dry, small spots over cheeks

[cashback]

I am 23, and have never had perfect skin but the past 2years I began to get huge, deep sore spots around my cheeks, in the past 6months this has improved, but now I have small spots, with dry skin over the top (which can be picked off without bleeding).  They are only on the lower park of my cheeks, what i could only describe as the 'beard' area, from below my temples to my lips.  My chin, nose, cheekbones, forehead and neck are completely clear, it is just this localised very dry bumpy skin.  I moisturise but I am still left with these unshiftable patches of skin.  They look like normal spots which have scabbed over but there is no/very little pus, if i scratch off the scab then there's not much underneath, but the scab returns.  I've been exfoliating and then moisturising trying to buff off the dead skin and moisturise the underlying skin, but it doesn't seem to be working.
I can't even cover it because make-up clings to the skin and looks terrible! I also have a few pus filled spots but they are much less frequent (maybe 2 on my face at a time, a VAST improvement on a year ago when my cheeks were covered in countless spots).
If anyone knows what i'm doing wrong? Or what i can do to help clear up this situation, it's just very frustrating to have gotten rid of nearly all my spots and still have these stubborn ones that won't go!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms seborrheic dermatitis needs to be ruled out. Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin condition that causes flaky,dry, white to yellowish scales to form on oily areas especially under the nose or anywhere on face.

Topical antifungals and mild steroids are the usual treatment and combination of the two can be used to treat stubborn patches. Oral antifungal drugs and immunomodulators such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are used in very severe cases. The other possibilities are of eczema or dermatitis. Best would be to consult a dermatologist and get biopsy skin done to confirm the diagnosis.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[arisa786]

hi cashback,
                    i had the same problem last yr,also my skin type is that it gets much dry in winter s and rather somehow clean but when one or two pimples came b4 periods they bcum stubborn and leave scars,i try amny creams as my doctors advised like ,skinorin,isotrex gel...etc it these creams dry the pimple but spot remains...so i used for spot contractubex cream by johnsons it really works for scars even for stiching scars...
try once,,and tell me the result.....goodluck
take care

[sadilynn]

do you itch at all on your body if so it could be scabies in your skin and its very hard to diagnose or get rid of good luck look into it...

[cashback]

and i am female (forgot to write that in the main post)