I just discovered this forum and cried my eyes out because it’s the first time that I see other people with the same issue. I can see that this is 100% same condition - boils that are oozing and then crusting yellow. I have this condition since Jan 2021. It started after skin-needling session and I ended up being diagnosed with staph, which was confirmed by swab. However, after being on antibiotics, the boils came back. I have seen so many GPs, dermatologists, naturopaths and different specialists. I have done multiple swabs, sending the swabs to different labs etc. Couple of times it came back positive for staph but even when I would use antibiotics, same boils would come back.
Apart from trying antibiotics, I have also tried so many different natural remedies - colloidal silver, manuka honey, changing my diet, using gentle consmetics, hypochlorous acid spray, using probiotic skincare. I’m also using paper towels for my face instead of normal towell to avoid reusing, changing pillow case every night, cleaning my house like a maniac etc etc.
In the recent 3-4 months, I have started seeing an infectious disease specialist who prescribed two rounds of fusidic acid and rifampicin. As always, my boils came back. He repeated the swab of one of active boils and my nostrils and to my surprise the swabs came back clear. (Note - I was already off antibiotics for a while so it wouldn’t have been false negative)
The infectious disease specialist was the one that suggested that we successfully decolonised staph and that my underlying issue might actually be demodex mites. He prescribed 1% ivermectine once I day, which I’m about to start tomorrow. I’m very excited to see that so many of you had positive results but I’m affraid of the die-off phase. How long does it usually last?
Although staph can cause impetigo - which looks like or is our disease - a lot of people carry staph without symptoms. So even if the tests are positive, it may or may not be the cause of your skin problem. But it is a suspect.
If lab tests are positive after a antibiotic treatment, they should perform an antibiotic sensitivity test on the samples, because it could be resistant against antibiotics, like MRSA.
Did the disease specialist prescribe topical ivermectine (Soolantra) or oral pills?
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I know we all carry staph. There is 100% link between staph overgrowth and the boils that we get. I think demodex mites can carry staph. Swabs vere negative after the final antibiotic treatment with infectious disease specialist. However, I was still getting the oozy ones. Then he precribed soolontra, so topical treatment only. I’ve been using it for a week now and so far so good. I hope it will stay this way. I had few small ones but they’re not oozing and crusting.
update - it’s been about 7 weeks that I’m using soolontra every night. My skin has improved so much but I got 2-3 oozing boils in the past week. They are small but I’m affraid they’re coming back. Not sure if I can do anything else?
@Dian Any developments? Might still be die off phase although I must admit it’s a bit strange. I’m seeing a new dermatologist tomorrow to talk about some sun sensitivity that I seem to have developed. I’d also like to go through my rosacea/seb derm/oozing pustules history with him and request a demodex mite test. I’d love to get to the bottom of what causes this condition.
Since I updated you last time, I had 1-2 new ones. I touched base with the infectious disease spectialist who originally prescribed soolontra to me and he said it’s to be expected and that it sounds like a good overall disease control. I read studies that suggested it takes about 16 to erradicate demodex mites with soolontra. I’m at 12 week mark so we’ll see what happens.
Please update me once you’ve had your consults with the dermatologist.