[MERGED] Acne / Pimples

[Jay M]

I used to have bad skin. I went to MARIA VICTORIA in Timog, QC

[Ira]

Originally posted by Guybrush:
I forgot to metion my worst problem...oily skin. I'm a guy and talagang bad-trip wiping the oil off your face every now and then. What do i do?!

Unfortunately, it's an inherited problem. There's really no cure for that except to bring around soap and a mild astringent so you can wash your face when it becomes oily. Think positive, though: at least hindi ka nag me-makeup so no problem with retouching.

[marsh]

... help... its not a problem bout pimples but its with my face... at the end of my lips i had a skin discoloration... black one... but my lips are red.. kaya halata un black sa sides... ano gawa ko...?

[Ira]

I'm afraid it's not possible to diagnose online what it is, marsh, even if you describe it. I'd suggest seeing a dermatologist for evaluation and treatment.

[Anali]

GuyBrush, my brother uses the Clean & Clear Oil Control Film during the day to wipe the oil off his face. If you don't want to be seen "patting" your face daintily in front of other guys, just use it in the bathroom cubicle I guess!

[Bostsip]

Try Gatsby oil ..galing!

[katzmeeow]

Anali and GuyBrush: Instead of using Clean and Clear try buying the Gatsby brand. It's exactly the same thing (this one came out first pa nga, been using it na a long time) but it's cheaper than the C&C, Gatsby is only P30 whereas C&C is almost P80!!! Then Gatsby has more oil sheets in each pack and the sheets are bigger.

Tip lang

[This message has been edited by katzmeeow (edited 07-26-2000).]

[Guybrush]

To Doc Ira and to the rest who gave their tips... salamat

[pinkmoon]

Like Ira's been stressing it's really a good idea to just see a dermatologist. He or she may have medication that is specific to your case and is not available publicly (such as their own mix of solutions). A real testimony to this is my cousin. Her father had really bad acne as a youth and it is evident from the poc marks he sustains on his face. Unfortunately out of the 3 kids she was the only one to inherit it, and her acne started to come out when she was 12 and because her parents suspected that it was a problem of genetics and not a matter of environment and hygiene, they sent her to the derma immediately. She reliously went once every two weeks or even every week depending on the severity of her outbreaks. She regularly underwent comedogenic extraction (pretty much zit popping but by a professional and under more ideal conditions, in some cases it's practically minor surgery). She also applied the various lotions and creams prescribed to her by her derma and did not have to take any medicines internally. It took 5 years to get her acne under control but today you can't tell she had a problem at all save for one or two not so noticeable pock marks from particularly troubling spots which could not be avoided. Had she not been so vigilant about it she still would have had bad outbreaks today and possibly be pock-riddled.

Also, one of my mom's cousins had suffered from severe acne well into his 20's and I remember he would try everything, he even used Perla, the laundry bar! Finally after years of experimenting by himself he took the time to see a real derma and his problem too is pretty much under control.

If you're lucky enough, over-the-counter topical solutions could work, but if your problem is very specific, it might be best to turn to a specialist.

[pinkmoon]

Also Doc Ira how true is it that some forms of acne are an indication of poor diet or poor liver health? I'm not talking about the chocolate/nuts/fatty foods thing but balance in diet in relation to liver condition. I have a 15 year old cousin who has almost acne-like breakouts and his doctors have speculated that if it's not just a puberty thing, it's also because he has a poor diet. Basically the guy eats only pizza, tomtato-based pasta and burgers and he's been eating that way since he was little. They mentioned something about him not getting enough roughage to clean out his system and his liver is having trouble coping with the toxins in the body and it's manifesting in his face. Also I have another friend who has been abusing alcohol and drugs (illegal and pharmaceutical) the past few years and he has severe acne today. I have seen pictures of him from his puberty years of 14-18 and back then he had pretty clear skin. He is 21 now and I've noticed is skin getting worse only about in the past couple of years or so. Again since his liver is probably shot to hell from the alcohol and drug abuse, could his acne also he a result of this?

[ioram17]

how do u get rid of pimple scars?

[Ira]

pinkmoon: That poor diet causes acne is a medical myth. The causes of acne can be classified into bacteria, genetics, hormones (testosterone), and clogged pores. All these work together to cause acne.

Actually, with liver problems, patients develop better complexions--when your liver is shot to hell, testosterone production decreases, your relative estrogen level increases, and you develop better complexion. So it's probably not his liver, either. Your 21-year-old friend probably just had a relatively late onset of acne. It's not true, either, that once you get out of your teenage years, your chances of getting zits drop. As for your cousin, I think it was just his time to develop zits, since he's already maturing.

[hermione]

hi Doc Ira

hav a question... does "puyat" really cause pimples? honestly, i used to not believe it but since my school sched changed (morning sched b4 and now afternoon-night) i always sleep late/early morning. pero im not really puyat coz i usually wake up late naman so it's still mga 8 hours of sleep.

also, just for clarification. acne=pimples? is there a difference?

my pimples are on the forehead, chin, and some blackheads sa nose... you think i could be allergic rin sa shampoo or toothpaste? coz some or my pimples are not the small ones with yellow dots in the middle, some are big and red and hard when you touch them.

sorry daming questions m just really curious, thanx!

[Ira]

Lack of sleep per se does not cause acne, more so if you get your regular 8 hours' sleep.

Pimples is a layman's term, and is under the heading of acne (the proper medical term for it). Blackheads and whiteheads are also forms of acne.

If your pimples are the red types already, you really should go see a dermatologist. Reddening may be signs of infection already, and you most probably will have to start a 2 week regimen of oral antibiotics, and the dermatologist will have to drain your pimples and give you medications to prevent scarring. The reason why your pimples don't seem to disappear is because the bacteria inside your acne isn't being treated.

[obsidian]

Wow! I just stumbled upon this discussion now and I must say I have some things I want to share based on my own experiences.

Like Guybrush, I don't have severe acne, I'd like to think mild to naging moderate lang at some point. Ngayon sobrang mild na lang and pretty manageable. Some mistakes I made when they first came out:
-using Clean&Clear: Lalo lang lumala. I watched on cable some years ago that a good tip whether to use a commercial "beauty" or "medicinal" product is if it has more than around several ingredients that sound too "chemical"/weird/complex, chances are it's bad for your skin. E.g. Pond's scrub din, don't use any scrubs on acne! It only gets irritated.
-benzoyl peroxide: it only works for some people. For me it didn't.
-washing too often: if you must, DO NOT USE SOAP. What do I use now? Cetaphil. I SWEAR by it. Before I used soap (Ivory) it really makes your skin dry pala. You'll see the diff when you use a non-soap cleanser like Cetaphil.

My medication (until now): tretinoin, not over the counter though (Retin-A, Derm A) but bought from the derma. You should ask a derma about it.

Yes, I have oily skin too (naging oily dahil sa puberty I guess, hindi ako talaga ganito dati). I agree with all the suggestions, if you can't wash your face often, just bring oil film.

(Tanong sa mga nag-suggest ng Gatsby: where can you buy it? Is it the same as Clean & Clear, film hindi paper ha? Kasi yung Bench paper kadiri, nababasa, diyahe. Sana mas maganda nga yung Gatsby lalu na kung mura!)

I'm a guy and yes, you can just use it in the C.R. Actually, sa panahon ngayon magpakatotoo ka na di ba, I think we're pretty open-minded that it's not much of vanity but of cleanliness and being presentable di ba? Sometimes pag di ko na matiis I cover it with my hanky and wipe away in public.

Hope nakatulong ako sa mga problemado sa acne. I understand how harrowing an experience acne could be. Ako nga, mild lang pero sobrang psychological ang effects kaya I wish all those guys good luck and PATIENCe in solving acne.

[Ira]

Clarification: Astringents do not make your acne worse. Acne usually gets worse inspite of astringent because of lack of treatment. It's okay to use astringents to avoid getting acne.

[Ira]

Powerpeels cost around P2,500 for 2 sessions. Microdermabrasions I'm not quite sure of, the dermatologists I asked do not seem to have this one (and they're not small-time dermatologists, ha?). I'm not sure what the difference between dermabrasions and microdermabrasions are, but chances are the results between the two procedures will be very slight, if any at all.

[dawnnah]

just don't overwash your face & don't use soap. overwashing dries up your skin & if you have naturally oily skin, oil production will be triggered even more. (your skin will replace the oil depleted from washing)

i tried the power peel, unfortunately on my 3rd session, my skin really burned. kung ano-ano kasing chemicals pinagpapapahid sa face ko kaya it didn't work out for me. although many other people claim it works for them. very sensitive kasi skin ko so it can't just tolerate any chemical substance applied onto it.

[Anck-Su-Namun]

may treatment ba sa pimples sa arms and back? ang alam ko sa mukha meron pero can i also use exfoliants for my arms and back o kailangan talagang magpa-derma ako? mga magkano kaya?

[Ira]

Don't self-treat your acne lesions. You may make it worse by exfoliating it (causes more redness and probable infection). It's better to see a dermatologist who can see to what extent your acne lesions are, and from there, prescribe you antibiotics and medications. Dermatologists charge around P300 give or take a few hundreds for consultation, but of course, there is also treatment, which will add some more amount.