AIBU... to cry about my skin?

[minipilling]

I have had acne my whole teen/adult life. Throughout my twenties I had it pretty badly on my face, chest and back. I couldn't wear anything that wasn't high necked.

I was diagnosed with endometriosis a few years ago and put on a low dose combined pill for treatment. It was great for me symptoms wise, but an amazing side effect was also the fact it cleared my acne after a month or so. I had spent years using topical treatments to no avail, and suddenly it was fixed. Not perfect, but the best it had ever been. My confidence skyrocketed, it changed my life.

Fast forward to a few months ago, I was getting migraines with aura, and I was taken off my pill. I had a break for a while and my spots started to return almost immediately. Plus my endometriosis symptoms were worse again. The doctor put me on the mini pill. This has been OK for the endometriosis (up and down) but my acne has increased hugely and is worse than it ever was. I hoped it would settle but it's been over three months. It's all over my face, neck, chest and back, causing scars, deep and cystic. The skin is rough and uneven. I feel like I'm in a nightmare whenever I look into the mirror. Pictures I took during my clear skin phase make me want to be sick, if would give anything to go back on my old pill but I know I can't. I don't know what to do.

I have been trying everything, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, tea tree, charcoal. I am terrified I will look like this forever. I know it sounds vain but I have depression and anxiety and the acne makes everything feel so much worse. I have to keep taking the mini pill because my endometriosis is awful if I don't take anything. I am in my mid thirties and I feel so ugly and worthless. When the acne first came back I told my consultant because I wanted to be sure I could not go back on the old pill. He said my health was worth 'a few spots.' It made me so angry, I would kill to only have 'a few spots.'

I don't know if anyone has been in a similar situation or can give advice on what to do... I just feel so wretched now, I have a painful condition and I look a mess.

Thank you for reading if you got this far.

The pill gave me acne. My dr prescribed this- life changing. I only apply every other night as it can burn the skin but if it’s a bad spot area I would apply just to there for a few nights then switch to every other.
Go and speak to your GP

www.simpleonlinepharmacy.co.uk/online-doctor/acne/duac-gel/

As someone who suffered cystic acne myself for many years, you are not alone in having it dismissed by doctors. But it can definitely affect your mental health. So firstly .

Get a referral to a dermatologist. Don't be fobbed off for as long as I was. I found that talking in depth about how it affected my mental health helped get me a referral faster. Unfortunately my dermatologist wasn't brilliant and had some very fixed ideas about how to treat my acne. None of which worked.

Otherwise there is the option to go private, depending on your budget. My Harley St dermatologist has been absolutely superb. About £280 for an initial appointment, maybe about £250 more to buy the products they recommended at the first session. These last for a few months and then you may need an appointment after 3 months to see how it is going etc. It's ongoing expenditure.

I had big rolling scars left by my acne, but the routine from the dermatologist cleared up my skin entirely (also hormonal) while I have since had specialist scarring treatment which has helped maybe 40%. Will get it done again towards the end of the year.

But I no longer feel horrendous about myself. I was lucky enough to able to chuck money at the problem and it helped.

Ask your GP to refer you to a dermatologist for roaccutane . Best thing I ever did

I suffered for many, many years with cystic acne. I never found any topical application that worked, but Roaccutane when I reached my early 30s was a life-changer. Please see a dermatologist as son as possible. There is help out there...............

You are definitely not being vain or unreasonable. I had severe cystic acne as a teenager and felt so ashamed of my skin. I tried everything my GP could offer but the only thing that got rid of it in the end was Roaccutane. It has some pretty nasty side effects but I’ll never forget the day I woke up and didn’t have a single spot because of that drug. I’m 39 now and only occasionally get the odd spot.

If your GP isn’t taking you seriously ask to see someone else or move practices

My DH is a dermatologist. Push for a referral. They want to see cases like yours. Roaccutane works and their aim is to treat acne aggressively.

Have you considered whether your diet is the issue? Eg dairy intolerances etc?

POP will also make acne worse. They really need to get some advice from gynaecology about how to manage your endometriosis and you need to see derm. Change GPs if need be!

Hi OP I’m sorry to hear this. I have suffered with acne from a teenager and am now in my mid thirties. Have tried everything, antibiotics, two course of Roaccutane, was on Yasmin for a long time but am now TTC. I would ask your GP for a referral to a dermatologist. And some of the suggestions above have worked for me to some extent - good routine with good quality products (I would highly recommend daily use of vit C serum, retinol and spf), clean pillow case and towel. I also cut out lactose but I can’t say whether it has made much difference.

Roaccutane, roaccutane, roaccutane! Like u, I had tried everything else going. Also got migraines with the combined pill so had to switch and my acne came back with a vengeance. I did roaccutane for 3 months and I've had nothing more than the odd spot for years now, regardless of taking the pill or not.

When I was asking for the referral, I went armed with pictures of my acne at it's worst to show the GP. I was good at covering it with makeup so I don't think she had actually realised how bad it was during previous consultations. Hope you get it sorted!

I have had acne since I was 14 (now 38). It really feels horrible and the feelings of shame can be intense. But they are misplaced - you are NOT worthless, you are beautiful and amazing.
Don’t put up with this crap from your GP. Mini pill is not suiting you so they need to find a better way to help you manage your endometriosis. You need a referral to dermatology, pronto. Roaccutane sounds like it will be a good option and most likely what derm will suggest.
I also recommend being hugely gentle with whatever you use at home. I find Liz Earle cleanse and polish with a hot cloth very soothing and la Roche posay toner does something a bit magical. Estée Lauder night repair (but expensive but lasts me at least a year) also really helps with the pitting and scarring I have down the sides of my face.
After I had my sons I stopped letting it bother me. They think I’m beautiful and so does their dad and in the end that’s what matters.

My acne never responded to topical treatments, antibiotics etc. Accutane did wonders and it's never come back as bad as it was. It did have some interesting unpleasant side effects due to the drying effects, but I'd still do it all over again knowing the result. I got referred by my GP because I couldn't go on the combined pill due to my history of migraines with aura.

Good luck OP, I hope you find the right treatment!

As others have said, try giving up dairy. I suffered with acne my whole life. Really sore and what I thought was hormonal. Gave up milk for another reason and within weeks my skin was clear. I notice now if I have any milk, ice cream, yoghurt that I break out. Cheese seems ok though in small quantities. It was a revelation after nearly 30 years of products that never worked! One latte and they appear again so stick to almond or coconut milk now.

I’m the same, OP. 32 years old, utterly miserable. Duac and Zineryt were both brilliant for a couple of years, but then my acne became immune to them and came back with a vengeance 😔 My GP is quite dismissive in general, and I have a feeling they won’t see me as ‘severe enough’ for a dermatology referral.

Agree with pp that nothing topical will work for hormonal acne. I used roaccutane in my early twenties and it was a miracle, I had clear skin for years. Later in life after pregnancy my skin has flared up, because I have also stopped taking the pill. At the moment I'm using Dermatica (online prescription tretinoin gel) which is helping. But I'm considering asking for another referral, although my problem now is pigmentation, blackheads and whiteheads rather than deep painful acne so not entirely sure they would let me have another course which is why I'm hesitant.
My teenage son also had a 18 month course of roaccutane and he now has beautiful clear skin.
I understand how you feel and still never leave the house/answer the door without a thick layer of foundation and concealer, please go back to your gp it's a horrible condition to deal with, so debilitating and made even worse with the airbrush/photoshop culture of today

OP, I don’t know where you stand on the whole vegan / carnivore debate but I have watched lots of positive things about the carnivore diet helping with both endometriosis and acne. Ken Berry is a leading figure and has quite a few videos on it.

I've had the most horrendous acne and nothing in the world helped except Roaccutane. Seriously, if you really have bad acne then the first place to go is a dermatologist. Sorry op I know how you feel.

Just wanted to echo what everyone else said!!! No, you’re not unreasonable to feel terrible about your Acne which is painful and affects your confidence (been there!).

Over the counter treatments will not help. Go to the GP for a dermatology referral; if there is a long wait and you can afford it, go provide.

Can’t believe the GP referred to it as “a few spots”🤬🤬🤬 You can and will address this with the right help. My spots are completely gone now after changing birth control pill.

Another vote for roaccutane here. My GP referred me to dermatology at the local hospital and I was on roacc for six months about two and a half years ago. Since then I've had the odd spot but only when I'm particularly stressed or my diet is poor, rather than having huge painful cysts on my face and back. It's made such a huge difference to my life and wellbeing! The only thing is to be aware of protecting your skin from the sun during and after treatment. You'll also need tonnes of lip balm and E-45 - my lips dried out so much while I was on the medication that they became really painful if I didn't have a lip balm to hand. But they're fine now and my skin is unrecognisable from what it was. Go for it, it's life changing

Roaccutane is a miracle drug, not without side effects but worth every one. I tried everything and have never looked back.

Try dermatica online - mine has finally gone and I have the best skin I have ever had. I have actually been out with no makeup or concealer which is a new one in me! They prescribe and are quick and responsive

In terms of roaccutane, I was on it for around 6 months, and after a few months of clear skin, my acne came back again.
You can always try it though, as it may work for you.
I've come to the point where I try to accept it as much as I can; I don't always wear makeup when I'm out and about, and it's difficult to do, but I hope you find a way to build your confidence with it

I should also have said, mine was hormonal. You have to be on two forms of birth control due to risk of side effects on a pregnancy but I refused the pill as one of mine. I used copper coil/barrier method. I had to have a brief second course as stopping the pill after the first course made mine flare again so wanted to avoid any hormone additions at all costs.

OP definitely go back and say you want to see a dermatologist. Tell your GP how your skin is affecting your mental health.

My Mum has bad rosacea and lots of spots with it and her GP referred her to dermatology when the first few creams he gave her didn't work. The treatment from dermatology has transformed her skin, she gets flare ups occasionally but so much milder then before.

Don't let them fob you off OP. Dermatology can make a huge difference.