Thread: A zit large enough to name

I am hoping that you all can help me out. Or really my sister out. She has been having problems lately with mammoth zits. The kind that don't go away for over a month.

Can any of you recommend a good zit zapper? She has sensitive skin so one that works more as a spot treatment would be best. Thanks!

Oxy.

Good old fashioned TOOTHPASTE! It has a component that will dry them up fast. If she has a couple of big cyst type zits, just dab them toothpaste before bed. You cannot believe how good it works!

i use paula's choice

Exfoliating 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion using Salycilic Acid (BHA) - Exfoliants: Paula's Choice Skin Care & Cosmetics

Blemish Fighting Solution with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide for Acne Treatment - Blemish & Oil Control: Paula's Choice Skin Care & Cosmetics


i use these for any blemishes or cogged pores..i have sensitive skin and these don't seem to bother me. The bottles last a really long time..i buy them maybe every 10-months or so?

Originally Posted by susuabdo

Good old fashioned TOOTHPASTE! It has a component that will dry them up fast. If she has a couple of big cyst type zits, just dab them toothpaste before bed. You cannot believe how good it works!

She has gone that route as part of her normal zit elimination process, also hydrogen peroxide. Doesn't seem to be working with these guys.

Originally Posted by lylagus

i use paula's choice

Exfoliating 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion using Salycilic Acid (BHA) - Exfoliants: Paula's Choice Skin Care & Cosmetics

Blemish Fighting Solution with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide for Acne Treatment - Blemish & Oil Control: Paula's Choice Skin Care & Cosmetics


i use these for any blemishes or cogged pores..i have sensitive skin and these don't seem to bother me. The bottles last a really long time..i buy them maybe every 10-months or so?

I sent her the link for this. Thank you.

Any one else?

I used to sometimes use a thick dab of clay mask right on the offending spot right before bedtime. It seemed to help dry them out better than toothpaste, at least for me.

My skin hates Benzoyl Peroxide, but I've found that Sulfur works extremely well for me, shrinking enormous zits in a day or two.

There is one, somewhat difficult to find, Clearasil cream that contains sulfur (I think it's the "adult tinted cream") , and a liquid product called "ByeByeBlemish". I think some high-end skin care lines like Murad have sulfur-based products as well.

I have read that models use good old milk of magnesia!

Qamar :-)

If it is taking this long to go away, I would suggest she take a look at her diet to make sure it's balanced and that she is getting enough of everythign.

Also, and this sounds weird, is she moisturizing, exfoilating etc enough or too much? Many people make the mistake in thinking that they need to dry out their skin in order to get rid of their blemishes.

and finally, has she looked at any allergies she might have? A friend of mine who now has beautiful skin, had to go back to basics with her skin care regime - oatmeal soap, witch hazel as an astringent and a light moisturizer. Prior to that, she had terrible skin. And thousands of dollars worth of trips to the dermatologist.

{{{HUGS}}}

tea tree oil dabbed on the zit might help

you don't want to dry out the top too much for really deep infections because it will seal off on a surface level and fester underneath. you should be able to order some samples of the paulas choice stuff for 80 cents or so

I get this little crappy zits just outside my lips. It turns out that I have tmj and the doctor once asked if I get zits near the corners of my mouth. She told me that my jaw issues cause me to sleep sometimes with my mouth open, so I drool a bit ( disgusting, isn't it ), so this moisture causes problems.

I highly recommend she seek out the advice of a dermatologist. Cystic acne is nothing to screw around with.

I had an attack of cystic spots a few months ago and it was the most depressing thing ever. I usually have pretty good skin and this was the first time in my life I felt embarrassed by it and needed to wear foundation.

I tried a *lot* of things: toothpaste, clay mask (seemed to help reduce the inflammation), castor oil (it's supposed to be drawing and drying but didn't really do a lot), over the counter spot zapper, peroxide. All of them did a little but not much. The peroxide was the most effective, but it all took a LONG time. The trouble is that the spot is so big and fat and the pore so small that it seems to take forever for the gunge to surface.

It is very, very depressing and I would suggest a visit to the doctor as well, because it might be that she has an infection and an antibiotic or topical cortizone treatment might help.

Originally Posted by zumarrad

. . . I would suggest a visit to the doctor as well, because it might be that she has an infection and an antibiotic or topical cortizone treatment might help.

I try to hit it with an over-the-counter antibiotic if the pore looks open, or if there has been, ummm, how do you say it delicately, an *eruption.*

I use the brand Neosporin, as it is a broad-range product (bactrin, neomycin, and polymycin).

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, nor trained nor licensed to practice cosmetology. Do not use any product to which you have, or for which you suspect, an allergy.

Deborah

Have to admit I LOL'd when I read the title of the thread! ..l;,

I swear by a touch of vinegar, dab it on with a q-tip or a cotton ball. Some people can be very sensitive to this. Also, if you a see a zit forming, put ice on it. It's the same principal as if you get punched and you want to minimize a bump or bruising. The cold can help reduce the redness and swelling so your body can reabsorb it faster. But this really only works if you catch it when it's forming. I also have had luck with tea tree and neem. Also taking burdock root and omega 3s orally can help with a lot of skin conditions.

But that said, I definitely agree that your sister should see a dermatologist, get a formal diagnosis. Is it cystic acne, or something else. See what course of action a dermatologist would suggest, then you might also consult a naturopath, they might able to help as well in determining if you have any food allergies or digestive issues that could be contributing to the condition.

Benzoyl peroxide works for my problem skin when two round of Accutane wouldn't.

I'd tried it as a child, but it dried my skin out terribly. Thing is, I was doing everything I could to scrub and dry it out and it all just made matters worse. What I'm doing differently now is washing my face once in the morning with a gentle, perfume-free cleanser, applying a coat of benzoyl peroxide and following with a perfume-free water-based moisturizer with sunscreen. Aside from maybe one or two pimples prior to my period each month, my skin looks great. Benzoyl peroxide can be applied all over, or as a spot treatment.

A far cry from the massive under-grounders I used to get! Make sure she doesn't pick 'em or she could cause some permanent damage.

Eating healthy and plenty of water help too.

agree with all the previous suggestions about good diet, see a dermatologist, don't over scrub, etc. for your sister...

but couldn't help but add my 2 cents. Having suffered from acne on & off for 20 years now.... I've literally tried it all. Antibiotics and Retin-A were the story of my teenage years, with minimal relief, if any. Accutane and BC pills helped for most of my 20's, but I'm medication free at the moment and the acne is back again in full force. I've had only slight improvement with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide based products. (Salicylic acid = dermalogica's acne kit, benzoyl peroxide = Proactiv) I just started trying a glycolic acid product, and it seems much better, so far. It's cheap and simple: Designed by a doctor Pimple Eraser Home

It's not a spot treatment, but it works like one. There is a visible difference in the size, swelling, and redness of the acne between the time you put it on before bed and the time you wake up the next morning. I've been using it for a week and a half, and almost everything is dried up and disappearing, with nothing new starting. My skin has reacted better to this than anything else I've tried this time around. I just hope the results continue. (This is also the week after my period, so it's typically a calmer week..we'll see how it holds up to the tougher weeks ahead.)

My regimen is simple: gentle cleanser in the morning, apply product and let dry, apply an oil control/oil free moisturizer. eves: cleanse, apply product and let dry.

The package says "give us 3 days" and it's no lie. I noticed a marked difference in the first night, and much relief by 3 days.

Peter Thomas Roth also makes glycolic acid products and I may try those if I'm not ultimately satisfied with this.

Great ideas have been posted so far and I agree. I recently had an outbreak similiar to the one describe and my dear hubby frantically went to the pharmacy late one night and asked the pharmacist for a recommendation. He suggested washing the face well, then apply pure tea tree oil to the zit with a Q-tip and then applying a benzyol product on the spot. It doesn't fix the problem overnight but it really does the job in 2-3 days. I put it on at night when I go to bed.

I have to say that my outbreak was unprecedented and I wondered if it was hormonal, due to my age etc, BUT although I've had zits since, none have been anything like these. PArt of me wonders if it was allergy to sleazy man, since they appeared after I spent time with one and have never resurfaced. LOL.

zeno works really well. Little heat gadget that you use as a spot treatment. Runs about 200 bucks for the device.

Originally Posted by Taj

I highly recommend she seek out the advice of a dermatologist. Cystic acne is nothing to screw around with.

I agree with her opinion too...derms are expensive though cystic acne can be devastating.

Originally Posted by nilifer

zeno works really well. Little heat gadget that you use as a spot treatment. Runs about 200 bucks for the device.

I have to concur with this. I usually have that kind of acne - mammoth pimples that literally take over a month to go away. I found that the Zeno shortens this time to a matter of days. Pricey gadget, but well worth it!

Originally Posted by susuabdo

Good old fashioned TOOTHPASTE! It has a component that will dry them up fast. If she has a couple of big cyst type zits, just dab them toothpaste before bed. You cannot believe how good it works!

I agree! but it has to be the creamy kind...not gels. Also in the evening apply a hot compress for 5 minutes to open the pores and allow the infection to release on its own...then immediately follow up with ice to take away the redness and swelling.

These are all great suggestions. I know that she uses a combo of toothpaste, Peroxide and Foile (antibiotic ointment). I think that she will definitely be up for the tea tree oil. She has three young kids and a new teenager and is a stay at home mom so money is tight to say the least.

You gals are great!

Originally Posted by joanneraks

agree with all the previous suggestions about good diet, see a dermatologist, don't over scrub, etc. for your sister...

but couldn't help but add my 2 cents. Having suffered from acne on & off for 20 years now.... I've literally tried it all. Antibiotics and Retin-A were the story of my teenage years, with minimal relief, if any. Accutane and BC pills helped for most of my 20's, but I'm medication free at the moment and the acne is back again in full force. I've had only slight improvement with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide based products. (Salicylic acid = dermalogica's acne kit, benzoyl peroxide = Proactiv) I just started trying a glycolic acid product, and it seems much better, so far. It's cheap and simple: Designed by a doctor Pimple Eraser Home

It's not a spot treatment, but it works like one. There is a visible difference in the size, swelling, and redness of the acne between the time you put it on before bed and the time you wake up the next morning. I've been using it for a week and a half, and almost everything is dried up and disappearing, with nothing new starting. My skin has reacted better to this than anything else I've tried this time around. I just hope the results continue. (This is also the week after my period, so it's typically a calmer week..we'll see how it holds up to the tougher weeks ahead.)

My regimen is simple: gentle cleanser in the morning, apply product and let dry, apply an oil control/oil free moisturizer. eves: cleanse, apply product and let dry.

The package says "give us 3 days" and it's no lie. I noticed a marked difference in the first night, and much relief by 3 days.

Peter Thomas Roth also makes glycolic acid products and I may try those if I'm not ultimately satisfied with this.

I am sending her this link as well. We love to try out different "as seen on TV" type products. The last round we did hair removal stuff.

I started having problems with this in my mid-20s. . . by my early thirties it was bad enough to devestate me. I tried a number of things the dermatologists recommened - switching birth control pills, topical antibiotics, Retin-A, retin-a micro, tazorac, minocycline, diet change, special face washes, tea tree oil, lavender oil, and a ton of other things I am sure I am forgetting.

In the end I found something that works for me.

I went on a 2 month cycle of a low dose of Doxycycline. That and the regime below reduced the outbreaks to almost nothing (MAYBE one vile zit every 4-6 months - instead of half a dozen of them constantly).

1) try to minimize stress as alot of these outbreaks are hormonal 2) Found the best BCP for me 3) A face wash and make up that does not irritate my skin (MAC green gel cleanser and makeup, Nutrogena lotion for sensitive skin) 4) a clean facecloth EVERYtime I wash my face 5) Cutting back on eating soy products

And if I get an outbreak, I take a few weeks of the Doxycycline and it clears me up again. Suphur creams tend to help me reduce the swelling and redness of a breakout if I DO have it (and seems to help it heal faster).

The solution will be different for everyone, but its good to experiment with different things to get it right. Different things are triggers for different people. It IS good to try only one or two new things at a time, so you have an idea of what DOES work and what isnt working.

I found out when I get zits like those, they were tied into my food allergies. I will get them when I "cheat" and eat something that's yummy, but bad. I use a dab of cortisone on them at night. Also, if I see one start to form, pop the benadryl.

If she can remember what she ate before getting one and maybe see if something stands out.

Megazits suck - I hope she finds something that works!