Bad skin what can I do?

[uhoh2016]

My skin is terrible at the moment red angry sore spots all the time mainly across my cheeks jaw line and neck. I'm getting really Self conscious about it.
I'm 33 was sterilised a few months ago and it seems to have got worse since then. I'm aware it's probably my hormones adjusting as I'm not taking the pill anymore.
In the house I don't wear any make up but going out i have to put at least some foundation to cover them up slightly and always take it off again when I come in.

I would visit you GP & a good beautician for advice. There may be medication/skin care routine or diet changes you can make to improve it while your hormones settle down.

Good luck

It sounds as though coming off the pill has caused the skin problems as acne is very often treated with the birth pill. My DGD had very bad acne from aged 13 as she hit puberty. GP kept giving her ABX and cream and I finally persuaded my DIL to take her to a dermotologist as GP was not willing to refer. She prescribed something that worked really well and she combines that with an ABX. SO yes see the GP - he/she might be able to prescribe something, other ask for a referral to a dermatologist. I paid and it was £200 but well worth it. OR would you consider going back on the pill.

The whole reason I had the sterilisation was too come off the pill as id been on it for 17 years (apart from when I had my kids) so ideally I'd rather not go back on it. Thought I'd be too old for teenage acne apparently not

I promise I'm not receiving any kick back from a pharmaceutical company, but I always say that the single thing I have found that has sorted out that nasty chin / jaw acne is a course of a drug called spironolactone. Worked wonders for me (though isn't for anyone with low blood pressure). I'm also using a tretinoid gel to help with scarring, and an antibiotic gel called clindomycin to zap any small spots that pop up

Visit the GP

There have been a few thread recently about skin issues- and I always try and give my advice

I am older than you - and still have/had acne. The combined pill kept it under control for years - it was the only thing that worked.

I had to stop taking it - due to a blood condition - so ended up being a spotty 40 year old. Saw a couple of consultant dermatologists over the years - one said I'd grow out of it ? the other wouldn't provide anything more than antibiotics.

Eventually I visited a private dermatologist. She was sympathetic - despite my skin not being as bad as it could have been at the time. She knew of a consultant dermatologist at a different hospital who takes NHS patients - so wrote to my GP advising for a referral to this other derm.

After a short chat - and an sebum strip test - the derm decided that I would be an ideal candidate for Spironolactone. It is a drug usually used to treat odema, fluid retention etc - but has the added benefit of acting on the testosterone in females. Within a month of taking this my skin was perfect. No oil, no spots. Perfect.

Other than a blood test for liver function a couple of times per year it's a doddle. My GP does me the repeat prescription - in fact seems intrigued as it's not so well known a treatment.

I am 48 now - and am hoping that once menopause hits my skin might sort itself out - but if not I'll happily take these tablets until I dont need to.

Very long - sorry! Just saying that it is a good idea to start the ball rolling to see a medical person who specialises in skin.

Good luck. Having crappy skin is horrible - but I am sure you can sort it.

Xposted with you there Olennaswimple

I'm currently taking Dianette and Roaccutane for my acne. It's cleared up very nicely indeed - hardly any spots and lovely small pores. However, my dermatologist says that although I'll be able to stop the Roaccutane soon, she thinks I'll need to carry on the pill if I want to keep the spots at bay. Which was a bit of a blow as I'd hoped to stop that too.

Interested to hear more about Spironolactone as an alternative to the pill for skin. What are the side effects and risks? I'm finding the pill is causing me to get melanoma (dark/freckly patches) when I go in the sun - would spironolactone do the same?

Side effects - messes with the potassium in your body. I have to have blood tests regularly - to check liver function.

My periods go a bit weird - but that could be my age either - and my boobs get very tender.

I think most dosages for acne are quite low - so any side effects are minimal. I'm on 50mg daily which is sufficient for me.

i didn't know that about liver function - maybe because I took a short course of it rather than using it on an ongoing basis, so I didn't need follow up blood tests.

Some people find spiro has a diuretic effect (and as a consequence they also lose weight), but I didn't. It lowers blood pressure (and helpful side effect for me), but I had found Yasmin made me very woozy and I only had a couple of days where I noticed anything different after starting spiro. The biggest side effect was sore boobs, and that lasted for a while after I stopped taking it, but I concluded that if the deal was great skin and sore boobs I was prepared to live with that.

Perhaps my Gp keep up the liver function checks as it is a long term thing. U have been on spironolactone for over 18 months now and as it is working I don't want to quit. I do stop now and again and after a fee weeks the oiliness comes back.

I wish I had been prescribed this 20/30 years ago instead of spending all my adult life worrying about my skin.