I too had a lot of skin issues starting around 28. I use Burt's Bees Peach and Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub and it really works well. All my acne was gone until I ran out and I am ordering some on Amazon because it can be hard to find at Drug Stores. I am buying a two pack for 14.98. Thats almost the same as one bottle. They also have an acne line that I have never tried. But I have tried every acne kit out there and this one is the best. OH and I use the Rosewater Toner too.

Good to know, good to know...

Grenadine, If you go with Manuka Honey make sure it has a UMF rating of over 15. That's medicinal quality and has been used for centuries to treat wounds. All honey has hydrogen peroxide in it, a powerful anti-bacterial agent. Manuka UMF 16+ has higher levels and continues to be effective after being washed off.
Gf used to steam her face for 10 minutes, apply the honey mask massaging gently the specific problematic areas for 5 minutes and shower after 30 minutes.

One final thing to add, if the problems are facial try and change your pillow cases on a daily basis. If it is on other parts of the body change your sheets more often than you usually would and wear loose fitting clothing.

Thanks so much Voltaire. I hope I can keep this thread visible so I can go back to it. I forgot how you can go back to old posts, I need to get a couple back before I see my psychiatrist but I dont know how.

First dont just stop your meds...please dont. But I feel ya, that sucks, but maybe call your dr. let him know. I google everything, maybe google it and get some ideas yourself. The more you know your body, the more you can let the dr know whats happening. Errr and your sooo not hideous :)

Glad to be of some service and good luck :)

Thank you natshiain! Sorry if I spelled your name wrong!

Should be an option in the upper right hand corner of your initial post that says "Watch This". Just click on it.

Oh it's already clicked on 'watched this' as a default... but I can click 'stop watching this' in the top right hand corner. Still, I can never get back to a thread if it's not on the board. I asked this question before on the board and people knew had to go back. I clicked on a link someone posted in the thread and I clicked it and it went back. But I still don't know how to go back.

I used the body shop stuff with tea tree oil its nice .. smells sorta strong. It's not super cheap tho... I liked the foaming cleanser bc its mote gentle like you don't have to scrub your face. Also make sure when you dry it just pat it dry with a clean cloth each time. That may help!

Hi grenadine, you have alot of good suggestions here. This article might also be helpful.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/bipolar-disorder/when-lithium-causes-acne.aspx

It seems puzzling to me that if meds are causing the acne from the inside, why would we focus our treatment on the skin itself? It is thought that Lithium stimulates neutrophlis to move to the skin causing inflamation.

Good skin care is essential either way. When I sold skin care years ago, there were some general rules for taking care of your skin. There are vitamins that help promote healthy skin like vitamin A, B-complex, C, and vitamin E. I take vitamin B-complex and vitamin E and actually feel that my skin is healthier at age 55 than it has been in a long time.

Some other good practices that I think someone already mentioned are....Change sheets and pillow cases often. In your case change your pillow case every night. The reason for that is that you transfer oil and bacteria from your skin while sleeping. This can cause increased problems with your skin.
Keep your hands away from your face as much as possible.
Do not use HOT water to wash your face. It can irritate your skin even more if you have inflammation. Use luke warm water.
Don't use a drying agent on your skin. While you may believe that this is doing some good by eliminating the oil from your skin, you are actually signaling your body to produce more oil because your skin is dry.
A good moisturizer is key to keeping your skin cells healthy.
If your skin feels irritated and burning, use cool compresses on your face often but moisturize afterward.

Please dont go off your meds. The article I sent you metions that most people who have this reaction see a decrease after six months. Research what you can do to promote the most healthy skin. You don't have to buy a very expensive skin care program and I have seen ads for proactive with very discounted prices. I use to swear by clinique and following a program like that or similar to care for your skin cannot hurt. Check into the vitamins also. Taking care of your body from the inside out is always beneficial.

One other thing and I will shut up. Don't discount the importance of lots of water. You should be drinking more while taking Lithium anyway. The basic rule is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day.

Hang in there, it can get better..........xo

Wow, thank you Shelly that was very helpful. I feel really agitated right now and I can't seem to write this all down or concentrate, but I want to keep your post!!!!!!!