Hello

I am a 20 year old who has suffered from acne for around 6 years now. It goes through stages of how bad it is, but in the past year it has been particularly bad.

I was taking Cerazette (an oestrogen-free, progestogen-only oral contraceptive pill) for 3 years and surprisingly my skin was a lot clearer in that time. Since I have come off the pill my skin has got a lot worse again, particularly along my jawline and chin which I have read is related to hormone imbalance; it is extremely painful and everything I try doesn't seem to work - lymacycline antiobiotics, topical treatment, very healthy vegetarian diet, regular exercise, good sleep and water intake etc.

So I feel it must be related to hormones.

My doctor wanted to put me onto Roaccutane but I am so desperate to be off extreme medication, or any in fact.

I have read that Maca powder or evening primrose oil is a good solution to hormone imbalance, to improve acne. Can anyone give me some advice on this - how much to take, can you take them both at the same time?

I have never had regular periods and have a lot of hair growth, so I worry I may have Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome. When I asked my doctor if they could give me a blood test to find out they said no.

Basically, I would love to be able to use natural remedies to cure my acne and help my hormone imbalance if that is the problem, but just have no idea where to start. I feel I am running out of solutions now, so just any advice would be amazing.

Thanks so much.