Subaceous Hyperplasia ( extreme)

Following ten years of Tamoxifen, I started to have bumps on my lower face and arms. I associated them with sun exposure ( I swam daily for lymphedema.)

For two years, these bumps, which did not go away, or heal if opened, increased and became painful. Making the rounds of dermatologists was frustrating- they told me I was scratching my skin in my sleep...

Another six months of unsightly sores on both sides of my lower face, and I stumbled upon a description of subaceous Hyperplasia. Fast forward through 1) NO HELP OR RESPONSE FROM MY ONCOLOGIST, 2) little concrete information and 3) ten or more topical remedies , mostly natural ones.

The cause of subaceous glands secreting excess sebum ( which coats hair follicles,) is unknown- mentioned in academic, peer reviewed articles are hormones, lactose, chocolate.

My oncologist was deaf to repeated pleas to go back on Tamoxifen as a trial, to see if it would shut down my subaceous glands.

Fast forward- almost three years of misery and pain, far worse than my treatment. My family doctor agreed to the one year trial back on Tamoxifen. ON DAY ONE, sebum started leaking from multiple lesions on my face, arms and upper back ( the classic areas for subaceous Hyperplasia.)

I am now at day 90, and have a ways to go, for my entire scalp was filled up with excess sebum. I have to very gently scrape the bottom of a lesion, or new balloon, and sebum comes out, drying almost immediately and causing a scab like and very hard brownish mess, which I can now soften with coconut oil, and it will easily peel off, leaving normal skin underneath.

Tomorrow, I start with Differin, an OTC Retinoid that can help shut down subaceous glands. There are two studies from Harvard Medical School about combining retinoids with hormone therapy and the result s are less recurrence of ER breast cancer. Who knew??????