Acne or infection?

[strungouteyes]

I developed this problem for the first time about a year ago, with no cause that I can think of. It started with itching skin around my mouth - not actually on the lips, but on the chin and below my nose, especially in any folds. That evening, I had developed a few tiny pus-filled spots. The next morning, it was as though every pore had filled with pus. I went to my pharmacist, who told me to go to the emergency room where I was given oral antibiotics for a skin infection. I later called my doctor, who said it had been listed as impetigo.

Everything was fine, but then about six months later it happened again. My mother pointed out that my chin had turned  red, and the next day the little spots were back. I went to my doctor again, who said it wasn't impetigo but just 'spotted infection', and gave me an antibiotic cream to put on it.

Once this cleared up, I decided to take really good care of my skin, and invested in some recommened cleanser for spotty skin - this actually made my skin sting, and so I switched to a milder cleanser, but after having a few spots appear now and then, a month later the infection came back. At this point, I just used the leftover cream from before. A while later, I was having a doctors checkup and decided to mention it. After a little discussion, she decided it was a type of acne and put me on a long course of oxytetracycline. Now, about two months later, I am yet again starting to see a few of the tiny spots. . I am still on the anti-biotics, but I don't understand how this can be just acne - it isn't always there, and disappears again within a week or so. But it is an extremely embarrassing condition, as it appears in clusters of yellow/white spots all over my chin and looks very unpleasant.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this problem?

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
Acne Vulgaris is the most common form of acne which includes several types of pimples. These acne lesions include blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.

Whiteheads result when a pore is completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the surface. A pustule is similar to a whitehead, but is inflamed, and appears as a red circle with a white or yellow center.

Severe forms of acne are rare but one such is Gram-Negative Folliculitis: This condition is a bacterial infection characterized by pustules and cysts, possibly occurring as a complication resulting from a long term antibiotic treatment of acne vulgaris.
Treatment for this is with Isotretinoin (Accutane) which is effective in combating gram-negative folliculitis.

The pustular form of acne will require the use of antibiotics to get them resolved. Acne does recur every now and then, so in all probability your condition would be acne.
ref:http://www.acne.org/types-of-acne.html

[loiloi]

Hi. This may be peri-oral dermatitis which should respond to long term oxytetracycline. Don't give up with this treatment it is still early days. If you are female taking Diane35 (cyproterone acetate) may also help.