Acne Issues :(

Anyone have any idea as to what to do with the painful acne that pops up in odd places? I have a painful spot brewing on the side of my neck and it's driving me nuts. My back and shoulders are also covered and are making it embarrassing wearing tank tops and sleeveless clothes right now, even thought it's summer.

I mean, the one on my neck is painful! I also have one on the bottom of my chin, closer to my neck. I hate this! I don't have a good dermatologist, so that's out of the question, and I don't see my doctor for another two weeks. This has happened before, but this is the worst it's ever been, and the longest I've ever had it.

Any advice?

Ugh, let me know when you find a solution. Our area only has about three dermatologists, two of which I've seen and are total d-bags. The third I'm going to see next month. I made the appointment last month.

Sorry I can't help, but I can empathize!

My 13 yr old has started getting back acne the last 6 months. She was put on an antibiotic for 3 months but its not working and I'm going to ask for a dermatologist recommendation. I heard Epiduo gel works well. For the face I recommend Tersiceptic - its an antibacterial wash - nothing fancy but it works. She had some on her face but this wash cleared it up.
http://www.epiduo.com/

For now my advice would be to use tea tree oil or something similar on them a couple times a day, it'll help to dry them out. Not over washing yourself, as this can cause irritation. Keeping your hair off your neck/shoulders if it's long can help too.

You might be able to get fucidin OTC, I'm not totally sure. Ask the pharmacist if they can help. (Don't get fucidin mixed up with fucidin H).

Also, if you're like me and have very oily skin, try using a product with salicylic acid, or plain old Ivory soap. Ivory is very drying, which is good when your skin produces too much oil.

Thanks everyone. It's gotten pretty uncomfortable to be in my skin these days, literally! I do use the Jason brand of tea tree body wash - I've been using it for years. It might be time for a change - ivory or dove... I will ask my dr. about the epiduo - that seems easy enough. It will, however, be challenging to put it on my back!!

I have been to 3 different derms, and they all just want to push more and more drugs and treatments. I want someone to help me figure out WHY I am getting acne and what I can do to avoid getting more...

Hopeful, what has helped most with my acne (the deep "underground" painful ones) is oral antibiotics and birth control pills. The topical treatments don't really help the deep cystic acne--the ones that hurt. I've taken oral antibiotics for many years. They use old ones not used anymore for other types of infections, so that resistance is not such a concern. I don't need to take them every day anymore, which is what my doctor said would happen. I now take a dose whenever I feel a cyst developing, which can often head it off at the pass.

The best thing that ever happened to my skin was when I had a problem with one of my ovaries and I had to take birth control pills for almost 2 years in order to prevent ovulation. My skin was the best it had ever been! I didn't need to take antibiotics when I was taking the hormones. Eventually, I got my ovary removed and so stopped taking the hormones. Within a couple of months my acne was back again, just like before.

There was one prescription topical product that could be helpful to me, and I used it for a decade. Unfortunately, they stopped making it about 2 years ago and there is nothing else like it on the market.

You just have to keep trying things until you find some things that work for you. There isn't really a cure, just different things you can do to help with prevention, some more effective than others.

I would try something with salicylic acid in it. Also I would look at your diet, sometimes wheat and dairy allergies can cause major skin issues. Especially gluten. My husband's skin gets so much worse when he has food like pizza, burgers, french fries. Anything with a lot of fats and oils or too much wheat makes him react.

Yeah, I am really working on the diet piece - I've been gluten free for 2 years, so that can't be it, and for the last month or so I've been almost dairy free (or completely dairy free for 2 weeks). I'll look into the salicylic acid, thanks for the suggestion!