So I'm back with good news. After looking at so many posts, and remembering how desperate and frustrated I was, I once promised to come back if my acne had gotten better. And, thankfully, (still fingers crossed), it has.

This month marks the 11th month since I have been off. My acne, ever since my last post in May, has gotten better. So a little 'history' for those who would like to know -- My acne flared up after 3 months of being off the pill. The acne was surreal. Tiny little bumps all over my forehead (and ones that when you press hard enough with a needle, white stuff comes out. These blocked pores eventually will turn into full-blown red acne), acne (not very severe luckily) on the sides of my face and along the sideburns, and the chin. There were nasty bumps (a few at a time) on the my back and chest. Acne came after I got my period, and usually, before I went on the pill, my acne flared up BEFORE I got my period. So, I knew something was wrong and directly related to stopping the BC after taking it one full year.

I was super frustrated, as someone who is super concerned with the skin condition. I tried everything - EPO oils, olive leaf extract (said to help with inflammation), going to herb doctors, perricone skin clear system, going for facials, etc. But it just kept coming back.

Then, I gave in and went to the dermatologist. I am so glad I did! I should have done so much earlier - and many of you probably think I am quite stupid not to go soon enough. The reason I didn't want to go was I was afraid that they may put me in antibiotics, which I will refuse as it was first medications that placed me into this horrible position. I was going for all natural remedies - but since it didn't work out, I was like okay, time for dermatologists.

The doctor gave me some solution with some antibiotic ingredients in it and the gel Epiduo. They work wonders. I believe the solution is called Myclin Lotion 1% and I put it all over my forehead every morning and night, and I use it with Epiduo in small amounts all over the forehead and out-breaks at night. It works wonders! Within a month my acne has cleared up 99%. My forehead is smooth and the small bumps on the cheeks are going away. Sometimes I do get an odd spot on the chin, but then I know it's because I know my period is coming. I accept that my skin isn't perfect! Though now it's summer and where it live is extremely humid, there are still small bumps, but with these 2 medication, the acne goes down within a night!

Nonetheless, I can also say that my body is normalizing as time goes by. So for those who are desperate and frustrated, just remember that there light at the end of the tunnel! Hang in there!!

Oh and yes, for those who are interested in skin care regime, here is mine. I STRONGLY believe that skin-care is another one of those factors which can help contribute to clear skin.

Cleaning: I use cetaphil (they are gentle, but good enough to clean all dirt and oil) with my Clarisonic brush day and night. I wouldn't recommend going for an acidic or a strongly abrasive cleanser. The skin, after all, isn't that strong. Unless you have really clogged pores that is, of course.

Toner: I use floral Rose water that I got from Fresh. At night I just spray this on, pat dry with my hands. And then use the solution and the gel I mentioned above. If I want some more moisture, I put on some Soy cream from Fresh (yes, I'm a Fresh fan).

Creams: I use Neutrogena, and sometimes the Fresh Soy Serum.

Masks: I believe a good cleansing mask is super important. For cleaning, I go for mud masks with Kaolin. Examples include Fresh Umbrian Clay Mask (this is my all time favorite mask - it gets rid of the redness, and after the mask, the skin feels like it's glowing. It also does an excellent job with cleaning pores). I also use the Chantecaille Mud Mask (it's black and it doesn't dry, which is good, as I'm someone who tends to put on my masks too long). These days I also tried using the Neostrata AHA Gel-Plus. Skin IS smoother after usage as a mask. For those who have sensitive skin, it may not be right for you, or that you have to take extra care to see if your skin is reacting.

I also use moisturizing masks. Paper masks do just fine. Just beware that these paper masks don't block pores.

Oh and supplements, I still eat the EPOs... as I have STOCKS of them hahah

I am 25 and have been on the birth control for 5 years on and off. My acne gets reallly bad about 2 months after I stop my birth control pills everytime. I've tried topical creams, even accupuncture and nothing helped. I had no choice but to go back on the pill. what's worse, the birth control pills also made me lose a lot of scalp hair and that never got any better. My hair is now half the volume of what it was before. When I went to the doctor I was told that this cannot be the case as acne and hair loss regulates itself after a few months.

I'm going off the pill again now and hope to stay off of it no matter how bad my acne gets. I hope there is something I can do. I also hope my hair fall issue will get better. All of this is affecting my confidence.

I read this whole thread and feel like there is no solution.

The BCP is an evil thing and messed us up really badly

Ok so I SWORE I would come back to a couple of these forums I found if I ever found a solution to the acne/back acne (ugh!) after stopping Birth Control.... drumrole please... I have FOUND a solution that took it away COMPLETELY!!

To give you a little background, I was on Yasmin birth control from the age of 15-24, so 9 years. I NEVER had acne prior to taking birth control, or during the course of the 9 years taking it. I didnt even have to wash my face, never had oily skin, I was pretty lucky. However... I stopped taking BC in Dec. 2011 just due to personal beliefs. I am a nurse and I prefer a very natural/organic lifestyle... and putting these God-for-saken artificial hormones in my body was not something I was intersted in doing anymore. The first few months were great... I lost weight, didnt have nearly as many headaches... my period was normal for the most part.. and then... the dreaded 4th month hit me. I began to get acne ALL OVER my back! I was MORTIFIED!! I felt so unsexy, ugly, and disgusting.. it was beginning to severely depress me. When I bought clothes I could no longer choose anything I wanted, I had to be aware that the back of the dress/shirt had to be completely closed to cover this horrible acne! It was cystic and painful.

So I finally decided to go to the Doctor. I couldnt get into the Derm for 4 months, so I figured I would ask my PCP for advice. They prescribed me retin-a-micro and a Benzol-peroxide wash. Well the pharmacy informed me that they no longer carried or made the Benzol-peroxide wash and she directed me to try Panoxyl (which is over the counter and goes up to 10%)... this wash was stronger than what I was given as a prescription. So I followed the regimen closely.. and yea the first month was bad.. skin peeling off my back, my back was bright red and irritated, and it was definitely uncomfortable. So I had to learn to tweak things and back off when it was irritated and then continue when it calmed down. Well I eventually stopped using the Retin-a-micro because I was sick of my skin peeling and so I just continued to use the Panoxyl 10% body wash... and let me tell you... it is a MIRACLE WASH! My back acne is GONE, 110% GONE! Mind you, even with it gone.. I still wash my back and chest every night with it... i mean EVERY NIGHT. Panoxyl can be extremely drying and it takes some getting used to, but you can even apply lotion (preferable a non-comodegenic lotion) over the area and STILL wont get breakouts! I have some scarring from the back acne episode, and that is starting to lighten up as well

I have to tell you that Panoxyl was only sold at Walgreens, and for 3 months they have been out of the product (because its so amazing that they have sold out and havent recieved more because the company cant keep up with the volume). So I actually bought some on amazon.. I was willing to spend $45 on the same tube I had spent $10 on previously.. it is worth every penny... Im just keeping my fingers crossed that the company gets moving and restocks the stores soon! (the tube will last you about 6 months)

Secondly, after about 5 months of being off BC my face decided to start breaking out too... not as bad as my back, but enough to cause me distress. So I went to a skincare specialist (still waiting to get into the Derm).. and I started using the Skinceuticals line... and although expensive, it is AMAZING! My face too, is now CLEAR!

Now... here it is 8 months after stopping BC and I have taken control of my life rather than letting acne control my life I cannot tell you how happy I am to have found these products! All I can say is be patient and TRY PANOXYL!!

Good Luck!!

Hello everyone, I was so relieved to find that many others are dealing with what i'm dealing with even though I feel so alone in it!

Age 25

Been on birth control for 5 years

Was yaz then the doc switched to Beyaz

This is my second month off the pill and this is when the acne came (cystic acne that is)

The first month was fine. Then I started getting a few bumps, I blamed it on the heat and my husband told me it may be caused by going off the pill. I didn't think that was it - I mean my doctor never mentioned that nor did anyone say you would have side effects AFTER going off the Pill. Plus I have never had skin problems before, even as a teenager I was blessed with good skin. Needless to say, my skin freaking out on me has made me go crazy and yes i've lost self-esteem and do not want to to out of the house. I'm really hoping that within a few months my body will regulate because I don't want to go back on the pill - not to mention my husband and I want to try for babies in about six months. The acne I have is completely cystic and it's mostly on the right side of the my face and arm (weird I know) - as soon as it started getting worse I got on the internet and ready every blog, forum, message board about acne. I'm in China so I am limited to products I can buy and use. Here is what I have done so far - I've been using coconut oil for about a week and half. Every night after I use ACV as an astringent, I steam my face and put on the coconut oil. In the morning and night I drink 2 tablespoons of ACV. I also started taking a B-complex vitamin 2 days ago. Since starting all these natural home remedies my face seems to have stayed the same, no new cysts, thank goodness. I read that it can take 3 weeks of using the natural products before seeing results. I have also stopped eating refined foods, dairy and sugar and am eating almost 100% fresh fruits and veggies, also guzzling the water. So for now i'm thankful this regimen is keeping it the same, I do hope soon that this terrible cystic acne will go away. I wouldn't wish this stuff on my worst enemy, and I cannot believe no one tells you this could happen. It I would have known about this I NEVER would have went on the pill. Will update if I notice changes. I hope others continue to update to as it is such a relief to know others are dealing with this too!

Hey there, I just wanted to chime in here and tell my story. Im glad I found this thread actually

Okay so when I was 15 I went on a BCP, it was just a normal one (prior to this I have ALWAYS had a spot or two, which began to happen as SOON as I turned 12 and got my period) my skin got progressively worse, I don't blame the pill for this I blame my lifestyle at the time - I was drinking alot at the ages of 14-16 mostly everynight, alot of cider which is extrememly gassy and I have read somewhere that it can cause yeast infections? - I never had the best diet at those ages either.

I tried many topical creams. At the age of 16 I switched pills as my skin was getting me really down, it was Dianette. I can't really say if this helped me that much but I do have a picture of myself when I was 16 and my acne is probably at its absolute worse, I was still drinking though and never really cared diligently enough about my skin.

Sadly, when I was nearing the end of being 16 I was on the brink of an eating disorder. I changed my diet completely and stopped drinking. I was still on Dianette at this point. My weight plummeted from 135 (Im only 5ft 1 so at that weight I was a curvy girl) to 115 in about half a year. This controlled my life. I began exercising excessively at this point and would question the pill, whether it was making me gain weight or what.

At the age of 18 in the Summer I was in the height of anorexia, my weight had fell dramatically and by the end of that year I was a 86lbs. My doctor was forcing me to go to an in-patient hospital to be force fed but I promised that I would get better on my own. She gave me one chance. Slowly, but progrssively I started to gain weight, I managed to get up to about 100lbs by April that year and in June I made the decision to come off the pill (not for the fear of gaining weight BUT just out of preference, I was single and was not sexually active at all at this point since I lost my sex drive)

By the age of 19 I was a stable 110lbs - still am actually...fluctuating betwee 110-115 - so I was on the pill for a total of 3 and a half years. When coming off the pill at 18 my period never came back. I was hoping for the day that it did, and this year in April is did.

I always had an occasional brak-out (minor though like just about 3 spots) during being ill but was never bad, however after my period came back this year my acne has progressively gotten worse. It was severly bad in July there, small bumbs ALL under my skin, mostly my forehead. It was very red too. I have managed to get it somewhat under control but Im still searching for a cure and I don't know what to turn to, I dont want to go on anti-biotics personally OR BCP. I have been using a good clay mask which has helped quite a bit, the bumps on my forehead are to the surface and my redness has went down dramatically. I do think it is hormonal and must be something to do with my periods....

I will keep searching though.

I also have been having a similar issue. I was taking ortho tricyclen lo for 6 years and discontinued it when I was 24 years old. I never had previous acne problems except for the occasional breakout if I did not take care of my oily skin. 3-4 months after getting off birth control I noticed small bumps all over the sides of my face (where sideburns would be) I had already been using benzaclin for the occasional breakout, but it did not treat this new form of acne. I had never had break outs in this area before and it continued to get worse, and I started seeing random large painful acne 5 months later which I believe to be cystic acne. I went back to the dermatologist and explained to her that I had never had this kind of acne before taking birth control. She said that usually your body goes back to its normal state 3-4 months after discontinuing birth control, and that this was just going to be my normal skin now and that even though I have never experienced acne like this before, that sometimes your body just changes. I do not think that this is 'normal' and I believe that it is still the hormones messing with my body. She prescribed me a low dose of doxycycline to take while using topical meds such as benzaclin and differen. It is clearing up, but from what I've read it doesn't work forever. I'm hoping that my skin will go back to the way it used to be pre birth control. I'm 25 now and should not be breaking out worse now than I ever did as a teenager! It is so frusterating and I regret ever taking birth control.

Reading this thread makes me angry because I resisted going on birth control pills because I knew there was something very wrong about altering your hormones. But I finally went on birth control for a OFFLABEL purpose per my OBGYN that had nothing to do with acne or birth control. I went on Seasonale for a year and a half. I decided to go off of it. Literally ONE MONTH or so after I went off I was hit with the WORST ACNE beard of my life. I had never seen anything like it. Mt jawline exploded with tons of nodules all over like A BEARD. It took several months for it to subside, but skin never went back to just having stress acne, which I would deal with and treat effectively. Now between stress and hormonal acne, I am battling acne like never before. This is why I REFUSE to go on borth control pills because I KNOW it is what unbalanced my hormones. I refuse to go on spirolactonone because I have read from long time users that once you go off your skin goes back to a mess and it may actually be damaging on skin longterm. This was their experience. I do not know. But I am hoping to give my body enough time to cycle back to it's normal hormone levels before I went on BP. It maybe wishful thinking but I am doing everything possible that does not involve tinkering with my hormones in a way that may make it worse.

I have had the same problem. I was on ortho tri cyclen lo for a bit over a year and a half. After experiencing mood problems, I went off it last May. By August, my acne had gotten a LOT worse. I usually only got one or two pimples around my period if that, and I started getting more (and worse) acne....mostly during ovulation or period time.

Luckily, over a year later, it has gotten a lot better. I'm not sure if this is due to my body getting used to the hormone change or if it is what products I'm now using (Im on the acne.org regimen but have only been for about a week or so).

Majority of my problem is the scars that were left from the acne....I did do some picking and scratching, largely because it was strange for me to get 10 pimples all at once when I never have before and I kind of freaked out! Haha.

Anyway, it at least comforts me that this is a usual thing and it's not necessarily about me or anything I "did" wrong. For those of you who just went off it a few months ago, hold out...it will get better!

I can relate to many of you,

BCP is not a permanently solution to acne-free. When I was on birth control for two years, my skin cleared up significantly! Literally, I had no acne.

Just recently (Septemeber 2012), I stopped taking birth control pills and my acne is slowly creeping back. I haven't had any major breakouts but I've had minors and it's bothersome because I forgot how it feels to have acne after so long....

I'm not going to say my experience with birth control was bad because for:

1) cleared up my skin

2) regulated my period

This is my personal experience with birth control. Everyone is different!

A few months ago I came off Yasmin and, as I expected, my skin went crazy with acne. I was searching these blogs and discussions a few weeks back in a desperate effort to find some advice for how to help my skin and now that it's improved I want to share what I did in case it can help any of you. I've been on the pill pretty much solidly for 10 years and have tried to come off it before but always went back on it because I couldn't deal with the acne. My doctor kept telling me there was nothing wrong with being on the pill but I try to live as cleanly as possible and taking it has felt wrong to me for a while now. This time I was committed to finding another way.

I've seen a GP doctor, a naturopath and done a lot of research myself and I decided that (although I would like to avoid drugs altogether) I would go on a low-dose antibiotic to help my skin while my hormones rebalance. I'm currently taking Doxycycline hyalite Ta (100mg) and will be on it for 3 months. This antibiotic helps by changing the microbials in the skin and dealing with the bacteria that causes acne when mixed with the excess oil the testosterone is generating.

I'm also taking a herb called Vitex Chaste Tree which is used to balance hormones and often given to women who are trying to get pregnant.

I've been making a big effort to sleep lots and eat really well, getting a wide variety of raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, good oils and seeds in an effort to feed and support my skin and body from the inside out.

I switched from a natural foaming skin cleanser and coconut oil as a moisturizer to using plain rose water on a cotton pad as a cleanser and jojoba oil as a moisturizer. Coconut oil used to be great, and I've used it while on the pill with no trouble (I still use it as a eye make up remover) but I've read that jojoba oil is the closest oil to our skins natural sebum and that by putting it on your face you can almost trick your skin into not producing excess oil because it thinks it's already oiled enough. No excess oil means less pimples and it's really a lovely moisturizer, not too oily or shiny at all. Make sure you get a good organic brand that is cold pressed (research why if you're not sure about it, it's important to have a good one if you're smothering your skin with it).

Lastly, I've been trying to not wear any face make up unless I'm performing (I'm a musician for a job). This was hard at first when my skin was bad but letting my skin breath all day has felt really good.

I started this regime 2 weeks ago and my skin has pretty much completely cleared up. I went from having a lot of pimples on my hair line, forehead, chin, back and chest to maybe 1 or 2 on my back and pretty much none on my face.

I don't know which of these things has done the most to help, maybe all of them, but I'm so relieved that my skin is better and I don't have to go back on the pill now just to get rid of my acne.

I absolutely hate birth control pills! I used to have mild acne just in my t-zone in highschool, never really bothered me. I went on birth control (Loestrin 24) when I was 19 just for birth control purposes. My skin pretty much stayed the same while I was on it, mild breakouts and nothing major. When I was 23 I switched to Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo thinking that I'm 23 I shouldn't be breaking out at all anymore and this pill is supposed to be better for my skin. I stayed on it for like 4 months and my skin stayed the same.

I then learned about the link between birth control pills and breast cancer so I decided to stop talking the pills. My mother had breast cancer in her 40's and my grandmother died from it. I stopped them in April 2011. My skin stayed fine for a few months, then I started breaking out more with much bigger pimples than I used to get. I also started breaking out on my cheeks which was totally new for me. After 5-6 months off the pill I couldn't take the acne anymore, I had huge welt like zits on my right cheek and it freaked me out. I went back on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo in October 2011 to see if it helped my skin. It did help a little for the first maybe 4 months, but didn't help completely, I was still getting really big pimples on my cheeks and chin just not as bad. After 4 months it pretty much stopped helping and I broke out really badly.

I went to a derm in March 2012 and he gave me duac, adapelene and doxycycline. This helped for like the first 2 weeks, but then after one month I switched back to Loestrin 24 thinking that I was on this for years with good skin so hopefully it will clear me up. This time around it was awful! I stayed on it for 4 months and my skin was so bad the whole time pretty much. I went off the pill again in August 2012, so it's now been 3 months that I've been off it again. My skin is still awful despite using epiduo for 3 months. I got a horrible initial breakout from epiduo that caused even more scarring on my cheeks. It's absolutely awful.

I just went to another derm last week who said she can give me either spiro or accutane. I'm going back in a month to let her know my decision.

I'm pretty sure if I never went on birth control pills none of this would have happened. This past year and half have been hell for me and I've lost all my confidence and self-esteem due to my horrible skin. I've started getting very depressed and I breakdown and cry all the time. I can still clearly remember how my skin looked 2 years ago so it's horrible waking up in the morning and seeing huge zits on my cheeks with lots of redness and scars when not too long ago my cheeks were perfect and smooth.

I haven't decided yet if I'll do spiro or accutane. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be dealing with this at 24 years old (soon to be 25). Unbelievably depressing...

hello all!

ok, my story is like most of yours. i have had a mostly clear face for most of my life. i would get your occasional breakouts during period, but for the most part, i would say i had mild acne. never on the back, mostly on the chin.

i was on ortho tricyclen and tricycle lo, several years ago. i stopped taking it, just for random reasons really, and my skin got kind of bad around my chin area. i was off bc for a couple years and the skin never got better. used lots of skin care stuff like proactive. nothing was working. so i started taking yaz. i was on yaz for several years. LOVED IT. never gave me any mood swings, my boobs got bitter (i definitely liked that, being a petite size), i did gain a bit of weight, but most people told me i looked much better as i was "too skinny" according to others, before bc. never had any problems with yaz. my skin completely cleared up with yaz and i should have never stopped it. i stopped yaz a couple years ago and my acne came back. just as bad as it was before yaz when i stopped ortho tricylen. i quit yaz because of the scary lawsuits on tv.

so, i tried ortho tricyclen again around 2010 (1 year after quitting yaz) to get acne regulated again. didn't do anything. acne stayed the same. so after that i quit bc again. wanted to be "healthy" and not put anything in my body i didn't need to. well that was probably the worst idea ever. i've been off bc for over 1 year now and my skin has been the worst i've ever seen it just recently. i have cystic acne on my face and i've also got bacne and acne on my chest! thank the lord it is winter right now, because i can't show my shoulders at this point. it's everywhere on my back and i've never experienced this before. it's super depressing. in aug 2012, my face was at about a 5 on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the clearest and 10 being the worst). my back was completely clear. then randomly in nov-dec time frame, my back started breaking out with cystic acne and reg acne. EVERYWHERE above my bra line. even up on the back of my neck. so i've been wearing turtlenecks and scarves to cover it, but once the weather gets nicer, i don't know how i'm supposed to deal with it??? i am super insecure now with my skin and have become a hermit crab staying in the house over the weekends. i barely leave the home (i work from home, so that has helped me be a hermit).

i recently decided to go back on yaz, but my gyno gave me gianvi the generic version instead. i've read that it takes up to 3 months for the acne to clear up, and that it gets worse before it gets better. i'm praying and praying that it gets better soon. and that's a big deal, i don't pray, as i am not religious in any way. i am agnostic. so praying is kind of weird for me, but i cross my fingers, pray, everything for this to go away. i dont' eat super bad, but i am a vegetarian, so i don't eat a lot of bad fast food anyway. eat some vegetables, lots of fruit, sushi, thai food, tofu, etc. i've been increasing my water intake by 75%. never was a big water drinker, but even when i tried to increase my water intake during the summer, it didnt' do anything for my skin.

started gianvi last week of december. i'm hoping that it will do something very soon. haven't seen a change yet and it's been 3 weeks. i've been spotting here and there the past 2 weeks, but i've been told that is normal for starting the pill after years of being off it.

my acne is all over my chin on both sides, clusters. clusters of it on my left cheek and starting to have clusters show up on my right cheek. i've had several cystic spots under my nose come and go over the past couple months. i had a giant cyst on the top of my forehead in the hair line and i had to wear hats to cover it. i thought it was a spider bite at first because it hurt so badly. but turns out it wasn't. it's slowly going down but has been a week and still lingering. just not as big. my skin looks textured. there isn't one flat smooth spot anywhere. both temples have several bumps. i think the clearest spot on my face is right beneath my eyes on my cheek bones. that's it. everywhere else has small skin colored bumps that don't get bigger or go away. just stay there and do nothing.

i am going to keep on my bc hoping that in 3 months it will have cleared my skin and i can move on with my life. people that don't have acne do not understand how it can ruin your life. i used to be one of those people that didn't think it was that big of a deal. i used to tell myself, "wow, i'm glad my skin doesnt' look like that". well now it looks exactly like the people's skin i was afraid of and comparing to.

sorry for the long post! right now i'm 30yrs old. i started bc probably 16-17yrs old and was on it for possibly 6-8yrs before quitting.

Hey everyone!

I also started to have bad acne after stopping the pill What an awful thing it is! I've tried litteraly EVERYTHING from oral antibiotics to topical antibiotics and retin-A, to creams and over the counter treatments. At what point, I was wondering if anything would ever work for me. I was having more and more clogged pores and a couple of cysts on my chin. My skin had always been fine, that's a first...at 27 years old!

I just started Accutane (20mg daily) a month ago and it seems to be working...for some parts. Don't have anymore clogged pores but still have new cysts popping up on my chin after a month. Hope everything gets better soon. It seems like a great solution and it worked for my sister even at a low dose. Don't have any side effects except for dry lips but nothing major. Had lower back pain in the first week but it eventually went away.

HI

im a 15 year old girl. ive had bad acne since 2 years. i partially blame me putting foundation on it to hide it from showing for it. a while ago i went to a doctor who prescribed me to Yaz tablets. I've had it for 5 days now. today i found out they are some sorta birth control pills. my mom completely freaked out. any help or suggestions as to if i should continue taking the pills or not

I thought I'd share a bit of positivity related to my acne after birth control:

Same old - i never had a single pimple in my life until a came off the pill, and then it went nuts. Some days I didn't want to go outside. Now i'm a year later and my skin isn't how it used to be yet.

BUT - my current regime is helping me heaps. I'd recommend staying away from chemicals and cleansers that claim all sorts of hocus pocus and use OATMEAL! Ok here's what i do:

Every evening I fill my sink with warm water and in it i put a little cloth bag (just cotton will do) which is filled with a teeny handful of oatmeal. You'll see that the water gets all cloudy. Then i use a natural (the body shop if i recall correctly) face wash - something anti-allergenic perhaps, just to get my make-up off. Then, however weird this may sound, i squeeze most of the water from my little cloth bag, and scrub my face with it. Occassionally i'll take the oatmeal out and stick it on as a face mask (for about 20 mins). Even if you don't have acne, i'd recommend this - it's super cheap, smells pretty good, and makes your skin super soft! Slap some of these little bags in your bath too. Your skin will be thanking you!

But as a sort of parrellel to this I cut out fructose (i.e. sugar - highly recommend for more reasons than skincare) and barely eat processed stuff now. You're skin is always going to be a reflection of your diet somewhat - its really important you eat right!

Don't touch them. If you feel one coming up put a bit of toothpaste on after the oatmeal session overnight. It'll calm it down. And the final key to all this is DO NOT STRESS OUT! Our bodies have a happy way of recognising stress and applying more stress in the form of breakouts or hairloss or headaches and whatnot. Practice some meditation (better than you can ever imagine) and chill the heck out.

YOU'RE ALL SO BEAUTIFUL! Don't worry about this stuff sisters! Lots of luck xox

Acne is an awful spirit crushing demon and we all hate it. I've tried every treatment: those prescribed scary alcohol pads that smell like gasoline, proactive, every over the counter cleanser imaginable.

What I've learned is that none of these are solutions. But (for me anyway) the real solution was pretty simple: VITAMINS & WATER!!!!

In many cases acne is simply caused by dehydration, which affects every part of your body. Just because you don't feel 'thirsty', doesn't mean your body isnt begging for water. Dry mouth and that 'thirsty' feeling are the last signals our body sends us when it needs water. Meaning that it affects your energy levels, appetite, skin, EVERYTHING, before we even realize it's a problem.

Dehydration causes the natural oils in our skin to become sticky (i.e. not enough fluid in there), and when it tries to escape out our pores (which is normal) it clogs them (which sucks). Drinking plenty of water evry day helps alleviate this, especially with those really deep-rooted painful red ones that just won't pop and make your life miserable.

Secondly is vitamins. Many cases of acne are caused by a simple vitamin deficiency, whether its genetic or because of your diet. The most common acne-causing deficiency is vitamin A and D. Take vitamin A and D pills every day. I take a few every morning. A and D can be bought as a comdination vitamins is any drugstore. Vitamin E (which I'm sure most of you know) is also helpful in maintaining healthy skin, as is vitamin C. Stock up heavily on the Vitamin C too, it helps strengthen your immune system and helps to prevent and fight infection (which ofcourse would help those annoying infected pores, aka pimples).

Along with these vitamins, take as many vitamins as you can, generally speaking. your skin shows how healthy your body is, and if you're constantly stocking it with nutrients and cleansing it with water, you will notice a drastic difference in your skin.

I'm 21 and have been on and off the pill since I was 13. Basically every time I've gone back on has been partially because of my skin (along with the whole baby thing of course). I have never had severe acne, but have combination skin, which comes with a combination of problems. Sometimes parts of my face will be dry while others are oily. When my skin feels dry and gross, instead of slathering on the moisturizer I drink lots and lots and lots of water. Within half an hour it already feels better--seriously.

There is nothing that your body can't fix naturally. I've found that vitamins and water really just are the best solution. But it's important to keep it up every day. The moment I start slacking on my regime, within a few days my skin is showing its ugly side again. Other than that it's more or less clear as day, aside from the few minor imperfections here and there, but whatever, I'm human.

Also STAY AWAY FROM MAKEUP!! seriously gals. Putting paste on your skin isn't helping those clogged pores.. I know it can be embarrassing, but try and muster the courage to show the world your beautiful face for what it is. And I know that's way easier said than done. I try to wear makeup as little as possible. I gave it up entirely for about a year and felt great. It was hard at first, but after a while of no-makeup you'll try it again and realize that you don't even recognize yourself with it on, and you'll probably wash it off like I would. It's a great feeling. But (in a weak moment) I bought makeup again a couple months ago and have been wearing it most days. Its annoying that I now feel like I need it to go out the door. Such evil stuff. So what I'll do sometimes, when I have a breakout and need a makeup break, is I'll just stay in for a day or two and get some work done at home. I'm an art student in university and also work part-time, so for me this is totally possible. If you're a student too then perfect. If you work full-time, who cares what your coworkers think? You're probably more fabulous than all of them combined.

On your little makeup vacation keep up the water and vitamins and you'll notice the difference within a day or two. Your skin tone will even out and you'll actually feel healthier-- because you will be!

As for cleansers, I use "Simple" products. I live in Montreal and they're at any pharmacy here (about $10 for cleanser, same for toner and moisturizer) and I've had really good results. They toss out the harmful dyes and artificial scents commonly used in cleansers. I prefer the clear gel cleanser to the moisturizing one, but you may feel differently.

Also generally try to eat less dairy. BUT (aside from dairy), fats are good for you, so nuts (especially almonds!), avocado, and fish are kind to your skin. I'm a vegetarian so I stick to almonds, avocado, and veggies/salads dressed with olive oil. Olive oils is CRAZY good for your skin. Stop cooking with canola oil, vegetable oil, or anything hydrogenated (like margarine). Use REAL fats, REAL butter, REAL food. Eating fat will NOT make you fat, in fact processing fats speeds up your metabolism and in time will actually help you slim down.

Also drinking water reduces bloating, as water retention is another aspect of dehydration. So drinking water and eating healthy fats will even help you slim down.

Clearer skin and a healthier body? YES PLEASE.

Go for it girls, be kind to your body, it is a temple.

bisoux

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum, but it really helped me a lot, both physically & emotionally, during the thick of my acne problems & I want to return the favor. Ok so I was on BCP for about 10 years, never really had acne as a teen, went through a breakup & got off the pill. At around the 4 month mark I started getting some bodersome acne on my chin, as time went on it just got progressively worse and spread all over my face. I tried switching make up products, wearing no make up, sylicic acne treatments, benzoyl peroxide, oil control cleansers & moisturizers, but nothing really seemed to work. Anyway, to make a long story short, I finally feel like I've figured out the trick to this thing & my skin has gotten a lot better, not quite back to normal, but better then it's been in a few months. I've recently started taking homeopathic acne pills from Nature's Cure & let me tell you, they work!! I've only been using them for about 2 weeks and I can definetly see the difference. It feels as if my skin is finally bouncing back. The pills contain all natural ingredients & are suppose to work by enhancing your body's immune system. Bottom line, I believe this product works. I 've also been using the tea tree line from the Body Shop, a mechanical face brush from Oil of Olay & an exfoliating mask from Peter Thomas Roth. You can get the pills on Amazon for about$10 + shipping. They shouldn't cost more then $15 anywhere. I defienetly recommend this product & hope it helps many out there as it has helped me.

I have been battling acne for the past 14 years...yup 14 YEARS! And I am only 25 I have tried every single thing and the only thing that ever helped was the combination of BCP and benzoyl peroxide 10% but I am trying to come off the pill for good. Oh, I have also done 2 courses of accutane which was AMAZING but my acne eventually returned (nowhere near as bad though). I did accutane once when I was 14 and another at 15. I have tried coming off the pill before but then just got so frustrated because my acne would always return. I guess I don't really mind being on the pill, but if I ever decide to have a baby, I don't want to go through 9 months of acne so I am kind of doing this as a trial as well, just to see how I can deal with it naturally (as benzoyl peroxide can't be used while pregnant). Anyway, I have been off it for a week and of course my pimples are returning, especially on my chin and nose. I am still using the benzoyl peroxide (lotion and cleanser) along with a salicylic acid gentle scrub and i have started to use pure tea tree oil. I am still seeing new pimples each morning but I'm hoping that it plateaus at some point. I am also going to start to use salt water on my face because I remember when I had full on acne, the salt always cleared up my face a bit. I am also a bit annoyed that I can't just do another course of accutane because I feel that I am now much older, if I was to do a course then it wouldn't come back. But there is noway a dermatologist would put me on it because my skin isn't that bad....trust me...I could stop doing all this stuff to my face to make it bad just to prove it to him, but its not worth it to me. Sorry, this post isn't really helpful but I just need to vent and wanted to share my story. Oh, forgot to mention that I have been on the pill for 10 years which i don't think is healthy at all, so that is a huge reason why I want to get off it.

Hi Everyone,

I never participate in these blogs but I have really been struggling and wanted to share my story. Has anyone experienced anything like this? I was on some sort of Yasmin (beyaz, ocella, yasmin) from age 15-22. I never had acne in my teen years or while on BC (except for the occasional pimple). So I got off of it September 2012 and for the first few months still had no acne. Then around February I started breaking out. To me this was a huge deal but now that I look back on it, it was barely anything. I went to the dermatologist and he put me on 150 mg of doxycycline, a sulfur face wash, aczone in the morning and epiduo at night. I had also started taking lo loestin FE but wanted something to clear my breakouts until the BC started to kick in. I took the regiment for 5-6 weeks and my face got 100% worse. Cystic acne formed on my cheeks, chin and forehead and I was seeing no improvement. I couldnt believe it. My dermo didnt seem to care or get that this was not normal for me so I stopped taking all of the medicine and stopped seeing him. Went to a different dermo and went on a different regiment that I have been doing for about 3 weeks- 1 month. Starting to see my face clear a little (from when it exploded) but I still have not been able to shake the cystic acne on my cheeks or jawline. This is so terrible and I wish I had never went to the dermotologist in the first place.

I am also switching from loestrin to Orthotrycycline in hopes that higher hormone levels will help my face clear up. Does anyone have any advice or has anyone experienced this?

Wow. There are so many stories I can relate to in this thread! I, too, have/had an eating disorder and acne is one of my triggers. Once it's starts getting bad (e.g., cysts), I'm done. I have no appetite because I'm so upset but I also feel like I have no control over the acne so I don't eat. And birth control --- holy crap, I never thought it would affect me as much as it has.

I started with Depo-Provera (Depo shot) and it was awesome. Just a shot every three months! I completely lost my period, acne was fine AND I never gained the weigh that some women did. Then in my late 20's, my Dr. suggested the mini-pill (progestin only) because they don't recommend women take Depo after 30 due to bone density. Ok. Cool. Mini-pill worked great! It was like I didn't even switch. Then a few years later I started having breakthrough bleeding often. So I switched to Seasonale. It took a good three months to get used to it, but it worked fine.

Finally, after three years of Seasonale and in my early/mid 30's, I started getting cystic acne. I switched AGAIN to Ortho Tri Cyclen (the generic Tri-Sprintec I think?) and Spiro - starting at 25mg/day and working up to 75mg. Wow - a couple things happened: I GAINED WEIGHT I went from a A/B-cup to a D. I know some girls may love this, but I HATED IT! I felt so... exposed. I couldn't run anymore, I gained weight in my thighs and abdomen, but, my skin was clear.

Then I started get severe side effects (bladder pain, vaginal pain, lost all libido and sex became painful). So I cut Ortho and jumped back on Seasonale. That helped, but still had pain. Then dropped Spiro -- for two months I was pain free. It was great. then the pain came back. So I cut out Seasonale (this was all under doctor supervision, btw).

After three weeks of being off BC pills, the cysts and acne came roaring back! Like many of you, I'm afraid I've created a "dependency" to keep my hormones in an artificial state and I don't know how to fix it I couldn't take it so I've restarted the BC and Spiro. The pain is back but it's sad. I put my stupid effing acne ABOVE pain. Who does that. I hate this.

Oh dear, this thread is pretty scary... I've been on Yasmin for 7 years (15-22) and have managed to stop using benzoyl peroxide (bleaches everything in sight and ages skin) and just use soap and witch hazel which seems to keep my acne relatively under control. The problem is I've been wondering about the side effects of coming off of the pill, mainly because there is an increased risk of DVT with Yasmin (runs in my family) and I'm curious about the future when I do decide to have kids. I can't even remember how bad my skin was before the pill, pretty sure it was only ever mild and it's still mild now so I'm not looking forward to coming off and experiencing some severe acne side effects!

Hopefully this thread stays active because there are only a few success stories and I am quite concerned about the withdrawal symptoms I'll definitely keep the retinoids in mind though, I wonder if anyone else has managed to curb the side effects? Did anyone just grow out of it - I mean did anyone's bodies just eventually adjust to being off the pill and their acne clear up after a certain amount of time?

OMG, I would never imagine that this story would be so common I started diane 35 when I was 15 or 16 because of the acne, and I quitted when I was 22, after a few months my skin was worse than ever, I didn´t have the period in 4 months and some black hair started growing on my chin , the reason why I quited diane was because I started having spotting and I was tired of taking something so artificial. I came back to the gyn and diagnosed Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and I came back to the pill, but the spotting continue (I was bleeding three weeks out of four!!!), I went to another gyn and told me that there was not another choice. So I was taking the pill (I tried 4 or 5 different to see if the spotting stopped but it continued the same), bleeding always, and having the most terrible acne ( it didn´t clear up when I came back to bc), sick of all this I decided to stop visiting gyn, to quit bc forever and to go to an endocrinologist, when I quited bc for the second time, my period became regular and the endocrinologist told me that all my hormones were ok, and that the diagnose of POC was not correct, he said I should start looking for a dermatologist.

So I went to the derm and started accutane, for a year my skin was ok, but now I have mild acne again. It´s horrible when everything works for most of the people (bc and accutane) and not for me, and now I´m almost 27 years old. At least my acne is not so terrible now, but I do not want to come back to accutane, I have started Dan regimen, now I have some hope because I´m on my 3rd week and I see some improvements, I am also taking omega3 and zinc.

My advice for everybody is: do not take birth control!! it can solve the acne problem for a while, but it is not something that solves the problem permanently, it just hides it for a while, and the day you will need to stop taking it you will have skin problems again!!! it´s better to try other alternatives. I am happy that at least now I have a regular period, I do not have the problem doctors told me I had, and I have hopes again of solving my acne problems.

I posted a few weeks ago here, and I just am updating to confirm that stopping BCP was absolutely the cause of the worst acne I've ever had. In the last three to four weeks I've had close to 30 cysts, 20 injections, and I never would have thought it would be this bad. In my situation however, I'm not sure it was completely due to BCPs because I had some cysts last year and I was still on BCPs. I think stopping it highly exacerbated the problem where as I would probably still get 1-3 month had I stayed on the pill. At one point, I was getting multiple cysts per day. I kid you not, I would go the derm to get anywhere from 1-4 injections, and within hours of leaving, a new cyst would appear.

Do I think there was a hormonal imbalance? Heck yes. But I think it was already there. Not taking the pill made it worse. I don't think the pill is bad or no one should go on it. It helps many people. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what a better solution is for acne, especially if it's due to hormonal imbalance.