Help! I have the skin of a much younger person - and not in a good way ...

[procrastinatingparent]

I posted this under Health but perhaps Style and Beauty might be better:

I had horrible horrible acne in my teens which all went almost miraculously away when I started the pill when I was 20. It's now, ahem, a very long time later, and I have finally stopped taking the pill, stopped being pregnant and stopped breastfeeding. And my spots have all come back, most horrifically just before my period sad. I can't bear feeling like I am 16 again (at least facially - wouldn't mind my body back grin). What I need to know is whether there is anything out there that I can zap these spots with or if I should just go straight back to the doctor and ask for more hormones.

I'm similar, still get bad acne before periods and I'm nearly 40. Spots and wrinkles is somewhat depressing isn't it.

I have found one moisturizer that seems to help - it is Origins Have a Nice Day (lotion not cream).

But if it's more serious than that it might be a job for the gp. If you aren't having any more children, and definitely won't get pg, you can have scary drug treatment - my friend had it and it worked very well.

Re scary drug treatment (Roaccutane) - you can have children afterwards, just must not get pregnant for at least a month after finishing it. Also, this has to be prescribed by a consultant dermatologist, and the GP will most likely want to try everything else under the sun first. That was my experience, anyway.

Benzoyl peroxide 5% is available over the counter and keeps my terrible skin reasonably clear. It can be quite drying. They do a 2.5% which may be better if you have sensitive skin.

You're right SL spots and wrinkles is just not fair.

My terrible skin has been tamed by benzac. Basically benzoyl peroxide is the super ingredient, there's a face wash then a cream at different percentages (i use 5%). Benzoyl peroxide has been proven as effective as prescribed medication and i saw improvement the next day (although it will dry your skin a lot until you cut back once it's under control). if you can't find it, use any thing with this ingredient. Give it at least 2 weeks before you give up. good luck!

Thank you very much ladies - relief that I'm not the only spotty wrinkly out there!

Will try benzac/benzoyl peroxide first, lispy and gonaenodaethat, with Origins lotion, snowleopard, then GP to talk about scary drug treatment, hadassah.

H did you think Roaccutane was worth the hassle? I heard about it years ago but since my acne seems to be so hormone driven I didn't persue it.