Kind of like Acne

OK, so my whole life I've had pretty decent skin...a pimple here or there but nothing big. Well for the past couple years I've been breaking out all over my chin and a little around my cheeks. It's not constent but it last for a couple months every time. I tried Proactive...regular and the strongest one... but niether made it go away. I'm currently trying the Clean and Clear Acne Cleanser system and nothing is working. How do I get rid of this? A coworker said it could be a bacteria infection or something like that but only a Dermatoligist would know. Do you think that could be what it is? If so how would I get it treated?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms, the possibility of acne cannot be ignored. Just keep you face clean by washing with a mild soap atleast twice a day. Pat it dry and do not rub it. Avoid picking or pressing the acne. You can also use Benzoyl peroxide 5% lotion or gel once at bedtime. An amount of lotion the size of a pea should be enough to cover most of your face. If your skin becomes red or peels, you are using too much of the medicine or applying it too often.
If the symptoms persist then topical antibiotics may be needed for which I would suggest you to get it evaluated from a dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.