I had a VERY bad acne problem last summer, I am left with scars and wounds that heal but they aren’t completely covered in normal skin or normal scarring tissue.
Basically, they are scars but they are covered in rough scalely (sp) skin. In some cases they are thick, in other cases they are thin and if I scratch too much the scalely stuff comes off and starts to bleed like a normal wound but only where the scalely stuff comes off.
Some of them have scarred over like a normal wound but I have this crap all over my back and upper arms.
I have a similar issue with my face but because I am able to keep neo-sporin on them, they aren’t crunchy, crusty like my back and arms.
Don’t worry, I plan on seeing a doctor very soon but I was hoping someone might be able to indentify what might be the problem.
It sounds like we both had the worst kind of acne. My back is covered with hideous scars that have not really faded at all. There are large bumps, huge freckles, and deep pitting all over my upper back.
I was one of the earlier patients on Accutane, before they even knew of the reproductive side effects. It was the only thing that, eventually, worked. It saved my face, but my back was, and remains, a total loss.
When you see a derm (WHEN!) ask him to show you the textbook pics of severe cystic acne. That’s me.
Good luck.
Christopher Reves, D.Ph
Ole Miss '95 Play Dixie! Play Dixie!
DISCLAIMER: You did say you were gonna see a doctor about this, right? Okay. These are just possibilities, going on the assumption that it’s not just “really bad acne”.
Eczema. Generally, red and crusty. Hint: try antihistamines–if they help, bingo! Because it’s frequently caused by allergies.
Psoriasis. Generally, red and white and flaky. They think it’s an immune system thing. Warning: Gross pix for diagnosis at the first hit.
Neither of these are contagious–you can’t get them from other people, you can’t give them to other people. Neither of them seem to be connected to acne, so I’d guess that it’s “in addition” to your acne thing.
They suggest trying antihistamines and OTC hydrocortisone cream for the itching.
Treating psoriasis is more complicated, and depends on what else you’ve got and what kind of psoriasis you have. It involves a combination of diet, creams, medicine, and ultraviolet exposure, tailormade for each patient.
And remember, Techie, be an Alert Med Consumer–if you think your dermatologist is just fobbing you off with “oh, it’s just acne, it’ll go away by itself”, you are perfectly entitled to seek a second opinion, and you don’t have to worry about hurting his feelings when you ask his secretary to forward your medical records to the other doctor.
Thanks for the information. I know it’s not eczema, I used to get that as a kid and drink a lot of tomato juice and eat tomatoes to help avoid triggers. Eczema starts out at little bumps on my skin, I usually only get that on my legs when I have an outbreak.
It was definately cystic acne that was probably triggered by a dramatic change in my diet that and I believe that I am goin through early menopause (I am only 33) and have my mentrual cycle for about 2 days compared to a regular 5-7 days last year. But the acne has mostly gone away but the scars and weird tissue remains.
The scarring looks more like psoriasis but not nearly as dramatic as those pictures shown. It is only in the areas that I had had the acne. I have had other “flesh wounds” (egads I am thinking Monty Python at the moment) that have been easy and normal to heal. All before, during and after the outbreak of acne I had.
The neosporin was only added once my face was healing. I have used it on other wounds and no problem. I mostly used Vitamin E oil to keep the area “moist” and somewhat protected.
It’s just perplexing, and yes I will be going to a doc soon (no insurance so it’s all coming out of my pocket.)
Oh and I don’t get along with The Pill. I quit that crap back in 1995 because of some goofy shit it was doing to my body.
These are just possibilities, going on the assumption that it’s not just “really bad acne”.