Acne along the jaw line...never gets better?

Question

I've got acne along the jaw line, mostly close to my ears. This always looks like raised bumps and if I squeeze them (I can't resist, gross I know) something solid and white comes out. They are usually a little tender to the touch.

This spots seem to last for a long time and they reappear in the same place, almost like the pores in the same spot keep turning into zits. I do use my cell phone a lot, so I'm wondering if my phone might contribute by collecting grime & oil?

I've been to a dermatologist...tried oral antibiotics, Retin A, 2 series of Accutane, topical antibiotics, et cetera and I still get these darn things.

Why do I keep getting them in the same spot and why are they so hard to clear up? The rest of my face is mostly clear. One doctor I saw called them "furuncles," but he was a GP not a derm. Skin experts of Y.A., any thoughts?

Answer 1

does ur hair lie next to ur jaw line? if so that could be the problem from the oils.. my forehead is pimply from my bangs.

heres some help i looked up for u on a website:

Clean your skin gently with a mild, non-drying soap (like Dove, Neutrogena, or Basics.) Remove all dirt or make-up. Wash once or twice a day, including after exercising. However, avoid excessive or repeated skin washing.
Shampoo your hair daily, especially if it's oily. Comb or pull your hair back to keep the hair out of your face. Avoid tight headbands.
Try not to squeeze, scratch, pick, or rub the pimples. Although it might be tempting to do this, it can lead to scarring and skin infections.
Avoid touching your face with your hands or fingers.
Avoid greasy cosmetics or creams. Look for water-based or "non-comedogenic" formulas. Take make-up off at night

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Dry and/or greasy skin due to poor oil composition of the skin. Thick greasy oils clog pores, lack of oil leads to dryness and irritation. You need thin oils to moisturize while dissolving and clearing gunk in your poors. Try fish oil or seafood. 2 tsp fish oil a day or 4 servings of seafood a week. Stick it out for at least 2 months; it will take a long time to replace all your oil. Any effect after 1-2 days is temporary or random; so even if it makes you break out a little at first, you haven't given it a full try yet.

In the short term you can wash and moisturize well, but that will only go so far. Plus excessive washing can be drying and excessive moisturizing can be clogging. Use a small amount of a light moisturizer, made with oil not jelly or grease. Often that means soybean oil or mineral oil. Mineral oil means mined from the ground. So soybean oil is usually better, though mineral oil won't cause too much harm. Clean with soap and water, not a harsh acne cleanser. Even then they only work so well. So you really need the seafood.

Antibiotics aren't really good for bacteria long term, they'll come back in force after. Short term they may help. After you get off them find some kefir with acidophilus listed first or 2nd to replace the friendly bacteria they destroyed. Studies show less illness when you have these bacteria, even outside the stomach in places such as the lungs and elsewhere. You want friendly bacteria to fill the void when the antibiotics stop, not harmful ones.

In the short term you might also try 100,000+ iu retinol vitamin A (a megadose, and too much for normal use) or one of the acne drugs that is similar to retinol vitamin A. It's some minor harm to your organs, but it helps against bacteria on your skin. At least it doesn't have the other long term drawbacks to your skin that antibiotics and many scrubs do.

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Answer 4

Try an antibacterial face wash and use very fine facial scrub twice a week to unblock pores. A product with a low dose glycolic acid could be beneficial. As with all products, give it a good week to try new things out. If your acne is inflamed, it might get worse the first day or two before you start to see the real difference. Pure aloe vera is fantastic (after cleansing your skin). It will calm the area and dry it out a little. Also make sure you drink a couple of litres of water a day to flush out your system. Water really helps me to look fresh faced in the morning without any blemishes. Just out of interest and because it is in quite an unusual area, do you use perfumes on your neck at all? I'm wondering if there is something specific that could be aggravating your skin in this area, rather than it being just acne.

Answer 5

I've actually had acne along the jawline and usually, mine came back BECAUSE I pop them. So that may be why you appear to keep having acne around your jawline. When you touch/squeeze your pimples, your hands actually have bacteria on them, which leads to clogging your pores. I'm not too sure about the cell phone thing - it is possible though since you're creating more oil in that area - since I use my phone a lot too but it doesn't seem to be the case for me.

Right now, I'm not using a lot of medicine except just to wash my face daily with gentle soap, cleanse it again with astringent & aloe vera, and then I use erythromycin-benzoyl gel.

Answer 6

I'm not a skin expert, but I have noticed that when talking on the phone for long periods of time, and frequently, your ears can get "gunky" if you should call it anything else. Conjested is another word.

But acne can very well show up in places that it has shown up in before. It happens to me =) I have a feeling it's from your skin's super-sensitivity to specific areas when oil deposits sit on the skin (such as overnight). Then again, you can get pimples just about anywhere... Even inside your nose!

Answer 7

hey, check the input on this other page, http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylc=X3oDMTB1a2x0anY5BF9TAzIxMTU1MDA0NDMEc2VjA3BlZXBfZQRzbGsDcQ--?qid=20070906211129AAwm9X6

i listed information there about tea tree oil, something you will want to check out. Something to keep in mind about that are of the face is the blood vs lymphatic system, you have nodes there that receive the bacteria from that part of the body and much of it is going to be the Staphylococcus Aureus, is a bacteria resistant to certain antibiotics. Is one of the worst actually, this is why the build up can be so extreme.

Tea tree oil is the best way to go in my opinion, have always referred it to my friends with the same issue and have one many hearts with that secret tip. The smell takes some growing on you, but you will love the results.

Answer 8

YES! Any phone you use can be a source of pore clogging grime and bacteria. You should always clean your phones with rubbing alcohol.

Popping your zits can actually harm the pore, causing more zits. I know it's tempting, but try to stop.

Use a good astringent. I get mine from Clinique, and my skin has been very clear. Ask them which one is right for you. You can also try to prevent them with benzoyl peroxide.

Answer 9

Like the other answerer stated, you are probably touching this area frequently and clogging up your pores. Drink lots of water, exercise for at least 30 mins every other day and take some vitamin A.

Answer 10

I'd say you answered your own question. You should never touch your face except to wash it. Quite apart from picking at your pimples, you probably just touch your face near the jaw--maybe rest your head in your hands. The phone is another factor.
But with all you have already done, probably only time will give you relief. But at least you can spare yourself deep pockmarks.