Dealing with Whiteheads?

> Whiteheads are little white bumps, that can't be squeezed very easily
out, right?

That's what I thought. (I believe whiteheads are just pimples, easily
popped out etc.) I just went to the dermatologist with the same issue
(hard little white bumps under the skin), and the Dr said they're
called 'milia' and come from chronic exposure to the sun.

The Dr said that they can be treated with Retin-A at night.
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Robin Harlow wrote:
(snip amazing story)
> I'm wondering if anyone else has tried to eradicate seborrheic
> keratosis? Surely I am not the only one who has tried?
>
> If so, would you please share any secrets of success or what didn't
> work? My dream is to have nice creamy skin again on my back and stomach.

I haven't been much bothered by my seborrheic keratoses, but in the
last couple years, two of the larger ones on my back started itching
and suddenly came lose. After a month or so, there was no trace left
of either. I wish I knew exactly what caused them to let go. But I
can only guess.

Two of the changes I had made a while before this happened was to use
pyrithione zinc anti dandruff shampoo as bath soap, and to add MSM (a
dietary sulfur supplement) to my diet.

I look forward to hearing the rest of your story as it unfolds.
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Robin Harlow wrote:

> John, I read that there is no prevention and no cure for keratosis
> tumors. My dermatologist has a vague theory that the growths are
> responding to insulin.

Since no one knows what causes them, it is pretty hard for anyone to
find a cure for them, except by trial and error.

> You are the lucky one, to have only two and have
> your body reject them all by itself.

I have a lot more than two of them, but the largest (and probably
oldest) were the ones that got itchy and fell off when I scratched
them. One had been there for at least 30 years. My maternal grand
mother had many, especially on her face. I probably inherited the
tendency to develop them from her.

> I'm hoping that either a doctor or patient whose had some success in
> treating them will come forth here. If you freeze them, you often don't
> get it all. Many of them just fall off with tretinoin, which is nice,
> but many are deep and stubborn and don't want to give up the ghost.
>
> It could be that the prithione zinc acts as an irritant to them, I might
> try that. I'll let you know.

Pyrithione zinc is a biocide, after all. It kills anything, if given
enough exposure, including skin cells. Having too much contact with
it suppresses hair growth, too.

> Tretinoin seems to push them out to the
> surface as new skin cells form underneath, and then they lose their
> "place" or blood supply.

That sounds like what happened to two of mine. They sort of died and
peeled off, leaving perfect, pink "baby skin" behind. I hope a few
more follow their example.
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If I were you I'd take a look at:

http://acne.hammocksurvivalguide.com/

There are hundreds of articles on there about Acne. I'm sure you can
find a better way than destroying your face with a pin.

Zeitgeist wrote:
> Whiteheads are little white bumps, that can't be squeezed very easily
> out, right? I have a couple on my face. I actually used to use a pin to
> get them out... any new ideas? I don't like them and it seems like the
> easiest way is with a pin!
>
>
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