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Onset of Spots/Acne? Aged 22 - Advice.

Hey (apologies for the long post)

I was very lucky all through my teenage years and never suffered with anything more than the odd pimple.

I turned 22 this year. About 6 weeks ago the skin on my face got pretty bad. A concentrated patch on each cheek (within beard line) of redness and puss filled spots that itched appeared over a few days.

I initially thought it might be folliculitis or some other infection due to the itching and sudden onset. I went away on holiday for a week just after it came on so couldn't see a doctor. By the time i got home it was starting to heal and the doctor said it was just some spots and to get a facial scrub to open the pours.

However, over the last month it has been going through little flair ups and healing periods. Some weeks it all looks like it's clearing up and then one day i'll wake up and a load of spots have appeared over that patch again. It's now starting to spread over more of my face. The spots are nasty as well. They are very red and inflamed, painful to touch and come to pussy heads within a few days. Even when they seem to be healing the red patches where they have been won't go away.

I'm starting to think it might be some form of adult acne as I've recently started getting spots on my upper legs as well. Some of which are just painless hard lumps under the skin that take a week or so to heal.

Has anyone had any experience of this? Is there anything that could be underlying that's causing this? It's so weird that its just come on after not having suffered at all before hand.

Anyone know anything that might help it to clear up? I'm currently using Superdrugs Tea Tree facial scrub and some benzoyl peroxide cream - both recommendations from friends.

Getting well self conscious about it now as its not something anyone has at this age. Just want my body/skin to go back to normal.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Reply 1

Erm, acne doesn't itch, does it? I'd get it checked by a doctor, it might be something else. :smile:

Reply 2

Mubsy

Use a good clearasil facewash. Cut back on fatty/oily foods!

Reply 3

white water lily

I think the products you're using are good, for acne, but I'm not convinced its acne... Like 3232 said, acne doesn't itch; and I wouldn't take getting spots on your upper legs to confirm it as acne, quite the contrary. How suddenly it started is a bit odd too.

Reply 4

green arrow

hi, i ve been having the exact same problem only except the upper leg spots. i just turned 24, and i ve been having the same kind of spots like yours around the chin for about 6 months now. they also apperaed suddenly, at first i thought they're some kind of period spots ot something but they just wouldn't dissapear! I know how you feel - it is so frustrating, you've never had such problems during your teenage years and now you have to deal with the nasty spots like a 14 year old!
i ve tried loads of different products, none has really worked well. I am trying CLINIQUE Anti blemish solutions at the moment, hope it works, cos I spent a fortune :p:

Reply 5

Touche

Stop playing with your face and checking if they're still there.

Reply 6

green arrow

Touche

Stop playing with your face and checking if they're still there.

well i wouldn't call caring about the way you look "playing". i don't check if they're there, i just see them when i look at myself in the mirror and it annoys me. anyway, it was all for the best, bcause they're considerably less now! :biggrin:

...happy!

Reply 7

Piggsil

Have you been going through a stressful time recently?
I find that I get spotty when I am stressed. Drink lots of water, don't use cleansers that are too harsh and will strip your face of too much oil (i find clearasil, for example, is only for people with v. greasy skin), eat lots of fruit and veg. Are you getting you 5 a day? Has your diet changed recently, or had you started using any new face products (shaving foams, razor heads) before the spots?

As someone else said, it could be ingrown hairs as well. You should remove these with tweezers.

Don't touch your face too much, you could try a pore-cleansing face mask as well.

That's all the hints I have for now! Hope some of it is useful :smile: