recurring cases of impetigo

Posted , 7 users are following.

I'm 17, and have been getting impetigo from the age of 5 years old, the doctor believed at the time that it was from face paint. I've been getting reoccurring outbreaks every year since then, normally up to three times a year. However, as I got older I believed I had "grew out of it" (if that's possible) yet I severely burnt my lips on holiday and I felt the tingling feeling straight away after not having an outburst for about a year and a half. One thing I can tell you all is that as soon as you think you can feel the first symptoms of having it use the antibiotic cream (fucidin cream) asap, this will reduce the spreading of impetigo immediately. I've recently just had another outbreak just for being run down and so I now know I definitely will still be getting it. But there is hope, I was given a leaflet about this when I last got the cream from the doctor and it stated that you can get a swab taken from the inside of your nose and sent off to the lab where they will find out if you have the bacteria that causes impetigo living up there. This doesn't mean it will appear around your nose but when you get impetigo due to what ever reasons- mine normally being from stress, being run down, change in the weather etc.- then it will trigger it and appear in the usual place. I researched it some more and it said that your whole family that live in the same house should be checked as they could have it and that's what could trigger you off even if they've never had an outburst of impetigo. I had a swab sent off yesterday and I'm hoping that this is true as they will then give me a cream to kill it from up my nose and supposedly it won't come back. However, when I had this done my doctor seemed to know very little about it and I've never heard of it until now, I don't know why this is so I shall see if it works out. I just wanted to share this all with you as I know how horrendous impetigo is, I hate going out with it and as soon as I feel it coming up I know I'll have it all over my lip for a while.

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6 Replies

  • Posted

    GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had recurring impetigo for 1.5 years (I think a total of 4-5 times during that period) and it was so awful. Literally sometimes I thought I wanted to kill myself so I UNDERSTAND YOUR SITUATIONS. Multiple rounds of powerful antibiotics (oral AND topical) could not phase this resistant little ------. My doctor ended up diagnosing me with seborrhea, which would turn into impetigo. On the final round of antibiotics during that time, I started to look up "natural and holistic ways to cure recurring impetigo". After probably hours searching through feeds, I saw grapefruit seed extract and went straight to the health food store (btw, I had tried olive leaf extract, garlic, colloidal silver). It's been almost four months and I have no signs of it returning. There were a few times about a month after taking GFSE orally (3x days) that I felt a certain "itch" start up--- I knew when it was coming ALWAYS (btw was tested for HSV I & II and both were negative), and so I knew the familiar itching. When I felt it, I applied the concentrated GFSE to my actual edge of my lip where it always started. I also changed my diet to mostly plant-based (vegan). Recently I had a check up and my doctor was delighted that I wasn't having outbreaks anymore, which I'm pretty sure he assumed was because of what he was doing (i.e. Prescribing antibiotics) instead of what I told him I had changed in my lifestyle. He ended up diagnosing me with seborrhea (look it up if you want), but I knew this was just a BS diagnosis to make him and me to "feel better", or whatever. He sent me off with a prescription for a steroid, though and told me to apply it 2x a day, BUT only for 1 week at a time because it may thin my skin permenantly..... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I just told you I'm pretty sure I cured my ailment with grapefruit seed extract and you want me to what?!! That prescription has been filled but is not in use. Anyway, recurring impetigo SUCKS! Hopefully my experience helps you! I've also heard medical honey works extremely well! Try to maintain a vegan diet as well, I believe that has helped a lot. Keep fighting the good fight!

    What I recommend:

    Grapefruit seed extract 3x/day

    Grapefruit seed extract concentrated liquid on actual sores while they're red/crusty yellow/healing... I also recommend it whenever there's an "itch or tingle".

    Also, maybe mixing into motion for everyday/other day/weekly use.

  • Posted

    Hi! I've been getting the same thing since I was 9 and I'm now 24. I recently just had the worst case yet and my lips were swollen like a lip job gone bad. The swelling has gone down and I'm on antibiotics but it's horrible having to deal with it every time it comes up and having to stay home to avoid people starting me down. I wish I could get rid of it for good and I was wondering if that worked for you??

  • Posted

    Thank you, Eve.  A swab culture was done up both my nostrils nose as you say, and it did turn out positive for staph (not the MRSA type) and I was prescribed 2 meds (2% hydrocortisone and mupirocin creams).  I think I will be having the same pattern as you mention, the coming back of the rash when stressed out and change of seasons.  I've had problems since December, worse on my lips, painful for sure.  Inside the nose is fine pretty quickly with the mupirocin.  I'll get chills, probably a fever though I don't take my temperature.  I now know to wash around my nose and mouth a few times a day with mild liquid soap (I sometimes will use some mild dilute vinegar also) and to use the creams real sparingly (they are both strong and will dry the worst of the impetigo up but also seem to burn and cause redness (?).  For the awful chapping I get, I dab on some Triple Lanolin lotion (have tried many other balms but like the lanolin best) which can help the sting.  I believe I've had maybe 3 flares of this these past 4 months. The nurse in my doc's office and the dermatology residents I saw twice didn't seem to have a lot to tell me.  I did see an article somewhere on line about how people are now picking impetigo up more often at the gyms, so maybe there will be more up-to-date discussion about it online.  I'm actually having a bit of it these past few days (stress again) but this flare doesn't seem as bad.  I think it's that I'm really on top of it this time, washing it several times a day.  Definitely more stress:  Will have a cavity filled this week, had teeth cleaned last week and did ask the dental hygientist about staph; she didn't have much info to offer me.  Then yard work, lol, but finally got the mower started, plus my mom fell at the memory care center and hurt herself.  Life can bring on worries, that's for sure.  wink

  • Posted

    Hi eve! I am 17 as well and can't seem to prevent impetigo from recurring. I'll try and wash my face more especially around my nose and I think I do have staph in my nose. Does anyone know of any way to completely rid staph from the body so that it doesn't come back? It's only bacteria so it doesn't lay dormant in the nerve endings. Thanks.

  • Posted

    Hey 

    I know this post is from a very long time ago but my daughter is suffer from impetigo and nothing seems to be working. Where did you get your grapefruit seed oil from?  Thanks 

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