Hormonal acne, help!

Melisandre121

Hi guys, my acne is driving me mad, I've tried so much but nothing clears it up. The acne is usually on my chin and neck and is cystic and painful so I'm thinking its hormonal.

Unfortunately certain pills aren't an option, I can only use certain ones because I get migraines.

Can anyone recommend anything I can do?! It's such a confidence killer not to mention sore

Guerngirl

Try Duac topical cream on prescription it's quite good

Melisandre121 wrote: »

Hi guys, my acne is driving me mad, I've tried so much but nothing clears it up. The acne is usually on my chin and neck and is cystic and painful so I'm thinking its hormonal.

Unfortunately certain pills aren't an option, I can only use certain ones because I get migraines.


Can anyone recommend anything I can do?! It's such a confidence killer not to mention sore

Melisandre121

Guerngirl wrote: »

Try Duac topical cream on prescription it's quite good

Tried it, didn't help at all

Tasden

I've been using a mix of the nip and fab glycolic fix pads with a spritz of la roche posay serozinc spray after about 20minutes, followed by moisturiser about 10 minutes later and it's working wonders. I've been leaving the time in between just to give the product time to sink in and do its thing, I don't know if it's definitely needed but i read somewhere that it is so no harm in trying it!
I tried duac before and it just dried my skin out.

Check out reddit skincareaddiction. Its an amazing site. They have a full daily routine that is almost guaranteed to work wonders but you do need to really commit to it which i just don't have the time/commitment/motivation to do :pac:

You have my sympathy though, I've been getting chin acne constantly since my period started to settle back into a routine after birth control stopped them. My god its infuriating seeing one spot heal a bit only for 3 more to pop up and they can be pretty painful. Don't get too upset about them, you'll find something that works and it'll clear up.

pemtca

Get a prescription for Isotrex (retinoid) from your GP - it's the only thing that worked on my cystic acne

LinF

My granddaughter suffers. I suggested she get Optima Organic Tea Tree cream, it is a soothing antiseptic cream. She applies a little on a cotton bud on to each spot, a clean cotton bud for each application. By morning it has normally gone. You should be able to buy in Holland & Barrett or online on Amazon, uk.

fits

bet thing can be to go to a dermatologist. the tretinoin creams are very effective (gp can also prescribe) but you have to be careful about not conceiving while using them.

liquoriceall

I sympathise with you I have been on all treatments and it comes back when I stop them 😡 I take vit a & zinc daily which helps and use the la roche posay range, plan on adding the nip + fab range now ☺

TheIronyMaiden

Nothing worse than those spots that just won't go away! Do you have a skincare routine at the moment OP? What kind of products do you use (i.e. non-prescription ones)?

lubie76

I had hormonal acne on my chin and jawline for about 2 years and started taking evening primrose oil capsules twice daily- it was gone in a week. Also cures PMS, is definitely my miracle drug.

Tasden

lubie76 wrote: »

I had hormonal acne on my chin and jawline for about 2 years and started taking evening primrose oil capsules twice daily- it was gone in a week. Also cures PMS, is definitely my miracle drug.

Actually you have just reminded me to try this. I've heard this before and never needed to use it but somehow when I started getting hormonal acne it just slipped my mind to try it!

LinF

lubie76 wrote: »

I had hormonal acne on my chin and jawline for about 2 years and started taking evening primrose oil capsules twice daily- it was gone in a week. Also cures PMS, is definitely my miracle drug.

You are correct, I completely forgot about evening primrose!

lukesmom

Glad I came across this thread. Going to get evening primrose myself as I only get hormonal acne when I'm on my p and it's so sore.

lubie76

Yes EPO really does work, I have been raving about it to anyone who'll listen as I know how frustrating that type of acne is and I don't think anything applied topically will do anything for cystic acne.

I have also heard starflower oil is even better but as the evening primrose worked so well for me I stuck with it.

La.de.da

I feel your pain op. I get hormonal acne on my chin and jawline awful sore and impossible to wear make up.

Evening primrose works for some but make sure it's a good quality and the right dosage of which can be quite high!

I'm using a micellar water to cleanse my face and a mild teatree and witch hazel moisturiser. And good old fashioned sudocream at night.

Keeps things somewhat at bay.

Melisandre121

Definitely going to try EPO! Does it help with stress related breakouts too?

Melisandre121

Hey guys, I went to the health shop and the lady told me starflower oil is stronger so I went for that and got 1000mg. Do you think that's a high enough dose?

SarahMollie

Hi OP.

I suffered really badly from acne growing up. My mother, with the best will in the world is a slightly hippydippy type and tried me on every alternative remedy going and nothing worked. I sent between age 10-15 absolutely destroyed in various areas of my face. I still have some light scarring (which people say they can't see, but I can!). I get microdermabrasion now and also a glycolic peal on occasion to promote new skin growth.

I'm not saying not to experiment with alternative therapies also, but I wish so badly I'd had medical intervention earlier. My saving grace was a girl I went to school with who also suffered with bad acne suddenly came in on the 1st day of 3rd year with clear skin. I asked her straight away what she did, and she'd been put on Minicin. I went home like a dog with a bone and insisted to be taken to the GP, who prescribed Minocin and my acne was gone in a few weeks.

I've no idea what my skin is really like these days as I've been on the pill for that long, but should I come off the pill in the future and get a flair up, I'll be heading straight to see a dermatologist.

Now I don't believe Minocin is even on the market anymore but there are plenty of other prescribed medications that are extremely effective. There is no need for anyone in this day and age to be suffering with acne.

Please don't rule out going to see a doctor.

Melisandre121

SarahMollie wrote: »

Hi OP.

I suffered really badly from acne growing up. My mother, with the best will in the world is a slightly hippydippy type and tried me on every alternative remedy going and nothing worked. I sent between age 10-15 absolutely destroyed in various areas of my face. I still have some light scarring (which people say they can't see, but I can!). I get microdermabrasion now and also a glycolic peal on occasion to promote new skin growth.

I'm not saying not to experiment with alternative therapies also, but I wish so badly I'd had medical intervention earlier. My saving grace was a girl I went to school with who also suffered with bad acne suddenly came in on the 1st day of 3rd year with clear skin. I asked her straight away what she did, and she'd been put on Minicin. I went home like a dog with a bone and insisted to be taken to the GP, who prescribed Minocin and my acne was gone in a few weeks.

I've no idea what my skin is really like these days as I've been on the pill for that long, but should I come off the pill in the future and get a flair up, I'll be heading straight to see a dermatologist.

Now I don't believe Minocin is even on the market anymore but there are plenty of other prescribed medications that are extremely effective. There is no need for anyone in this day and age to be suffering with acne.

Please don't rule out going to see a doctor.

Hi, thanks for this!

I actually did go see my doctor. She gave me Duac and also suggested Dermalogica cleanser, neither of which worked.

Having exhausted all options it may be time to go to a dermatologist

SarahMollie

Melisandre121 wrote: »

Hi, thanks for this!

I actually did go see my doctor. She gave me Duac and also suggested Dermalogica cleanser, neither of which worked.

Having exhausted all options it may be time to go to a dermatologist

You could either go back to your GP or try a different one if yous is reluctant to perscribe. I wouldnt take no for an answer twice!

Good luck!

LinF

SarahMollie wrote: »

You could either go back to your GP or try a different one if yous is reluctant to perscribe. I wouldnt take no for an answer twice!

Good luck!

Best advice. Find out cause via GP first before putting things on your face that may or may not help or in the extreme that might make it worse. Here in the UK they do a blood test first (my granddaughter had really bad acne) to make sure she wasn't lacking in any vits & minerals then told her to take evening primrose oil tablets because her problem was hormonal, nice and cheap solution.