16 replies to this topic

[erlkja]

Hi everyone. Ive come to tell my story...and see if anyone can relate and help me. Because i need help.

Im 25 and for the past few months my acne has been worse than ever. Ive had it for years, and ive always thought it was bad. I have the white stuff in every pore. Ive tried everything over the years: sea salt, cider vinegar, raw potato (!), lemon juice, the other crazy natural things, herbal supplements and targeted vitamins, tricycline pills, Retin-A gel, Dan's method, generic cleaners and scrubs, herbal cleanses...blah. They were all taken seperately, and with enough time to allow them to work.

Recently i had allergy tests and hormone tests. My DHEAS level was 17, on a scale of 3-10!! So, my naturopath and i decided that was the root cause. That and the characteristic hormonal acne around the jawline and up the cheeks a bit.

Ive been on Spironolactone for almost 2 months now, with no real change. Its expensive to get from canada/new zealand/india. Im worried about the side effects though, but i will do almost anything to solve this. Its been far too many years, and i need to be myself again. I cant catch myself in a mirror, or else i get depressed, and other things start flowing and piling up. And i cant be around people, especially well-lit areas... I dont know what to do. I get so angry and depressed when im reminded of how diseased my face is. And its only getting worse and im 25?!! I cant just wait it out...its been too long. Even if it slows down now, it will take a year or more to even stop. And i dont know what the hell will stop it. I suppose Accutane is next i on this chemical rollercoaster.

what the hell. i have no hope for this anymore, and i need to start living, or i will die.

[VintageWear]

I hope Spironolactone helps!

[mickey67]

Hi everyone. Ive come to tell my story...and see if anyone can relate and help me. Because i need help.

Im 25 and for the past few months my acne has been worse than ever. Ive had it for years, and ive always thought it was bad. I have the white stuff in every pore. Ive tried everything over the years: sea salt, cider vinegar, raw potato (!), lemon juice, the other crazy natural things, herbal supplements and targeted vitamins, tricycline pills, Retin-A gel, Dan's method, generic cleaners and scrubs, herbal cleanses...blah. They were all taken seperately, and with enough time to allow them to work.

Recently i had allergy tests and hormone tests. My DHEAS level was 17, on a scale of 3-10!! So, my naturopath and i decided that was the root cause. That and the characteristic hormonal acne around the jawline and up the cheeks a bit.

Ive been on Spironolactone for almost 2 months now, with no real change. Its expensive to get from canada/new zealand/india. Im worried about the side effects though, but i will do almost anything to solve this. Its been far too many years, and i need to be myself again. I cant catch myself in a mirror, or else i get depressed, and other things start flowing and piling up. And i cant be around people, especially well-lit areas... I dont know what to do. I get so angry and depressed when im reminded of how diseased my face is. And its only getting worse and im 25?!! I cant just wait it out...its been too long. Even if it slows down now, it will take a year or more to even stop. And i dont know what the hell will stop it. I suppose Accutane is next i on this chemical rollercoaster.

what the hell. i have no hope for this anymore, and i need to start living, or i will die.

I'm 39...I don't do anything hormonal (birth control pills, spiro) because they change estrogen levels and I have a strong family history of breast cancer.

I started accutane 16 weeks ago. I wish I had done it years ago.

[erlkja]

i am a male, if that helps. when ive been searching for hormone related acne research, it seems a lot of it is for women.

[happygurl]

Hey there...

I'm sorry to hear that you're having so much trouble. You mentioned you tried Apple Cider Vinegar? Did you use it topically or internally?

I just posted my first (and probably only) message on acne.org, because I wanted to relate the success I've had with taking ACV internally...If you'd care to read, just in case there's something you didn't try, the link is:

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...=127875&hl=


Good luck...
HappyGurl

[mickey67]

i am a male, if that helps. when ive been searching for hormone related acne research, it seems a lot of it is for women.

Did a dr prescribe spiro for you? The only time I have read about men taking it was when they were going through a sex change. Spiro inhibits testosterone and increases estrogen.

[erlkja]

ha. well im not trying to be a woman.

[mickey67]

ha. well im not trying to be a woman.

Did a dr prescribe it for you?

[erlkja]

no i cant get health insurance yet.

[mickey67]

no i cant get health insurance yet.

That is really scary to me...you are guy...spiro is prescribed for women. You may be messing yourself up more than helping. There is a reason they prescribe it to men undergoing a sex change...it makes them produce more estrogen...to make them more like a woman. There are also studies that indicate that these men are at a greater risk for breast cancer (and yes, men can get breast cancer).

[erlkja]

yes i know the drug. there might be other people that are as desperate as i am to be rid of this.

[rwilson]

I've been on spiro + doxy for about 6 months now and I am seeing huge improvements. I'm 27, primarily acne on jaw and cheeks, got worse all of a sudden about a year ago. Never did hormone tests. I say give it longer, and consider adding an antibiotic. But I am female. :s

Hi everyone. Ive come to tell my story...and see if anyone can relate and help me. Because i need help.

Im 25 and for the past few months my acne has been worse than ever. Ive had it for years, and ive always thought it was bad. I have the white stuff in every pore. Ive tried everything over the years: sea salt, cider vinegar, raw potato (!), lemon juice, the other crazy natural things, herbal supplements and targeted vitamins, tricycline pills, Retin-A gel, Dan's method, generic cleaners and scrubs, herbal cleanses...blah. They were all taken seperately, and with enough time to allow them to work.

Recently i had allergy tests and hormone tests. My DHEAS level was 17, on a scale of 3-10!! So, my naturopath and i decided that was the root cause. That and the characteristic hormonal acne around the jawline and up the cheeks a bit.

Ive been on Spironolactone for almost 2 months now, with no real change. Its expensive to get from canada/new zealand/india. Im worried about the side effects though, but i will do almost anything to solve this. Its been far too many years, and i need to be myself again. I cant catch myself in a mirror, or else i get depressed, and other things start flowing and piling up. And i cant be around people, especially well-lit areas... I dont know what to do. I get so angry and depressed when im reminded of how diseased my face is. And its only getting worse and im 25?!! I cant just wait it out...its been too long. Even if it slows down now, it will take a year or more to even stop. And i dont know what the hell will stop it. I suppose Accutane is next i on this chemical rollercoaster.

what the hell. i have no hope for this anymore, and i need to start living, or i will die.

[adventuresinaccutane]

I'm 26 and recently started accutane. Just do the accutane - it works and then this will all be over! I wish I had done this the first time my doctor had suggested it. Don't suffer a day longer than you need to.

[aschouten]

Hi everyone. Ive come to tell my story...and see if anyone can relate and help me. Because i need help.

Im 25 and for the past few months my acne has been worse than ever. Ive had it for years, and ive always thought it was bad. I have the white stuff in every pore. Ive tried everything over the years: sea salt, cider vinegar, raw potato (!), lemon juice, the other crazy natural things, herbal supplements and targeted vitamins, tricycline pills, Retin-A gel, Dan's method, generic cleaners and scrubs, herbal cleanses...blah. They were all taken seperately, and with enough time to allow them to work.

Recently i had allergy tests and hormone tests. My DHEAS level was 17, on a scale of 3-10!! So, my naturopath and i decided that was the root cause. That and the characteristic hormonal acne around the jawline and up the cheeks a bit.

Ive been on Spironolactone for almost 2 months now, with no real change. Its expensive to get from canada/new zealand/india. Im worried about the side effects though, but i will do almost anything to solve this. Its been far too many years, and i need to be myself again. I cant catch myself in a mirror, or else i get depressed, and other things start flowing and piling up. And i cant be around people, especially well-lit areas... I dont know what to do. I get so angry and depressed when im reminded of how diseased my face is. And its only getting worse and im 25?!! I cant just wait it out...its been too long. Even if it slows down now, it will take a year or more to even stop. And i dont know what the hell will stop it. I suppose Accutane is next i on this chemical rollercoaster.

what the hell. i have no hope for this anymore, and i need to start living, or i will die.

I would wait out the spiro a little longer. it's supposed to tak 3 months to be effective. what dosage do you take?

[gimnasta]

ha. well im not trying to be a woman.

Well it may happen whether you like it or not if you continue the Spiro. If you mentally think "I don't want to be a woman" and take a drug used for sex change, well the hormones will win, sadly.

I understand you are deperate, but I don't think the Spiro will help you at all. It would be like a guy taking OTC to stop acne.

Why don't you read this thread and see if it helps...

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php?showtopic=130593

This one is good as well

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php?showtopic=102347

[Clarence Worley]

I never had acne until i was about 21/22. At 24 it was at its worst and now at 26 its mostly
okay apart from the occasional bad few days/weeks...

[sweetpea123]

I need help too..... It's really weird I'm 21 now and I've had acne since I was about 18 but I get it every other year.. I had it in Grade 12 then it went away completely in my first year of univeristy then second year it came back pretty bad and then third year my skin was clear and I'm in 4th year now and my skin is getting bad again!! It's driving me nuts but this time I find that I break out more around my period then any other time and I only really get acne on my chin.. NEVER my forehead but now it's on my cheeks a bit. I am not on the pill anymore because my skin was completely clear in the summer but I am thinking of going back on... Ortho-tricyclen lo...has anyone found that this helps with hormonal acne? I also was perscribed minocin which i havent started taking yet, I had it 2 years ago and it worked for a month but I didn't have any refils! I also just bought Avene Cleanance K and I've heard some really good things about it but I've been using it for 3 days and NOTHING has changed I just find that my skin is scarring alot easier! Please someone help if they have any advice or can relate!

I also am a very active person an I eat very very well... I take B6 and Vitamin E and Primrose oil for my health!