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  • Acne Post Op

    Hi Everyone,

    This is a really random question I suppose, but I was wondering if maybe anyone can relate to my recent issue.

    About 2 months post-op my skin on my face, neck, shoulders and back totally broke out - like I am a teenager again!

    This may be related to the weather but it's usually not this bad and for this long. It's been a month and it's not better.

    Did this happen to anyone else post-surgery? Any thoughts welcome!!

    PS I'm seeing my surgeon next week for xrays, etc, and will ask him the same question.

    Thanks!!

  • #2
    Hi JamieAnn-

    I am so glad you posted this! The same thing has happened to me. My face, neck and back have totally broken out since about I was about 2 months post op. I feel like I am a teenager all over again! I am 32 now and have never had acne like this before. My chin is particularly bad. It is so embarrassing I keep telling everyone that I think it is from my surgery. The pimples/acne on my face are big in size, and the acne on my back is very small but runs the entire course of my incision. I am now almost 7 months post op and am hoping this will go away soon! Let me know what your doctor says!

    Thanks,
    JenM
    Surgery date: June 8, 2010 with Dr. Boachie
    Thoracic curve: 55 degrees, corrected to 25 degrees
    Lumbar curve: 58 degrees, corrected to 27 degrees
    Posterior-only surgery, Levels T3-L3
    31 year old mother of 2 young kids

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    • #3
      Jamie & Jen,

      I know that I had bad acne on my face post op, which took a few months to go away. I have off and on struggled with acne as an adult (argh) and at the time, I attributed it to the fact that while in the hospital, I wsan't taking my preventative antibiotics. It resolved within a few months. I've always thought (and been told by the derm) that my acne is hormone related. Now that I'm thinking, I know that such major surgeries throw your hormones all out of whack, for instance, I didn't have my period for 3 months.) So....I'm thinking that it must be related.

      I'd be concerned with the acne on your back, especially Jen, as you say it's on your incision? Or am I misunderstanding? You don't want to get an infection. I'd probably recommend seeing a dermatologist who can help get it under control.
      __________________________________________
      Debbe - 50 yrs old

      Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
      Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

      Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
      Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
      Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

      Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
      Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

      Comment


      • #4
        Wow, I thought I was the only one!!! I battled acne as a teenager but finally got rid of it in my 20's, but ever since surgery I've been getting acne, sometimes on my face, but mostly on my back (random places, not on incision area). I've found that if I drink a ton of water it seems to help diminish it...maybe the healing is requiring my body to use more water? Try drinking a lot of water, it seems to be helping me although I need to go to a dermitologist also.

        Rich
        Pre-Surgery Lumbar 65 degrees
        A/P Fusion T10-Pelvis by Dr. Christopher Good
        Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA 3/17/10, 3/18/10
        Post-Surgery Lumbar 19 degrees, and 2" in height

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        • #5
          I've had acne probs since i was 15, but it has only been mild since 18 or 19. Pre surg it was limited to my back and chest and only mild, but post surgery my chest and especially back has been broke out like crazy. It's finally calmed down but not back to normal just yet. My advice would be for ANYONE with acne, to NOT see a dermatologist. I won't get into the details with that. You just gotta eat healthy, that's the best things to do for it. Some creams might be okay but never take antibiotics unless there's a life threatening reason, or other acne drugs.

          Jamie: Otherwise, how's it going? I'm doing well except my neck forward/down thing. I'm back to doing a lotta things, definately feel so much better now. I was wondering, being we had the same surgery date, if you could run or jog yet? I can walk fast but not quite able to jog yet. I wouldn't dare to it regularly this early post op, just curious how my progress is compared to someone who had their op on the same day.

          JenM: how's your neck situation?
          Age 25 male
          Upstate NY
          T3-L3 fusion for 80's degrees kyphosis
          Anterior 9/21/10 & posterior 9/28/10
          Post op degrees soon to come

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          • #6
            Wow, I guess I'm really not alone with this one. Ryy, I completely agree with you about not bothering with a dermatologist. I think this might be something that needs to run its course. I will ask the surgeon next week if he knows when hormone levels start to return to normal, if he even knows that kind of thing.

            Ryy, I am back to "normal" activities too and feeling so much better. I can definitely feel it though when I do too much - like the other day I spent baking the whole day and I was sore afterward and had to lay down for a bit. I get pinches/aches/pains in my fusion area, mostly on the right side where the curve was. Today it actually feels like there is slight pulling/pressure in that area. I guess this is all part of the healing.

            I definitely would NOT try running now, mostly because I haven't gotten the ok from my surgeon. Since going back to work I haven't been able to keep up the walking but I feel good otherwise. I'm anxious to get back into pilates at least.

            I will ask my surgeon next week about PT or what I can do to start to even out my shoulders. I will send an update once I have more info! I'm really glad you're feeling so much better too.

            Hopefully this acne situation goes away soon for all of us! Thanks everyone for your replies.

            Comment


            • #7
              I've got it in the exact places you mentioned, the chin being the worst. I have oily skin, and always have to keep from getting breakouts, but this is CRAZY. It must be from laying down face-first on the table for 7 plus hours, our skin rubbing against whatever we're placed on. gross.

              mine's already improved a little bit with persa-gel 10 acne medication (any grocery store has it). i think it'll take some time to go away altogether.
              Rebecca
              Age: 28
              Dx w/ scoli @ age 12 S curves T-40* L-42*
              wore night bending brace as teenager
              Curves changed to 50's plus or minus
              herniated disc L2-3, Discectomy October 2007
              fusion L2-3 November 2008
              Revision L2-3 Fusion, Removal of hardware August 2009
              Curves measuring 52 T&L September 2010
              Fused T4-L4, all posterior December 27th 2010
              gained almost two inches in height

              Before and After Exterior
              Before and After X-rays
              My blog: http://herscoliosisjourney.blogspot.com/

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