Back to zits

[Tigerlily]

I use Cetaphil every morning and night but I recently stopped using it because I ran out and haven't gone to the store to buy more. Now I've got a blemish on my cheek that I've been trying to get rid of all day!
Anyway, Cetaphil works wonderfully for me. I need to pick up some aspirin as well so I can try the aspirin mask.

 

[Miss 1929]

And hot compresses!

When you do get those big ones, a 20-minute session with a hot wet washrag (dip it in repeatedly to keep it hot and press hard) will drive the poisons out of the zit and into your bloodstream where your antibodies can gang up on it.
This works really well to get rid of the swelling for a special occasion - but whatever core that started the problem is still there, so it will come back in a week or so. My current situation!
Sometimes it just has to erupt.
And all this talk about it getting better with age? NOT! I am 48 this month.
I think it has most to do with diet and exercise and drinking water - and stress!

 

[Mirax H]

I have been battling Adult acne very badly for over a year. Recently I got an rx for the Obagi Clenziderm system and while I still have a few breakouts here and there, it has been tremendous in clearing me up where Proactive had failed.

 

[Ada Veen]

About a year ago I started putting sudocrem on at the first sign of a breakout and since then my skin has had minimal spots. I'd heartily recommend it. Cheap, too.

 

[Miss 1929]

That aspirin trick is magic! reduces the swelling and redness a lot, and seems to kill the infection too.
I did find that putting it in aloe vera gel or arnica gel was odd though, the gel instantly loses its gelliness and becomes liquid. So it runs all over the place. I am trying it in an arnica ointment instead tonight, see if it stays put.
I have two enormous breakouts this week, trying to get them at least hideable by Sunday! Wish me luck.
Oh, what I would give to have the clear skin of my teens and 20s again...

 

[Dani California]

I had a horrible cystic pimple that came over the weekend because of pms. It's amazing to me how one pimple can just ruin my days until it is cleared. After reading the posts about apple cider vinegar, i went out and bought some last night. The tingling feeling actually felt good to me and it really did help reduce the size of the pimple. it's definitely still there, but better than what it was last night!! Wish they would come out with a at home Hydrocortisone (sp?) injection for those stubborn cystic zits.

 

[MarieAnne]

I'm pregnant so I've had to stop using all my salicylic acid based spot treatments. I recently got a zit and just treated it with a bit of castor oil and a hot facecloth before my oil cleansing method. It's working well. The zit is VERY slowly going down and my skin doesn't look dry and irritated and red from being bombarded with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. It's very easy to cover up because the skin isn't broken and dry.

 

[Dani California]

With the great healing properties of castor oil, what would happen if you just leave it on the zit overnight? Has anybody tried that?

Also, what is the best way to help with the dry flaky / scabs from using the medications? For instance, today while at work the skin over the zit started flaking (is this considered a scab?)...so i had a big flake just sort of hanging there. I put some rosehip oil on it, but it was still very much flaky. It was driving me nuts so i went to the powder room and removed it. I've done this before, but i've always wondered if this causes more scarring and isn't good to do this?

 

[Josephine]

I did find that putting it in aloe vera gel or arnica gel was odd though, the gel instantly loses its gelliness and becomes liquid.

I find I have to use the littlest amount of aloe gel when I do an aspirin mask. Less than a grape sized dollop.

Dani California, have you tried tea tree oil on cystic acne? I never have, so I'm not sure on the ratio, but I believe just a dampened cotton ball dabbed on the spot will help. Don't drench it!

 

[Miss 1929]

I find I have to use the littlest amount of aloe gel when I do an aspirin mask. Less than a grape sized dollop.

Dani California, have you tried tea tree oil on cystic acne? I never have, so I'm not sure on the ratio, but I believe just a dampened cotton ball dabbed on the spot will help. Don't drench it!

I'll try that amount!

I find tea tree oil to be not very effective - it dries out the skin but doesn't do much for the underlying problem.

I think that it doesn't contribute too much to scarring to remover the flaky skin, as ling as you don't dislodge the scab (ew) and more importantly, that you only use sterile instruments or very clean hands! Half the problems with acne are caused by touching it and getting it all germy.

Off to my hot compress...

 

[PrettySquareGal]

The Thing From Another World (or, how to get rid of a pending zit)

I have not had a blemish in years, and now, I have one forming on my chin and it's going to be frightfully BIG. Other than applying pimple cream, do you have any suggestions to kill this damn thing before it becomes visible and makes me look like I got punched in the face?!

Edit: I had started this as its own thread but got moved here, so I will just read through this thread!

 

[alexandra]

I used to use toothpaste on it but I don't know if it actually ever worked.

Whenever I get something on my face my only rule is don't touch it and be like "oh noes!" because that's what I also tend to do and obviously touching it is the worst thing ever.

/bad advice.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Housekeeping note

Moving this to Beauty and merging it with the Zit thread.

There are probably some great ideas on how to help in there!

 

[MarieAnne]

hormonal acne

I had a little baby girl 2 weeks ago and since then my skin has been terrible. I've got the blues, I'm super sore, and now I look like poo! I don't have much time and money to spend on taking care of myself which doesn't help. What treatments are there for hormonal acne? I'm using OCM right now. I used to take Diane-35 but I am breastfeeding so it's not an option.

 

[Aurora]

fftopic: Sorry, don't know much at all about acne, but congrats, how cute is your baby?! (I'm a little jealous!)

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

I've found raw honey to help with breakouts and red skin. If it's really bad and inflamed, I'll take a *tiny* dab of raw honey, mix it with a drop or two of water, and spread it over the afflicted areas. Of course, it's best if you sleep on your back, don't use your nicest pillowcase, and tie your hair back so it doesn't get sticky.

 

[MissMissy]

When I have a big zit or even one that is about to surface (I call those "undergroung zits"!) I put a little Tea Tree Oil on it and then a little french green clay on top of that to make a little zit mask. I sleep with that on and it's always a whole lot better in the morning.

Tea Tree is anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiseptic. It hastens healing of wounds and will penetrate pus and by mixing with it, the pus liquefies which causes it to slough off, leaving a healthy surface (gross )

Green Clay is the most drawing of all clays. Rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. It is antiseptic and healing. It draws out the impurities and it also has a high mineral content.

 

[jayem]

I break out about a week before my period, badly. It goes away within a few days of it's ending... but it really is a pain in the rear! I wash, tone, and moisturize my face regularly... anybody know any remedies for this?

 

[Ada Veen]

I swear by Sudocrem - they are usually less inflamed (mostly not too noticable) and disappear quickly since I started using it. I just dab it on at night. Sometimes they disappear before they arrive. It's cheap,too.

 

[Ada Veen]

With the great healing properties of castor oil, what would happen if you just leave it on the zit overnight? Has anybody tried that?

Also, what is the best way to help with the dry flaky / scabs from using the medications? For instance, today while at work the skin over the zit started flaking (is this considered a scab?)...so i had a big flake just sort of hanging there. I put some rosehip oil on it, but it was still very much flaky. It was driving me nuts so i went to the powder room and removed it. I've done this before, but i've always wondered if this causes more scarring and isn't good to do this?

I tried the castor oil, but it didn't really work for me.

Sudocrem is also excellent for any irritation and redness you get from picking at your spots and aggravating them. Honestly, it's a miracle!

I also use a moisturiser that is majority aloe vera, and that seems to help with redness.