264 replies to this topic

[TMB]

This is my first post here, but I been visiting frequently over the past months as my acne became awful after stopping birth control in August. Like many of you there was a "honeymoon" period during which my face was fine and I felt great. About the middle of November my face began to get these awful cystic bumps right below my earlobe. I have suffered from pimples since puberty, but I had never experienced these massive cysts before. I was determined to fight everything naturally (my mother has always been into alternative medicine) and believe me I tried just about everything! I did acupuncture, a liver cleanse, all kinds of vitamins, tea tree oil, jojoba oil, and at a low point I had a derm give me cortisone injections HUGE MISTAKE...I now have indentations there and I have NEVER scarred before! Hopefully they will fill in with time. Anyways, none of the things I tried really worked well and looking back on the experience I believe that I made some huge errors: I lacked consistency, patience, and my scope was too large. Doing everything at once randomly will not yield positive results. That said, I do think acne can be minimized naturally, but one has to be their own doctor/detective.

The reason I am posting today is because I vowed to come back here and post if I got to the point where my face was clear...I am ecstatic to say that my face is 90% clear and I am now trying to even out the tone and get rid of the red marks left behind. I am loving my skin again thanks to Dan's Regimen. I did not think it would work for me because my acne was so cystic and hormonal, but it did! I had tried Proactiv so I wondered how different Dan's approach could be since both use BP, but for some magical reason Dan's regimen has cleared my skin! That said it took 5-6 weeks until I saw promising results and I almost quit during weeks 1-3 when my face was not only pimply but red and flaky...it was REALLY bad, but it was a small price to pay to have clear skin now!!!

In addition to following Dan's regimen I also drastically altered my diet (see my signature below), although I was always a healthy eater. At times it is frustrating but I find it easier and easier as the weeks go by to stick to my diet! In addition, I did lose some weight quite effortlessly.

Here are some other tips that worked for me:
*Icing active acne in morning and evening after washing face but before applying BP. I take icecubes and rub them on the active acne areas for about 2-4 minutes. This helps the healing process and reduces the redness.
*Changing pillowcases
*Not touching my face in any way
*NO PICKING...this is VERY hard for me, but I have found that the BP makes my skin more sensitive and the slightest scratch of the skin will result in a red mark
*Using AHA every night....I saw a huge difference in the tone of my face...although I am not to perfect yet
*Jojoba oil massage everyday in the shower, someone posted this somewhere on this site and it is AWESOME for removing all the dead skin
*Being GENTLE with my skin!
*Thinking positive thoughts / affirmations as I gently rub BP and lotion on my face (a little nutty perhaps, but I find that nurturing your body is as much physical as it is mental, the mind is a powerful healer)
*Regular exercise - yoga, pilates, cardio

The only supplements I am taking currently are: grapefruit seed extract (for candida) , alpha lipoic acid (Dr. Perricone is a big fan of this one), Ester C, B complex

I am thinking about integrating a lemon juice/egg white mask into my regimen, but I going to wait until I have been on Dan's regimen for 3 months until I integrate anything new.

The good news is that Dan's regimen works for really bad, hormonal acne, the bad news is that my husband and I would like to try to get pregnant in the next year and my OB/GYN says no BP. I am looking into some alternatives...but if any of you used anything that worked during pregnancy I would love to hear about it.

I am sorry this post is so long, this board was my saving grace during my really, really low points when my face was so bad I didn't want to get out of bed! I hope that my post gives someone else out there reason to believe that they too can have clear skin!!!

This post is extremely helpful and comforting to me. I'm trying to stick with the regimen after stopping the pill in the fall and experiencing a really bad breakout. Thank you.

[Dannie]

sorry where is dans regemin?


I went to a health store and they advised me what suppliments to take a week before i get off the pill and for the next 3-6 months

this may ease the transition

magnesium for cramps
don qui for cramps
3000 gm primerose

vitex for hormonal balance
B-5
zinc
b-6
cherry leave tea
L-glutamine detox pills for a month to cleanse the blood of toxics from the pill.

of course i take reg suppliments already like omega 3
probiotics
VIT A
B-complex
multi
biton


and if u look up on google tomato for acne, it eating it helps hormonal acne..actually tomato paste works better
and applying tomato to your face for an hour 2 times a day will clear it..

we willsee if it all works..i start in a week

[Polska Laska]

Any updates ladies? I just hit month 3 off of orthotricyclen and my skin is SO oily and has been continuosly breaking out... Is there any hope!?

Edited by Polska Laska, 06 April 2010 - 01:24 AM.

[Dannie]

oh no r u serious????

darn im scared now..ive been off just hitting 3 weeks...imdue for my period now..i can feel the cramps.

but ive prepared....im taking vitex, done qui, borage...B5 , B6, PRIMEROSE..
ALSO EATING TOMATO PASTE HELPS WITH HORMONAL ACNE..if u google it theres a ingredient lycopene that helps control it..
also applying tomato to your skin and using a parsely toner has antibacterial agents in it and helps for ACNE...

so hopefully all this helps to control the problem before it comes out worse....

im really nervous about it..i was on tri cyclen for years.

[Polska Laska]

BUMP - any updates? I've been off the pill for 101 days today.. so just over 3 months, and I've been taking Vitex for 75 days, and borage oil (when my EPO ran out ) for about a month. Also been taking calcium D glucarate to help bind excess estrogen and bring it out of my body more efficiently (other supps to mention that I've taken even before coming off bcp when I had clear skin are a multi vit, b complex, omega3-6-9) I started taking NAC (n-acytl-cysteine) when I got off bcp to help detox my liver and promote toxins to leave my body more efficiently. I don't know why this is, but in the past 3 months, I've experienced terrible skin, and I've experienced quite clear skin.. but way more terrible days than clear. I feel like my skin can completely change in only a few days, and it's really upsetting. I get so happy when I see it clear up, and I get brought right back down when it gets worse again. I've also developed eczema around my nose since going off the pill.

Some other things I've noticed:

There are days when my skin is EXCESSIVELY oily, and when it's not too oily at all.
There are days when I have odorless sweat, and there are days when my sweat is quite odorFULL (sorry for too much information!)
There are days when my skin is quite red and inflamed looking, and days when it looks very calm.
There are days when my forehead and cheeks are VERY clear, but my chin is inflamed and full of acne.
There are days when the eczema around my nose that I developed after coming off bcp is inflamed, and days when it's literally NON-EXISTANT.

..and I find that I experience all of the good symtoms when I eat very CLEAN, and all of the bad symptoms when I have a slip up (like eating a donair, even after eating clean for WEEKS, one tiny slip up can mean breakouts for days). I never realized the diet/acne connection, because my whole life, I was one of the people that I now rant about; could eat ichiban soup, canned ravioli, pop, not wash my makeup off before bed, and have crystal clear skin... It was only until I started breaking out after coming off of birth control (this is the 2nd time I've tried to come off) that my skin has EVER been an issue for me. It's kind of a blessing in disguise because even though my skin is crap right now, my body is thanking me for the healthy changes that I've made.

I hate this rollarcoaster of ups and downs of skin days. The only positive thing that has come out of this situation is that I've dropped over 10 lbs and gotten quite toned up. My height is 5"6, and my weight on bcp (at my heaviest) was 130. Before bcp, when I was 18, my weight was consistantly around 117-120. Even when I exercised on bcps, I found that it was so hard to lose any weight and tone up. I think that has something to do with excess estrogen.

On another side note, I feel that everytime I eat anything that is high GI, or causes my blood sugar to spike, I exprience red, inflamed face either later that day, but most definately by the next morning. I'm trying to stick to an anti-inflammatoy, low GI, PH balanced diet, but sometimes falling off track (not very often though!)

I purchased MSM over a month ago, but haven't gotten the guts to try it due to the initial detox breakout I so often hear about. However; after my final exams are over, I am going to start gradually introducing it into my regimin. I am hoping that it helps with inflammation, which I feel that I have a large problem with.

I am also unsure if I have a candida overgrowth problem, but the low GI diet hopefully will help this. I also just remembered that I am also taking a good quality probiotic daily.

I've had to keep a REALLY strict diet to maintain DECENT skin, but I do slip up at times and eat too many fruits, dark chocolate, and nuts which I know make me SUPER oily the next day, and my pores become enlarged. I've also noticed baby hairs on my face (fine, colorless hairs) that I NEVER had. I hope whoever previously posted in this thread will come back and let us know of their progress!

Edited by Polska Laska, 10 May 2010 - 10:25 PM.

[Dannie]

im so sorry to hear this is happening...was your skin fine before 3 months???

ive been off for nearly 2 months..but im taking alot of stuff suggested and also the woman at the health store said to take wild yam to balance estrogen and womansense menapousal stuff...because it has a combo off stuff for hormones..she said it helped her with her face and cramps.

also tomato paste is good for hormonal acne as lycopene in the paste is what helps with the acne.

also applying tomato to your face as a toner is good.
im doing all of this to try to prevent it coming.

I also use the tanda blue light to prevent it.
hope this helps:)

[hope2help]

Polska Laska,
Hi
This was exactly what I went through with the food. I would eat like a rabbit out of desperation to keep my face clear and then slip up and eat a Hershey bar or something and get pimples galore, many cystic. I began having acne at age 13 but only on my forehead and as the years progressed it became worse and worse. It made no sense that I was into my 20's and had acne worse than when I was a teenager! I had tried antibiotics, (even begged my derm for accutane and THANK GOD ALMIGHTY he refused me that poison!!!!!!!!!!!) I have tried virtually everything that will pop up when you google "What all medicines, herbs, vitamins, facial cleansers help with acne?" This is what forced me to get on the pill and stay on it for 7.5 yrs (UGH!) But what was the answer to my prayers was something really so simple: Colon cleanse and then liver flushes. God has definitely lead me to this because I had done soooooo much praying, lol. You mentioned you did one LF, but it will take more than that. It took years and years of eating the SAD (Standard American Diet) for the liver to become congested and the colon clogged that it can't be remedied in one short cleanse. I have cleansed my colon until there are just regular eliminations and take psyllium fiber daily to keep it clean. I have just completed my 10th liver flush (this is normal to keep cleansing this much and then some until you quit passing stones for 2 consecutive flushes). I swear this will VASTLY improve or more likely completely eliminate acne, just keep with it until you completely clean the colon and liver. You may break out from doing a LF, and if it does, it's just proof that the nasty stuff the liver released is highly toxic, and what was keeping the poor thing from being able to cleanse the blood properly. Simply, the liver is congested with toxins and stones so that is why when you eat junk it gets recirculated back into the blood since the liver is congested and gets eliminated through the skin since it has no where else to go. It explains why my acne kept getting worse over the years, the colon and esp. the liver kept getting in worser shape. This is why teenagers (and adults) get acne because the liver already began getting clogged up, and the hormones that emerge in during puberty is too much for the liver to clean out because it's weak. The liver is amazing too. You should read about its functions, what all jobs it has, the number of enzymes it makes, and it's the only organ that can regenerate itself, kind of like a starfish! Cool right? My other post is on the previous page if you are interested, telling what I did. I have such a simple life now just doing my 1 liver flush every two weeks and waiting for the last one I'll have to do which seems just right around the corner, taking my daily dose of fiber daily and taking my 2 superfoods (listed in other post). I also try not to eat poor excuses for food but when I have, such as pizza or icecream, my face does pretty good...better with each LF. Eating healthy has trained my palate to dislike artificial food more, so weird, but highly prefer real foods like butter over margarine (which I wouldn't touch anyways). My posts are long and I appologize, it's just that I am overjoyed about the answer to my prayers! I am so glad my search has ended and the days of taking all those man-made meds and supplements are over! I wanted to share this....wish you well and take care.

[sopher]

Has anyone had success going off BP but on Dan's regimen?

[TMB]

I'm trying to control acne that started once I went off birth control after 10 years. I had a huge breakout in mid February and just past the 3rd month trying Dan's regimen and it's way better but still a struggle -- I'm not clear yet....I guess I'm one of those people that might have to wait 4 months or more to get clear skin.
Has the same thing happened to you or are you thinking of going off the pill?

[gymgirl804]

I have been taking ortho tri cycline for two weeks now and I am not seeing any results for my skin. I have been lucky and really have had no side effects. Can anyone tell me how long it will take for me to see some improvement in my skin. I do seem to have more pimples on my jawline. Is this common?

[Dannie]

it takes about 3 months for your body to get used to it,.,,give it time and try not to look at your skin everyday...
u will slowly start to notice it clearing...
it worked for me well..but that was with good diet, working out and a few suppliments like B5, B6, OMEGA 3, primerose.

[Diana Holland]

I am freaking out after reading all of these! After finding new "cystic" acne on my face over the past few days (something I've NEVER had before) I started searching and I came to this thread.

I am 21 years old and I had been taking Yaz birth control for about two years. I recently stopped because I ran out and I cannot get more for another few months. Over the past few days I have found 3-5 cystic acne on my face.. I never had this severe acne trouble before birth control and I never would have started birth control if I'd known this would happen once I went off of it.

It has only been exactly 24 days since stopping birth control and now I am showing these horrible signs. I am in fact terrified after reading all of your post. I do eat healthy and I do wash my face regularly.. I hope it doesn't get worse..

[endocardia]

I also have to add to this horror story - I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo for 5 and a half years and stopped in December. My OBGYN then prescribed regular Ortho Tri Cyclen, but when I went to get my prescription filled, I ended up with the generic Trinessa. Since it was cheaper I decided to try it - BIG MISTAKE!. After about a month and a half of use I noticed that I was starting to break out a lot, I used it til the end of the cycle. Then about a month later I decided to get back on it - now 7 months later I don't even recognize myself. I discontinued Trinessa mid-May and I have developed SEVERE acne on my cheeks, chin, and jawline. Before I would have the occasional break-out, now I wake up with patches of acne. Just last week I started Ortho, the one I should have been on but it's still too early to see if it will help. But seven months later I'm afraid my skin is beyond damaged by the effects of being on a bad pill and no pill and fear it is beyond ruin without a heavy chemical peel. So far I've tried Epiduo which seems to accomplish nothing and over the counter - before BP would work or even a small bead of salicyclic - now my skin seems to be immune to all topicals. I follow a weight-conscious diet (minimal dairy / gluten / lean meats, take probiotics, B vitamins and Zinc) and I was exercising regularly - mostly swimming. But now I'm pretty much at the end. I have no idea what to try now. My self esteem has been obliterated. I don't even bother leaving my house.

Edited by endocardia, 26 July 2010 - 02:58 AM.

[Nicrae]

I had oily skin and acne problems since early teens and birth control pills have been the only thing to help. Each time I go off the pill to have a baby I break out. I went off Yaz months ago bc I was concerned about the health risks and my face was oilier than EVER and my hair was a greasy mess. I'd wash it at night and already oily by the next morning even though I used the blow dryer on it. My face is a mess. The depression got so bad I started a new BCP and just want it to clear everything up. It has already helped with all the oil and slowly the breakouts but just had a bad one recently. I just don't want to feel like I HAVE to take BCPs!!!! Even after being off the BCP for months this time around no improvement.

[lusie]

Thank you ladies for sharing such a good information about "acne after stopping birth control pills".

[pilly]

Hi everyone
Almost same story as everyone else. I first went on the pill when i was 15, i tried several different ones til i was 18. I had pretty much clear skin all the time, with an occasional pimple here and there. I stopped when i was 18, and my skin stayed clear. At 20 i started again with p-patch, witch it`s called in Norway, where im from. I only stayed on them for 3 months cause i got very emotional, angry and tired all the time. A month after i stopped them, i started getting REALLY oily skin, never had that before and slowly my skin started breaking out horribly. I was sure my hormones would calm down within a few months, but it`s been 2 years now and my skin is still very bad. It`s not as oily but my skin breaks out a lot before my period, especially on my chin with cysts. I would never imagine my skin could be like this. Now my question is, should i try yasmin for 6 months, then quit and see if skin reacts different this time..?? Anyone who has tried that?
Maybe my hormones reacted badly with the hormones from the p-patch, so maybe trying yasmine woud have a different reaction after i quit them. I really dont want to stay on birthconrol.

Please share your story if you experienced something similar It helps knowing you`re not alone in this nightmare..

[Fedupofadultacne]

Hi slightly different to BCP but has anyone had any acne related experience with depo provera injection?
I have suffered with acne a long time thought it might be related to the injection but I misses my last injection and the last 3 weeks my skin has been awful, like all over my cheeks, chin, upper lip, nose, jaw, & then one or 2 on my forehead.

But then even when I am on the injection I still have bad skin.

I tried coming off it many years ago because of my acne & tried dianette & yasin, i think they may have helped my skin marginally, but I put on 2 or so stone in a very short period of time & my blood pressure was high so I couldnt stay on the pill, so I went back on the injection.

I dont know now whether to go and get my injection next week or just leave it and see if my skin improves. Me & partner are looking to get pregnant in about a yr or so, so it might be good to get the cycle back, but also I dont want the nasty weight gain, & theres no guarantee my skin will improve at all.

I just dont understand why I have such bad acne.

[pilly]

Hi fedupofadultacne
If I was in your situation, I would quit Bcp. It takes longer time to get pregnant, when you have been on the pills or depo. So since you`re planning to get pregnant in a year, you should definately quit. It takes a long time for hormones to stabilize.
Maybe your skin will clear up in a few months after going off. Its been 2 years since i went off and my skin is not even close to what it used to be, but i dont think everybody is that unlucky

Have you tried Dans regimen? That might clear you up meanwhile.

[Fedupofadultacne]

Hi Pilly,

I did try a course of Benzoyl peroxide some years ago but it literally burnt my face & caused great irritation. At first I thought it must be working so carried on using it, but I was itching & stratching my face in my sleep as it was so itchy & it turned out to have left burns on my face.

I have had similar problems with all the other topical lotions. The only one I can use is a low strength retin A. I found one in cream form which was great as I could wear it at night & day under my normal moisturiser. But unfortunately they stopped making the cream version & you can only get the gel now. When the gel dries on my face it goes cob webby & seems to flake straight off, so theres no way you could wear it in the day without being a cobweb face, & you cant put moisturiser over it either or it just comes straight off your face.

What annoys me is all these topical products just dry your skin out immensely & dont really do it any good. Often the spots just turn into large red flat scabby marks which take a long time to go. It would be nice to get to the cause of the acne to do something to prevent the cause - like what causes the excessively oily skin. Even then, why can you get a faceful of acne when your skin is combination, eg. quite dry, & tight if a moisturiser is not worn.

The only thing I think it could be is hormonal (as mentioned above) or possibly dairy/acid intake. I have read that an alkaline diet can help acne. But I'm not sure it would be the cure to be honest, as I am very healthy anyway but I do eat dairy which is supposed to be acidic.

Like you say about regulating hormones, I have heard it takes up to a year for fertility to return back to normal. But I also no from last time I came off it that all your missed periods catch up with you - I had a 3 week one last time! & I never found a regular cycle before I couldnt stick it anymore. Im also worried about weight gain of not being on the injection as the injection seems to stop me piling on the pounds just be eating normally. From this aspect I was considering staying on the injection until just before we want to start trying & then get back on it straight after - but then could staying on it mean acne forever?

[pilly]

Maybe you could try a different bcp, since the depo isnt helping with your skin..
I`m sure your acne will go away eventually, it just takes time..