Pimples Can anyone recommend any remedies?

[ranger]

I've never had acne. Just here and there I get a few pimples. But lately (last 4 months) I noticed that the few pimples I have on my face are leaving dark spots in their aftermath. I have no idea why this is happening now, as it was never a problem for me. The earliest spot is still there, though is very light. For some reason I was under the impression that they would fade away within 2 months. I only have a few spots, but they're freaking annoying!

Can anyone recommend any remedies? I rather not try an shower my skin with all sorts of chemicals, though. Also why are these spots an issue now?

They aren't age spots right? I'm only 20

Thanks.

 

[Cyrus]

Sit in the sun to dry the oil on your face.

 

[hypatia]

Sounds like you may have post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Most skin trauma will have some discoloration associated with it. It can take up to 6 months for the collagen within the dermis to be fully healed. The good news is, that its not a scar.
Treating a pimple with a neomycin based product, may help prevent the redness, also don't pick at pimples.

 

[Gilligan08]

Retin-a micro. It gets rid of skin discolorations. I believe it requires a prescription though. If you can't get that then just go to your drug store and get something that says it reduces redness.

 

[waht]

Everyone reacts differently to various products. Try some over the counter products first, if that doesn't work, you need to see a dermatologist and have something prescribed.

 

[Zenparticle]

Sit in the sun to dry the oil on your face.

What? um, no the sun would make you produce more oils which may cause more zits and wrinkles. Try Aveeno oatmeal lotions(they have a even complexion moisturizer works well) Also when the pimple starts to heal put neosporin on it daily- this will help.

 

[Evo]

Sit in the sun to dry the oil on your face.

You're so bad!

I started getting little brown spots all over my right hand once. I went to the doctor and he asked me if I drank gin and tonics. I said yes and he explained that the lime juice that I was squeezing into my drink contains oils that are photosensitive and when you sqeeze the lime, you get spatters of the juice on your hand, then you sit in the sun and it causes dark spots.

When ever you get a cut, and that would probably include pimples that are scratched, exposure to sun will cause darkening because the healing tissue is more susceptible.

 

[Art]

Daub pimples with TCP. It dries them out and also prevents infection. Of course prevention is better than cure so watch what you eat.

 

[Evo]

I think TCP is a UK thing, based on a google search, I've never heard of it.

 

[ranger]

Are aloe vera based creams also a good option?

So to prevent these skin discolorations in the future, I should not pick at them, right? But how can get rid of the stuff that's inside? If I leave it there and just apply something like clearasil, nothing really happens.

 

[Math Jeans]

Accutane (or however its spelled)

 

[hypatia]

I think TCP is a UK thing, based on a google search, I've never heard of it.

That did sort of freak me out for a second, glad you were able to make some sense of it. When I ask someone for a TCP, they hand me a Tissue Culture Plate. I could'nt fathom why anyone would want to put one on there face

 

[Evo]

That did sort of freak me out for a second, glad you were able to make some sense of it. When I ask someone for a TCP, they hand me a Tissue Culture Plate. I could fathom why anyone would want to put one on there face

In my business it means Transmisson Control Protocol!

 

[lisab]

I hope it isn't this...

http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/2008/r080116.htm

 

[Astronuc]

Apparently, TCP actually stands for Trichlorophenylmethyliodosalicyl, but is now the brand name for a variety of antiseptics (one of which contains trichlorophenol) and other topical medications.

TCP was originally named after the chemical it was made of, which was Trichlorophenylmethyliodosalicyl. This sounds pretty scary, but rest assured, the chemicals used to make TCP changed in the 50’s and it is now formed of phenol and halogenated phenols.

some website of dubious nature.

A more reliable source - http://www.chemguide.co.uk/qandc/tcp.html
TCP is manufactured in the UK by Chefaro UK Ltd (a subsidiary of Omega Pharma).

http://emc.medicines.org.uk/emc/assets/c/html/DisplayDoc.asp?DocumentID=16048

TCP First Aid Antiseptic Cream contains:

TCP Liquid Antiseptic 25% w/w, Chloroxylenol 0.5% w/w and Triclosan 0.3% w/w. TCP Liquid Antiseptic is an aqueous solution of Phenol 0.175% w/v, halogenated phenols 0.68% w/v and Sodium Salicylate 0.052% w/v.

 

[Zenparticle]

Are aloe vera based creams also a good option?

So to prevent these skin discolorations in the future, I should not pick at them, right? But how can get rid of the stuff that's inside? If I leave it there and just apply something like clearasil, nothing really happens.

The best thing to do would be just to leave it alone and let your body run it's natural healing process-They can be quite painful when full of puss. I personally can not stand that feeling and really have to fight the urge to "pop" it (attractive, I know). Applying an acne type product that dries it out is the better route, and then applying neosporin or something like that(vitamin E is good too). Washing your face before bed and in the morning making sure to pat instead of rub when drying and having clean pillow cases is good prevention. Aloe Vera is great for sunburns so I can't see how it would be bad for the face, but I am unsure it would help.

 

[_Mayday_]

Apply toothpaste to pimple overnight, dries it up like a beast, and woosh it's gone.

 

[Art]

I think TCP is a UK thing, based on a google search, I've never heard of it.

TCP is so ubiquitous in the UK I (wrongly) assumed it was sold everywhere. It's one of those cheap magical cures for everything from sore throats to cuts to pimples and boils. I doubt there is a household in England that doesn't have a bottle of TCP in their medicine chest. Is there a US equivalent?

 

[Moonbear]

TCP is so ubiquitous in the UK I (wrongly) assumed it was sold everywhere. It's one of those cheap magical cures for everything from sore throats to cuts to pimples and boils. I doubt there is a household in England that doesn't have a bottle of TCP in their medicine chest. Is there a US equivalent?

I don't think so. I'm getting hung up on it containing phenol. Granted, it's only a tiny fraction of a percent of the ingredients, but I'm so used to handling phenol with great care in the lab that the mere thought of dabbing it on one's skin sounds very frightening to me.


On another point, reading this thread leaves me wondering: is there any actual scientific evidence against popping pimples vs leaving them be, or is it just an "old wives tale" type advice we all have been told and readily pass on? My understanding is that not popping the pimples is intended to avoid spreading the bacteria contained within them to surrounding skin, thus preventing spread of the acne to new locations. But, I'm not sure it would have anything to do with preventing scarring; afterall, the pimple itself would be fairly damaging since it already contains all the pus of infection.

 

[Art]

I don't think so. I'm getting hung up on it containing phenol. Granted, it's only a tiny fraction of a percent of the ingredients, but I'm so used to handling phenol with great care in the lab that the mere thought of dabbing it on one's skin sounds very frightening to me. On another point, reading this thread leaves me wondering: is there any actual scientific evidence against popping pimples vs leaving them be, or is it just an "old wives tale" type advice we all have been told and readily pass on? My understanding is that not popping the pimples is intended to avoid spreading the bacteria contained within them to surrounding skin, thus preventing spread of the acne to new locations. But, I'm not sure it would have anything to do with preventing scarring; afterall, the pimple itself would be fairly damaging since it already contains all the pus of infection.

You also dilute it and gargle with it for sore throats

I always heard you shouldn't pop pimples as you can add bacteria from your hands and so increase the risk of infection.

 

[Astronuc]

I think if the acne is serious, then one should see one's doctor or dermatologist.

I occasionally developed some pimples in my late teens and early 20's because I had oily skin. I changed my diet to dark (pumpernickel/rye), oat, or whole grain breads rather than processed, enriched flour, and that made a big difference.

Also, wash the skin gently and perhaps more frequently, and apply benzoyl peroxide to affected areas. That worked for me, but others have indicated it didn't.

We used to have phisohex in the house, which my mom got based on her experience as a nurse in hospitals.

I can't find any reference in the US to topical applications containing trichlorophenol. It doesn't seem to be readily available.

 

[Moonbear]

I always heard you shouldn't pop pimples as you can add bacteria from your hands and so increase the risk of infection.

This is what had me thinking, since the bacteria within the pimples has presumably already gotten there from your skin, and the fact that you have a pimple indicates you already have an infection, I'm not sure what more infection you'd get from popping it. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm saying I just don't know.

 

[Evo]

This is what had me thinking, since the bacteria within the pimples has presumably already gotten there from your skin, and the fact that you have a pimple indicates you already have an infection, I'm not sure what more infection you'd get from popping it. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm saying I just don't know.

I don't think popping pimples is bad. It's when you pop it, then scratch off the scab while it's healing, then getting it re-infected, then causing scarring by picking at it.

I was concerned about the phenol also, which is probably why it's not on he US market, it is also lethal to cats from what I've read.

Phisohex had to be reformulated in the 60's due to the hexachlorophene.

 

[Moonbear]

Also, wash the skin gently and perhaps more frequently, and apply benzoyl peroxide to affected areas. That worked for me, but others have indicated it didn't.

It never worked for me, but eventually I figured out that I didn't get acne because of too oily of skin, but because of too dry of skin...what seemed like excess oil to me turned out to be my skin trying to compensate for being overly dried out from soaps and astringents. When I started using a moisturizer, my skin cleared up. Especially in winter when the air is very dry, it's worth considering this option (for those with sensitive skin, I recently found that Aveeno's fragrance-free moisturizer works really well).

Of course, now I have developed a contact allergy to sheep which means I am always breaking out a little because I can't stay completely covered up and still function (made the mistake of not wearing long sleeves one of the warm days we had, and broke out in hives that turned to a rash as soon as I touched the first sheep...it's never been that bad before...yikes!) but that's not acne, though you can't necessarily tell the difference to look at the breakout.

 

[binzing]

Ha ha, boils. Thats sort of a British thing as well.

 

[Astronuc]

Besides the diet, perhaps vitamin supplements, paricularly C and E would be worthwhile.

If the acne is problematic, one should see one's doctor or dermatologist.

As for popping pimples, it's best to wash (clean) the skin (or take shower) first so as not to introduce more bacteria into the site.

Of course, now I have developed a contact allergy to sheep

Bummer. Does that mean your now sensitive to wool clothing?

Time to switch to goats!

 

[Evo]

Of course, now I have developed a contact allergy to sheep which means I am always breaking out a little because I can't stay completely covered up and still function (made the mistake of not wearing long sleeves one of the warm days we had, and broke out in hives that turned to a rash as soon as I touched the first sheep...it's never been that bad before...yikes!) but that's not acne, though you can't necessarily tell the difference to look at the breakout.

Is it due to the lanolin?

 

[binzing]

I think if the acne is serious, then one should see one's doctor or dermatologist.

Yeah, if acne is serious, such as back acne, you can fight it with antibiotics.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't think popping pimples is bad. It's when you pop it, then scratch off the scab while it's healing, then getting it re-infected, then causing scarring by picking at it.

That makes more sense to me, that picking at the scabs would be bad more so than popping the pimple itself.

I think some people are just more prone to scarring than others too. I have all sorts of scars on my back and shoulders from chicken pox even though I didn't scratch or pick at all (for some reason, it wasn't particularly bothersome to me...looked bad but never really itched or made me sick like it does a lot of people...so I wasn't really even tempted to scratch), but it never scarred any other part of my body.

What's really weird is I've only just noticed within the past year a scar on my cheek from a cyst I had removed when I was a teenager. I never thought it scarred because I never saw a scar before, and then out of the blue, I spot the scar. There's no doubt from the pattern that it was from the spot where I had stitches, but so strange to suddenly show up clearly so many years later when I never noticed it before (and I sure did look back when I was a teenager worried about scars on my face). It's weird the things my skin seems to do as I age.

 

[Moonbear]

Is it due to the lanolin?

I don't know, though I haven't had any reaction to moisturizers with lanolin, so I don't think so. Probably the dander. I was hoping it wasn't actually the sheep, but just something on their wool the first time I noticed it getting bad, like something from their bedding that could be changed or avoided. I suspect it's the dander, because it's worse when they've just been sheared. It's going to be miserable in the summer when I'm going to have to wear long sleeves no matter how hot it is. I had noticed some breakouts when I was working with the sheep over the past year or so, but just assumed it was from clogged pores from all the dirt. Only in the last month or so has it become bad enough with actual hives that I realized it's an allergy and not just dirt causing breakouts. It's weird though, because I only break out with the hives if my arms are exposed. If I wear long sleeves, I get a little breakout on my face, but not hives, even though I still have that skin exposed. One of the other people I work with has a similar allergy. I just hope it stays limited to a contact allergy, since I can cover up and avoid that getting too bad.

But, I don't want to hijack the thread with my sheep allergy...though, it's worth considering a contact allergy to something if someone is suddenly breaking out and they're a bit too old for puberty to be the obvious explanation.

 

[gravenewworld]

It sounds like you just have blackheads. Just keep your skin clean.

 

[john16O]

Accutane (or however its spelled)

whatever you do decide to do medication wise, I highly recommend that you do not take this drug. Trust me, I finished my six month treatment and I hated every minute of the treatment. The doctor said that after six months my face would be clear and its going on nine months and I still have redness. I went to go see the doctor and all he could say was that it was due to the weather. That if I lived in a warmer climate where it is sunny out my face would be clear by now. The side affects are severe as well. This drug will dry your whole body out, rectum included. You will not be able to work out(lift weights), go outside in the sun, and many more i cannot think of off the top of my head. TRY MANY DIFFERENT DRUGS OUT FIRST BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO GO ON THE DRUG IF YOU DO DECIDE TO TAKE IT!

 

[Galteeth]

Wow, there is a lot of misinformation in this thread. Acne is primarily caused by the overproduction of sebum by sebaceous glands.
Diet, dirty skin, drinking water have little to no effect.

Retinoids are the only long term treatment.

 

[Moonbear]

Wow, there is a lot of misinformation in this thread. Acne is primarily caused by the overproduction of sebum by sebaceous glands.
Diet, dirty skin, drinking water have little to no effect.

Retinoids are the only long term treatment.

This itself may be misinformation. Part of the issue is not just the overproduction of sebum, but that it becomes trapped by clogged pores, or itself changes consistency to clog those pores. Here's an interesting, recent, review article that basically illustrates the flaws of studies on both sides of the claims. If you have access to the journal, it's worth a read (it's written in very accessible language that even a non-biologist will be able to readily understand).
B. Davidovici, R. Wolf 2010 The role of diet in acne: facts and controversies
Clinics in Dermatology, 28: 12-16.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T5G-4XY22JG-6&_user=10&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=036a54077e3feca5615ec54191517c21


I'll quote the conclusion of it here:

Despite the inundation of epidemiologic studies, mostly of unsatisfactory quality, and the abundance of beliefs and perceptions among acne patients about the role of diet in the pathogenesis of acne,74 there is a paucity of reliable information. In the few studies that have been undertaken, no specific foods (including fatty foods and chocolate) have been identified as causative factors.[75] and [76] Yet, the question of whether common perceptions and beliefs prove to be fact or misconception is more than an academic issue. It is of importance due to the practical implications of these beliefs for acne management.

Alas, after reviewing the relevant published data, we can conclude that insufficient serious effort has been invested in investigating these questions, which are prevalent and consistent across different cultures. At present, we are bereft of reliable answers based on scientific evidence. We hope that the day when we will be able to knowledgeably advise our acne patients on the role of nutrition in relation to acne etiology is not too far away.

So, it seems there really isn't reliable evidence either way. Sure, maybe chocolate worsens acne or maybe when hormonal conditions are such that our sebaceous glands are over-producing oils, we also happen to crave that chocolate.

Often the best long-term treatment is simply getting past the age of puberty.

 

[Monique]

Often the best long-term treatment is simply getting past the age of puberty.

Not always, recently I've been in a 'battle' with a cosmetics company about the issue. I started using one of their moisturizers for dry skin and it was giving me really bad acne. I went back to their counter to get my money back, but they advised me to continue to use the product. I stopped when the situation was only getting worse and the acne went away. After two months I started using the product again and the acne came back immediately. Again, I went back to the counter where again they told me to continue to use the product.
After much trouble I received my money back (they carry a satisfaction guarantee), I have e-mail correspondence with the headquarters where they deny that their product can cause adverse effects. I stopped being a client of their product line, I don't want to do business with a company that does not take their customers seriously. Luckily my skin cleared up again, so lest you use the wrong products, it indeed is simply about getting past puberty