Hormonal acne - what has worked and what hasn't

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I came off the Pill nearly a year ago and have had severe hormonal acne for the last 9 months - worse than even as a teenager.

At first the acne was just blackheads on my chest, but soon spread to painful cysts on my back and shoulders (nice), then angry red whiteheads on my forehead and chin, which then spread to my cheeks (the worst of all as so visible), and more recently this changed to a rash all along my jawline as the other areas cleared up.

Now finally I seem to be coming out the other end (fingers crossed) so I thought I'd start this thread to compare and sympathise with others who are suffering from the same! Everyone has different experiences with different remedies I know, but I'm interested to find out what the most effective ways seem to be for most people.

What has worked

• Oral erythromycin - 1 month (prescribed from GP who was initially useless and wanted me to go back on the Pill until I explained it was giving me IBS - I'd rather have acne than IBS)
• Daily Vit C, Vit B, zinc and Evening Primrose Oil supplements (probably was just the zinc that helped)
• Ice applied for roughly 20 second bursts, wrapped in a bit of kitchen roll (whenever a new breakout was about to happen, or whenever my jawline was sore, or itchy) - this was amazing at reducing the redness and swelling
• Giving up moisturiser - I've read a lot about theories of allowing skin to re-balance itself and so tried it out. I've tried every moisturiser under the sun over the years. After just a few days, the redness on my nose/cheeks subsided and now I just have a few dry/flaky patches which are sorted out by wiping with apple cider vinegar solution.

What was useless

• Face masks: tried various ones, including the Sanctuary hot-cloth cleanser, and just seemed to make the irritated skin worse
• Giving up dairy: skin is bad whether I have dairy products or not. Incidentally, I have a vegan friend who suffers from hormonal acne too
• Giving up sugar: ditto
• Giving up alcohol: ditto
• Facial oils: have tried rose hip oil, almond oil and Sanctuary facial oil - all seemed to make my skin worse
• Savlon: no effect

I've tried lots of stuff too.

Best success has been HUGE dose of vit B5 (pantothenic acid) but I am too worried about the side effects.

Using cheapo tan wipes at night has helped too, think they must have alcohol in which kills bacteria or dries my oily skin out a bit. But not keen on looking tangoed all the time!

Drinking lots of water and cutting down on sugar etc didn't seem to help. I remember also trying starflower oil as a supplement but it didn't make a difference.

The only times I have had really clear skin are when I have been pregnant, or a brief period when I was overweight for about 6 months.

Maybe I just have the option of being either fat or spotty! :(

I've had acne on one level or another stove I was a teenager (am now early thirties) and mine was also the best EVER when I was pregnant - does anyone know the science/theory behind this? What are the good pregnancy hormones that made such a difference?!

It definitely gets much worse around the start of my period too. The only other things that seem to help at the moment are LRP Toleriane cleanser and Neal's Yard rose facial oil.

I've tried everything - Roaccutane, antibiotics, retin A etc. The only thing that has worked over the last 9 years is pure EPA omega-3 fish oil. I take 2 x 1000mg tablets a day. I've also changed my skin care to using Neals yard Rose face wash and Decleor face oil. Good luck, it's so frustrating.

Quinoderm cream -amazing stuff! Get it from Boots behind the counter. It's the only thing that works for me.

Can I just clarify, is it the Neals Yard rose facial oil or wash ?? I'm desperate to sort my awful skin out..

No idea what happened to my post - will blame my phone.

I asked whether it was the facial oil or wash. I too have used antibiotics and roaccutane over the years. Zits at 44 is not a good look

No me too Addicted. I'm 40 and have been pretty fed up with it over the years. I have both the Neals Yard face wash and the NY Rose Face oil. However I mostly use Decleor face oil because it just feels like you've been to the spa: www.decleor.co.uk/face/by-category/aromessences/aromessence-angzlique-super-serum Decleor do a number of different oils but that one is my personal favourite.

Here is the link to the fish oil: shop.igennus.com/Pharmepa-STEP-1-RESTORE-pure-EPA-fish-oil-60-capsules.html My friend recommended it as it's supposed to help mental clarity and act as a natural anti-depressant, but another thing we read in the reviews was how it cleared up a number of peoples acne - needless to say I ordered immediately and haven't looked back. I can't say my mental clarity is much improved (!) but I can honestly say my skin is now the best its been since I gave birth which was the beginning of my acne.

Generally I now get a couple of tiny whiteheads when my period is due but they go within a day or so, I no longer have awful painful red angry spots. Everyone is different but since I changed my routine having read somewhere that you should treat your skin with respect, stop trying to dry it out and put oil back into your body, it's been SO much better. Good luck OP!

I use the rose facial oil as a moisturiser, although actually at the moment I'm trying tamanu oil instead, which smells awful but is soooo much cheaper.

I tried Quinoderm years ago but I seem to remember it was very drying on me.

I also really like a very very bland, mild soap by a company called Wild Olive - the one I like is the French Clay version.

Sorry I wanted to add, this website has a wealth of information on skin care www.carolinehirons.com/

I follow the paleo diet for health reasons, and while don't suffer myself, I've read loads of people on paleo website and blogs saying their acne has disappeared. It's a tough diet to stick to though.

Thanks very much. I already take fish oil but seems I need to increase the dose. Will investigate. Thanks again.

Addicted If you read the acne cheat sheet on Caroline Hiron's website, she says she takes between 3000 - 10,000mg per day depending on her skin - jeez, you'd have super fishy burps!

Nice! On hols with dodgy WiFi so have written info down to investigate when I get home.

I had the same problem in my early 20's when I came off the pill (coincided with a stressful time in my life which i don't think helps the situation)

Try demalogica skin care products. Not cheap but I have never used any other products since so saves wasted money on things that don't work. Book yourself in for a 'face mapping' facial at a beauty clinic and they will tailor the products to your skin. The facials are great and they are specialists in 'problem skin'

To be honest I had to go back on the pill to clear mine up completely, the only other thing that helped, especially for whiteheads (I had them on my back, horrible) was the sun or dare I say it the odd sunbed.

I am a past sufferer of acne. Roaccutane did it for me. Nothing else works like it. And like everything, it's not a 100% cure (about 90% actually), and occasional a second course is needed.
The pregnancy improvement is hormone related. So, unfortunately temporary.

Acne is a medical issue. I always get a little bit concerned when someone is describing multiple large cysts. These will all leave scars, big or small. And yes, you may find things that temporarily improve it but it is highly unlikely you will be shut of it, if at the age of 40 you are still getting cysts, without medical treatment if some kind.

I can tell you what has evidence diet-wise:
Avoid dairy. If you must have dairy have full fat, contrary to Caroline Hirons advice. And, again contrary to her advice, organic milk makes no difference and skimmed is much worse for your skin. (It's to do with protein bound hormones).

Limit your sugar and fruit intake. Known to worsen acne.

Nuts, in genetically susceptible folk, can be quite irritant to acne-prone skins.

Low GI diet might help, but it will only help to a degree.

I would highlight the scarring acne causes, which can cause a lot of psychological distress. And again, contrary to Caroline Hirons advice, (I would take her advice with a pinch of salt), waiting until you face is covered in spots is ridiculous. Even a few hormonal big spots a month will leave a scar. Multiply that by 12 for a year, for what, the next 10 or 20 years? That's a lot of scars. Get referred early, or go private.

Cystic acne is a medical issue.

I've tried everything over the years (including two courses of Roaccutane, which only worked temporarily).

My skin was the best it has ever been during pregnancy; my skin was clear the whole time.

I tried Quinoderm as a teenager and had a serious allergic reaction; I can't use anything containing benzoyl peroxide.

I too for the last 10 years have suffered awful nodular/cystic acne no one could help, drugs didn't work I am very careful about what I eat but still I suffered.

I went to 1 last dr who said his wife also suffered and he found that most incurred a staph skin infection also so prescribed me Hibi scrub.

I used only that twice a day, my skin didn't dry out but started to clear up after a couple of weeks, old acne lumps that had never come to a head started to disappear. After 6 months I was pretty much clear and introduced La Roche Posay Effaclar gel cleanser and the Effaclar Duo on my would be problem areas.

My skin has never looked so good, most days I don't need foundation which is so nice!

Give them a try and see how you get on.