soap for cystic acne

[meeplesoap]

Hi all,

My nephew has developed very bad cystic acne at 12 years old and is very embarrassed about it. His mom would like me to try my hand at making some gentle, natural soaps that might alleviate the symptoms a little, as she is not comfortable with him taking a pill so young (and a family friend committed suicide within 6 weeks of taking Accutane, and another developed a permanent stomach ailment.) I was looking for some advice on what might help. I don't plan to sell or market it, and I warned her not to get her hopes up, but that I was happy to try!

My first thought was clove essential oil - since it is a painkiller and anti-bacterial, it might at least ease the discomfort a little, and of course, tea tree oil. I know for my own skin, I was always trying to dry out the oil, which made my skin even more oily as it overcompensated. Now that I use a higher superfat bar and a very light gel moisturizer, I haven't had a zit in literally years. So I don't think too high of a cleansing factor is good (imho, of course.)

Any guidance you guys could give would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[savonierre]

goats milk, tea tree oil, neem oil and charcoal come to mind. You are right you do not want to strip the skin.

 

[robtr31]

you may want to look at liquid soaps?

http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/acne/_/cystic-acne-agony

As with all types of acne, the first place to start is with over-the-counter products and common sense skin-care tips:

• Keep your skin-care routine as simple as possible and follow it religiously.
• Use a gentle, but effective water soluble cleanser twice a day (drying, harsh cleansers only make matters worse).
• Avoid bar cleansers (the ingredients that keep bar soap in bar form can clog pores).

 

[aab1]

I just sent you a private message (let me know if you didn't get it, for some reason it's not in my sent messages), but I've also been had by the Accutane drug crime. I got Crohn's disease shortly after taking Accutane and there are now over 7000 lawsuits because the company knew it caused Crohn's disease and hid this from the FDA, Health Canada and doctors in order to sell (and injure people) as much as possible.

I also wanted to say acne's root cause is diet, and is almost always caused by dairy products, simply eliminating dairy cures acne for most if not all people. Other food items can also cause it if eliminating dairy doesn't eliminate it. Different soaps might help, but they won't cure it like eliminating the root cause.

 

[dagmar88]

Have they seen a dermatologist?
Aside from cleaning with a mild cleanser and lukewarm water, topical antibiotics can help.
I'd much rather go for a surfactant based cleanser; something PH neutral, and very mild.

Clove is quite harsh. There's a lot of EO's to choose from; calendula, lavender, wild thyme, galbanum, helichrysum, ho leaf, laurel, geranium, chamomile, patchouli.
I'm sure there are much more, but these are all very helpful for acne and inflammation.

I would go for a face toner though, instead of adding them to a wash off product.

A dead sea or green clay mask could help too.

 

[dagmar88]

I also wanted to say acne's root cause is diet, and is almost always caused by dairy products, simply eliminating dairy cures acne for most if not all people. Other food items can also cause it if eliminating dairy doesn't eliminate it. Different soaps might help, but they won't cure it like eliminating the root cause.

Cystic acne is related to fluctuating hormone levels (makes sense for a boy that age) stress and a malfunctioning immune system.
It's very likely he'll grow over it, so it's about making him as comfortable as possible for the time being :wink:

 

[mel z]

Trying soap can't hurt, but a dermatologist may be the end result. My poor DD tried everything, don't try those t.v. things like Proactive or whatever it is called, waste of time and money.

Along with the tea tree oil idea there is tamanu oil. Just be aware either may make matters worse, but applying the tamanu oil directly on the skin is the idea, but soap is good too. I find both tea tree and tamanu drying, but I am well over the teen years and youthful skin. Here is BB's stuff:

http://www.brambleberry.com/Search.aspx?k=Tamanu+Oil

 

[Robert]

I shudder to say this in a soapmaking forum, but my hunch would be for him to wash with no soap at all, just a hot wet high-thread-count washcloth--or maybe even only warm!

 

[Lilahblossom]

I make a plain lard bar at 6% no color no fragrance, for the kids. They call it the "Pie Crust Soap" and it has helped many of them. Try this first because many acnes are caused by sensitivities. Less is More.

 

[nebetmiw]

Well, I can tell you from experiance the acne in this case is hormonal. Soap will not make much of a differance since it is an internal cause and not a external cause. Get him to the skin doctor as he will need certain drugs to control it. It will disappear as he gets older and his hormones reajust but that will take time. The only faster way to fix it is with pills. Sorry but that is all you can do for hormonal acne.

If you do make a soap keep it clean. No FO or EO on olive oil as all of these will make it worse. Scent free is best and a 3 oil soap like co, lard and almond is best to help keep skin clean. Lard is the closest to our skin type in soaping oils as it gets. I have delt with acne since I was 12 and still do now that I am going threw the change. Hormones are the biggest problem when it comes to acne. Treat internal and keep diet free of soda, low salt and low on preservatives. good luck it is never fun having to deal with it.

 

[Lilahblossom]

I beg to differ that soap doesn't make much difference. It really does in the case of the teenagers face and neck and shoulders. Even if the acne is hormonal, there can be sensitivites as well. Also if there are open lesions, a plain gentle soap will help keep the skin clean and help prevent infections. And even though there is no cure for some acne, a good soap will yes certainly help. A twelve year old boy will probably need some teaching too about regular showering and all that.

 

[aab1]

Well, I can tell you from experiance the acne in this case is hormonal. Soap will not make much of a differance since it is an internal cause and not a external cause. Get him to the skin doctor as he will need certain drugs to control it. It will disappear as he gets older and his hormones reajust but that will take time. The only faster way to fix it is with pills. Sorry but that is all you can do for hormonal acne.

If you do make a soap keep it clean. No FO or EO on olive oil as all of these will make it worse. Scent free is best and a 3 oil soap like co, lard and almond is best to help keep skin clean. Lard is the closest to our skin type in soaping oils as it gets. I have delt with acne since I was 12 and still do now that I am going threw the change. Hormones are the biggest problem when it comes to acne. Treat internal and keep diet free of soda, low salt and low on preservatives. good luck it is never fun having to deal with it.

Please do not recommend drugs for children, especially when those drugs have been criminally approved. The repeat offense criminal company that makes that acne drug approved the drug knowing it caused Crohn's disease and they criminally hid this from the FDA and doctors in order to sell and injure as many as possible. I took that drug and got Crohn's disease shortly after, I am now among over 7000 lawsuits with victims getting up to $25 Million each in compensation. One more reason to avoid those fraudulent medical treatments like the plague is that a new court ruling granted complete immunity to companies selling generic versions, so those harmed and killed by the generic versions of the drug have no legal recourse when it injures and kills them.

Acne can in fact be cured with diet changes like avoiding dairy because dairy products cause hormone imbalances and cause the immune system to function improperly because it's not normal for humans to drink cow milk especially when it's heavily processed like today's dairy products. To say that acne is due to hormone imbalances and not due to dairy is kind of like saying a flooded basement is caused by excess water and not by the burst pipe causing the excess water. The reason dermatologists aren't taught that it's caused by dairy is because there's no money to make by telling them to avoid something that cures the disease like there is in selling creams and drugs that don't cure it.

I kept having acne even after taking that fraudulent drug that nearly killed me when I was 17 and the only thing that has ever worked is avoiding dairy, and the only times I ever get acne are the rare times I cheat and have dairy products.

 

[stargazer44]

Sadly I have become somewhat of an expert in cystic acne....

I had an emergency hysterectomy late last year. My skin was clear and amazing. I had adult acne, but minor and controlled. After my surgery and within days of starting hormones, my face started swelling to the point my eyes swelled shut. MY OBGYN and all of her partners were at a loss - had no idea what it was or how to help me. After trial and error, I was sent to a Derm. He took one look at me and said in his 35 years of practice, I had the worse case of cystic acne he had ever seen. Yay me. I am only 35, and have kids, and refused to leave my house. I tried everything. No dairy, every treatment you can buy, and his prescriptions of multiple antibiotics and special soap. I am one who decided to go on acutane. The risks were concerning, but my case was so bad I didn't have a choice. I am still on the medicine now - it's been 4 months - and couldn't be happier. My Derm says all of the fancy stuff you buy - Proactive or any of the other chemical acne treatments - are all a hoax and waste of money. He also said toner is a waste of money, and does more harm than good. He said the best thing for your skin is plain soap. When I told him I make my own, he was thrilled. And impressed. He said that is the best thing I can do for my skin. Nothing that will affect my pores or anything. A simple, moisturizing, chemical free soap.

I simply share my story because I spent TONS of money on crazy treatments trying to fix my skin. And for me, it was hormones. My Dr said one of my prescribed hormones triggered the cystic acne. And once it is triggered, you must treat it internally for it to go away.

I still avoid dairy as much as possible. (Milk products). I tried the Tea Tree oil - in soap and directly on the cysts. But I was so bad nothing worked. I only use soap now.

Whatever he decides to try, I highly suggest he see a dermatologist for some relief. Not everyone who has cystic acne needs acutane. There are several forms of treatment they try before going that route - or should try anyway. I would cut out any chemical treatment and see a DR.

 

[Saswede]

There are already a lot of conflicting viewpoints on this thread - but I thought that I'd add my 5c worth!

Acne at 12 is highly likely to be hormonal, and some people find that altering their diet is beneficial ...... It's a matter of trying to eliminate various foods, and understanding triggers for the individual - because dairy is not only dietary trigger. And regarding drug therapy, again I believe that it's an individual choice, and the boy and his parents should weigh up the possible side effects of the drug compared to the emotional and physical scarring of the acne ...... Their call.

However, improving facial cleansing does help most teenagers, and washing the face twice a day is a good habit to maintain to try to prevent or manage future acne outbreaks. Quite a number of previous posts mention keeping the soap plain and simple, and I think that's right. You should also aim to achieve gentle cleansing and avoid drying the skin, so go easy on the coconut and palm oils. I'd also avoid EO or FO, and use a moderate superfat (perhaps 5%). And there are some natural additives you could consider:
- carrots are rich in vitamin A, and are great in soap
- calendula is antibacterial, so consider using calendula-infused OO or sunflower oil
- activated charcoal adsorbs impurities (and a dark grey swirl could make the soap look interesting too!)

And one final thought - some researchers in the UK did a clinical trial to see whether any commonly used herbs have antibacterial effects on the bacteria which cause acne (propionibacterium), and they found that thyme was the only herb which worked. So you could consider infusing some oil with fresh thyme ......

 

[MKRainville]

Have they seen a dermatologist?
Aside from cleaning with a mild cleanser and lukewarm water, topical antibiotics can help.
I'd much rather go for a surfactant based cleanser; something PH neutral, and very mild.

Clove is quite harsh. There's a lot of EO's to choose from; calendula, lavender, wild thyme, galbanum, helichrysum, ho leaf, laurel, geranium, chamomile, patchouli.
I'm sure there are much more, but these are all very helpful for acne and inflammation.

I would go for a face toner though, instead of adding them to a wash off product.

A dead sea or green clay mask could help too.

Geranium is great! I use that EO neat on a cotton ball and dab it right on the trouble spots. Try out Etsy.com and find a calendula based face lotion/face wash. The best soap to use for the face is natural glycerine based soap. buy some melt and pour soap add some of geranium, lavender, chamomile oils.

 

[MKRainville]

There are already a lot of conflicting viewpoints on this thread - but I thought that I'd add my 5c worth!

Acne at 12 is highly likely to be hormonal, and some people find that altering their diet is beneficial ...... It's a matter of trying to eliminate various foods, and understanding triggers for the individual - because dairy is not only dietary trigger. And regarding drug therapy, again I believe that it's an individual choice, and the boy and his parents should weigh up the possible side effects of the drug compared to the emotional and physical scarring of the acne ...... Their call.

However, improving facial cleansing does help most teenagers, and washing the face twice a day is a good habit to maintain to try to prevent or manage future acne outbreaks. Quite a number of previous posts mention keeping the soap plain and simple, and I think that's right. You should also aim to achieve gentle cleansing and avoid drying the skin, so go easy on the coconut and palm oils. I'd also avoid EO or FO, and use a moderate superfat (perhaps 5%). And there are some natural additives you could consider:
- carrots are rich in vitamin A, and are great in soap
- calendula is antibacterial, so consider using calendula-infused OO or sunflower oil
- activated charcoal adsorbs impurities (and a dark grey swirl could make the soap look interesting too!)

And one final thought - some researchers in the UK did a clinical trial to see whether any commonly used herbs have antibacterial effects on the bacteria which cause acne (propionibacterium), and they found that thyme was the only herb which worked. So you could consider infusing some oil with fresh thyme ......

I forgot about carrots... that beta carotene is so wonderful. I use carrot puree (from my juicer) with a teaspoon of honey as a mask about once a month (during that awful time) and it helps clear up the skin. Honey is natural anti-microbial, anti bac anti fungal and anti viral! So why not, and the carrot honey puree tastes pretty good too so It won't hurt if he gets any in or around the mouth Most of the hormonal zits I get are around my chin so I find that tasty a Pro on the list.

 

[stargazer44]

Keep in mind Cystic acne is NOT normal acne. He really needs to see a dermatologist to avoid being scared for life. It can cause horrible scaring. It's horribly painful, and affects self image. For me as an adult, I wouldn't leave the house. As a teenager when everything already seems bigger than it is, he needs to see a dr asap.