antibiotic resistant chronic impetigo

[abailey99]

I have a frustrating skin infection problem and would like to know if anyone has advice on where I should go from here in regard to it. I'm a 25 yr old female with no previous major health problems before this summer (except I did have my tonsils taken out due to chronic tonsillitis in 2005). About 2 months ago I was diagnosed with impetigo. I had (still have) what look clearly like impetigo lesions/infections all over my face, a few on my arms, chest, stomach, & legs. I have dealt with acne on and off as a pre-teen & again over the last few years. This is definitely not acne- though before it got really bad I thought it was just a weird breakout. For about a month before the worst of the impetigo hit I had a couple of bouts of very swollen/infected lymph nodes. Doctors put me on a few different antibiotics for my lymph nodes. The severe swelling would eventually go away, but now a few of them in my neck seem to be permanently firm and large. My neck is no longer swollen though. I don't know the extent to which this relates to the impetigo or not. I thought I'd add the info just in case. When I decided to go to the doctor about the skin infection (I didn't know it was impetigo yet) I had all these huge crusty lesions and if I washed my face with a wash cloth they bled so bad I thought I would pass out. They also leak the honey colored liquid associated with impetigo as well as all these little white seed looking things (I have no idea how to describe them better). Half of my face and one eye had swollen up really severely. The doctor put me on two different antibiotics at the same time to make sure it got the right strain of whatever the bug is. He told me it should start clearing up in about 3 days & should be gone within a week. Two weeks later and after I had finished both antibiotics it was maybe even a little worse. I would/ still do wash my face with antibacterial soap 3 times a day & use the strongest antibiotic ointment I could find at the drug store. Tea tree oil seems to help a little bit- clearly more than anything else. But its been 2 months almost & the infection is still here & I'm even getting new sores popping up. I'm so frustrated! Is there a certain kind of specialist I should make an appointment with? Is there anything I can be doing that I'm not? I genuinely appreciate any advice or input at all.

[northamerica]

Please consider trying an antibiotic ointment called Fucidin.  Worked well on extensive scalp condition.