Hi from France

My Story
1

Hi guys,

I’m glad not to feel alone anymore.
Let me tell you my story so that it might help some of you.

As most of you, I have that strange disease since now 1 year.

It all first started when I was under Accutane since 3 months. At that time my skin was perfect but I was heavily loading my skin with moisturising cream, way too much. From that time I started to have small pimples which were itching a lot and kind of red. Few weeks after I still had these pimples but it started to burst and ooze.

As far as I can tell it seems like it’s “moving” on my head and poping out by “cycles”. It started on my forehead and then moved on my cheeks and then on my chin. It’s eventually coming back on my forehead but it’s very light (rarely oozing), and I can have it on my ears (I would even say on torso/shoulders since it’s itching and slightly oozing, although very rare as well)

I’ve read all sorts of posts and everything possible to read on the topic in both French and English.

From my experience and in my case, it does seem it is related somehow with Staphylococcus and Impetigo because I do have Impetigo sometimes in my nose and my ears even if it’s nothing serious. And a few months back I have experienced the worst breakout on my chin ever and that time it was not the usual yellow oozing pimple but an impetigo bubble that took days to clear up.

Maybe there is no link between both, and I don’t know if one is triggering the other or of it’s the same at different levels. Anyway in my case it seems there is a link.

As for treatments I have tried few stuffs like doxycycline or fucidine. Accutane should not be working since it all started while I was taking it.

So maybe it could be related to demodex since I am allergic to dust and mites. And when you read about dogs, it is said that a moisturised environment can trigger issues related to demodex. As you know I was using too much cream and my skin was oily like crazy for the whole night during a few months.

Now maybe the demodex can carry in some way a staph or damage the skin enough make those blisters happen. I dunno.

Anyway I’m gonna try that full treatment against demodex and will let you know guys.

By the way, I sometimes have guts aches I did not use to have before it started. So there might be something to look for on this side as well. I have been tested for Intestinal mycosis or parasites and nothing found so far. My last blood test few months back was also perfect for everything.

Any questions, I’m here and I hope we will find a solution altogether.

Cheers

2

Hi Raju, thanks for sharing!

I’m also allergic to dust mites. I also had the oozing yellow crusts a couple of times in my nose, but just a few times compared to the face. And also had a blister like bubble (bulla) a few times.

Yes, demodex is able to carry staph as a vector, according to some studies.
My skin swabs (nose, throat, perineum) where negatively tested for staph. But staph/mrsa is known to be a very persistent bacteria, and a global worldwide threat.
Just a possibility: staph may be able to go inside the moisturizer and colonize, so that you may be constantly applying staph when using the moisturizer. For this reason, a moisturizer that has a dispensing pump, may be safer/more hygienic. The same even counts for soap. For example, there have been hospital staph outbreaks due to cleaning staff who didn’t clean the soap flacons but simply filled it with soap again. (Soap doesn’t kill bacteria, it’s only able to flush them away more easily. But since there was no flushing, they stayed inside, colonized, and spread to everyone who used soap.)

In my case, I haven’t seen clear negative effects from using a moisturizer, only positive effects: it keeps the skin hydrated/healthy, and often reduces itch, which reduces scratching.

I don’t have gut problems, although misfit108 (another member) did mention it.

Some questions:
-did the antibiotic treatment (doxycycline, fucidine) had any effect?
-have you been tested positive for staph using skin swabs?
-did the doctor performed a skin biopsy?
-how much does it look a lot like the photos in: What does it look like? (photos) or more like http://www.pcds.org.uk/ee/images/made/ee/images/uploads/clinical/pictures-of-impetigo-face_600_416_70_http:www.pcds.org.ukeeassetsimgwatermark.gif_0_0_80_r_b_-5_-5_.jpg ?
-how often do you get new ones?
-do you have skin problems on the scalp? (like kind of acne, or mild scalp folliculitis) (which I have, but don’t know about others)

Yes, I think the anti demodex treatment would be a good choice to try: the use of Soolantra (topical ivermectin) with optionally oral metronidazole and oral ivectin to be more effective.

3

Thanks for your reply!

About the moisturiser, don’t get me wrong, I think it’s good to use, otherwise my skin would be way to dry. What triggered (or played a role) the whole problem for me I think is the fact I OVERUSED moisturisers (because of Accutane) resulting in a nice place for demodex (or whatever bacteria/parasite) to develop like crazy.

To answer your questions:

No significant effects from using fucidine (topical and oral) or doxycycline (oral) even though the crusts seem to clean faster with topical fucidine (and then might be related to staph).

Never done any skin swabs but I have had my tonsils removed a few years back due to chronic staph infection. So maybe I should have that test to be done, could be interesting.

Never had any skin biopsy but from people who did with apparently the same problem, doctors never found anything suspect. I could give it a try but I don’t really want to end up with a big scar on the face though.

It definitely is the first link you provided, nothing like the big crusts of the second link which look more like real impetigo.

The whole process is like this:
My skin becomes itchy somewhere, then a small blister is coming and within an hour It’s bigger and starts oozing. Then it seems the liquid/crust is eating my skin away and instead of the blister it’s kind of an open wound (seems big said like that bust most of the time it’s not bigger than 3mm diameter). It’s oozing for 12-24h, and healing within 3/4 days. My skin is always peeling after it healed, where the blister appeared.

I could say I have got around 2 noticeable new lesions per week. Sometimes more and sometimes less. But when it’s coming it’s never coming alone. If I have got a blister poping somewhere, you can be sure there will be a replica somewhere else. That’s why it might also be related to immune system. Overall it’s a cycle of 3 days.

And yes, I sometimes have kind of acne on the scalp, but no crust Although it’ soften a bit painful (I got them pretty rarely)

All of this is really mysterious, hope we will find the light :smile:

4

Hello!
thanks for posting!
My story is kind of related to yours because I did Accutane too and overused of moisturizer too. Although the problem came a few years later accutane. I’ve got guts pain too sometimes!!! However I can have just one blister unlike you, there’s no so called “cycles” for me. I think this disease and impetigo is sometimes related because I can get these bullaes too… But I’m pretty sure of something is that stress and anxiety is related to that!!! I had one of the most stressful weekend of my life a few days ago and I got a HUGE blister in the face!!! Oozing for 2 days and easely 2cm large. How can it get triggered with bad emotions… I do’nt have a clue… Anyway, a skin biopsy doesn’t let a big scar… I arleady asked my derm. So I can advice you to get one too, as I will soon! hopefully! Bye bye :slight_smile:

5

Hi guys,

I wanted to let you know I just met with my gp and I’ve got my prescription for soolantra, stromectol and metronidazole (called flagyl here in France).
I talked with him about the website and our similar cases and he has been very comprehensive. He even told me “experiment” is part of the job ahah.

Could take some days before I start the cure since soolantra is available since 2 months only in France so I might need to order it. (My gp didn’t know about that)

I will keep you updated!

Edit: ok, got everything and gonna start soon!

Btw, maybe it might be exacerbate by stress, but in general, I highly doubt it is related at all.

And yes, I can have just one pimple at a time, but my skin usually feel less comfortable when it’s coming, maybe it’s just a wrong feeling.

However, let’s keep fingers crossed for the treatment effectiveness.

7

How is your treatment going?

8

It’s been two weeks I started. 1 medium oozing lesion to report and many small bumps (not oozing, or very vey slightly) that might be dying demodex. Today my ears are also red and itching. Overall I would say my skin is smoother.

It’s too early to pronounce myself but I want to bet on the fact it’s working. I’m gonna take my second dose of oral ivermectine soon.

I surely will keep you up to date!

9

How much are you taking of the oral medication? Something like this?

  • Oral metronidazole: 250 mg, three times per day for 2 weeks,
  • Oral ivermectin: 200 μg per kg body weight at once, 1 week apart.
10

Well, I have been taking:

  • oral metronidazole (500mg) 2g per day (4 pills per day) for 1 week
  • oral ivermectine 5 pills at once. Gonna take my second Soon.
11

It’s been now two weeks i didn’t have any lesion. Seems it’s working great, let’s keep hope!

12

So you are only on Soolantra now? Are you going to stop when the tube is finished?

13

Yes i’m only using soolantra (i took my second dose of oral ivermectine a week ago, and I’ve got a prescription for eventually a third).

My first tube is almost finished and I’ve got a second one to go. After that I guess I will stop everything and see how it’s going !

1 Like
14

Hello! How are you doing?
Is your treatment still going optimistic ?
regards.

15

Hi! I’m still under soolantra but still no oozing lesion to report, so it’s going pretty well, beyond my expectations!

16

Hi Raju! I just joined the forum… I was wondering if you are still using soolantra? Is it effective?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!!!