UC and Acne

Does anyone think these are related??

Only this year, when my body has gone totally haywire with all the extra intestinal symptoms have I gotten acne. Big, painful pimples that take forever to heal, just like the ones on other parts of my body, usually right around my mouth. I noticed when I got off prednisone last month they got worse and I am a week into my 2nd topical rx for this and its not getting better. I know in the scheme of things this isn't a huge deal, but I am soo self conscious about my appearance due to this. I have no fewer than 4 or 5 pimples at varying stages all around my mouth, and I woke up this morning to see the two pimples right above my lip are now making my lip swell up like I got punched. Super fun. Argh....

Are you male or female? Acne around the mouth is strongly associated with hormones... can sometimes be controlled with hormonal birth control. Even before being diagnosed with UC I found that an anti-inflammatory diet like the paleo diet had a BIG effect on clearing up my skin, but I see from your sig you're already trying that. I also tried a million different topical acne treatments and found that Sulfacetamide lotion was the most effective for me.

Keep your head up :) I've learned from a lifetime of acne that most people do NOT notice, even when you feel like you have a neon sign on your face

@quincy, I am on a erythromycin-benzol peroxide topical gel, before that I think just erythromycin. I would hope that the pred is just about out of my system, I was on it just a month and its been almost that long since I have been off of it.

@Pluot, I am a female. I did not know that about acne being related to hormones based on where it is on your face/body. Hoping to stay away from birth control pill, but if it helps, then cool. Yeah, its definitely frustrating to me that this seems to be worse or the same now that I am on the Paleo diet, I mean I am eating more healthy than I have in years and I feel pretty good. Thanks for the encouragement though. I think i am just so determined to bounce back from my year and a half flare and hospitalization a couple months ago I want my outsides to match my insides and they just aren't. Oh and I see from your sig that you are flaring due to antibiotics..I feel for you, that was me all that last spring and summer. Too many sinus infections and too many courses of antibiotics equals bad times. Feel better!

@UC_Spartan, I was on pred and got off it almost a month ago and was on it about the same time. Maybe my body is just taking a really looonnnggg time to calm down after all the drama of a couple months ago. Good luck tapering pred, its rough to say the least. I have said a couple times on here that we should have a pred support group and we will meet at 3am, cux we'd all be up cleaning or freaking out or something.