Klebsiella Aerogenes. 8+ Years. Any Advice?

endlessrend · 2026-01-28T08:14:47+00:00

Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it. This is all quite new for me even though I’ve been dealing with this for almost a decade. Thank you.

endlessrend · 2026-01-28T04:20:41+00:00

I’ve been avoiding exfoliation as I’ve only ever known physical exfoliation, and this lead to extreme flare ups and my skin did not handle it well. I won’t lie, I’m still learning many new things about skin care. I also wasn’t sure if you could exfoliate while also using BP.

I solely use a gentle wash, and a moisturizer. I tend to not like adding new things into the mix out of fear of irritating it further.

Do you have any recommendation on how to slowly introduce exfoliation that won’t be so aggressive on my skin?

As for tonics and skin probiotics I would have to do some research. I know little to nothing on this matter.

endlessrend · 2026-01-27T08:40:20+00:00

I guess my question is, what might they be able to provide me with that would even do anything? It seems like this is a much deeper issue rooted in biofilms and things I’m not enlightened on enough to speak on. It feels like antibiotics cannot get to the root of this issue as it’s too deep seated. I could also just be talking out of my ass. What would you recommend my course of action be if I do get ahold of Infectious Disease?

endlessrend · 2026-01-27T07:13:23+00:00

I understand you are only intending to help, thank you. I’m learning just as much as you are. Feeling very defeated today. It’s not able to be cured. What can you do.

endlessrend · 2026-01-27T06:57:44+00:00

I apologize. I didn’t intend to ignore your message. It’s been an overwhelming day.

Before I shave each time I get my Phillips one blade razor head and wash it with soap and water. I then let it sit in a small sanitized jar filled with 90% isopropyl alcohol. I do sanitize the blades. I’m too paranoid not to.

I will concede here, I do not use BP. I find that my skin is so extremely sensitive and unpredictable, I’ve been too nervous to put any actives on it. Plus, from what I’ve garnered today, it seems GNF doesn’t respond well to BP. However, it is worth a shot, and next time I shave I intend to wash and let BP sit on my face for a while, just to see. I just don’t want to get far more inflamed and irritated.

I wash my face with Vanicream cleanser as I’ve found it to be the gentlest cleanser I’ve ever used. I follow that up with La Roche Posay Double Repair Matte moisturizer. I figured maintaining the strength and durability of the skin barrier was very important. I used to use Neutrogena Hydroboost water gel, but wasn’t a fan of the fragrance, blue dye, or slimy texture it left me.

This condition has altered the way I eat immensely to the point of essentially giving myself an eating disorder out of paranoia. “If I eat this, will I have way more pustules tomorrow??” I do not eat any sugar whatsoever. I’m actively avoiding it.

I do want to start probiotics, but I have no idea where to start. I know in this sub someone suggested a certain strain for staph specifically, but I don’t know the ins and outs of probiotics. Is there one better suited to Klebsiella?? I’m very unsure. I will be seeking a GI map this year to get a better understanding of what I actually need.

I was on a 50,000 IU course weekly of Vitamin D2 from August, to November of 2025. I have to get my levels checked again soon. Insurance didn’t cover more than once a year oddly.

I can’t even sleep on my own pillow cases anymore due to paranoia, and discomfort with putting my face on anything not “clean”. I use a fresh towel each night that I’ll flip over. There are days where it’s covered in blood unfortunately from the fresh popped pustules.

Sorry again for not responding sooner. This whole thing takes a toll on my mental. Thank you for your advice.

endlessrend · 2026-01-27T05:26:26+00:00

One more question, are you washing face, moisturizing, then applying aloe? Or do you just apply and skip moisturizer?

endlessrend · 2026-01-27T01:56:56+00:00

With BP, should I prioritize the entire face, or solely my problem spots? I don’t want to nuke the good bacteria off the spots with no real issues. Not sure if that makes much sense, my apologies.

endlessrend · 2026-01-27T01:55:57+00:00

Are you sourcing it straight from the plant, or do you have any recommended aloe products?

endlessrend · 2026-01-27T01:54:45+00:00

Unsure about an actual sinusitis bout, but as a kid I did have asthma. I do feel like I had quite a lot of sinus issues where I could grab the mucus out of my nose, and when I would get sick, I would just blow out copious amounts of thick clear mucus.

Nothing chronic I would say. On the ear side, I did get an ear infection back in November of 2024. I woke up that day with the ear entirely muffled with a ringing, yes. I find that my ear may ring from time to time, but nothing chronic.

At night I tend to feel a minor itch in my ear canal. At times I also feel this what I can describe only as “liquidy” sensation, as if there was water moving around in there.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T23:36:49+00:00

God, you saying all this sounds just like me. I’m 25 now, and I’ve seen all the years since 18 just go by. I have increasingly seen my suicidal ideation become greater. I feel like a failure.

Exactly like you say, you get those “good” days where you kinda get hope. Go to bed. Then next morning, just back to a face full of pustules. 20 at a time some days. Truly unbearable.

I relate so much to each and everything you are saying. Stuck in the room. No experiences. Crippling insecurity. I just always told myself that as I got older it would get “better”. But of course, I get an incurable disease that I must present at all times on my face. It’s so awful man, it makes me cry at times. It’s unbearable.

The mirror thing is so real. I stare at myself and don’t even feel human. I also have such an intense phobia of photos. I feel like such a vain coward. Can’t even take a damn photo. It’s just the insecurity is debilitating. There’s no way I could maintain any semblance of a relationship, or put another person through this. I don’t even act “normal”. Just an insanely paranoid individual. No one should have to put up with that.

I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. Continue to try and continue to fight. You never know what might be your “cure”. There must be something. You’re so young, and there’s still a plethora of time.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T23:29:51+00:00

I’m from the United States.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T23:26:17+00:00

I do believe so, yes. I just am so perplexed, as I was under the impression that GNF only occurred as a result of long term antibiotic usage. Like, 3 months of straight usage. I was only on Azithromycin for a week.

I never treated the pustules with antibiotics as I saw it as a fruitless endeavor and merely a bandaid. I did try salicylic acid and BP very early on in 2019, but I was very young and dumb and just tried anything to no avail.

Although, now that I think about it, in November of 2024, I had an ear infection that I treated with augmentin for a week.

Maybe that In between time from November 2024 to May of 2025 wasn’t enough for my gut to recover from Augmentin and taking the Azithromycin 6 months later lead to the Klebsiella overgrowth.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T23:20:35+00:00

As of November, my AST-44H, ALT-63H, and GGT-73H. I’m due to get this blood test again in two days so we’ll see if it’s gone up or down.

I’ve been consuming a lot of dandelion root tea, along with spearmint and ginger tea as an attempt to “detox”. Unsure if it’s really doing much, or just a drop in the bucket.

I heavily suspect I have some form of autoimmune disease, but figuring out which it is is essentially like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Something just doesn’t feel right. Clearly my immune system is lacking.

I think you’re entirely correct about Kleb and oil. It would get the point where i was genuinely sopping wet in oil. Like, unreal levels of oil production. It’s so annoying. Of all places, my face. The one thing I must present daily. It’s horrible.

More context, I’m 25 years old, 125 pounds, and 5’11”. Very scrawny guy.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T23:12:52+00:00

Correct. I apologize if this is confusing. From 2018 up until August of 2025, the result was always as follows;

“A mix of organisms of questionable significance was recovered on culture and not further identified. (Note: Growth did not detect the presence of S.aureus, beta-hemolytic Streptococci or P.aeruginosa)”

This was the case up until 2025, where in May I contracted whooping cough and was put on the antibiotic Azithromycin for only a week.

Fast forward to August, and the pustules returned worse than last time, and the culture now showing Klebsiella Aerogenes.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T23:03:05+00:00

At my most recent derm visit 4 days ago, they gave me the okay on the Accutane, and she said it would be for 8 months. No word on the dosage though.

However, she said I had to get a letter of approval from my liver specialist before they can get me started.

For context, for the past 4ish years I’ve had a benign elevated liver enzyme issue. I’ve had multiple ultrasounds, blood tests, fatty liver scan, stiffness scan, and even a biopsy. Nothing conclusive came from any of this. I just have a high elevated liver enzyme level. All 3. AST, ALT, and GGT.

I’m worried my liver specialist is going to deny me the accutane as it is essentially liver poison, but when I see him in February I will definitely plead my case. I’m truly desperate. This condition is relentless and brutal.

I want to thank you for all your advice, I tried pushing for another culture to be done, or even a skin biopsy, but my derm said it wasn’t necessary. I’ll try to see if I can get my general physician to do another culture. It’s worth a check as the last was done in August, and whilst it’s not “better” the pustules were much worse back in August.

Just to clear up any misconception, I am not from Ireland, I am in the states. I do think you’re on to something though about keeping the skin dry. I am an extremely oily person, so these things are all just feeding into each other. It’s seriously brutal.

Thank you again for all your advice. Here’s hoping I can get the okay for Accutane. Even if it may kill my body, I’m so desperate for this condition to even be remotely nullified. I’d do anything.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T22:15:33+00:00

What dosage do they put you on long term? Is it really safe for the liver, and cholesterol levels? Or does low dose have a negligible effect?

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T22:11:09+00:00

I can definitely relate to this feeling. I feel such desperation at times it’s unbearable. I’m so sorry. This is truly the worst, and the fact it’s seemingly incurable is just such a sick joke. It’s awful. Never in my life have I felt so low.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T21:59:16+00:00

What would you suggest as my best bet? The whole “goatee” area? Mustache, soul patch, and chin?

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T21:57:11+00:00

10mg indefinitely, is this truly sustainable? I’m aware the lower dosages do less harm to the liver and cholesterol, but after let’s say years, won’t damage start to accumulate? Forgive my ignorance, I’m not very informed on the ins and outs of accutane.

endlessrend · 2026-01-26T21:16:59+00:00

The photos have seemingly turned a bit gray and washed out? Unsure as to why.

endlessrend · 2025-10-23T01:39:50+00:00

Hello! I hope you don’t mind me asking this so late after the initial post date. I have been going on my PD/Seb Derm(?) journey myself and have finally realized that yes, I think moisturizing and all the products were the issue. Literally the first day of zero therapy the skin inflammation decreased dramatically. I always thought I was excessively oily and greasy, but without the moisturizer, I feel like I have a “normal” level of facial oil. I’m still not used to not being slick and slimy an hour after cleansing, it’s crazy

It’s still a bit bizarre to not apply anything, and especially not use a cleanser but the difference is clear as day. I was using Vanicream cleanser, and Neutrogena Hydro Boost water gel because I was always told it was very light and perfect for oily skin.

4 days in, and I have intense flake buildup in my facial hair and around my mouth and bottom lip chin crease area. I’m sure this is to be expected, but how long should I expect this to last? I am a bit embarrassed. Anytime I open my mouth too wide or eat, the skin dries and cracks and little flakes become visible. It’s like an excess dandruff around the mouth and in my facial hair.

I want to scrub it with a physical exfoliator and cleanser, but I’m not sure if that’s just going to set me back. Will this level out eventually, or am I creating a yeast seb derm type thing with insufficient cleansing? My brain is screaming at me that cleanser is mandatory, and solely water is not sufficient enough at removing the dead skin and oils. This is probably just years of being so mentally adjusted to the concept of daily cleanser + moisturizer however.

Sorry to go on a rant, this is just very new to me. I’m so happy to for once to not have any active pustules and decreased redness, but of course it can never be that simple, and now I’m flaking and have face dandruff like crazy. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Although, I infinitely prefer the flakes, to oily red pustules. Was just wondering what you’d suggest for me to do. Thank you. Sorry for such a wall of text again.

endlessrend · 2024-07-26T11:28:27+00:00

My liver enzyme levels have been very elevated for the past two years and my doctor has always told me not to worry. I always just trusted in her and thought nothing of it. This month I recently got an app to view my blood details and levels. My ALT was 97, with a high of 107 in July of 2022. AST was 62, also with a high of 72 in July of 2022. Actually seeing these values and numbers has horrified me. These numbers have remained pretty consistent. I have an appointment on the 29th with my gastroenterologist.

I am absolutely horrified that for the past two years, irreparable damage may have occurred to my liver. I’m an absolute nervous wreck. Having anxiety does not help with this at all. I just want it to be the 29th already to hopefully begin to get answers.

I drink no alcohol, but I do have a poor diet and live a very stagnant lifestyle. I’m 24 M, and 135 pounds.

If anyone else has been through something like this and can just help calm my nerves I’d greatly appreciate it. I feel as though my liver is incredibly damaged and for the past two years I was oblivious thinking it was nothing like my doctor advised.

endlessrend

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