |
| jwaduveev wrote: |
If anyone else tries either the Lamprobe or Lytic, I’d love to hear what they think. I’m excited about having new options! |
I've just discovered that the clinic which originally diagnosed my SH has the Lamprobe! At the time they recommended the Erbium Laser as a treatment - maybe they didn't have the Lamprobe back then. However, I doubt that I will be doing anything about this until the New Year - but I will definitely keep this treatment in mind.
I have tried Finacea gel in the past but can't say it made a huge difference to my SH. |
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Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:51 am |
| Lucky you! I need to find one here in Austin. |
_________________
Joined the 50 club several years back, blonde w/ fair/sensitive skin, Texas humidity and prone to rosacea, light breakouts and sunburns, combo skin type, starting to see sundamage and fine lines |
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Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:00 pm |
| Keliu wrote: |
| I've just discovered that the clinic which originally diagnosed my SH has the Lamprobe! |
I second Annie – lucky you! I’ve been looking for one in my area, but no luck so far. I’ve had a couple clinics tell me they don’t have the Lamprobe machine but that their hyfrecators are the same thing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case! Hyfrecators are electrocauterizing machines, as opposed to radiofrequency (rf). I’ve tried electrocautery and just ended up with little scars on top of my SH.
Apparently, Skin Classic is an rf device just like the Lamprobe (which I’ve found listed as both Lam Probe and Lamprobe), but I haven’t been able to find that in my area either. I’m still on the hunt, though.
Has anybody tried single-needling SH? Dermarolling seems to have made mine shrink a bit. |
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