undermining

Dr. Rockoff,
I wrote to you a couple of days ago that I had been to a dermatologist who had pierced some "ice pick" scars, done undermining, and then a week later some laser (which I left out of the last question by error.) Nothing was explained to me other than the procedure for the ice pick scars, and I find myself struggling over two months later to figure out what is going on with my face. If you recall, I got a very bad infection. Two weeks ago, after being on keflex for two months about, but with my face still extremely swollen, I went to a different dermatologist who put me on erythromycin cream with cortisone 2% to mix in on top of it. I was to use it for two weeks and then omit the cortisone and just use the antibiotic. It reduced the swelling greatly. However, once I stopped using the cortisone a few days ago, my face started filling back up, and I have very waxy white stuff coming out of my face, seemingly every where it was pierced. I was pierced all over (over my eyebrows, next to my eyes, on my cheeks, nose, sides of nose, aroung my mouth, chin, jaw...). What, please, is this white stuff? Should it be there? I have tried to read about undermining, and wonder if it is collagen?...or still part of the infection? I fear so much to end up with a huge round face again. I also hate feeling like I am a wax figure in a museum. It comes out mostly after I put on the antibiotic cream.
Thank you for your previuos response. The internet is an unbelievable tool. I wonder what my kids will be telling their kids that they didn't have when they were growing up! Julie

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Juile:

Your question is hard for me to answer.  "White stuff" coming out of the face may well just be sebum, or oil.  If so, it should indeed be there.  Facials, exfoliation, and astringents may help remove some.

What I can't understand is why you don't ask the doctor who did the undermining procedure.  Or the doctor you saw who prescribed erythromycin ointment.  Surely the people who saw you or worked on you in person would be in the best psoition to explain what is coming out of your face . . .

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff