Personal/embarrassing skin question - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Linsy · 01-12-2011, 01:02 AM

Okay, so all over my sides I have what looks like a combination of a hair and a blackhead. They stick out above the surface, and gentle tugs with fingers/tweezers will "pull" them out. It doesn't require any force or hurt at all. Once I pull them out they look like short strands of hair, but half of it is white and half of it (the part that shows) is black. Sometimes they are all white. Some of them are below the surface and I can't pull them out. I can squeeze some of them out kind of like a blackhead. I've tried exfoliating but it seems like the only thing that will get them out is to pull one by one with tweezers...honestly I don't have the time or the flexibility to do that. Oh, on my sides they seem to commonly appear in straight lines down my stretch marks.

Does anyone have ANY idea what this is? I've had them for a long time and they make me feel self conscious. I can't afford to go to a dermatologist.

luckymommy · 01-12-2011, 01:57 AM

I'm not really sure what this is or what is causing it. However, you may try salicylic acid. I've heard it can help with bumps on skin. It probalby won't get rid of the hair, but maybe it will get rid of the acne and the ingrown part of the hair (the skin that is covering it).

http://acne.about.com/od/acnetreatme...icylicacid.htm

Maybe you'll get some other advice, but that's all that comes to mind.

Flamethrower · 01-12-2011, 04:42 AM

If it's not some kind of skin condition, it could always just be ingrown hairs causing blackheads? You could try gently exfoliating the skin next time you have a bath/shower with an exfoliator wash and a sponge just to see if there's any improvement.

Elvish Mistress · 01-12-2011, 05:39 AM

I have this exact same thing. I've had it since I was a teenager. I've never gotten it to go away completely, but using a body wash made for body acne helps a lot. I use neutrogenia, but there are several other brands to choose from.

NiteNicole · 01-12-2011, 08:24 AM

Have you tried dry skin brushing regularly? Or a salt scrub? Lush makes one called Ocean Potion or something like that. Those things seem to help with a lot of "congested pore" type problems.

JessLess · 01-12-2011, 08:34 AM

This stuff works pretty well.

http://www.princereigns.com/

If you have ingrowns and tweeze they may grow back ingrown. I think shaving (or I have heard waxing) works better. I don't know how much hair you are talking about, but I have had some laser hair removal and electrolysis and they both were expensive but helped. Getting them both together, since they can't laser blond or white hair, was the best.

Linsy · 01-12-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvish Mistress

I have this exact same thing. I've had it since I was a teenager. I've never gotten it to go away completely, but using a body wash made for body acne helps a lot. I use neutrogenia, but there are several other brands to choose from.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I ordered a sugar scrub from Ulta and used it yesterday. I don't really see an improvement yet, but hopefully it goes away or at least gets better. I'll try the acne wash if the sugar scrub doesn't do the trick.

bargoo · 01-12-2011, 07:46 PM

You might try scrubbing with a Loofah also.