Spotty skin, at my wits end...anyone got any tips?

[CinnamonTwist]

As a teenager I had pretty spotty skin, it's a fairly unsurprising thing and I dealt with it as best I could thinking it was a 'phase' and would pass with time. At uni I started taking Yasmine as a contraceptive pill (having tried others and found my body really doesn't like hormones, it was the first one which didn't give me awful side effects, and I tried a lot) and I found this made a massive difference, my skin was clear and lovely, only breaking out with the odd spot occasionally. A year ago I stopped taking the pill as we wanted to ttc this year (and knowing the problems I had with hormones in the beginning I wanted to give my body time to adjust beforehand) however my skin has just been awful ever since, so so spotty, I thought it was just an adjustment after stopping the pill, but it seems it's here to stay. At 26 I am so fed up with it and feel I shouldn't have to deal with teenage skin... It doesn't help that it is incredibly sensitive (I can't use face wipes they give me a rash, I went for a facial and got a rash after that this year too) and also incredibly oily in my 'T' zone, if I moisturise, at all, it breaks out even worse.

So, does anyone have any tips, anything they've tried that works for you that may work for me? Or anything in particular you've found that may make it worse? (DH is convinced there may be an ingredient in a shampoo or something that may make it worse, I'm not so convinced, I think I just have crap skin!) I have reached the point where I will try pretty much anything, and any help will be very gratefully received!! I know it's not the end of the world to have bad skin, but it is really getting me down and I don't want scars and spots all over my face!

[Bamaluz]

See your GP , my DD, who is 28 was prescribed Zineryt lotion, and after eight weeks or so her skin was clear. I think it's a topical antibiotic.

[Scrowy]

I personally use the expensive Boots beautiful skin hypoallergenic wipes and Beautiful skin blemish defence serum.

However, It took years of trying every wipe/hot cloth/blemish serum recommended by many people to find one that worked for me. Like you I found most of them actually made things worse.

But what works for me won't necessarily work for you!

[CinnamonTwist]

Bamaluz I have tried zineryt before; when I was a teenager (I still had the bottle of it until we moved house ) but I found it just really dried my skin out and didn't help much - it went from soft but oily to dry and sore but oily
Scrowy I will buy that and try it! Are the wipes cleansers? I am using Crabtree and Evelyn soap at the moment and am wondering if this is not helping (having gone through a phase of thinking it was helping)

[CinnamonTwist]

Whoops posted too soon, was going to say thank you both for your responses

[heatherwithapee]

I had spots as a teen that cleared up nicely with a course of Roaccutane. I then had lovely clear skin for years, until the DC came along.

My skin was getting worse and worse and following a recommendation on here, La Roche Possay Effaclar improved my skin no end. I bought the kit from Boots that includes the face wash, toner and cream. Worth every penny.

[Heathen4Hire]

Oil free all the way. I like Simple products for oily skin. It takes a week or two to get the spots under control but for me they work (the blue packaging). I use the scrub, the face wash, the wipes and the moisturiser. It leaves your skin feeling lovely too.

If you use make-up go oil free and mineral. And on days off go make-up free! I like Avon.

[Ladyleia]

I've found that regular facial peels and/or dermabrasion has helped my skin. I use Skinceuticals products that have a small bit of salicylic acid in them (Blemish and Age face wash and then serum after). Their Blemish and Age range is specifically for adult skin that gets spots. I totally feel your pain OP - I too have suffered since a teen and am now in my 40s. Wrinkles and acne is so not a good look :(

[whataterriblefuss]

benozyl peroxide. it's amazing. you can get it in lloyds pharmacy, but may have to order it in. About 8 quid a tube, worked miracles for me! I used the 5% one, but there are stronger ones available.

[Scrowy]

I use these wipes

www.boots.com/en/No7-Beautiful-Skin-Quick-Thinking-Wipes_1245008/

And this serum

www.boots.com/en/No7-Beautiful-Skin-Blemish-Defence-Serum_1437078/

I tend to stock up when there is a 3 for 2 offer on.
I have to say as well that the single biggest thing that worked for me wasn't what I took make up off with but what makeup I put on in the first place.

I break out in massive spotty cysts if I use any foundation other than the Vichy dermablend stuff which is non comedogenic and has really good coverage.

www.boots.com/en/Vichy-Dermablend-Corrective-Foundation-with-SPF35-30ml_1481875/

[onlywhenyouleave]

I agree with Benzoyl Peroxide - cheap as chips and works an absolute treat.

If you Google acne regimen, it goes through the steps and it works. It encourages you to moisturise as well (something that most spotty people avoid) so my skin looks and feels amazing as I now embrace moisturisers (I do change products a lot as I always want to try something new but the Benzoyl Peroxide stays the same).

However, it is bleach so you have to be careful- I have ruined a few of my DC's pyjamas by cuddling them against my face when putting them to bed

[AnneGables]

I have had crap skin all my life (now mid thirties), finally cracked it this year, touch wood and have even stopped wearing foundation it's looking so good at the moment.

Not such which of these is making the most difference or if it's just the combination:

Drinking more water
Omega 3 capsule every day (pretty sure this is one of the main things)
Hot cloth cleansing
Zineryt (used for a few years now, the dryness soon stopped)
Cleanser pads after hot cloth cleansing, contains one of the acids, can't remember which but just gets rid of any remaining dirt.

Good luck

[OpenMe]

Like you I have tried everything over the years and I am now certain that all the treatments just make things worse and my skin is best when I do least to it.

I now double cleanse with aqueous cream and a hot cloth and moisturise with simple light moisturiser.

That combined with making myself leave them alone (no picking!) means my skin is clear to all nut a very close up inspection and better than it's ever been.

Sorry to say, i think giving up refined sugar makes a huge difference too

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

I would avoid wipes. Nasty, dirty things.

A clean flannel every evening with a creamy cleanser will do wonders. Launder the flannels after each use and don't scrub. You can buy a big pack of flannels for not much from Ikea or online. Superdrug vitamin E cleanser is cheap and gentle. I prefer a gel or facewash in the shower in the morning.

Use an acid toner or treatment (Alpha H/Clearasil pads/FAB) and a good moisturiser. Try Superfacialist sold in Boots or La Roche Posey as previously mentioned. I like the Efflaclar and Cicaplast products.

I also like Vichy blue serum and LRP zinc toner.

Benzoyl Peroxide is harsh and is best used only on spots as an adult. Applied to adult skin it can get very sore.

Check out Paula's Choice.

[milkmet]

I can highly recommend the la Roche posay effaclar as mentioned unthread and Iv had acne all my life, tried everything. Also super drugs own brand hot cloth cleanser

[alltouchedout]

Acnecide. It took months and there was a definite 'gets worse before it gets better' stage, but it has worked. I get occasional small spots now but that's it. It hasn't cured my enormous pores or the old scars from years of spots, but even the redness is pretty much gone too now.

[Alexthekid]

I had similar issues, had awful skin before my wedding and my make up lady gave me the best advice ever which has totally transformed my life (dramatic but true - bad skin was having such an effect on my self esteem and confidence)
That advice was to go totally oil free. So I have oil free face wash, moisturiser & make up.
That and drinking plenty of water has completely got rid of my spot problems.

(She also told me I was over cleaning because I was using a harsh exfoliating face wash and I was steaming my face daily too.)

[LuckySantangelo1]

Another vote for La Roche Posay effaclar duo. Great stuff.

The biggest change to my skin came from getting a clarisonic cleansing brush. I use that twice a day (with any cleaner) followed by the LRP and my acne stays away.

Benzoyl peroxide is far too harsh for my skin. I know it works for some people but it horribly aggravated mine.

[OliviaStabler]

I have no idea if this will suit you but I found that using tea tree face wash by the body shop each morning helped. I use Mudd mask weekly to clean out my pores and after my shower / bath each evening I use a medicated facial scrub.

I remove my make up with a good remover like L'Oréal to get the rubbish off my face after a busy day.

It took me years to get rid of my spotty skin. I am so glad I did.

[CinnamonTwist]

Wow, thanks everyone for the suggestions! I have made a list and will give each of them a good go! Although a few (such as benzoyl peroxide and buying LOADS of flannels to have a clean one every day I have already tried) but all very gratefully received you're all so helpful

[jumpercake]

I had increasingly terrible skin for the past few years since coming off the pill (horrible cystic spots). Topical things like zineryt didn't help me much either. The past 4 months or so I have been taking lymecycline antibiotics combined with the effaclar duo 3 step cleansing system, and my skin is currently lovely and clear for the first time in years

[Believeitornot]

Giving up alcohol cleared my skin right up.

Some also say giving up dairy but you'd need to watch your diet especially if trying to get pregnant

Washing with soap and exfoliating mask every day did wonders for my skin (I used to use soap to wash off the body shop clay face mask every day).

[alltouchedout]

Not to say that benzoyl peroxide can work for everyone- because obviously it won't!- but key for me was sticking with it through the really really difficult first few months, when my skin managed the amazing feat of being horribly dry, tight, sore and flaky whilst simultaneously erupting in the sort of painful, huge spots that make you wish full face coverings were a mainstream look. I was fairly desperate to avoid medication (would have had to stop breastfeeding iirc) and had been told by someone else to grit my teeth and see how things were in six months and after 20+ years of awful skin I was willing to do it.

Mind you I know other people who gave it a lot longer than 6 months and it didn't work for them so I'm not evangelising about it!

[bingisthebest]

Watch the YouTube tutorials by Dr Sam bunting. I now follow that and have seen improvements in my skin.
Importantly I try not to wear too much makeup, really helped me.

[bingisthebest]

I really empathise with you. My whole adult life I have wanted cheer skin. I now believe 'clear, dewy' skin is a genetic thing and I'll prob never gave it. But if I can get on top of the spots I at least feel cleaner. So the less makeup makes me feel cleaner ifyswim. I always notice people with good skin. I'm a bit odd

[BobbinThreadbare123]

I get benzoyl peroxide 10%, from an online chemist. Don't need to use much, and you have to be careful because it's drying, but it does zap the zits.