Any success with hormonal acne and not going on the pill to cure it?

[OchNoAgain]

I've suffered adult hormonal acne for years now and have bouts of it being better and worse. Just now it is awful, very painful cystic lumps all along my jaw and chin. It looks and feels awful and I'm really down about it. It's not just a few pimples in the week before my period.

I've tried various contraceptive pills in the past, some of which have helped my skin but have always left my with unbearable mood swings and very low mood. I have no inclination to go back on the pill but would welcome any ideas for helping with the acne. Supplements maybe?

I don't really want to bother my GP at the moment but don't know what else to try.

I don't work for Big Spearmint, by the way 😂 - I just can't believe it made such a difference so I've been telling everyone ever since!

@whoamongstus did it help with PMT by any chance? (I ask in hope!!)

Another vote for Roaccutane. You'll have to go down the antibiotics route first but don't let the GP fob you off if they don't work. Insist on a dermatologist referral.

I'm on month 4 and it's been the best thing I've ever done. For the first time in a decade I'm not horrified by my face when I look in the mirror.

@believeinblue I'm the same amount of irrationally weepy (or maybe SLIGHTLY more?) buuuuut, less/no sore boobs, so a mixed bag!

It's also reduced my fetching moustache, which was a very welcome side effect 😂

Sorry to jump on the thread but how do you know if you need antibiotics? The past few weeks I’ve developed chin acne that I’ve never had before (I’d get the occasional spot, nothing like this). At the moment I have around 10 spots on my chin and upper lip. They’re large and red and really unsightly and I’m so self conscious. I’ve rejigged my whole skin care routine but it’s not helped. Could it be bacterial? I would never have even thought that!

Of course it’s all bacterial, you get oral antibiotics if topical antibiotics fail.

I have the most persistent back acne which nothing budges I'm certain it's hormonal occasionally I think it looks less shit then it will just flare right up again right before my period. My GP doesn't take body acne seriously, last time he prescribed me a moisturiser which my ds gets for eczema. I started taking zinc about 3 days ago and I'm looking for changes but I don't hold out much hope after all of the things I've tried.

@whoamongstus ditto, I didn’t actually think the tea would work, but it does!

Get a vitamin A derivate (Retinoid) in pill form to take orally. A dermatologist can prescribe you this (it's called different names in different countries - Roacutane or Dercutane are pretty common). These pills will dry your acne from the inside out. You can't either drink alcohol or get pregnant whilst on them and need to commit for a year-ish, so need to be very serious about it.
They do work though. Good luck

@Justkillmenow depends on dosage, in the UK they tend to prefer to have you on it for shorter periods with higher doses due to effects (although I appreciate the evidence shows longer duration more effective) I was only meant to be on it 4 months, but struggled with the side effects so asked to lower my dose which meant taking it for 6 months, but have been acne free for over 4 years now touchwood (I often have nightmares that it's returned and it's such a relief when I wake up!!!)

I was on roaccutane for four months. 40mg a day.

Yasmin works amazingly for me. Would prefer to not be on it, but I don't have any major side affects like you seem to.

Watching with interest.

I'm not sure whether mine are nodular or cystic lumps but when I feel the painful horrors starting I put zovirax cold sore cream on a few times a day. I read this tip on mumsnet and I think it does reduce them. Also I have cut out all sugar, added or natural except bananas. Literally any sugar, especially added, gives me spots of some kind. It is a miserable and difficult diet but makes a big difference.

The best for me was giving up dairy, 100%. I didn't think it could be related since it got better and worse with my cycle, but dairy must have some effect with the hormones as it really did help (but only when cutting it out completely - I cut it down to almost nothing for ages but clearly needed to be rid of it completely).

I still have other hormonal issues, so I'm interested in the spearmint tea. I've just had a look at a few supermarket websites and Amazon, and most are either a blend with just a small proportion of spearmint, or bulk buying huge and expensive lots on Amazon. Can anyone recommend a brand I can buy one box from, cheaply (preferably on Amazon)?

Wow thanks for the additional replies everyone. It's easy to feel like you're alone with this issue.

I'd love to try the spearmint tea so yes, any recommendations would be amazing.

My Dermatica prescription has cleared my PCOS acne so well that my aunt thought I was pregnant (the only other times I've had clear skin in 20 years was during my pregnancies or when I was on Yasmin). I'm really pleased with it. My prescription is one tube that contains an antibiotic, adapalene and niacinamide. I pay £22 every 5 weeks (I extended the time between posting because the tubes were lasting longer than a month) and they put it in the post. It's been really easy!

The spearmint tea I buy on Amazon is Palanquin’s - £7.40 for 40 bags.

Those who drink Spearmint tea, do you think the Pukka three mint tea would have the same effect or does it need to be pure Spearmint?

Sorry to hijack OP. Every little helps in the fight against acne!

Agnus castes worked for me, it may have messed up my cycle a bit after a while so get advice of you try it and have any issues. Could have been coincidence though re the cycle. It really helped the spots.

Agnus castus

@CleanQueen123 I think it needs to be pure spearmint.

Right I've ordered spearmint tea and Skin Accumax supplements. I'll report back in due course!

@OchNoAgain where have you ordered your tea from please?

I have ordered the Palanquins one from Amazon.

I saw that Holland and Barrett has a camomile and spearmint one in emergencies (there's one near here) but not many pure spearmint options around!

I get the Palanquins one - have a search about, if it works for you you can usually order a set of 3 or 5 boxes for way cheaper than an individual one :)