Adult acne....

[IrishEyes]

Well guys, it''s been awhile since I''ve posted - things have been pretty hectic in my life these days. But I still check in from time to time and I still value everyone''s esteemed opinions!!

Here''s my problem, please help me fix it!!

I am under an extreme amount of stress right now. To start with, my husband and I are living in a town that we absolutely despise. It''s a small town in central Illinois and we are just miserable here. We have literally NO FRIENDS here because they have all started families and moved away. DH and I are both from Chicago and desperately want to move back there, but we just don''t have the money just yet. We are currently working on finding decent jobs and a decent place to live up there. Until then, we are stuck here

Then there''s my job. I work in a jewelry store. I''m in sales. The problem is, I HATE SALES. I wish I was a buyer or something, however, you need at least a year of experience with sales before becoming a buyer. And a year is just the bare minimum, you really need 3 years. I love the industry I work in, just not my actual position. My numbers suck and I feel like I am letting down my boss. I know they hired this energetic and enthusiastic person, however when I get on the sales floor, I turn into a mope. I just feel like it is so phony. Every week we have these meetings on how to "sell" people and "tell them what to buy" and "beat your co-worker to the customer at the door" and yada yada. It''s such a con. That''s just not the type of person that I am. So I''m unhappy with that, but, it pays the bills.
ok. My mother is sick. She desperately needs surgery to fix some horrible problems she''s having, but she has no health insurance and in this country, if you don''t have health insurance, you are a joke. THe only way she can have it is if the state pays for it, which for that to happen, she needs to go to a public hospital and wait a very long time. So she keeps going to all these appointments at this ghetto hospital and they still haven''t given her a date for surgery. In the meantime, she''s in alot of pain and it''s hard to watch her go through all this.
There are so many other little things that I don''t need to get into detail about. Long story short: I''m SO STRESSED OUT!!!!!!!!!!

I just feel so exhausted and unhappy. I feel like I am living the American Nightmare. My weight is up and down because of undereating and overeating. I can''t sleep. I feel like a zombie.
So my point. Because of all these problems, I now have HORRIBLE adult acne. I''m not kidding, it is BAD. my chin and the whole right side of my face has literally blown up into a hundred little (and some big) angry-looking red blisters and pimples and such. It''s painful too. I don''t know what to do - as if I didn''t have enough problems! I have to get up an extra 20 minutes earlier for work, just so I can spend extra time covering all the pimples with makeup so I look presentable for work. I feel so self-conscious because you can still see them afterward. I''ve been using 10% benzoyl peroxide on them, but all that does is dry out my skin, but the marks are still there. The worst part is (and NO, I"m not picking them), they are leaving scars!

I DO NOT want a permanently pock-marked face! I''ve NEVER had this problem. I never had acne as a teenager, always had great skin. So I just don''t know what to do. I''m afraid a dermatologist will prescribe me meds that will make me gain weight, which I don''t want either. Has anyone ever had a problem with this??? What did you do to curb it/ get rid of it??
Sorry so long, I''m just in such despair. I feel like my life has become so miserable in such a short period of time. I''m trying so hard to see positives, but it''s hard this time of year to do that! If anyone can help me with my face, I would love you forever!!!

 

[Momoftwo]

First for the adult acne, I had it when I was about 30 and also never had it as a teenager. My dermatologist didn''t put me on medication but prescribed a topical ointment (Persagel sp?) that was a prescription at the time and had me use a face wash that I was still using til the last year or so and havne''t been able to find. I didn''t have a bad case and it went away after less than a year. Don''t be afraid to go to a dermatologist. Tell them you don''t want to take anything other than an antibiotic or something that won''t cause other problems.

Second, from all your other symptoms you sound like you are depressed. Talk to someone about it. Make an appointment with a dr first and get a referral to a good counselor or psychologist and work with them.

 

[IrishEyes]

I''ve heard of the face washes and gels and such. That does sound like a good idea. I will definitely ask about that if I go to the dermatologist.

Regarding the depression - I know I''m depressed, I just simply don''t have time to see a therapist and I actually saw one for about 6 years and stopped seeing him last year. I know I will be ok, I know that once I''ve made a few life changes, this fog will lift. It''s just in the meantime that sucks!

 

[eks6426]

IrishEyes. I''m sorry you''re having such a hard time. Where in central Il are you? When do you expect to be able to move back to Chicago? It does seem like you are depressed and you might want to seek help on that.

On another note, I''m sure all your stress is agravating your skin. As someone who has dealt with adult acne for years...one word of advice: DERMATOLOGIST. Make yourself an appointment and go ASAP. There are a ton of options out there to treat adult acne. If your skin is as bad as you say, the over the counter topical stuff isn''t going to cut it. I could sit here and make recommendations of stuff to try but all of them are prescription based so you''d have to see a dermatologist anyway. So, don''t waste anymore time....GO! Having your skin clear-up might even help your outlook on life.

On another note--what make-up are you using? My acne and rosacea improved dramatically after I started using Bare Minerals foundation. It covers super well. The bisque concealer seems like an "eraser" and works so well that I can''t even see my zits after I use it. This stuff works so well that my dermatologist was actually able to take me off of several of my treatments.

Good luck!

 

[IrishEyes]

Island - I''m near Bloomington, Il. It''s not that it''s a bad town or anything, it''s just that I grew up in Chicago, a city with around 3 million people and 8 million things to do and see and 10 million ways to have a good time! Here, there''s only around 100,000 people, and maybe 10 things to do

after being here for 5 years, I''ve pretty much exhausted all my "good time" options. I''m so bored it hurts!

Are dermatologists expensive? I don''t have health insurance, so this would be coming out of my pocket. That''s another thing I fear. As far as the makeup goes, I use Clinique oil-free foundation. I''ve heard great things about bare esscentials, but it just seems like it would be too sheer or lightweight. I''ve been wearing liquid foundation since I was 13, so it would definitely take some getting used to with the powder! But I''m going to look into it. At this point, I''ll try anything, so long as it doesn''t put a huge dent in my checkbook!

Thanks for all the advice, keep it comin'' guys!

 

[gracie007]

i was on accutane ( sp?) after i tried EVERYTHING else...creams never worked for me...it is some very serious medicine and is only used for serious cases...it did not affect my wieght , just gave me dry skin. I have not had a problem since, and that was years ago.
I hope things look up for you soon.

 

[gracie007]

i''m sorry- i just read yur last post. Accuatne is very expensive without insurance. But i bet if you went to a dermo and told them your situation they could give you something good...and a lot of times they will give you loads of samples

 

[eks6426]

Irish eyes...unfortunately yes dermatologists aren''t normally too bad. In your area around $100 for the first visit and $50ish for subsquent ones. The prescriptions can get expensive. My dermatologist has me on one topical that is around $100...insurance won''t cover it because I''m over 30 but it does last me over 6 months. It sounds to me that you could really use an antibiotic to clean up your skin. There are several antibiotics that are not real expensive. I don''t like to take antibiotics long term, but sometimes a few months on them can make a HUGE difference.

On the make-up. I used Clinique oil free foundation for years too. I really think you should try the Bare Minerals foundation. It really does cover very well...you just build it up in layers....but the end result is that your skin just looks great rather than make-up caked on. You can try it on ebay pretty cheaply. Just make sure you get a kabuki brush..it''s the secret to getting it on right.

Bloomington IL is a huge change from Chicago. You should be able to drive to Champaign...about an hour away for more options. The larger University there helps some.

 

[hlmr]

Hi Irish Eyes:

So sorry to hear that you and your family are going through such a rough time right now. It sounds like stress is certainly responsible for your break outs and you need an outlet to help you feel better. Have you tried exercising of any type to help alleviate your anxiety a bit? Perhaps a brisk walk after work could make a difference.

I do agree that if you could get in to see a dermatologist then that would be your best bet for your skin. I had posted a while ago about the whole adult acne scenario and was given some great advice. It''s called "zits and wrinkles" and sorry, I am not sure how to attach the link.

Take care of yourself,

Heather

 

[diamondsrock]

irish eyes I''m sorry you''re having such a hard time. Things will get better once your situation changes. I''d have to second everyone''s opinion and advise you to see a dermatolgoist. You could spend weeks buying different over the counter stuff and it still might not work. The doctors know what they''re doing and there''s stuff available to them you could never get on your own. It would be worth the money and peace of mind once it''s cleared up. Also, I''ve never tried it but I see ProActive advertised all the time. Maybe someone who''s used that can offer advice on it. Good luck!

 

[pebbles]

Benzoyl peroxide is the strongest thing you can get OTC and it is in a lot of OTC face washes. It is very drying however. PersaGel is available OTC as well but I believe that also has benzoyl peroxide.

All the products I like are rx as well. There are a lot of topical antibiotics that work well for mild-to-moderate acne. There are generics available for a lot of those products as well in order to keep the cost down. There are too many available for me to list, and besides, most derms have their favorite products that they have experience with and like to prescribe.

Not to be nosy, but are you on BC pills? Ortho tri-cyclen is approved for acne as well as BC, and there is a generic available. Sometimes switching BC pills can help.

 

[Blue824]

I think its mostly due to stress, from what you described...but definitely try a dermatologist. Mine is pretty affordable, I have to pay out of pocket up until a deductable (that I never reach!) so he is $60. What has the potential of adding up are the medicines, however, there are so many options, and even the generics, so you should be ok. A lot of the topicals do last for a long time and I''m sure your dr would work with in those requests as well. Also, mine always give me samples before I pay for a prescription so I can try out a topical before I pay $$ for it.

Also, since it is primarily on one side of the face...there might be a couple other factors irritating it as well. Are you touching your face? Resting your hand with out being too conscious of it at work or at home? Also, is that the side of your face you often sleep on? Something I never even thought about was my pillowcases until my dermatologist brought it up one time. I now change mine almost every other day. Sort of excessive, but if you think of everything that gets on a pillowcase (hair products, sometimes make up, oils, etc)...its a good thing!

Good luck, I know how frustrating it is to be dealing with breaking out, especially when you''re dealing with the public on a daily basis.

 

[BrownEyes]

I don''t have time right now to read through your whole post, although I''m sorry for your troubles.


On the topic of adult acne, I used to suffer from excessively oily skin and inflamed, red break-outs. I was in my late 30''s to early 40''s - - unbelievably, my doctor (not dermatologist) prescribed a medicine called Spironolactone which actually binds with the excess oil in your system and flushes it out ...


I''ve been taking Spironolactone for nearly the last 5 years, and the results have been miraculous -- I now have perfectly clear skin and absolutely NO BREAK-OUTS ever - -


Hope this helps and that things begin to go better for you ... for what it''s worth, the caring people on this Forum are a wonderful source for information and support!

* Virtual hug *

 

[marvel]

Hi IE,

I still break out occasionally and I''m 40! I use a facial wash with tee trea oil wich is a great natural anti-bacterial. You can find it at any health food store. I also use St. Ives Medicated Apricot Scrub with salicylic acid. My face stays pretty clear now. I went to a dermatologist a few years back when I needed something more aggressive and he gave me Differin and Klaron. Both are topical. He also gave me tytracyclin, which cleared up the painful acne and is an oral medication.

Good luck!!! And HUGS to you!!

 

[glaucomflecken]

Irisheyes my heart is breaking for you because i went through the EXACT same thing my first year of school. I was SO unhappy and stressed out, depressed, etc. and my face started breaking out with whiteheads that would scar even if i didnt pick them, and sometimes leave open sores i could not even cover with makeup, which made things worse for my depression.

I didnt have insurance at the time, and I was a student, so I didnt have a lot of money. I did a lot of research and found a doctor who was a derm/plastic surgeon for a free consultation. I was SO embarrassed to go without my makeup on. What I did was start a program of antibiotics, retin-a and some hydroquinone skin bleaching creme thing. The creams and things were expensive but lasted a long time. I took oral tetracycline for a while, used topical erythromycin (that was a BIG help) and then the retin-a. Retin-a was horrible when i first used it but noticed a big difference after a while. What they were doing was controlling the breakouts so my skin would be prepped for a skin peel to help lift the scars. I think it took about 5 months or so before i had the peel, but my skin started to get better after about 4-6 weeks, and the peel helped a lot.

Another thing I found that helped big big time control breakouts in the past was birth control. I used ortho tri cyclen. i dont use it anymore (and as soon as i stopped, bam, broke out) but that really helped.

HUGS!

 

[glaucomflecken]

OH my sister used to suffer from acne in HS so bad, she was made fun of and so depressed. She used this soap called Sastid, i dont know if you can get it in the stores anymore but maybe online, it STUNK because its sulfur soap but it made a HUGE HUGE difference for her.

 

[IrishEyes]

Thank you all so much for your replies and sharing your stories! It really helps me! I''m not on birth control, I can''t be on it (long story) so that won''t help. Someone had asked if I touch my face or rest my head in my hands - nope! Actually, the acne is mostly on my right side, but there are some spots on my left. and I''m super-conscious not to touch my hands to my face at all throughout the day. I don''t let my hair fall in my face either, cause I know the oils from your hair can make you breakout. The funny thing is, I don''t even have oily skin whatsoever, never have! My skin has always been considered "normal". It really does make me feel so self-conscious, which really sucks because I lost 30 pounds about a year and a half ago and have been feeling great about myself up until all this started happening. I used to be like "hey world, look at me!!" now i''m all " omg, are they staring at my breakouts? does it look funny with all that concealor over it? ugh...."

I am looking into a dermatologist in my area and will compare some rates. I will also look into the bare escentials makeup. Several people have said it''s really great stuff, so we''ll see. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MissGotRocks]

If you have acne that is leaving scars, you definitely need to see a dermatologist. Those scars can last a lifetime.

Many medical doctors are well versed in areas of depression and anxiety these days. Make an appointment - you may be able to get medication without having to go through a traditional therapy - particularly if the cause is temporary due to living conditions, worry about your mother, etc. Sounds like you have some heavy burdens right now.

Is relocating a possibility for you now? If not, maybe it can be a goal for you in the very near future - say within the next year. I know it is difficult to find housing, jobs, etc. but why hang in there in an area that you dislike? There are alot of things in life that we have no control over but for those that we can change, I say do it. It may be difficult to do but in the long run I think you would be happier.

 

[AndyRosse]

Hey IrishEyes, I''m so sorry things aren''t as great as you would like them to be right now.

Since I was a teenager, I have battled mild to moderate acne. I tried every over the counter cream/cleaner available to no avail. Next I tried literally dozens of combinations of antibotics and topical prescription cremes from my dermatologist which made things a bit better, but no where near perfect. Finally I tried accutane, and while without insurance it would definitely be a bit expensive (about 300 or so a month), it was definitely worth every penny. I still break out occassionally, but no where near what used to happen. That was several years ago, and I still don''t regret my decision. My only regret is that I waited so long to go on accutane.

Also, I recently revamped my medicine cabinet with more appropriate facial cleansers, washes, etc. Oh man, that made a big difference too! I threw out all my overly drying cleaners. The only thing I kept was my cleaner with 2% salicylic acid. You see, at least for me, my biggest problem was that I had oily skin in some areas. I would cleanse with harsh, soapy cleansers which would only dry out my skin more, which would result in my skin overproducing more oil to compensate. It''s a vicious cycle. So now I use Peter Thomas Roth Chamomile Cleansing Lotion, followed by Neutrogena 2% salicylic acid cleanser, and finally DDF Cellular Cleansing Complex. I follow up with mosturizer (a must! regardless if your skin is oily, dry, acne prone, etc.). I personally like Purpose Redness Reducing as it mosturizes, provides SPF 30 protection, and does not make your skin oily at all. At night, I simply put on Cetaphil mosturizer (but that is a bit oily, so don''t use under makeup). (And don''t forget to cleanse at night too!)

Finally, I also switched to Bare Minerals over two years ago. I love my Bare Minerals. Best makeup I have ever purchased. I put the bisque on for extra coverage over scars, red areas, etc. and then apply the foundation. Then just put on a little powder, and you are set! I honestly maybe touch it up with powder once or twice during the day, and that is it. And believe me, it works wonders for me. I have photos to prove it

Also, if you go to a dermatologist, they always have samples of topical cremes. So if you tell them your situation with no health care, I''m sure they will give you at least enough for a month or two to try it out before you commit to buying anything

 

[saturn]

IrishEyes:

So sorry you''ve been going through a tough time recently. I know your life is super busy right now, but I think it''s important that you still take some time for yourself to relax and improve your spirits. Try yoga, exercise, extra vitamins, bubble baths, or whatever you can think of that will make you boost your mood.

As for the acne, my whole family has definitely struggled with that. One site I think is really helpful is www.acne.org. It''s got a lot of useful information and it''s really helped me. Also, the benzoyl peroxide stuff that they sell on the site is way way way better (and much less drying) than anything they sell at the drugstore.

Good luck, and I hope that things get better very soon!

 

[blueroses]

I''ve used proactive (and the copycat cheaper drugstore version) which both worked for me. I had late 20s breakouts in grad school.

I also second the salycilic acid approach. My favorite moisturizer is the johnson and johnson clean and clear which has 2% so it makes your skin feel smooth but is still helping to fight acne all day, in addition to whatever spot treatments you do at night.

((((HUGS))))

 

[strmrdr]

buy new non-alergenic pillows and see see if that helps.
one side sounds like contact allergy.
one sale they can be picked up for $5-$7.00

 

[glitterkitty]

Hi IrishEyes,

I''m really sorry to hear about all the problems you''ve been having, and I was really interested in a couple of things you said in your original post.

You mentioned that you''re really tired and feel like a zombie, as well as your weight fluctuating. I wonder if you have thought about getting tested for PCOS - Poly Cystic Ovarian Sydrome. One of the indicators is adult acne, as well as depression, weight fluctuatuon and fatigue.

I had similar problms to you and went to see my doctor. Iwas referred to an endocrynologist who diagnosed PCOS. I ahd the option of medication to help thru the first stages, and that helped get rid of the break outs.

Its just a thought, but try not to let things get on top of you too much.