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Facial Cysts with Ingrown Hair
Dr. Rockoff,
Have you ever heard of the type of situation I am facing? I've been to 8 dermatologists, an endocrinologist, and an internist, but no one seems to be able to figure this one out!
I'm a 33 year old woman who always had "perfect" skin until I hit my thirties. Over the past three or four years, I've experienced a steady stream of boils/cysts on my face - all on my jawline, as well as an occasional one on my forehead. The breakouts intensify about one week before my period.
I've been put on various antibiotics...I've received cortisone shots...and have also taken prednisone, but to no avail. My face will clear up, only to break out again - in the exact same places where the cysts previously appeared.
In the last year or so, the situation has become worse. These welts are huge - and unbelievably painful. Even though I know I am not supposed to pick at them, the pain is so bad, I have done so anyway. And to my horror, I realized that not only is there pus inside these cysts, but hairs as well. Some of these hairs are vellus. Once I pulled out a vellus hair that was SIX inches long.
In other cysts, the hairs are incredibly coarse, much thicker than hair anywhere else on a human body. Most recently, I pulled out a 2-and-a-half inch coarse hair from a cyst on my forehead. I didn't even know that hair could grow out of one's forehead! The pain caused by these hairs is unreal - I truly believe they are getting wrapped up around nerves. For instance, with this forehead welt, before I took out the hair, I touched the cyst - and the pain extended down to my eyebrow and all the way up to my scalp.
Once I extract the hair, much of the pain subsides... and the cyst is able to heal up and go away. However, in a few months, the welts come back - in the exact same places.
When I went to the endocrinologist, he did not feel this was PCOS, because I do not have a broad pattern of male hair growth, just in selected places. Also of note: I have been prescribed spironlactone but have not been on it for very long (3 months approx), and so do not know if this will be of much help.
So, my questions are:
* Should I have these cysts surgically removed?
* Should I go on accutane?
* Have you ever heard of long hairs within facial cysts? If so, do you believe that the acne is stimulating the hair growth, or vice versa?
I am so discouraged - I feel I have tried everything possible to rid myself of this horrible acne - and, so, any advice you might have would be helpful. Thanks!!
Have you ever heard of the type of situation I am facing? I've been to 8 dermatologists, an endocrinologist, and an internist, but no one seems to be able to figure this one out!
I'm a 33 year old woman who always had "perfect" skin until I hit my thirties. Over the past three or four years, I've experienced a steady stream of boils/cysts on my face - all on my jawline, as well as an occasional one on my forehead. The breakouts intensify about one week before my period.
I've been put on various antibiotics...I've received cortisone shots...and have also taken prednisone, but to no avail. My face will clear up, only to break out again - in the exact same places where the cysts previously appeared.
In the last year or so, the situation has become worse. These welts are huge - and unbelievably painful. Even though I know I am not supposed to pick at them, the pain is so bad, I have done so anyway. And to my horror, I realized that not only is there pus inside these cysts, but hairs as well. Some of these hairs are vellus. Once I pulled out a vellus hair that was SIX inches long.
In other cysts, the hairs are incredibly coarse, much thicker than hair anywhere else on a human body. Most recently, I pulled out a 2-and-a-half inch coarse hair from a cyst on my forehead. I didn't even know that hair could grow out of one's forehead! The pain caused by these hairs is unreal - I truly believe they are getting wrapped up around nerves. For instance, with this forehead welt, before I took out the hair, I touched the cyst - and the pain extended down to my eyebrow and all the way up to my scalp.
Once I extract the hair, much of the pain subsides... and the cyst is able to heal up and go away. However, in a few months, the welts come back - in the exact same places.
When I went to the endocrinologist, he did not feel this was PCOS, because I do not have a broad pattern of male hair growth, just in selected places. Also of note: I have been prescribed spironlactone but have not been on it for very long (3 months approx), and so do not know if this will be of much help.
So, my questions are:
* Should I have these cysts surgically removed?
* Should I go on accutane?
* Have you ever heard of long hairs within facial cysts? If so, do you believe that the acne is stimulating the hair growth, or vice versa?
I am so discouraged - I feel I have tried everything possible to rid myself of this horrible acne - and, so, any advice you might have would be helpful. Thanks!!
I have a similar problem I have been dealing with, though not on my face, they are on my upper thighs. I had bad acne as a teenager and young adult. I started using St. Ives apricot scrub, cleared me right up. I have no break outs anymore. I started using the scrub on my thighs, I have had no new breakouts since using the scrub. It's worth a try. And even if there are no cysts, I still use the scrub to make sure that no new ones appear. I think the hair folicle gets clogged, the scrub gets rid of dead skin and keeps the folicle open. Good luck, I feel for all of you.
woah, i am totally in shock right now, i thought i was TOTALLY ALONE in this thing. i have had PERFECT skin all my life. then about a year ago, i would get one of these "visitors" on my face (right cheeK) and obviously try and pop the thing, because 1) it is crazy painful. 2) looks terrible. 3) its our first instinct as humans to rid ourselves of the things that shouldnt be there. I am a 23 y.o male living in nyc, i have been sketching over these "unwanted guests" for a long time, they will clear up for ab0out a week or two then around my cheek, and now my chin. i am using mach3 raz0rs? should i switch? and what do i do after i shave thats when they get the worst, and i do exfoliate. i buy every product possible at the drug store. This moring i spent 87 dollars the drug store. on facial junk only. so what do i do? who do i talk to. i dont have insurance, and i already went to the emergancy room twice for this, and 900 dollars in bills later. i need to do something; anything.
if anyone is in NYC or with ANY insight on what i could do to avoid selling myself on the street for creams and ointments
also please contact me throuh email at
***@****
thanks hope to hear somoething soon...
if anyone is in NYC or with ANY insight on what i could do to avoid selling myself on the street for creams and ointments
also please contact me throuh email at
***@****
thanks hope to hear somoething soon...
woah, i am totally in shock right now, i thought i was TOTALLY ALONE in this thing. i have had PERFECT skin all my life. then about a year ago, i would get one of these "visitors" on my face (right cheeK) and obviously try and pop the thing, because 1) it is crazy painful. 2) looks terrible. 3) its our first instinct as humans to rid ourselves of the things that shouldnt be there. I am a 23 y.o male living in nyc, i have been sketching over these "unwanted guests" for a long time, they will clear up for ab0out a week or two then around my cheek, and now my chin. i am using mach3 raz0rs? should i switch? and what do i do after i shave thats when they get the worst, and i do exfoliate. i buy every product possible at the drug store. This moring i spent 87 dollars the drug store. on facial junk only. so what do i do? who do i talk to. i dont have insurance, and i already went to the emergancy room twice for this, and 900 dollars in bills later. i need to do something; anything.
if anyone is in NYC or with ANY insight on what i could do to avoid selling myself on the street for creams and ointments
also please contact me throuh email at
***@****
thanks hope to hear somoething soon...
if anyone is in NYC or with ANY insight on what i could do to avoid selling myself on the street for creams and ointments
also please contact me throuh email at
***@****
thanks hope to hear somoething soon...
In an attempt to find my own answers for my facial bumps, though not the same as yours, I have found out a couple of things that do seem to be helpful for most people with basic bump problems. The use of a BHA lotion is very good since it exfoliates the skin but it also works inside the pore to keep it clean. I would think that 5 - 10% benzoyl peroxide would also help to kill any bacteria within the pore once exfolliated. Also I have become a believer about the importance of moisturizing the skin. Clearly I have fewer problems if I use a basic lotion such as Curel all over the body. Also Cetaphil or like cleansers, no toners, or other fancy stuff. Paula Begoun, author of "Don't Go To the Cosmetics Counter Without Me" has very good advice for skin care. She made it clear on a TV show that both men and women should shave with women's shave GELS because they are more moisturizing which was very important for people who do get facial hair growing back into the skin. Also double blade razors are horrendously hard on the skin of both male and female. The triple blades are better. Her site is cosmeticcop.com. For moisture and healing on my face, I have been using zinc oxide. It has been around for years, is cheap and really helps any boo-boo. For those of you w/the ingrown hair cysts, consider writing to Paula, she is a wealth of information and is working with top name doctors all the time, maybe she can supply an answer. I had cystic acne in my thirties and I can attest to how painful this stuff is. I was ready to do surgery on myself. Good luck to all. I've had acne and now these ? bumps since 5th grade and I'm 52 now. Guess I'll just do crumby skin with my grandsons when they hit their teens. Proactiv works because it does all the things suggested above.
Hi,
Im 30 years old and Ive had problems with ingrowns and cysts since 14. One thing Ive found is that smoking and drinking and drug use greatly effected the risk of problem skin.a big part, I believe,of the problem is what we put in our bodies. Keeping the skin well-hydrated is crucial to good skin. LOts of water makes a big difference. Drink at least 8 8-ounce glasses everyday. dehydrated skin becomes wrinkly and hard,prohibiting pores to properly release toxins and thus become backed up or the hair get turned away from the surface, then the body responds to this sending white blood cells because bacteria has congregated. Your skin is kindof a barometer to the toxicity level of the body. My prob is now I have pitting in the cheek area that i need to get removed. Proactive does work!
Im 30 years old and Ive had problems with ingrowns and cysts since 14. One thing Ive found is that smoking and drinking and drug use greatly effected the risk of problem skin.a big part, I believe,of the problem is what we put in our bodies. Keeping the skin well-hydrated is crucial to good skin. LOts of water makes a big difference. Drink at least 8 8-ounce glasses everyday. dehydrated skin becomes wrinkly and hard,prohibiting pores to properly release toxins and thus become backed up or the hair get turned away from the surface, then the body responds to this sending white blood cells because bacteria has congregated. Your skin is kindof a barometer to the toxicity level of the body. My prob is now I have pitting in the cheek area that i need to get removed. Proactive does work!
Try a product called tend skin. The problem you have is very common with Blacks and I have been dealing with it ever since I started shaving. WWW.tedskin.com. Its the only thing that Ive tried that works, and it does work great to stop the ingrown hairs.
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