help me please. Awful skin :(

[saveahorserideacowboy]

Hi, I'm 27, 2 young DC. My skin has never been clear but has gone through phases of being better and worse. It is always better in the summer when iv been out in the sun. We got married in the summer and someone told me about Liz earle which I began using a few months prior to the wedding and my skin was great. I also did spend alot of time in the sun which undoubtedly helped.

The liz earle now seems to have stopped working and my skin is as bad as ever. It is both dry and oily, congested blackheads, huge lumpy painful spots under the skin allover. I very recently got my period back (still breastfeeding dc2 at 14months) and noticed it has gotten worse since then.

I am so fed up. I am not going to shell out for liz earle again as it is obviously not working and is not cheap. I do not have loads to spend but am willing to invest in anything that helps.

I just want to be able to get up and not have to put anything on my face to cover spots. Fwiw I barely wear foundation unless on a rare night out so I doubt its makeup causing it.

thanks for any advice x

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

I get the dry and oily thing, and painful spots. Mine take bloody months to disappear too.

I use coconut oil as a cleanser, which does help, but the thing that makes the biggest difference is drinking loads of water and exercising (running for me) at least 3x a week.

[iwantgin]

No doubt the hormones going crazy again.

I have crappy skin - and am a lot older than you. It's always been oily.

For me personally, I don't find that any face cleansers, washes or moisturisers make a jot of difference to my skin.

I am currently on antibiotics and use Differin cream at night. Had to see a derm for this advice.

Anyway - I have found that doing this, and keeping washing/cleansing etc to a minimum is the best way for me to stay quite clear. I hate wearing make up so do like my skin to be in good enough nick to go without.

Have heard good reports on here for the Effaclar stuff? But it may be worth a trip to the GP - if the spots are painful. Can you go on the combined pill - some like Dianette (worked a treat for me) and Yasmin are supposed to be great at controlling acne.

Other wise antibiotics may just tide you over a while until your hormones get back in whack.

[OnlyWantsOne]

I had this too and went to gp

Basically my skin was over loaded and he prescribed a cream called Duac. Improved within a week and amazing within 2

[KoalaDownUnder]

It took a couple of months, but my skin had never been better since I got the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo. It is magic; cleared my congestion right up. I don't even get hormonal pre-period spots anymore.

[saveahorserideacowboy]

I do think it must be slightly hormonal, my skin was Terrible after the birth of DC1.
I don't know if I can go on an of those pills with breast feeding ? I am not currently taking any BC, I did go on the mini pill after DC1 for a while but my skin did not like that at all so didn't bother this time.

I'm so fed up 15 years of spotty horrible skin :( :( :(

[iwantgin]

Ah - if you are still bf then probably no to the combined pill. Mini pill can make acne worse - so avoid.

It truly does suck having bad skin. I would go to the GP and asked to be referred to a dermatologist. It isn't right that you have to suffer it.

I am in two minds whether to go back and get the next step up which for me is Roaccutane. But am in two minds- as am 46 - so hopefully when the menopause kicks in things will dry up anyway. Hmm...

[0898]

Just having a mild lurk as I have a similar problem. I've been trying to flush out my big congested pores with regular exfoliation and even blackhead-eliminating toners targeted at teenagers, to no avail.

I know that my skin is better when I cut sugar and carbs right down but I can't do that at the moment so purchasable miracle cures welcome

[saveahorserideacowboy]

Thanks for all advice. Am wondering why my skin is so much better in the summer, I know it looks better due to a light tan and freckles but it is definitely much clearer and feels less irritated.
Am going to look into taking a supplement, a quick Google tells me there's millions of them though! X

[divingoffthebalcony]

In my experience, Cleanse & Polish is awful for spot prone skin. I love the product and would keep going back to it for years and years, but EVERY TIME I'd find myself breaking out - so it's no coincidence.

Have a look at Alpha H. The products that contain glycolic are particularly good (esp Liquid Gold). It really improves your skin texture and also gives the pores a good clear out so spots are less of an issue.

[lurkingaround]

Would you consider going to see a good private dermatologist? While it may look expensive it will save you 1000s in the long run. You'll have better skin, fewer scars, and no wasted money on snake oil treatments.
And no to any progesterone only contraception: implant, mirena, or mini pill.

[BillStickersIsInnocent]

Yes go to your GP. Mine prescribed a topical antibiotic which has worked wonders (she wouldn't prescribe the pill as I am breastfeeding)

I also pared everything back - including stopping using Avene shampoo which is lovely but I think my hair cut (short bob) was making my jaw spots worse.

Good luck, it's miserable isn't it.

[TheHandbagOfGlory]

My skin has massively improved by using Hibiscrub (from recommendations on here) I used to use it at work on hands and was horrified at the thought of using it as a face wash but I was willing to try anything and it has worked so well.

Also clarins Lotus facial oil has cut my oiliness and refined my pores and plain old Nivea cream. I always stayed away from moisturisers and oils as my skin was oily but it has transformed my skin.

[DHandhisghastlyhauntedfoot]

FWIW I've found that my skin reacts a million times more to what I put into my body rather than what I put on it.

Sugar = big, ugly, red spots, everywhere for me.

[yazzy85]

La Roche Posay Effaclar range is very good, ther facial wash is nice and gentle and effaclar duo is great to keep the spots away when used frequently. I have similar skin and age, was using clinique 3 step before and it was not helping one bit.

[saveahorserideacowboy]

Am trying to be really honest with myself. My skin was amazing for my wedding. Now I put that down to the liz earle and the sun BUT I was also drinking lots of water, eating v carefully (lost a few stone) and exercising daily. Whilst I've kept up with eating fewer calories I've not been so careful with the actual diet. Defo not drinking the amount of water I did either. I am quite active but not getting into a daily sweat either.
Hmm, I think maybe changing those things, supplement is the way to go.
Having said all that I don't v want to buy liz earle again so need something? Tell me more about this liquid gold!?

[saveahorserideacowboy]

Ooh I have hibiscrub out in the stables but totally horrified it seems so harsh? How do you use it exactly?

[Purplehonesty]

Drinking loads of water and avoiding sugar helped me a lot.
And I have a spot stick called clindamycin from the gp which stops those big lumps that come up from going any further.
It's been much better since I did all that.

[meerschweinchen]

I sympathise as I too suffer from bad skin. Mine I think is hormonal, and bizarrely was at its best when I was pregnant. Not a single spot for 9 months. However, now it's back to normal

I find sunshine really helps my skin, and always has done, so that's probably why yours is better in the summer. Mine is too.

I don't really use any fancy creams but I do find witch hazel quite good. If you find the magic cure, please update us!

[Thisisrock]

I have had awful skin since I was 10. Nothing worked. Until I cut out dairy and sugar and my skin is almost always clear now.

[OhBabyLilyMunster]

Mine has been the same since i stopped bf. Nib and fab glycolic range is very good and it slowly got my skin very clear. The spots are now confined to my chin indicating a hormonal issue so i am drinking lots of water and have just started a supplement designed to regulate the hormones and pms type effects
Hope you get sorted, i know how self conscious it can feel :(

[Thisisrock]

Pls my skin also always used to be better in the summer as a result I started to overuse sunbeds in the quote to help keep my skin clear. I gave up the sunbeds and it's stayed in good condition with careful watch on diet... Plus side effect of this is I lost weight as I wasn't eating crap .
I use witch hazel as a toner too.

[Thisisrock]

Ps not pls

[TheHandbagOfGlory]

For the Hibiscrub, dilute half and half with cool boiled water in a clean bottle, I rub it into dry skin then add a bit of water and swoosh a bit more then rinse off with a face cloth.

I was worried about it as I always thought it was very harsh when I used it at work but my skin has never been so clear.

[avagosling]

The best thing for gentle hormone balancing is chaste berry (or also called agnus castus), nothing else has helped to heal my skin. It's an internal issue and no creams will solve this. Chaste berry tincture regularly does wonders. If you want to put something on the skin, I'd use jojoba oil with some tea tree mixed in. Oil cleansing with castor oil and sweet almond is great for removing impurities. Make sure you get organic products though!