Acne.org Products
I really hope someone can help. My partner (now 29) has had acne ever since being a teenager. The only time in her life that she has had clear skin is when she was taking specific contraceptive pills that help prevent acne - during this time she had perfectly clear skin.
Many years ago she was told she had to come off that particular pill (I think it was calleddianette) and she was then put onto another pill called yasmin. The new pill was nowhere near as good as the first one but it mainly kept her spots under control.
She's since chosen to come off of the contraceptive pill for various reasons but her acne has returned with a vengeance. The doctors/dermatologists have had her taking anti-biotics for 6 months+ as they claim it will help the bacterial infection but nothing is working. Essentially, it seems obvious to me that the acne is caused by something hormonal that the dianette was able to help with. Is it possible to take these active ingredients separately, not for contraceptive purposes?
My partner is very depressed at the moment (and has been prescribed anti-depressants for this) and the spots she has, which are completely covering her face/back/chest are not helping things. I'd really appreciate any advice anyone can give.
Hi. Well first off it's very nice to see that she has such a good partner that cares a lot about what she's going through. Having someone try to understand and be helpful is a nice comfort. Acne is emotionally devastating for a person's confidence and self-esteem.
I'm no doctor, but if her skin cleared up nicely on birth control then it's a very likely hormonal acne that won't go away from taking antibiotics. A lot of adult acne in women is caused by hormones. If acne is hormonal, some women can experience huge flare-ups when they come off the pill and it can often be worse than it was originally. This is another indicator that it's likely hormones causing this. If she doesn't want to go back on the pill to cure her acne, I know that there are a lot of natural remedies out there that people have used to help with balancing hormones. If you want, you could try seeing a naturopathic doctor. They specialize in using natural treatments & supplements. The only downside is that they often don't accept insurance so it's a couple hundred $$ per visit. If that's not an option, you can do some online research into some of the natural remedies out there. Some supplements that I've heard of (off the top of my head) are: Vitex, Maca, Evening Primrose Oil, Milk Thistle, and Burdock Root, among others. She should also make sure she has a good skin care routine and isn't using anything that is too irritating on the skin.
The only thing with exploring natural remedies on your own is that is very "up in the air". What works for some doesn't work for everyone and it takes a a lot of trial and error. Some things can actually make it worse if you don't know exactly what the root cause is. Perhaps she could go back on the pill for now to clear up, at least to help her feel a bit better about the whole situation, and then take time to research natural remedies and eventually wean back off the pill. It's totally up to you guys.