Spotty skin, at my wits end...anyone got any tips?

[CinnamonTwist]

As a teenager I had pretty spotty skin, it's a fairly unsurprising thing and I dealt with it as best I could thinking it was a 'phase' and would pass with time. At uni I started taking Yasmine as a contraceptive pill (having tried others and found my body really doesn't like hormones, it was the first one which didn't give me awful side effects, and I tried a lot) and I found this made a massive difference, my skin was clear and lovely, only breaking out with the odd spot occasionally. A year ago I stopped taking the pill as we wanted to ttc this year (and knowing the problems I had with hormones in the beginning I wanted to give my body time to adjust beforehand) however my skin has just been awful ever since, so so spotty, I thought it was just an adjustment after stopping the pill, but it seems it's here to stay. At 26 I am so fed up with it and feel I shouldn't have to deal with teenage skin... It doesn't help that it is incredibly sensitive (I can't use face wipes they give me a rash, I went for a facial and got a rash after that this year too) and also incredibly oily in my 'T' zone, if I moisturise, at all, it breaks out even worse.

So, does anyone have any tips, anything they've tried that works for you that may work for me? Or anything in particular you've found that may make it worse? (DH is convinced there may be an ingredient in a shampoo or something that may make it worse, I'm not so convinced, I think I just have crap skin!) I have reached the point where I will try pretty much anything, and any help will be very gratefully received!! I know it's not the end of the world to have bad skin, but it is really getting me down and I don't want scars and spots all over my face!

I've always had bad skin and after my second child, I was in my mid 30s and still awful skin. The following helped: dianette (now on Yasmin), a course of oral antibiotics, changing my pillow case daily (I sleep on my front), and la Roche posay effaclar cleanser, toner, moisturiser and the anthelios suncream. I think my hormones were triggering the spots (clear skin while pregnant), but then infection was sustaining them so the double whammy of tackling hormones and bacteria simultaneously worked.

I've tried switching to a different moisturiser and after a while the spots came back so I switched back. If I do get an outbreak some teatree oil helps clear it up - and going back to daily pillow case changing!

Good luck - I know you can't do anything about the hormones while TTC but if you can tackle the skin bacteria it should help.

Martin's money saving expert this week has La Roche Posay £5 off voucher the Effaclar system

link then scroll down

I have struggled with acne since I was a teenager and have finally (late 30s) settled on a skincare regimen that works. I cleanse morning and night with Lush Ultrabland - it's an oily cleanser that you rub into your skin and wipe off with a hot flannel. Never would have thought this would work for me as it's oil-based, but it's been brilliant - it's very gentle and doesn't dry out your skin. I also use Epiduo, which you need to get on prescription - it's benzoyl peroxide and Differin. Using these two, I almost never get spots at all - just a very rare one a few times a year. After trying everything under the sun, I'm also happy to have landed on something that's quite inexpensive - the Epiduo lasts me about 6 months, and a pot of Ultrabland is only something like £7 and lasts several months.

I think that as others have said you just have to try lots of things until you find something that works for you. I have used everything out there (LRP, Paula's Choice, Proactiv, a million different cleansers and creams) and thought I would never have clear skin.

Chishandfips thank you, but I bought lrp (and the Vichy 'anti ageing' cream which is amazing) about a week before that offer, never mind! It seems to be helping, got a bit worse now a bit better so fx it's improving! To complicate matters I am pregnant again, from researching I think I am OK to continue with both of these as mild topical salicylic acid is ok. Chemical peels and oral SA is not. Over the moon to have been successful again and just hoping this one sticks! Thanks so much for all your advice!