Hi guys, I guess I just need to hear from you on my situation - I've just completed my 4th month of using the zz cream twice per day, as well as washing with the acarid soap. I do not use any other products. The bumps are pretty much gone, which is good. My face feels fairly smooth. But both of my cheeks still have all these reddish brown spots on them, very small, just larger than a pinhole-sized dots, which I assume are still the infections from the mites, probably the brevis mites. I seem to have hit a plateau... they aren't getting worse really, but don't seem to be getting better either. In my opinion, they are not scars, they are still active infections, because they do seem to migrate around a bit, but mainly they are in the cheek area. I guess I just have a more stubborn case? I've just been reading alot of posts lately from people who seem to have the problem completely fixed by this point, and although I am much improved, I am nowhere near clear. Would just like some encouragement and education I guess, on what is going on with me. Thanks very much.
PS - I have been wearing a bit of makeup, guess I need to stop that, huh.
Walter/Steve/Marla - just need your feedback please
Moderators: Julia, Walter, Administrator
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SteveInAustin
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 4:24 am
- Location: Austin, Texas USA
It's hard to know what is going on really. These things are difficult to diagnose, and we're not even dermatologists. It could be a fungal infection which attacks the roots of facial hair. That might explain why the ZZ cream isn't working for it whereas it worked for the rest of the stuff on your face. Then again, it could be just as you said - a stubborn case of demodex mite / acne bacteria infection.
Well, 4 months is still not enough time for some people. Keep at it for a few months more. But if I were you I would stop using ZZ in the day time and just use it at night. I think you're beyond the point where you need to use it so often. And there is a problem seen by some people who overuse ZZ. They develop breakouts unless they cut back on ZZ usage. I know that sounds weird, but it seems to be the case.
Also, I would add Carley's Clear & Smooth acne cleanser to your daily regimen. It's liquid benzoyl peroxide that you use only for 1 minute before washing off. It can penetrate into pores and kills the bacteria. Couldn't hurt, and it might help you get over this problem.
If all of this doesn't work in the next 3 months, see a dermatologist and have it looked at. It could be fungal, like I mentioned. In which case, there's a medication which may knock it out.
Steve
Austin, Texas USA
Well, 4 months is still not enough time for some people. Keep at it for a few months more. But if I were you I would stop using ZZ in the day time and just use it at night. I think you're beyond the point where you need to use it so often. And there is a problem seen by some people who overuse ZZ. They develop breakouts unless they cut back on ZZ usage. I know that sounds weird, but it seems to be the case.
Also, I would add Carley's Clear & Smooth acne cleanser to your daily regimen. It's liquid benzoyl peroxide that you use only for 1 minute before washing off. It can penetrate into pores and kills the bacteria. Couldn't hurt, and it might help you get over this problem.
If all of this doesn't work in the next 3 months, see a dermatologist and have it looked at. It could be fungal, like I mentioned. In which case, there's a medication which may knock it out.
Steve
Austin, Texas USA
Makeup? What kind?
Hi, I just dropped by because it was time for me to order products. Saw this post and want to share thoughts on makeup.
Past and recent experience tells me that the quality of makeup is of supreme importance to our complexions.
If you must occasionally wear makeup, please choose the finest makeup you can afford -- otherwise, skip it. Drug store and grocery stores do not offer brands that meet the special needs of our skin. The advertisements and packaging sound good and are seductive; but, please pass up the temptation to skimp by using these products. They are fine for good skin; they are a hazard to those of us who have problems.
Brevis species can be the darndest thing to combat. They lie deeply within the pores and are packed in with sebum that resists breakdown, and does not allow much in the way of transporting the treatment to the organism.
But eventually, you will prevail through persistence.
--Marla
Past and recent experience tells me that the quality of makeup is of supreme importance to our complexions.
If you must occasionally wear makeup, please choose the finest makeup you can afford -- otherwise, skip it. Drug store and grocery stores do not offer brands that meet the special needs of our skin. The advertisements and packaging sound good and are seductive; but, please pass up the temptation to skimp by using these products. They are fine for good skin; they are a hazard to those of us who have problems.
Brevis species can be the darndest thing to combat. They lie deeply within the pores and are packed in with sebum that resists breakdown, and does not allow much in the way of transporting the treatment to the organism.
But eventually, you will prevail through persistence.
--Marla
Steve and Marla, following up on your answer...
OK, I've ordered Carley's Clear and Smooth, and will only use the zz at night.
Marla, any suggestions on a new type of make-up I could use?
Marla, any suggestions on a new type of make-up I could use?
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SteveInAustin
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 4:24 am
- Location: Austin, Texas USA
Yeah, I'm not very knowledgeable about makeup, since I'm a guy. Haha. But it's true that demodex mites and the acne bacteria eat oil. And so if your makeup is oil-based, then it could be bad. And the fact that you're probably touching your face with the makeup applicator and then dipping it back into the makeup container, that would be bad. The whole container then becomes contaminated. So it might be best if you stopped using all makeup (lipstick is probably okay) until you're clear, and throw out any makeup container that might have become contaminated. Once you're clear, go back to using makeup, but do so without dipping the applicator back into the container.
Steve
Austin, Texas USA
Steve
Austin, Texas USA
Makeup.
Steve's got it right when he recommends using techniques to avoid contamination.
Some makeup comes in pump bottles that dispense the makeup one-way without allowing return of the makeup into the bottle after pumping. Whether using tools such as brushes and sponges, it is essential to keep them clean. Do not re-use sponges. Wash brushes.
At some personal risk, I direct those of you who are looking for a quality makeup to consider locating the M.A.C. brand. If you can find an equivalent, then by all means, use what you find. There are others online.
My absolute favorite brand online went down last year or so. It was a custom makeup and I have not found anything better since. That doesn't mean that there is not an equivalent out there. I have used department store makeup with reasonable success.
If there are objections to my having posted a brand name, please PMail me and I will edit this post if possible.
Sincerely,
Marla
Some makeup comes in pump bottles that dispense the makeup one-way without allowing return of the makeup into the bottle after pumping. Whether using tools such as brushes and sponges, it is essential to keep them clean. Do not re-use sponges. Wash brushes.
At some personal risk, I direct those of you who are looking for a quality makeup to consider locating the M.A.C. brand. If you can find an equivalent, then by all means, use what you find. There are others online.
My absolute favorite brand online went down last year or so. It was a custom makeup and I have not found anything better since. That doesn't mean that there is not an equivalent out there. I have used department store makeup with reasonable success.
If there are objections to my having posted a brand name, please PMail me and I will edit this post if possible.
Sincerely,
Marla
I really like Bare Minerals make-up, but I use it very lightly, and not every day. I work at home, so I get to go without make-up a lot. I used to use MAC, but liked the idea of using something more natural. I think MAC still uses a lot of the same earth pigments, but has chemicals in it, also. The Bare Minerals does have parabens as a preservative, though. I might have read a post here by someone (can't remember) about the fine particles in the new powdered mineral makeups clogging pores, but I think there are also "micronized" mineral pigments in most cosmetics, and I haven't had any problems so far with it, but my skin problem has never been severe. I've actually heard it debated whether the miconizing process is a good thing, in that it lets thing penetrate into your skin that were never meant to by nature. Not that we aren't all full of foreign synthetic substances, anyway in this modern life.... A lot of people swear by Arbonne skin products, and they might make cosmetics, too, I'm not sure. I know it's a multilevel company, kind of like Avon (but a lot more expensive!). Have you tried Aveeda? I use their lipsticks, and they are sort of pseudo-natural. Seems high quality.