Please help with my acne

[SummerRoberts]

Does anyone have a miracle cure for acne? I have awful, painful under the skin spots on my chin and one of my cheeks and just don't know what else to do with them.
I've been using Liz earle cleanser for years and for the past year or so I've used the nip & dab glycolic pads and moisturiser. I wash my makeup brushes once a week and drink over 2l water every day and none of that seems to work. I don't drink or smoke. I enjoy the odd bit of cake but no more than anyone else I know!
I bought the La Roche Posay effaclar duo a couple of months ago and it did nothing. In fact after about 3 weeks of using it, I seemed to have more small under the skin bumps. I'd bought the one with SPF in it which I think is what did it.
Does anyone have any advice at all? I will try anything! It's really got me down this morning. I can feel it all there on my face and it's painful and I feel like it's glowing!!
Please tell me there's something else I can try?

I would suggest going to the GP if you haven't already, there are lots of things you can try.

My acne has improved with switching pills to Dianette and I also loosely follow the acne.org regime.

I always mix a bit of benzyl peroxide into my moisturiser which keeps most spots at bay and means any I do get heal really quickly.

Yes, go to the GP

It may be something as simple as a prescription for something like Epiduo. This is a cream which contains Benzoyl Peroxide and Adapalene. Can be a very effective treatment.

Do you take the mini pill, or on the coil or implant? Those can cause acne or exacerbate it in those who are prone to skin troubles. Different hormones affecting the skin.

There are plenty of options - in my experience otc skin care didn't clear my acne. Strong meds did.

Retin A, go see a derm and get a script! Just be super careful with sunblock and hats while outside.
I was able to cure my cystic acne in chin /cheeks with lifestyle changes, but you say you don't drink or smoke..I cut out sugar because it causes major inflammation and collagen breakdown in the skin, tried a strict veggie and protein diet , lots of water, cleaning pillow cases and phone and doing away with makeup on my skin or touching my face. Got lots of sleep and cut down on stress in every way I could. Different birth controls will affect it too.
I also started using cerave cleanser, and tea tree oil/stridex pads for inflamed spots.

Drugs

Exactly which ones is up to your doctor but really, nothing else works when you have proper acne.

It may be a antibiotics, roaccutane, different contraceptive pill or a combo of the above. But it is the answer.

In the mean time, best to just keep skin clean and don't irritate it to much. Cetaphil and Cerave are cheap and often recommended as mild products by dermatologists.

Wish I had gone to the doctor earlier so don't hang on and wait!

Can only repeat what people have said above. Mt Dss ow have bad scarring with severe acne- there are less options for boys but your GP should definitely sort you out. My two didn't get good results from topical treatments or antibiotics and are now on Roaccutane. 4 months in and there has been a vast improvement, apart from the redness (side affect of the drugs) they were looking really good about a week or so ago. both have just had a little flare up but have another 2 months of the treatment to go so hopefully will be fully clear by then.

I know it's a supplement and there is no proof that it works, but I have been having much better skin since taking starflower oil supplements daily. It might be worth a try?

Go to your gp. Oxytetracycline sorted me out.
I wouldn't waste any more money money trying to fix this yourself, you may even be makeing it worse.

Only thing which worked for me was seeing a dermatologist and getting a bunch of prescriptions. Wish I had done it sooner so I didn't have all these acne scars but better late than never!

Neutrogena led mask. Blue & red LED lights, blue fights acne & red heals scars.

Or there's mains versions on Amazon which are a bit cheaper & have more light colours. I think green & yellow.

Acnecide (available over the counter or on prescription from GP). Made a very noticeable difference within a week and cleared it up completely within a month.

Disclaimer: I still use it daily as I do get some flare ups if I stop using it.

Totally anecdotal and I don't have the experience that some pps have but Liz Earle brought me out in horrible under the skin spots all along my jawline. Some time later I tried another balm type cleanser and it did the same.

Much better advice on this thread than I can offer but it might be worth ditching the balm.