Need help getting rid of infection on my face...

[ScootchsMom]

My doctor just prescribed me a 2nd go around of antibiotics for a staph infection on my face. The first time, they gave me ten days of an antibiotic and Bactroban cream to use topically. It cleared most of it up, but now it is coming back again. This time they want me to take 14 days of Doxycycline, use the bactroban on really bad spots, and if it isn't cleared completely by the 1st round, to do another 14 days of antibiotics. I've also got a referral to an allergist and a dermatologist to get my eczema taken care of, which is how this all started - my eczema flared really bad after eating eggs and the next day it was infected.

That is an awful lot of antibiotics, and it makes me nervous, but I also can't walk around forever with a staph infection on my face. I've got probiotics to try to keep my stomach from getting any worse, but what else can I do to help this go away? I've tried tea tree oil and it didn't help even after a week straight of using it.

Are antibiotics the only way to get rid of this at this point?

Liz

[MountainMamaGC]

Keep using tea tree oil wash to prevent it from returning after you are done the antibiotics. If the infection is deep in the skin then topical treatments may have a hard time clearing it up.

[KatWrangler]

Are your sure it's not facial skin cellulitis? I had this back in January.

[allnaturalmom]

Have you considered silver? topically. Just a thought. I have used it before for myself and my dd for topical skin infections and it worked great for us.

gl
hth

[MovingMomma]

I had impetigo on the edge of my lip several months ago, and the routine recommended by Dr. Sears here took care of it. I did the second set of steps from the start, but used Neosporin. I also took echinacea & goldenseal. I don't remember how long it took to resolve, but it did respond to the treatment quickly so I was motivated to continue. From what I remember reading at the time, not only are antibiotics not the only way to get rid of it (not that I think you should stop the antibiotics!), sometimes they just aren't effective. Good luck!

[ScootchsMom]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I tried the Dr. Sears method last time and it didn't work, by the time I got to the doctor it had spread from a few spots on my chin to the entire bottom half of my face. Now its spreading again, plus I've got patches on my forehead, cheek and temple. Maybe the antibiotics combined with the Dr. sear's suggestions will clear it up quicker this time? I see a dermatologist on Tuesday too.