back and shoulder acne

Lollipops23

When I was a young teenager (13-15) I suffered really bad acne on my back and shoulders-I'm now 22 and after 5 years of little to no trouble it has come back with a vengeance.
As it's summer now it's starting to piss me off-it's not only unsightly but also pretty painful.A lot of the time it's along where me bra strap is-before anyone suggests it's the bras they're all clean!
I'm at a loss as to what to do,any suggestions?

Twee.

It's a nuisance! I went to my doctor as the OTC acne creams were not working for me. They just tended to dry my skin out. I have been prescribed various antibiotics over the last two years, kind of trial and error. I suggest you go to your GP and see what they say.
In addition to this, I make sure to exfoliate well and mousturise. I've also used some Weleda products that I got in a health food shop. It was a cleanser and moisturiser made with natural ingredients. Good for a real clean! I found it helped.

eth0_

Have you tried using a shower gel with teatree? Try the Body Shop or Lush (probably better to go with Lush...Body Shop stuff is full of chemicals).

bills

clinique anti blemish solutions body spray

bronte

My brother had a horrible case of this a few years back.
We got him something called "Ketsugo"
You get it in a gel or spray, think we got both for my bro and it did the trick for him.

Lollipops23

eth0_ wrote: »

(probably better to go with Lush...Body Shop stuff is full of chemicals).

Really?Would have thought it would be the order way around!Will defo give it a try.Thanks for all replies.

miss5

I would suggest visiting your G.P. there are a host of treatments for acne,
A dermatologist could do wonders I'm sure.

PatsyStone

Is it just acne or is there any dryness too? If there is any dryness with the acne try washing your back (actually it'd be easier to get someone to do it for you!) with Nizoral shampoo. It's about €14 but your doctor might give it on prescription. I have used it on my face and back - I had dryness and acne on a small patch of my back and a dermatologist recommended this technique to me. It comes back now and again but the Nizoral used frequently controls it.

Alternatively I use Duac acne cream on my face which has been prescribed by my doctor recently as I too get bouts of acne from time to time, I used a lot of the over the counter creams but this one has worked wonders in only a few weeks. If you are thinking about taking pills, go to your doctor and ask about Oxytetracycline, Roaccutane or Dianette (a contaceptive pill that works well for back acne). Roaccutane is a harsh treatment but the Oxy tablets are also good.

If you're still a bit doubtful definitely talk to your doctor or dermatologist.

Seren_

+1 on the tea tree oil/shower gels etc. It's great for getting rid of the redness, and bringing down the spots. Although the oil is a little hard to put on your back! My mum also used to make me drink this horrible aloe vera juice thingy she got in a health food store. It worked quite well but I can't remember what it was called

hollygirl08

Sorry for the long winded post about to follow but just wanted to give you my story. For years I suffered from bad acne on my back, shoulders and chest. I went to the Doc and was put on Dianette (pill) which didn't work, then Minocin antibiotics (for 2.5years) i might add along with the Dianette which did help a bit. Didn't get rid of it totally. So come the summer time I used to do one or two sunbeds a week which always made it look better. After being on both medications for the time mentioned above, I went away for a weekend, stupidly forgot the Minocin and when I returned 2 days later my skin had totally flared up. It was at this point that I knew that I couldn't stay on antibiotics for the rest of my life. Didn't know what to do or where to go. I went into one of those Chinese doctor shops up town at lunchtime. Explained and showed them the offending areas and they gave me 2 bottles of tablets, a weeks supply. Well, after the first 3 days, skin began clearing up. After the week, practically gone so I went back and got a second weeks supply just to be sure!! My acne had completely disappeared after the 2 weeks and has never come back. That's now 5 years ago. It used to really get me down and my confidence as a result really suffered hugely. For those of you out there that are suffering with this horrible condition please give them a try. Was the best thing I ever did. Hopefully it'll work for you too.

postgrad23

What herbs did they give you? Was it expensive? Which shop, where? I'm sure they all give different stuff, so if one works they might not all work! I tried a chinese place before and it didn't work so I never tried anywhere else.


I had severe acne when I was younger and after trying everything I took Roaccutane and it cleared up for good on my back and chest. I didn't finish the course (only took it for two months) and a few years later I got mild acne which I can easily control with a salicylic acid facewash twice a day, benzoyl peroxide once a day, adapelene once a day and Dianette. Antibiotics also help now, although they never made a difference when my acne was bad, only now that it's mild.


OP, you should see a doctor. If it's bad acne, no amount of washes or creams will clear it. That only works for moderate/mild acne. The sooner you sort it out the better or you'll get scars.


A REALLY good website is www.acne.org

The Cool

I went on Dianette and Tetralysal last August and it cleared up my acne very well, and straight away. But while I've been in Spain and been getting my mum to send me new batches, and sometimes not having them when the post is late, I've noticed that going without Tetralysal doesn't make a difference, whereas if I go without my Dianette my skin flares up really badly. So I've just stopped taking Tetralysal, no point taking an antibiotic if it won't do anything. I also noticed with Tetralysal, that if I had a spot or something, it would bleed more, and create a blood blister. It did something weird to my skin. So now I just stick with Dianette and it does the job.

How Strange

In my late teens and early 20's I was plagued with acne on my chest. I found using a bar of neutrogena soap helped alot and if I used it every day it would clear up. It came back a couple of times but the soap always got rid of it.

I've used Nizoral for a recurring problem with ring worm that I had a few years back. I'd gone to the doctor and was given an antibiotic steriod cream which worked in the short term but it then came back again. Nizoral on the advice of a pharmacist got rid of it completely. OK it wasn't use for acne but there is an active ingredient in it which is good for lots of things.

La Roche Posay may also be a good brand for you to consider so you should go to a chemist where they stock it and speak to someone.

I still get some spots on my back, I know it's not acne, and I find exfoliating and moisturising regularly the best way to combat it.

Delicate_Dlite

I'm in the same boat, I definitely hear you about the pain! Some nights I can't lie on my back, which makes sleeping so hard! grr back-ne!

I'm on Tetralysal at the moment, there's a little improvement, less pain and less new blemishes, however none of my current blemishes have disappeared:(. I'm also on Duac, which I find help reddness, but not alot else.

Any suggestions welcome!

hollygirl08

The shop I went to was on Liffey Street in Dublin at the Henry Street end. It was called Dr. and Herbs as far as I remember. I think they've moved though. Can't remember the name of tablets, sorry. One batch were like small black pellets and I had to take 3 3 times a day and then 3 of another type. Most of the writing on the packaging was in Chinese!! Sorry can't be of more help. They reckon high temperature in the blood is what causes us to breakout so I think those tablets must have had a cooling effect on the blood or something similar.

ncmc

I am in my 30's and have suffered with painful spots since I was a teenager. I used to have bad acne on my back, but that cleared up as I got older, however I still got really painful, swollen, red spots on my face. It wasn't bad enough for Roaccatane but it was still getting me down. My doctor put me on Erythrocin and I found it really good. It takes a few weeks to work, but it really cleared up my spots and prevented further flare ups. I took it for about 6 months and my face was spot free for about 6 months after I stopped taking it. I now basically take it 6 months out of the year when I start to get flare ups. It is safe to take when pregnant too.

Do bear in mind that any anti-biotic can take 4-6 weeks to work, so don't get dis-heartened if it doesn't work straight away. Try and get a bit of (safe) sun on the area too, that will help camouflage the marks/scars. Good luck!