Brief Answer:
Kindly tell certain important details of the condition.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum. I can understand your concern for pustular acne before menses.

In view to help you best I humble request you to kindly tell certain important details:

- Since how long you have this problem of pustular acne.

- Is it recurring every time after menses or at certain times only. Do you have acne in between the mid cycle or any other time before menses too.

- How many of pimple you get in one episode. Are these big one or few small one only.

- Are you still feeding your baby.

Hope to hear soon from your side.

Regards,

Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD (Dermatology)

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Brief Answer:
"Premenstrual flare" : various suggestions and guidance.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Welcome back and thanks for posting your details.

I can understand your concern for pimples. For a female it is really distressing if there is presence of pimples on face.

Before I proceed to your issue let me explain you elaborately regarding pimples- Acne or pimples generally appears at the age of 13-14 years and then almost vanishes by the age of 25 years.

These erupts basically due to hormones (chemicals which are influencing one or other body functions including growth, puberty and development of body in adults) in addition to the influence of certain other factors causing its aggravation.

The hormones and its bye-products plays the most important role in high oil secretion and increase the size of oil glands especially in females. As the pores or ducts of the glands are blocked so it leads to formation of pimples.

In females there is not a direct presence of testosterone is there but the female hormones turns into the testosterone and other of related chemicals. There are certain other factors such as application of oily or creamy products, over exposure to sunlight, heat and humidity or due to pinching, popping and squeezing of the pimples also leads to formation of pimples.

Before menses there is high upsurge of hormones and therefore you get more pimples at this time which is known as "Premenstrual flare".


So probably you got some idea regarding your acne. There are certain suggestions which you can follow:

1. Do not pinch, pop or squeeze any area on face.

2. Do not apply any creamy or oily stuff or any other cosmetics over face.

3. Try to avoid any home remedies suggested by your friends or family members or otherwise self implicated therapies also.

4. Try avoiding situations of direct continuous exposure to sunlight or heat and humidity for long hours. Make your room properly ventilated it will improve the status of pimples.

5. Kindly do not use any antibiotic as self medication.

6. Do not apply any hair oil on scalp or apply in very less amount. Wash your scalp daily with some good shampoo and let there be no dandruff in your scalp ( because dandruff itself causes blockage of pores of oil glands and then pimples).

For "Premenstrual flare" I Usually suggest an anti-inflammatory tablet 3-4 days before the menses. This is a cyclical regimen where we prescribe a tablet containing paracetamol or Aceclofenac 3-4 days before menses regularly for once daily. It reduces the inflammation produced by hormonal upsurge and therefore reduces the tendency of pimples. For topical application If I were your treating doctor then would have prescribed you a gel containing Clindamycin.

You can discuss all these points with your treating dermatologist.

Hope this information will help you. If you have any further query I will be happy to help.

Regards,

Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD (Dermatology)

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Brief Answer:
Pimples and dandruff: various suggestions and guidance.

Detailed Answer:
Dear young lady,

Welcome back and thanks a lot for your further follow up.

For the dandruff issues I suggest my patients to wash the hair with regular shampoo but in a different manner. My way of application of shampoo is- it is to be done twice in a single bath. It means when you are washing your scalp apply first time shampoo for washing the hair part only, then rinse it off immediately with water. Reapply the shampoo again immediately, leave it for around 5 minutes, do a good gentle massage by your fingers for around 2 minutes and then wash it off. By doing so for around 7 days you will get good benefit.

The other way is to apply your shampoo ( diluted with water) for around half an hour before bath like an hair oil. And then rest of the second application and bath as told above. You can reduce the frequency of twice application after 2 weeks and then can optimize it according to your own need.

For the part of greasy food and junk food : there is no direct correlation of these kind food with acne. There is a popular myth that oily or greasy or spicy food can cause pimples. But it is not true and we have found no implication of these kind of food in relation to acne. Though eating these kind of food along growth junk food actually causes less vitamin and minerals to be absorbed. A less of vitamin and minerals actually can cause delayed repair process.

So I suggest all my patients to have best of nutritive diet with lots of fruits and green vegetables. There is no typical regime for the diet. I always guide my patients to eat healthy every time you eat !!!

Hope this information will help you. If you have any further query I will be happy to help.

"Wish you good glowing skin"

Regards,

Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD (Dermatology)

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