Skin problems in your thirties

[Dumbo18]

Having a bad day skin wise - didn’t think I’d be in my 30’s and still be suffering so badly. Doctor has said it’s a mixture of hormones and rosacea. To make it worse I’m off my pill as we are TTC so that has completely messed things up. Feel absolutely dreadful, it’s just getting worse and worse. Any tips or words of wisdom?

Didn’t mean to have the vote on! I’m definitely not being unreasonable 😂

Im 34 and still have teenage skin. I had acne as teen - cleared up for my 20s and now it just back with a vengeance. My daughters 10 and I feel like were going through puberty (again) together. (Fun).

-On the plus side I do get I.D a lot.

-On the down side -painful sore spots that do not go away no matter what I do.

Didn’t the doctor offer any medication? There are various topical creams you can try such as metronidazole or azelaic acid. If you wanted to hold off TTC, you could try a course of oral antibiotics - oxytetracycline is often used.

I still have teenage skin at 35 (thanks pcos) but have managed to improve it a lot recently with products from The Ordinary, especially Niacinamide. I now have the odd spot every now and then instead of several all the time.

Tbh I wish I’d taken roaccutane as a teenager (was prescribed it but my mum was v reluctant because of the side effects). I do still think about getting it now but The Ordinary products have improved my skin enough that I don’t think it’s worth it right now.

I’ve used metronidazole before but it made my skin really dry and didn’t help as much as I’d thought. Doctor has mentioned oral antibiotics but not sure about the side affects. I might give the ordinary products a go but there’s so many i wouldn’t know where to start!

Seconded The Ordinary and especially the niacinamide.

I have had acne my whole life along with PCOS and a whole host of other hormonal things and this was a real game changer. I use the niacinamide and the moisturiser every day and the 30% peel once a week.

Micellar water on a bamboo pad at night seems to have helped too, as well as wearing minimal make up - primer and Glossier skin tint is my maximum now.

41 and really struggling with my skin for about a year. Finally sorted it to some extent using oil of oregano in almond oil but that stopped working with the face masks. I keep using a mud pack when I’ve been wearing makeup at work all day and then sticking calamine lotion on. It takes the stinging out and has made my more hormonal chin spots dry up quicker. I honestly looked like a glue sniffer for a couple of months until I started doing this. I hope yours clears up soon whatever works best for you. 🤞🏻

I have bad acne due to pcos. I'm 31 and feel 13! It's embarrassing and I'm glad i can wear masks atm as it's got to the point of scarring now

I had roaccutane in my 30s. It changed my life.

@Spelunking

41 and really struggling with my skin for about a year. Finally sorted it to some extent using oil of oregano in almond oil but that stopped working with the face masks. I keep using a mud pack when I’ve been wearing makeup at work all day and then sticking calamine lotion on. It takes the stinging out and has made my more hormonal chin spots dry up quicker. I honestly looked like a glue sniffer for a couple of months until I started doing this. I hope yours clears up soon whatever works best for you. 🤞🏻

This is a great tip. I still get a ginormous cystic friend every now and then (and I very naughtily pick them, they weep, I too look like a junkie).

I've had recent success with the middle road between basics and the full medical approach.

2x daily cleanse with micellar water
2x daily acnecide (over the counter) topically
1x daily mens branded moisturiser. (Less perfume and crap in it)

Weirdly, this is working really well!

Also, all the obvious stuff - change your pillow cases daily, don't rewear masks without washing etc.

Elimination diet. There’s usually something setting it off

I’ve been TTC for three years and my skin 18 months ago was awful, very red and sensitive with rosacea but due to TTC I wasn’t prepared to use any steroids so went sugar, alcohol, wheat, caffeine free and my skin totally cleared up after having these issues for 39 years. It took 3 months to improve and since then I’ve reintroduced all foods/drinks but it smaller amounts and my skins still good.

Always had terrible skin, been on roaccutaine 3 times and it always came back. People don't realise the impact that bad skin has on your confidence.

Since having a baby 18 Months ago my skin has been almost perfect. Can only assume this is due to a shift in hormones, not saying I don't get the occasional spot but it's certainly nothing compared to how bad it was before.

I'd also recommend ZO Obagio products, i only use the exfoliator but if my skin was bad again I would buy the whole range. Nothing ever prevented breakouts for me but that would clear them quicker

I’ve suffered with acne and it’s dreadful as an adult!! BUT if u are ttc mine improved a lot after I had my son at 34, so get going with that baby x

I feel you I'm 28 and have had acne since I was about 14. In recent years though it's been so much worse. Really angry, painful, hard cysts all on my chin and jawline and under my neck. I went on the yasmin pill when I was 21 and it cleared my skin almost completely and then I had to come off it because of headaches. This year is the worst it has ever been but due to TTC the only medication I took was antibiotics which didn't really work. I fell pregnant in August and since then it's been a lot better (still bad to the average person but good for me and no more pain which is the main thing). I've been left with terrible scaring though that look like spots. It must be the hormones! I've also noticed since being pregnant my migraines have stopped (I used to get them weekly) - again they must have been caused by hormones. I also have PCOS. If my skin goes back to being really bad again after this pregnancy then I will seriously be considering roaccutane, I must have spent thousands and thousands of pounds on products and treatments. It's so depressing.

Roaccutane. I used it in my early 40s and DD has used it in her 20s. It works miracles, but isn't an easy ride. And you absolutely must not take it if you are TTC. It can cause horrible foetal abnormalities.

Yes.... it's what you're eating, check out my goodness recipes on Instagram, Hanna Sillitoe is a skin healing expert, she has 2 books out, great advice and natural products too, I just follow her woe 80% of the time and my rosacea is now manageable and my psoriasis has disappeared...

See a dermatologist.
May well need to be private but seeing an actual, proper dermatologist who can properly diagnose your skin may save you money than spending money on loads of different creams/potions.

(Says woman in her 30s with rosacea!)

I have had roaccutane, anti biotics, super strong hormone treatment and any number of creams and looked at my diet. Nothing made any difference or worked long term. My acne is definitley hormone related. It's now under control and I no longer have to take any medication. Instead i started taking estroblock supplements. I was on them for about 18 months but now dont even need to take them. I get a couple of small spots around my period but nothing compared to what it used to be.

I'm with you - mine was perfect as a teenager, terrible now!

Things that make a huge difference to me:

• Not drinking milk/eating dairy. If I cave and start drinking normal milk in my tea again, my skin goes wild. I'm not otherwise intolerant to dairy but my skin apparently hates it

• Proper skincare routine (including niacinamide daily)

• Drinking spearmint tea. It apparently lowers androgens ('male' hormones) and is the one thing that reliably sorts my skin (and beard) out. However, it had an effect on my periods (i.e. I had one for the first time in 5 years - don't normally cos of the coil), so you might want to check it with a doctor if you're TTC. Has to be spearmint, not peppermint - you can buy it online!

@LittleMG

I’ve suffered with acne and it’s dreadful as an adult!! BUT if u are ttc mine improved a lot after I had my son at 34, so get going with that baby x

My experience was TOTALLY different @LittleMG all the times ive known I was pregnant by having massive breakouts all the way down my chest and back!

That is with girls and boys.

All of my delivery pictures are just horrid because im read and sore, not glowing and beautiful.

Some good suggestions, I just wish I knew what was causing my skin problems. I’m convinced it’s all hormonal but other things could be affecting it also. It really knocks my confidence. I think I may have to look into a private dermatologist but even the thought of that is enough to make me cry with embarrassment 😥

Absolutely no need to be embarrassed of seeing a dermatologist.

It's a very common issue and you'll be the thousandth person they have seen with acne or rosacea etc this year.

My rosacea was sufficiently bad that the GP referred me to the NHS dermatologist almost before I had sat down for the appointment. I had put off going because i thought nothing could be done and that I was just a bad skin person.... really regret wasting a couple of years of my prime time late 20s with it when treatment work very well and a few months later it was basically all gone.
I got stopped in the street once by a woman who told me my skin was dreadful and I should do something about it....so I know how crushing to confidence it can be.

Just go to a dermatologist - I paid for a private follow up a couple of years later just for advice on keeping it gone and it was well worth it.