I’ve actually posted this question before, but no one answered
Whenever I get sick, be it a cold, the flu, a stomach bug, ANYTHING, my entire face breaks out like I have chicken pox. Can someone tell me what’s going on with my complexion? People I talk to about it act like I’m a total freak, so I’m somewhat concerned about it. This has happened to me for years, but nothing I can do can stop it. These are not like regular zits either. These are only on the surface, and are white. I can exfoliate them off, but it leaves a red, raw place on my skin.
Can somebody tell me what the heck this is???
I break out when I get really sick. I think it’s because I sweat a lot when I’m really sick. Whenever I exercise, if I don’t wash up right away, I’ll break out. When I’m sick, I don’t wash my face as often as I probably should (feeling sick and all).
It’s normal break outs though. Yours sound a bit different. You may want to call your doctor and see if it’s something that should be checked out.
Look, I don’t want to alarm you, and I am not a doctor, but yes, herpes could be a culprit here. What you describe - eruptions when sick (and thus immune system not at peak), whitish, zit-like things easily scrubbed away and leaving raw spots does sound like the herpes/cold sore spectrum of things. If that is the case, you can’t be cured but there are medications that can reduce the intensity, duration, and frequency of outbreaks. While herpes usually confines itself to things like lips, more generalized outbreaks can occur.
Or it could be something more like very ordinary acne. Certainly no one is going to be able to diagnose this over the internet.
But by all means go to a doctor - extensive areas of “raw spots” while you’re ill can lead to infections. You do not want a skin infection of any sort if you can avoid it - I speak from experience.
I have the same thing and I have been to doctors and I’m still a bit in the dark.
One doctor said it was indeed herpes. Another said the other was all wet. He sent me to a specialist who said something to the effect that my body was trying to expell poisons and one of the ways it was attempting this was through the pores in the skin which are not always well suited for the job. I have been watching and different parts of my face and body break out with different types of maladies. I find it fascinating.
There are many many types of herpes- only one of which is a “STD” and even that is debatable. (Well, it is an STD, but not always)
For example Shingles is a type of herpes- which type is much closer to what I think our OP has. I’d guess that same for TV Time. Look it up on the Internet.
There are 8 herpes viruses that affect humans. Simplex 1 and 2 cause oral cold sores and genital sores (either can occur in either place). Varicella-zoster causes chicken pox and shingles. There is also cytomegalovirus, epstein-barr virus, type 6a, 6b, and 7 virus, kaposi’s sarcoma virus, and herpes B which is a simian virus fatal to humans.
Doctors should not tell you that you “have herpes” without specifying what they think you have, as that could have a lot of meanings, some of them quite scary. In your case I would put my money on shingles… get to your MD and get prescribed the appropriate antiviral.
I think you might be looking at a weakened immune system and a possible correlation with stress.
I have found that at times of stress in my life, I am more vulnerable to colds and acne. I RARELY ever saw a pimple on my face, but the occassional ones I got where at times when I was sick.
Acne is a mild infection, and it is more likely to show up if your immune system is stressed (just like other infections).
If your health declines, or you gain alot of weight, that does not directly cause acne, but it stresses your body and immune system, so I would be the least bit surprised if there is a correlation.
