Adult acne
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free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:29 am

Hi all - can anyone offer any advice on adult acne - ive always had oily skin and occasional spots, but never acne. As of two years ago, I started using vitamin c powder in my creams (it was hope and a prayer topical it c powder), and as a result, I started getting these raised tiny bumps around my hairline - these are now always there. I assumed it was just congested skin in that area.

A few weeks ago this started spreading to just above my right eyebrow so it almost looks like a rash, and today there are a few tiny bumps over my left eyebrow, and someone pointed out to me that it might actually be acne (I got there after 2 years!!). Does acne always have to be the cystic type, or can it be small raised bumps?

So anyway, can anyone suggest anything for adult acne - does retin-a (retinol?) seem like a good bet?

I also use Avon Clinical Peel pads which are supposed to be like a 35% glycolic peel so would this help if i used it more frequently (every 3 days at the mo)

Any advice appreciated!

free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:17 am

hey mowgli - this may or may not be relevant to your situation, but when you mentioned bumps around the hairline/eyebrows it reminded me of these images from a link I saved
http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/159/1/64.pdf

Haven't read the text (and the science may not be the most up to date), and pics are from an adolescent study, but the fungal bumps/zits shown also affect adults (I think the lucky girl in the pics has both bacterial acne and fungal pityrosporum folliculitis)

Anyways, hope you work out the problem. Just offering up another line of investigation (pityrosporum folliculitis) if other options don't work.

Unfortunately, I've had to do much googling on fungal and other nasty microbes, due to some annoying skin issues myself (body not face)

free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:12 pm

wow appletini - this looks really similar to what I have! Its not as severe in my case, as its just round the hairline, but it looks like it is spreading, which would fit with it being a fungal infection..

..that actually sounds really gross..

Embarassed

I think I need to get this confirmed by my doctor maybe, and I guess its not all bad, as at least I know how to treat it now? tea tree oil would be a start?

thanks for the heads up appletini - how did you treat your problem?

free skin care · Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:37 pm

Maybe use a antibacterial toner during the day.

EDS sells Exuviance with is a really good glycolic line.

Tea tree oil stuff is good too!
I just do not like the smell.

I could probably suggest a zillion things,but no idea what your budget is.

I like to get those sample kits before commiting to anything.

Right now I am a "sucker" for spot treatments for blemishes.
My skin is pretty nice- exept for 3 small blemishes (which are probably from putting polysporin on my face for some scratches)

Oh!
I also just remembered EDs sells Dermalogica Clean Start.
it is a line for teens, but I had a sample kit of it and it is very nice!

I was tempted to get it at sephora, but the sales people at the ottawa location were so clueless and told me they did not know when the products were coming in or pricing....

I'd rather shop @EDS over sephora anyday!

free skin care · Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:23 am

Sorry to say I haven't had a lot of luck, and I've tried zillions of different topicals. I'm actually at the stage where I'm considering oral anti-fungals, which I'd rather avoid

Good luck in sorting your problem, whatever it is. Might not be a bad idea to consult a doc, as you say.

Tea tree oil as mentioned by Ottawa could be worth a try, as it's relatively cheap and supposedly has both antibacterial and anti-fungal properties - although I haven't found it to help much in my case unfortunately...

free skin care · Wed Jun 02, 2010 8:30 am

Another topical anti-fungal product to try is Manuka Oil. It is a member of the tea tree family, but is stronger than tea tree. I bought mine on-line and at Whole Foods. I've used it for what must've been a fungus that's been residing on my heels for the last decade. It's worked way better than all the topicals they sell in the pharmacies or tea tree oil. My heels are finally smooth, smooth, SMOOTH! Yaozaa!!

free skin care · Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:06 am

just wanted to post a quick update - I used head and shoulders on my forehead for a couple of days. I didnt get any new bumps, and the spots seemed to be getting smaller. I was using tea tree oil as well, and noticed it was getting a little better.

But in the last few days (5 days or so) Ive been using anti sebum and fungus shampoo with sulphur, and this has totally reduced the bumps. They have flattened out and now I can barely see or feel them. In 2 years Ive tried loads of things, but this is the first time my forehead is starting to feel clear again like it used to be!!

Thanks again appletini, Ive tried all sorts to get rid of these bumps, and in the end all it took was a few days of using a sulphur shampoo. Im a happy bunny!! Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:39 pm

I just got a sample of this brand called Nucelle Mandelic Marine 10% serum.

Did not get any instructions with this item? (was in a sampler of samples from a store).

But I looked it up online and this Nucelle mandelic acid product, the mandelic acid is antibacterial and smoothes the skin.

I have tried using that as a spot treatment during the day on a few blemishes and it did help.

I also got a sample of M2 lotion from my last EDS order, and that line has Mandelic in it and seems good too!

I usually change the spot treatments I use every week or 2 as I do not like to use stuff with acids all the time,
so I also have some tea tree oil face stuff.

I can not remember the name of the face product with tea tree oil, but I know the company makes a white chocolate face mask and they sell it on amazon (and I remember it is a florida based company and the bottle is a pink label....)

free skin care · Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:47 pm

appletini wrote:

Sorry to say I haven't had a lot of luck, and I've tried zillions of different topicals. I'm actually at the stage where I'm considering oral anti-fungals, which I'd rather avoid

Good luck in sorting your problem, whatever it is. Might not be a bad idea to consult a doc, as you say.

Tea tree oil as mentioned by Ottawa could be worth a try, as it's relatively cheap and supposedly has both antibacterial and anti-fungal properties - although I haven't found it to help much in my case unfortunately...

Yep. I have sort of self-diagnosed myself with psf. I saw a dermatologist once who described acne as folliculitis of the face which sort of confuses me in retrospect but maybe he was telling me something without even meaning to. I have been using Nizoral to wash my face and it makes me quite red. Ièd sort of like to go on oral anti-fungals.
Let us know how you decide to manage yours, Ièm quite interested.

free skin care · Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:39 am

I think the brand of natural face stuff I tried, just checked downstairs and it is Nutra Lift!

I also used to use Dermamed brand natural antibacterial balm, and that seems ok-but hate the smell.
It is a Canadian company and I saw on their website they have a supplement for skin health.
It is some Omega flax, something or other.
The supplement sounds very good, I want to try it sometime.

I am not too sure that there is one line that is that great for anything.
But I have finally settled on what two face masks I like...so that is a start for me Smile

Fri Jun 11, 2010 6:22 am

mowgli wrote:

just wanted to post a quick update - I used head and shoulders on my forehead for a couple of days. I didnt get any new bumps, and the spots seemed to be getting smaller. I was using tea tree oil as well, and noticed it was getting a little better.

But in the last few days (5 days or so) Ive been using anti sebum and fungus shampoo with sulphur, and this has totally reduced the bumps. They have flattened out and now I can barely see or feel them. In 2 years Ive tried loads of things, but this is the first time my forehead is starting to feel clear again like it used to be!!

Thanks again appletini, Ive tried all sorts to get rid of these bumps, and in the end all it took was a few days of using a sulphur shampoo. Im a happy bunny!! Very Happy

Mowgli: What's the name of the anti-fungal shampoo with sulfur that you're using? I've had similar problems as yours and would like to give it a try.

free skin care · Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:05 am

mowgli - that's great news!
actually I have the same question as sunflower - which sulfur shampoo are you using? Is it one with selenium sulfide? I've tried a couple with selenium sulfide and hasn't done much for me, although I believe it works for some... including you

free skin care · Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:16 am

callalily - I agree, most of the so-called anti-fungal active ingredients seem to be in fairly harsh "base products", often with very high pH. I also find Nizoral rather hard on the skin.

I actually bought some 200mg ketoconazole a few weeks back but it's still sitting in the cupboard untouched....

free skin care · Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:58 am

i got it off eBay to use on my head (obviously!) as my hair was getting greasy quickly and smelt greasy even after a few hours, I read around and figured it was a fungal thing - maybe the infection spread from my head to my hairline? (it sounds gross!)

At any rate, the bumps have gone and dried up, and am now just in the stages of peeling off the bits of dead skin which were the bumps, under which is my old smooth skin back (touch wood!) YAY! After 2 years - I am chuffed! Very Happy

Its called
SIARKOWA MOC Antibacterial & Antiseborrheic Special Shampoo

Its here too http://dobrekosmetyki.co.uk/antibacterial-antiseborrheic-shampoo-p-74.html?osCsid=fb03292e7cf318e1ed372d82512f4015

PS I apply a thin layer to my forehead in the morning and leave it while I'm brushing my teeth etc (5 min), then just wash off and cream as normal - its taken about a week to get rid of the bumps

free skin care · Fri Jun 11, 2010 11:42 am

What about using a mask with sulfur?

Peter Thomas Roth has a good sounding one,I just dod not try it because there was eucaliptus in it.

Serious skincare has a pretty good sulfur mask, and I was using that one for 10 years Laughing

and until recently I can not use it now because the sulfur seems too strong,and there is some plant stuff in it that was not agreeing with me lately.

I wish I could still use the Serious Skincare mask as it was 1/3 the price of the one I have now.

free skin care · Fri Jun 11, 2010 12:56 pm

DDF makes a sulfur mask that many like. Also proactive and garden of wisdom. I've tried all 3 and DDF was my favorite for a long time but now I like GOW.

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:30 am

GirlieGirl wrote:

DDF makes a sulfur mask that many like. Also proactive and garden of wisdom. I've tried all 3 and DDF was my favorite for a long time but now I like GOW.

Thanks!
I did not know DDF makes a sulfur mask.
I have been using the Badescu drying mask for 1.5 years so far.
And before that Serious Skincare continuously clear mask-that and is nice, and well priced..but does not agee with my skin anymore.

The Badescu mask is good,but I do not like that no % is listed for active products.
The serious skincare one used to be 8% sulfur and that seems a bit too strong for my skin thesedays.

Peter Thomas Roth has a sulfur mask sold here,
and I was kind of interested as the price was good,but i saw it has Eucaliptus and silicones...so I think it might not work for me.

I was somewhat curious about the Proactive mask,but considering it is the same price as what I use now,I am not going to bother with that line.

I guess I'll stick with my boring face mask as everything seems to have too many ingredients that disagree with me.

or maybe I'll just make myown masks again...

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:30 am

the Siarkowa Moc shampoo sounds very interesting, and it seems to come from Poland. I had a look at mowgli's link and though there's not a full ingredients list, the main active anti-fungals seem to be sulfur and climbazole - which I haven't heard of or tried before, and I thought I'd tried everything that was even vaguely rumoured to be a topical anti-fungal. It also looks like it might have a sensible pH level, although actual pH level is not listed. (I have my own crazy mad woman theory on high pH level products and skin microbes)

Am going to have a look around and see if I can find something containing both sulfur and climbazole available locally, as I'm seriously envious of mowgli's results!

free skin care · Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:07 pm

Dr. Hauschka's Rhythmic Night Conditioner helped me in so many ways from dry skin to acne.

Also, for some people, acne could be due to reasons such as constipation...

free skin care · Wed Jun 16, 2010 2:56 pm

appletini look for this shampoo on eBay - thats how I got mine..

The ingredients say sulfur and climbazole, i think these are the main fungus treating ingredients

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