hormonal acne woes

[youlittlecharmer]

I've got PCOS and after 10 years on the pill switched over to the coil 18 months ago. Since then, all my PCOS symptoms have come back with a vengeance which I'm attempting to deal with.

My skin has got progressively worse to the point where my confidence is really being affected, and I'm wearing foundation, concealer and powder every day (never used to), and don't even like DP seeing me without it. At work I'm finding myself hiding behind my hair and avoiding mirrors.

I'm putting off going to go to the doctor as I'm not sure what they'll be able to do other than put me back on the pill which I'm reluctant to do for other reasons.

Currently I wash my face with water in the am and apply an oil free moisturiser, then in the pm take off make up with micellar water then use La Roche Posay effeclar duo face wash or an AHA exfoliating cleanser, followed with rosehip oil or a more intensive moisturiser. Sometimes I dab tea tree oil on particularly angry spots but I've run out at the moment.

It's all such hard work :(

Please go back to your gp. Loads of options other than OCP. Spironolactone, metformin or isotretinoin depending on how severe it is. Switch to a low glycaemic diet and drink loads of water. Easier said than done I know. Try not to worry - always worse in your own eyes than others see you.

An acne skin is always best treated as a sensitive skin. I wouldn't use a foaming face wash you should switch to something like Avene extremely gentle cleansing lotion or dermalogica ultracalming cleanser and start using it in the morning too to cleanse all the sebum and sweat produced through the night.

Spironolactone worked wonders for me.

Definitely go back to your gp! As others have said, there's lots of things other than hormonal contraceptives that can help
I've been an acne sufferer since I was 12 I'm pregnant with my second baby at the moment and have had some horrific flare ups recently! Indecisivejo is right too - acne-prone skin is best treated as sensitive skin: no harsh chemicals, no harsh scrubbing, nothing abrasive. If you must exfoliate, use very fine grains - I find normal table salt ground down even finer in a pestle and mortar works wonders for my skin! It gently exfoliates, and is naturally anti-bacterial (explains why my skin looks and feels better when I've been swimming in the sea on holiday!)

thanks all.

jmangel I will try and get in with the doctor and see what they say. Already drink buckets of water and attempt to be low carb, though have an awful sweet tooth.

indecisivejo I've not heard that before, I'll switch to something a bit gentler.

stoopstofolly not heard of that before, will do a bit of research!

I read recently that as acne is inflammation you should avoid anything that will irritate this, so no extremes of temperature (either cold water or very hot water), no scrubbing or masks. Treat it very gently and try not to touch! I second the Avene Extremely Gentle cleanser that Jo mentioned, I love it!