Natural Remedies for Cystic Acne

Robert's Fungus Saga - Vicks Update

Part One: Feet

Q. Do the ingredients (camphor, eucalyptus, thymol, menthol) work?

A. I've applied the solution on my nails as well as to my entire foot to get rid of all the fungus that might eventually cause a reoccurrence. The results were obvious after 4-5 days: first, the athlete's foot symptoms between my toes rapidly got better and were healed in about a week. Then, at the seven-day point lots of skin started sloughing off all over my feet where the fungus was obviously in hiding -- including the heal callus. I was surprised to see so much sloughing of the skin around the base, sides and top of the toe nails -- this area apparently had been deeply affected by the fungus, but just looked like tough skin that I had become accustomed to expect. Within 2-3 weeks the unaffected new toe nails could be seen at the cuticle. Now, several months later, there is a clear line of demarcation between the old fungal nail, and the new clear nail. I expect that it will be 3-4 more months before all the old nail has grown out and gone.

Q. Is the formulation the right one?

A. After much research and playing kitchen chemist, I learned that coconut oil is a good anti-fungal as well as a great emollient. DMSO doesn't need to be at 25% concentration. 10-15% is sufficient. Oregano Oil is composed of Thymol and University of Western Australia research proved tea tree oil's anti-fungal capability, so I added it as well. The essential oil amounts are at least or a little more than what bio-chemists call the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The formulation I like and use now is:

Revised Formula
1 part Menthol oil
1 part Thymol oil or Oregano oil
1 part Camphor oil
1 part Lemon Eucalyptus oil
2 parts Tea Tree Oil
2 parts DMSO
12 parts Virgin Coconut Oil

There is probably a synergistic (i.e. harmonious working together) effect of anti-fungal herbs, which has been demonstrated in several studies. In one test of ten plant species whose oils were anti-fungal, researchers noted that "combinations of the anti-fungal essential oils increased their activity remarkably." In a similar study, researchers stated that "in all the oil combinations, the anti-fungal potency was found to increase over individual oils."

Part Two: Adult "Acne"

This is where the "saga" starts to get interesting. After my adolescent acne should have cleared up 35 years ago, it got slowly worse. All over the bearded part of my face, what appeared to be sacs of hardened oil under the surface of the skin had been forming nodules. These didn't get infected,'each just grew larger. Over the years I've seen dermatologists who said, because of my otherwise great health, "you're just a middle aged adolescent," blaming it on high testosterone, etc. The apparent acne problem continued and worsened.

I've seen doctors, dermatologists, pharmacists, herbalists, laser specialists, and spiritual healers. I've bought every acne ointment known to man. I took pills, vitamins, and herbs. I changed diet. I get plenty of exercise. Nothing worked. I had extensive surgery to correct the problem three years ago, and within 18 months it looked just as bad as before. As a public speaker and author in my profession, the skin condition was emotionally upsetting and stressful.
Having conquered toe nails, I started researching down the path that maybe the acne was caused by a fungus (although the symptoms didn't look like my feet). Was I surprised when I found:

" Tinea barbae is a superficial dermatophyte infection that is limited to the bearded areas of the face and neck and occurs almost exclusively in older adolescent and adult males. Symptoms include inflammatory, deep, kerion-like plaques and noninflammatory superficial patches and lumps resembling bacterial folliculitis. The hair breaks off below the skin surface. It is caused by several dermatophytes. Trichophyton species are most common. Infection of bearded skin may be the result of autoinoculation from tinea pedis or onychomycosis."

In other words, the mess on my face that had caused me so much grief and been misdiagnosed for decades was caused by the same fungus that gave my feet a problem. Apparently the dermatophytes enter the hair follicle (nails and hair are similar biological structures), then attack the sebaceous gland, feeding off the body oil; then the body's immune system reacts with scaring and hardening the facial oil, leaving an oil nodule. The dermatophytes then migrate to the next follicle, and eventually dozens of affected follicles link as a nodule the size of a pea.

Now it became obvious what had happened: The athlete's foot I got as a teenager went to my toe nails, and, because I was ignorant of the relationship of using a towel on my face that might have been used on my feet or crotch, the fungus got transferred.

Not a single dermatologist who examined my face ever bothered to ask the question: "Do you have toe nail fungus or athlete's foot!"

Using the same solution on my facial outbreaks as on my toe nails (the revised formula with coconut oil), the facial condition is clearing up. Just like with my feet, skin is sloughing off and the nodules are beginning to eject. This is the best result I've seen in years. I expect it will take a few months for the problem to be cured, as the fungus is down below the level of the base of the hair follicle in the sebaceous gland.

Part Three: Chronic Sinusitis

For the last 15 years I've had chronic sinusitis, post nasal drip, clogged nose, etc. I was constantly clearing my throat, and sometimes coughing. I snored a lot, which my wife didn't appreciate, and the snoring actually would wake me up in the middle of the night, leaving me tired in the morning. I seemed to catch colds more easily than before, but I attributed this to my very frequent plane travel.

Doctors prescribed antibiotics, but I they did not fully cure the problem and when I stopped the treatment, every symptom returned. (And I just don't like unnatural treatments.) Others said it was allergies.

I wondered: Could my sinusitis be a fungal problem? More exploring on the internet found the answer:

In 1999 Mayo Clinic researchers found the cause of most chronic sinus infections to be an immune system response to fungus, and that this may kick off a secondary bacteriological infection. It is not an allergic reaction, but an immune reaction.
Again, I felt betrayed by the medical profession. Why hadn't anyone told me this?

I went to the health and vitamin store to look for an anti-fungal nasal spray, and nothing met my requirements or budget ($10-15 for a one ounce bottle of ingredients seemed way out of line.) Here's the formula I "invented:"

1. Rinse out a 1 ounce nasal spray bottle
2. Add one eye-dropper (approximately 1 ML) of Oregano Juice (NOT Oregano Oil -it's too strong and will not dissolve in water)
3. Add a pinch of salt (approximately - ML) (Iodized salt is OK - iodine is a good anti-fungal)
4. Fill the rest of the sprayer with distilled water, and shake well until the salt is dissolved.

Spray as frequently as once an hour until symptoms subside. For me, this solution began working within an hour; most symptoms were gone in three days. And the price of the ingredients per bottle is just a few pennies.

If the oregano/saline solution is too strong for you, dilute in half with water. If you want, you can add a drop of eucalyptus oil with - ML of glycerin, (which will bond the oil to water). I now spray once or twice a day, just to prevent any recurrence.

A very dear friend, who is 75, has had awful sinusitis for years. He heavily cleared his throat every minute or two. I told him of this simple formula, and two days later he called me to say it was working. He then said with amazement: "I don't believe it, we've been talking for over 15 minutes and I haven't had to clear my throat once!"

There are articles and books that claim that some cancers are caused by fungus. If this is true, taking action on fungus early may be very beneficial in the long run. It's time we gave fungus a deeper analysis.

Turmeric for Cystic Acne. I have had cystic acne on my face for years and have spent thousands of dollars on acne medicine that doesn't work. I finally came upon Turmeric and so far, so good. I apply it to my acne as a paste. I mix Turmeric spice and unrefined sesame oil till it makes a paste. I have been leaving it on for an hour or more a day for the last 3 days. I immediately noticed that the acne comes to the surface and begins to drain and has reduced in size considerably. I am only on day three and had about 7-8 fairly large cystic acne on my face. It is clearing nicely and I will update as to the finished results. Turmeric does turn everything yellow, including your skin. The yellowing of the skin will go away with washing. However, traces of turmeric will be left on your face and will stain pillowcases, sheets, clothing, sinks, and countertops.

Used many oils including virgin coconut oil in many of my skin care cosmetic formulations. But thats history. My problem has always been cystic acne. In my late forties and it is without a doubt extrmely debilitating. Large cysts would form on my face and it would take weeks for them to subside leaving a purple mark for many months. After My business mail order business went down the toilet due to 9/11. Nobody trusted the mail. I realized I had a klo of virgin coconut oil left in my refridgerater. Literally stumbled on the idea that VCO would help acne. Skeptical about putting straight oil on oily acne skin. I gave it a shot because one of my best sellers of my cosmetic formulations was an oil based, black head removal cream containg organic jojoba oil, actually it is a remarkable oil for rducing large pores. Bottom line is that cysts or leasins would be reduced within 48 to 72 hours. I was stunned to say the least. For two years I have had almost totaly relief from a lifetime problem. I have just started taking it internally since I realized I have had candida, probably for 35 plus years because of the massive amounts of tetracycline, minocin etc. (unconscionably destructive acne anitibiotics) It truly does smooth and soften the skin. My face looks like the moon, from acne scarring, although my wife says I exaggerate but It makes me look younger for sure and for certain. Don't use refined or fractionated coconut oil on your face it must be unrefined virgin oil. It really is miraculous. Cheers all.

I have suffered from severe cystic acne, the most severe, painful, and deepest of acne for at least 13 years (since puberty). I've tried everything. Nothing topical worked because the acne was so deep. I finally found the cure! A form of vitamin B5, pantothenic acid, in extremely high doses cured my acne completely! I have been taking 10g of pantothenic acid a day for almost a month. Within a week I could see huge results and within two weeks I was completely clear. I'm so glad I decided to try this instead of trying Accutane like the rest of my family. If you decide to try this build up to 10g/day over the course of a week (if not, it can cause stomach upset) and continue the 10g/day regimen for 2 months. After that you can gradually decrease the dosage down to a maintenance dose of 1-2g/day. This information is supported by a study done by Dr.Leung in China. The initial 10g/day dosage is extreme-the pills mostly come in 500mg doses which ends up being 20 pills/day but if you're desperate like me then it's worth it. I split mine up into 2 doses/day and dissolve the pills in a drink. It doesn't taste good but its better than having to take so many pills. I've read that smaller doses work but it may take longer to see results.

I'm really surprised this hasn't been posted, but the real remedy to acne or cystic acne is your own urine! Soak a cotton ball (first morning pee is best)hold it on the pimple, repeat every time you urinate, the pimple will go away. Contrary to popular belief, human urine is sterile and contains your own wasted antibodies. Don't knock it until you try it, it really works!

Urine really works for acne. I get really deep or cystic acne. The kind you can't pop and if you do it just gets worse and leaves a scar. After reading about using it for acne on this website, I just had to try it for myself. I peed on a cotton swab when I woke up and held it for a minute or so on the pimple. After just a few minutes it seemed to have brought the pimple to a head. The next day I did it again and now it's almost gone. This will be the way I handle my cystic pimple from now on. Try it and see!

Red rasberry leaf taken internally is absolutely healing. It will take away the cystic acne. choline & inositol work as well and will help the body rid of heavy toxic oils. Also stay away from fried foods and animal fats. Rostoplasty website has some amazing russian salves. Though pricey they heal cystic acne scars after a good baking soda scrub. So does Camellia Oil (oil of green tea leafs). This is a secret Japanese beaty treatment. My cystic acne is cured. Red rasberry did this for me. I got cystic acne @ 24 after my second child. Please give it a try.

I have suffered off and on for several years with cystic acne, mostly tried antibiotics, products with salycic acid, my son who now 15 also gets the same type of acne as my sister and even my mother did. she used to get cortisone shots injected in the 70's. I got on internet last night and saw massive responses to turmeric, and ran out to store and drank my first glass, which was disgusting. Hold your nose, chug it down, and chase with juice or pop. I put neosporin on the 3 on my face, and this morning swelling is down by 50%, and pain is gone. the disgusting taste is worth it trust me. I am amazed that something this inexpensive works so well, do doctors know? they must, but don't get money for advising patients to use something that only costs a couple dollars at a grocery store. My son is going to try today.

I suffered with cystic acne for years. It was so bad I had to go to the dermatologist on several occasions to have it injected with cortisone. That was the only way the acne cysts would drain. I was told there was nothing I could do. It was so frustrating and I felt hopeless and hideous. A couple of years ago I was in the spa and I told a lady there about my condition. She told me to stop using dairy products and to cut down on coffee. Prior to this I used to have a mocha every morning at work and I would also eat a bowl of yogurt for breakfast. I cut dairy and coffee out of my diet completely and have not had any cystic acne since! I sincerely hope it works for whoever tries it because I know how painful emotionally cystic acne can be. Good luck

I have been suffering from cystic breakouts and chronic constipation most of my adult life. These issues seem to only have intensified with age. Mind you, I eat an organic, almost-vegetarian diet and am always sure to get my minimum fiber intake. Before ACV, I was lucky if I had a bowel movement every other day and always felt "backed up" and suffered from terrible gas! My face would suddenly erupt in cystic acne lesions that took weeks to heal. After spending literally thousands of dollars on products in an attempt to rid myself of both conditions, I am now able to throw out more than half of the things in my medicine cabinet. I take 2 tbs. ACV morning and night, straight-- I don't even mind the taste. I also apply it topically to my face every morn-- seems to brighten my complexion and tone my pores. If you have sensitive skin, you might want to consider dilluting it, as it is pretty strong. My skin has never been better and I am completely "regular" now-I only wish I had tried this sooner and imagine the years of suffering I could have saved myself. If something ails you, try it-- it certainly can't hurt!

to respond to the woman with the terrible boils. I suffer from horrific cystic acne. I discovered that if I eliminate all forms of hidden MSG [do an internet search to find all that it is in] that my skin is perfectly clear. I am so sensitive that I cannot even touch anything with citric acid or natural flavor which is a form of hidden MSG and is in most shampoos, liquid hand soap, prepared foods, pop etc. I convinced my husband to eliminate all hidden MSG and his headaches, ezcema and skin rash went away. Now when he has any exposure the itchy, weepy skin rash comes back and today it is back with a vengence. He had mustard on Sunday and it flared. By Monday evening it was drying up and he licked the spoon of the ice cream he served our children and during the night it erupted so bad he could hardly sleep.

A good rememdy for all these skin things is a 125 watt clear infrared bulb. Not only will this clear up the skin but is great for any aches and it healed my son of acute asthma. Asthma requires a one hour treatment 1-2 times daily or more. The more you use it the quicker it heals. The only draw back is having to stay stationary so long. My husband hasn't had time to sit under it the past two days so he is still in bad shape. He started on the vinegar and honey last night to see if a change in body pH will help

For years I've suffered from moderate acne and just recently started getting cysts again after a few years without. I couldn't figure out why. I tried a lot of different solutions,nothing worked. I came upon this site a few months back and have had so much success with all my inquiries. TEA TREE OIL... Thank you to whom ever suggested that, my cyst was a quarter of the original size within 2 hours. By the next day completely dried out. Just be sure to use a small dab, to prevent over drying. It's very powerful. I've also started drinking a large glass of carrot juice everyday and cut out dairy, not sure if about results yet since it's only been 4 days.

I read the feedback on this site and agree with the person who said carrot juice worked for cystic acne. I have suffered from acne since my teens and have a 100% guarantee that works! I found a book called Best Face Forward at a thrift store and did some of the things suggested:

1. I started working out daily to get my circulation going and get my pores revved up.
Remember, your circulation flows upward.
2. I kept my hair washed often to keep the scalp free of excess oils.
3. I ate carrots (raw) and sweet potatoes like they were going out of style! You have to eat plenty of them every day. The vitamin A and E are good for skin, nails, and hair. I also cut out anything fried, like chicken, pizza and french fries, etc. and put no mayonnaise or dressing on my salad.
4. I washed my face with Aveeno oatmeal soap and with Palmer's cocoa butter soap, in that order. The oatmeal dries up the pimples and the cocoa butter fades the scars and dark marks. Any oatmeal soap will work though.
5.I drank plenty of water!

I did this in high school starting in june and by the time school started back in august, my face was clear! I mean not a mark anywhere. My classmates remarked how clear my face was and asked what I had done.Even my mom was surprised and a Mary Kay representative that she worked for who had previously tried to get me to try her products asked what I had done.

I hope this helps somebody. I had tried Retin A and tetracycline, but decided to go with the suggestions in that book. Tetracycline can be hard on the stomach and Retin A smells bad and you need to limit your sun exposure.

Eat lettuce! I have suffered with acne since childhood and always believed it was diet related. After many years of drugs to treat (including accutane) and experimenting with diet, I do believe it is food sensitivity. To make a long story short, corn caused my cystic acne (especially popcorn) and chocolate. I have eliminated all corn from my diet, including corn oil and have no longer get large painful boil like acne. Chocolate tends to cause the small white or blackheads. If I relapse (popcorn just smells sooo good!) it comes back immediately. My friend also stopped eating popcorn and his cystic acne was eliminated. If only I had know this 30 years ago, life would have been so much better! I guess better late than never, eh? I found eating lettuce daily will make an outbreak heal up quickly and gives a nice glow to the skin. I will add ACV and see if my complexion can even get better! PS. Also, a natural clay mask will draw toxins out of the skin. Thanks so much for this website!