Does anyone have experience of hormonal acne?

[spottysept]

Hi,
Just looking for some advice, I'm fed up with my skin!

I am 23. Up until about a year ago my skin was clear, normal/oilyish, would get the odd spot if I was due on. Since hitting 22 everything changed and I started to get hormonal acne around my mouth, sore cystic spots that never seemed to disappear.

I tried a proper skincare routine, would double cleanse with a balm followed by cerave cleanser, used the ordinary salicylic acid and cerave moisturiser. I'd sometimes switch it up and use other the ordinary products but basically taking good care of my skin topically wasn't making any difference.

I went to the GP and got the pill (Gedarel) to try to balance my hormones to help my skin. I have never got on well with the pill, the hormones make me extremely nauseous but I went with it anyway because my skin was getting me down so much.

I'm about 6 weeks in with the pill but my skin has got so much worse! I now have cystic spots on my jaw line and cheek bones/cheeks, as well as much worse ones around my mouth. It's awful! As well as the cystic under the skin painful spots I also now have lots of little bumps under my skin. Never had these before the pill, I got curious and squeezed one and it was filled with thick white pus. The cystic ones I try not to touch as they are so sore.

I know in early 20's there are still hormone changes, but how have I ended up with such bad skin all of a sudden! I know I haven't really given the pill long enough at just 6 weeks, but should I just stop taking it? Maybe I should go to my GP and request Yasmin? I have heard this is good for skin.

Does anyone have any advice at all?

I'm going to Australia and New Zealand at the end of October with my friends for a month, the thought of having this awful skin on holiday fills me with dread. It's totally getting me down and taking away my confidence.

Spottysept, you really do need a referral to a dermatologist. Go and ask your GP to do that. It's amazing what good work can be done for your sort of problem nowadays. Adult acne is not uncommon but you don't have to put up with it.

Acnecide wash has helped me (developed acne aged 40!).

I love Sudocreme, it clears up my hormonal acne really well. If I use it regularly at night it acts as a prevention.

Referral to a dermatologist would be a good idea, but I'd give the pill a little bit longer first.

Cutting out dairy was the magic bullet for my hormonal acne. Its tough as I love cheese but it starts clearing within days only flaring up again if I cheat!

I was the same it just turned up early twenties!! Gederel didn’t clear mine Dianette did, but it came back when I came off the pill. Skin has been clear since I fell pregnant and I’m now 3 months post partum so fingers crossed it’s gone!!!

Giving up sugar cleared mine up. I cheated this week and now have a huge carbunkle on my cheek. Back on the wagon for me. Dairy affects a friend of mine. You could try eliminating one for a month each?

I developed awful acne in my 20's, tried loads of things such as creams, change in diet - nothing worked.

GP put me on antibiotics for 6 months and it cleared my acne completely and never came back.

I am just going to lurk

I developed this in my late 30s and until my late 40’s it was manageable

Ive got cystic spots all over my chin at the moment...so hard to cover up

I’m about to get braces...so braces, acne and wrinkles, its not fair!

I do drink a lot of milk...so i should probably try that first,

Its worth a try with the dairy. I find the alpro unroasted and unsweetened milk is the blandest and least offensive for tea. Floral do a vegan buttery spread which is very tasty. Lots of dark chocolate is naturally vegan (I have bar of Mint Green and Blacks on the go) and the coconut collaborative mini chocolate pots are divine! I tend to avoid vegan cheese as it's just not the same and can overpower the dish.

If you shop at Aldi they do lists online of what products are free from certain allergens which is helpful when planning.

It's made such a difference to my skin and so quickly that I would recommend any one suffering to give it a go for a few weeks.

I would ask for a dermatology referral but in the meantime trying taking a zinc supplement, a B vitamin complex, a probiotic, an omega 3 supplement (not cod liver oil) and applying a thin layer of acnecide before bed. This was a game changer for me after 15 years of hormonal acne that multiple dermatology referrals hadn't sorted. Make sure you moisturise well as it can dry your skin and be aware that the acnecide can bleach fabric so best with a white pillowcase and wash your hands thoroughly.

If you can bear to preserve with the pill you might fond Dianette or Yasmin better for acne.

Sorry another tip for anyone wanting to try a dairy free diet. I made some overnight oats that were amazing. I used a scoop and mixed equal amounts of oats (not instant) koko coconut yogurt and almond milk. I added some chia seeds, vanilla extract and stevia to sweeten. Immediately after mixing it tasted grim but by morning when it had all melded together it was creamy and delicious. I add some sliced strawberries and it is a tasty quick breakfast for busy mornings.

I have a family member who had this, they got a led anti aging facial toner thingy - no good for anti aging but dried out the spots within two days! It seems to heat up the skin. It was about £30 on Amazon. They went from having hundreds of spots to almost zero. Anyway I hope you find a solution.

Thank you all! Had a busy day and honestly didn't expect any responses.

I don't really have that much dairy anyway so I'm going to try cutting it out all together this weekend. I only really have the odd drop of milk in tea and coffee and I really like the Oatly barista milk as a substitute. Will miss bits of cheese and the odd spread of Lurpak but will see how I go and report back.

Ive booked a GP appointment to talk it through but there's quite a wait so I can always cancel if I feel I don't need it nearer the time. I just want ok skin for holiday! I'd be so embarrassed swimming and at the beach with skin like this

My hormonal acne started about the same age, after having perfect clear skin throughout my teens. I was put on Dianette which worked like a dream, but you cant take it long term. Now I take a different pill which isnt quite as good, so I manage it by using La Roche Posay Effacular products (expensive but amazing) and cutting back on dairy. Dairy is really bad for me in general as it also causes me migraines.

Second person to say dianette helped! I'll have to have a google. Thank you!

Another vote for Acnecide here. You can buy it otc in Boots so easy enough to give it a go.

OP my thesis was called ‘Acne at my age ? Acne at any age ! ‘
Feel free to PM mee

Yes I have OP- still do really but its small breakouts and oil now not full acne.

Honestly the pill was the only thing that helped and i saw a dermatologist many times . Originally i took dianette but it is not considered that safe, switched to Yasmin which also gets a bad rap but I have taken for about 6 years with no massive complaints although I think it causes me to be more anxious than I am off of it.

Stopping gluten also made a marked difference but I was then diagnosed coeliac so that is likely why, wouldn't suggest anyone cut anything out for lols.

Please don't be embarrassed. I suffered as a teenager badly, then almost perfect skin (for me!) then it came back in my early 20s.

Having exhausted most things; topical and oral medications and over the counter beauty products, I can concede the best treatment was a course of Oxytetracycline from the GP.

My friend has same issues, and whilst we are older, she is on the above now too and seeing a marked change.

Really hope you find what works for you, I know how rubbish it feels. But remember, you probably see it with a magnifying glass compared to what anyone else sees.

I’m in my thirties, and had spots all my life. In my early thirties I realised it wasn’t good enough to keep buying expensive creams to cure the spots that had formed, I needed to do something about them forming in the first place.

Something else I noticed, was that I was susceptible to throat infections, UTIs... Its expensive buying all of the tablets and lotions, not to mention it makes you feel crap when you get thrush or an ear infection. I kept researching and researching until I realised these were all signs of a acid/alkaline imbalance within my body.

I found this website;-

simpleskincarescience.com/beating-malassezia-overgrowth-crystal-blue/

Now, I drink water - 2 litres a day. Regimentally!
I take a probiotic supplement
Exercise. Gets the blood pumping to remove toxins
I consume as little sugar and dairy as possible.
I use low ph products, but have a look on the website and the guy who writes it gives extensive lists of products for topical use on spot prone skin, that are tested and recommended by other users of the website - but better than that, he is a scientist and has picked out certain ingredients in products that either need to be avoided, or are ‘safe’ to avoid spots. The lists are huge, and no brand biases or advertising.

I rarely have a spot now!

I also had the same and went through many of the options above. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me and I went to a dermatologist who prescribed roaccutine. It worked amazingly well-particular on the cystic spots. Only side effects I had was dry lips but worth reading side effects and you can’t fall pregnant on it or post 6 months.

Personally as it’s clear it’s affecting your mental well being I would skip all of the above and go straight for this option. But only my presence

Co cyprindiol (a different brand) but exactly the same as Dianette. I have been on it for 30 years. My skin is always terrible if I try to come off it.

The gps often said I should come off it from 40 onwards but have carried on prescribing it as it is the only thing that keeps my skin clear.

Antibiotics worked for me. I started getting this in my 40s. Every18 months or so I would start a breakout around my mouth and then it would spread. Dr prescribed a short course af AB and it was gone totally in less than two weeks.
I still get breakouts - now down to every 2 years or so and I'm in the ABs immediately, so do speak to your GP.

Stop washing your face with anything but water and ask the doctor for Metrogel

A brilliant thanks! Looking into all of these things.

As I wear make up I need to cleanse my skin with something. I use Clinique take the day off balm which is really gentle and then if I feel I need it a little bit of cerave cleanser. They're both fragrance free and really gentle, my face does not feel stripped or 'squeaky clean' after.

Looking forward to seeing the GP now I know there are so many options.