212 replies to this topic

[priceless]

Holy moly... a few months back I was going through a wonderful spell of clear skin and it never occurred to me (until reading this thread) that it might have been due to the fact that I was taking Aleve at the time for some serious ongoing back pain. It was actually the first time in my life I had even tried Aleve. A friend recommended it when I told her that Advil wasn't working for my back pain.

Ha! Naturally when the back pain went away I stopped taking the Aleve... and eventually my acne came back... and I never made a connection between the two until now. Thank you LionQueen for this eye-opening thread!

[lara6]

What if you don't get acne mid-cycle or pre-menstrual? I get acne the week after my period. (I'm also on the pill).

Anyone else like this?

[alice88]

What if you don't get acne mid-cycle or pre-menstrual? I get acne the week after my period. (I'm also on the pill).

Anyone else like this?

lara6 - yes it will still work at any time you are prone to breakouts! Aleve just works by preventing certain chemicals in your body from causing inflammation so your spots should not flare up and they will just be tiny whiteheads which disappear quickly.

Just want to say a big thankyou to this thread (Lion Queen & Co)! Im amazed how much this works! I use ibuprofen because i hadn't heard of Aleve and i don't think they sell in in UK! So those of you who are unsure whether to use ibuprofen - it does work! Don't bother shipping Aleve over to the UK! 'Superdrug's' own brand ibuprofen = 99p and it works wonders!

THANK YOU x x

[Whiskers McCoy]

What if you don't get acne mid-cycle or pre-menstrual? I get acne the week after my period. (I'm also on the pill).

Anyone else like this?

lara6 - yes it will still work at any time you are prone to breakouts! Aleve just works by preventing certain chemicals in your body from causing inflammation so your spots should not flare up and they will just be tiny whiteheads which disappear quickly.

Just want to say a big thankyou to this thread (Lion Queen & Co)! Im amazed how much this works! I use ibuprofen because i hadn't heard of Aleve and i don't think they sell in in UK! So those of you who are unsure whether to use ibuprofen - it does work! Don't bother shipping Aleve over to the UK! 'Superdrug's' own brand ibuprofen = 99p and it works wonders!

THANK YOU x x

Yes Ibruprofen Is my new crack when my crazy lady time rolls around.

[KNL71]

Ok I'm probably going to sound retarded, but what do you guys consider PMS week? The week before your period starts? The study I ready suggested taking 2 twice a day 10 days before your period is supposed to start. Is this similiar to what you guys do???

[JayQ]

Ok I'm probably going to sound retarded, but what do you guys consider PMS week? The week before your period starts? The study I ready suggested taking 2 twice a day 10 days before your period is supposed to start. Is this similiar to what you guys do???

So this is just a regimen for women not for male hormonal acne?

[kforkate]

i tried this out this month. only took 1 pill for 5 days leading up to my period. i ended up with one big bump on my chin and one along my jawline. however, i think the jaw bump probably came from scratching a little bump during an itch. i'll try 2 pills a day next month and see how that works.

[alice88]

Ok I'm probably going to sound retarded, but what do you guys consider PMS week? The week before your period starts? The study I ready suggested taking 2 twice a day 10 days before your period is supposed to start. Is this similiar to what you guys do???

Yeh PMS week is the week before your period starts. I have to take it 7 or 8 days before my period because thats when i start to see myself breaking out.

Im taking ibuprofen instead of aleve because i live in the UK and its really cheap. It definitely works, but i have to take 2/3 a day to be completely spot free.


x x x

[laura317]

I am completely new to this site. I just discovered it a few weeks ago when I had a breakout of cystic acne. I am 28 years old and have noticed that I usually develop a cyst about 3-5 days BEFORE ovulation, and usually clears up during my period - or at least 2 weeks later. But this still stucks cuz that means that 2 out of the 4 weeks of the month, every month, I have horribly huge cysts. They only appear on my chin. I just started getting these about 2 years ago. A round of tetracycline really cleared up my first outbreak 2 years back, but they would pop back up every now and then. Suddenly about 3 months ago they came back in full force at the same time every month. Right now I have two on my chin. I happened to have a HUGE headache the other day and took two advil before I went to bed. When I woke up one of my cysts was almost completely gone. I didn't think anything of it until I found this thread last night. The cyst on my chin that had gone flat became inflamed again yesterday (maybe because I only took the advil for one night?). I started a two week reg of tetracycline about 5 days ago but if I remember correctly it took about 2 weeks before I saw results last time. My family practice doctor told me that until I clear up the existing infection, a preventative treatment will not be effective.

I feel that since the breakouts seem to happen around the same time and have only ever been on my chin (the rest of my skin is flawless) that they are hormonal. My doc changed by birth control and I am currently in the middle of month two. I know it takes about 3 months for a new bc to take effect. Plus being on an antibiotic at the same time, it is reducing the effectiveness and may be drawing out the time it takes for me to adjust. My old pill (which I was on forever and never had problems with until recently, Trinessa) had a spike in progesterone right around mid-cycle, so a lower prog level in the new pill should work, hopefully soon. I also started spotting just AFTER ovulation about a year ago. I wonder if my body was just in need of a bc change? I have heard that after being on the same pill for several years, it can become less effective.

I am going on and on here but since I am new to the site and this is the first time I have posted anything, I figured I would give my background info! I am going to try the Aleve - does anyone know if this is safe while on an antibiotic? I also started a multivitamin along with the antibiotic. My doc also gave me an rx for tretinoin cream but after reading the reviews on this site I have decided my acne is not severe enough to go down that road. I don't feel that topical treatments work for cysts other than spot treatments and hot compresses to bring them to the surface faster so they soften, drain and heal a little faster.

I have been using Proactive for just shy of 2 months now. So far I really like how soft and smooth my skin looks and feels. I also like that is seems to be reducing the appearance of old scars from other cystic breakouts.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I just became engaged in February and I really don't want to have to worry about cysts next summer when I get married!!

[itsnotyouxoxo]

I am SO EXCITED to try this method! I'm actually in my PMS week right now, and am going upstairs to check my medicine cabinet.

This is unbelievable, how many people are saying that it's helped them - I hope it helps me, too [I've tried about everything else] and I'll report back!

<3

[kforkate]

ok i did this last month and everything during my period was awesome, a few days after though everything went to hell on my face. so strange =\

[myskinizADHD]

I am trying the ibuprofen as we speak right now. Just started my cycle 2 days ago and my skin looks worse than it did last month. I am convinced that my hormones are way out of wack.

If it makes a difference I will let you know. If not, I am going to the store for some Aleve pronto.

Thanks for the post!!

[BeadyB]

I missed my starting point, but its one day before my period, and I'm already breaking out so I decided to start today.

Anyone see results after starting this while they had a breakout? Not just before, but starting at the sight of the first one. Also, how long should I continue this? Through my entire period? I don't have an exact breakout cycle. Just a few by eyebrows and chin during the week before and week of my period.

Hormones need to die...

[kintera]

Such a bummer, with my KD I'm not allowed to take Aleve or IB since they break down IN the kidneys. Anyone find that Tylenol works for them instead? It's all I can take for pain.

[jokerj]

actually, my doctor just prescribed me a high dose version of naproxen sodium for pms and period
she thought the high dose would be fine because i've taken aleve in the past for shoulder problems with no noticeable side effects, and i'd only be taking it for about a week each month
it'd be the equivalent of taking about 4 a day (just under that)
it's mostly for my acne, but she said it also helps with the moodiness, tenderness, cramping, etc.
i've been taking it since saturday night- excited to see the results!

[Whiskers McCoy]

I missed my starting point, but its one day before my period, and I'm already breaking out so I decided to start today.

Anyone see results after starting this while they had a breakout? Not just before, but starting at the sight of the first one. Also, how long should I continue this? Through my entire period? I don't have an exact breakout cycle. Just a few by eyebrows and chin during the week before and week of my period.

Hormones need to die...

Hiya Beady B, I have trouble pin pointing days in my cycle that I will start breaking out. I've worked out I get mid cycle acne(about 10-14 days into my cycle) and then a week before my period I will break out.
But because it's hard to sometimes get the days right, I have been waiting until anything, even the smallest pimple comes out on my face one morning. Then I will check my calender and see if it around either of those two times and start taking the naproxen. But sorry in answer to your question, yeah I will take the naproxen even if my skin is starting to breakout and it bring any existing inflammation down immediately! Like immediately! So I say if you see anything appearing certain days or weeks one month, note it down on a calender, take your naproxen as it is awesome. And by the next month you will have an idea of when you are prone to break out.

I found out that about two weeks into your cycle, you have a testosterone spike, which is why some people have mid cycle acne if they are sensitive to that. And then there is an oestrogen spike a week before your period, again can cause acne. So hope this helps. x

p.s my box of naproxen is a brand in the uk called feminax ultra and it tells me only to take up to 3 pills for 3 days. But I have read elsewhere that as long as you have no side effects, you can take these types of pain killers for 10 days. But I'm not a doctor, and I would say if you can take it for 4-5 days and then stop taking it a few days see what happens and if you are still breaking it simply take one immediately. But I like to give my body the chance to go without if I can. And ALWAYS ALWAYS TAKE THIS DRUG WITH FOOD.

Edited by Whiskers McCoy, 18 August 2010 - 08:08 AM.

[Rascalsmama]

I am going to try this today. I am starting to break out (not on my cycle). Hope I remember this in a couple of weeks! Thanks for posting!

[JJROCKSTAR]

I saw a thread in the Research forum recently about naproxen sodium (Aleve) ... said it was supposed to be very effective against premenstrual acne.

I tried it out this month, and it worked very well for me. I took two Aleve tablets each day, one with breakfast and one right after dinner -- and I only got two tiny, tiny pimples the whole week.

Normally during PMS week I would get a number of these little ones popping up on my nose and chin each day.

I stopped taking a regular dose of the Aleve as soon my period started, although I have taken one at night a couple of times since. From what I understand, you really have to be careful not to take too much ... it can cause stomach bleeding and other unpleasant side effects.

Has anyone else tried this?

Thank you for this information! cant wait to try

[RedViolyn]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I've tried the ibuprofen thing during PMS, and I must say, it didn't help in the slightest. Hopefully Aleve has what it takes!

[sparkle1]

I see this post goes back several years and am glad that it's pinned to the top.

I'm turning 36 next week and have never had smooth skin. I have mild acne but get alteast 2-3 new flare up's close to the end of my period each month on my cheeks / chin and no amount of make-up can reduce the appearance of the lumps.

This cycle I was taking advil cold/flu because I'm not feeling well and noticed that the flare up's went down immediately overnight but did not attribute it to the advil until I read this post.

I'm in Canada and from what I've read aleve is not sold here.... I'll continue with the advil each month to see if that's the trick.

Sending a BIG thank you to everyone posting here. You have given me hope.