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Yes both Spiro and accutane can affect periods. On accutane it made them last longer which is worse I think!!
Update:
I've been getting a lot of cysts this week, but I'm actually not mad about it. Maybe it's because I'm using that exfoliating mask, or maybe because I started taking my meds 12 hours apart, but my breakouts are all staying super small?? I had one on my jawline, THREE on my chin, one near my eyebrow and one under my nose and they all stayed so small. I did get a larger cyst that was rather sudden though, on my cheek. It's already almost flat though, and exfoliating seems to be helping it along. I did get one on my shoulder though. It got kind of big, about the size of a pencil eraser, and it's already going away and doesn't hurt anymore. It stayed for about a day, hardly.
I don't want to get my hopes up, but the fact that my breakouts have dramatically reduced in severity since changing my dose is very comforting. Things seem to be looking up, and hopefully it gets better from here. I still expect some ups and downs, but I'm feeling good for now.
The left side of my jawline is suffering big time lol. Like I said before, my breakouts are generally staying small and going away fast but I've had four along my jawline this week and it looks pretty awful, not gonna lie. I keep wanting to post pictures but I'm really just not happy with my skin so I don't think I'll be posting any pictures anytime soon.
I just can't wait for the day when my skin is finally clear and I can finally be free from this horrible condition. Until then, I'll continue to update like this. I hope I can someday end this thread with a no-filter, clear-skin picture of myself.
Edit:
I also meant to update about the period thing. I did end up getting my period but it was light and lasted two days. Idk if I'll even get one next month but I guess I'll have to wait and see.
Man, time is just flying by on this medication. I can't believe I'm already almost three months into my treatment. I feel like I've recently stopped (noticeably) improving, but my skin is still definitely better than it was before I started spiro. There's definitely still time for improvement though. I'm still fairly early in a treatment that can take up to a year on average to see full results. Even though I'm still breaking out, my forehead has basically been clear since I stared. I used to get the absolute worst cystic clusters on my forehead, but I have yet to feel even the slightest hint of a cyst forming there. I did have one near my eyebrow before but it went down in a few days, no worries. Same with the sides of my head, near my eyes. I used to get crazy painful cysts there, but I haven't had one since I began my treatment.
Also, despite my current breakouts, my skin looks so much healthier than it ever has my entire teenage life. I know spiro is a diuretic, I've always struggled with super dry skin, but my skin is more moisturized now than it has been in forever. My skin also looks younger, surprisingly. I'm only 18, but recently I've been worrying about how my struggle with cystic acne will alter my appearance in the future. On my quest to get clear, I've learned a lot about skin health and surprisingly it's something I've come to care a lot about. I feel like if I manage to get clear within the next few years though that I won't have as much permanent damage. Especially because I do keep on top of my skincare routine. Wash, exfoliate, moisturize, sun protection.
So as of right now, my left side is doing the worst, with one active breakout and some healing cysts. I also have a bad breakout on my chin but I'm fighting it, while also trying my best to just leave it be. It does seem to be calming down. My right side is completely clear of any active breakouts, which is amazing. My right side has always been the worst up until this point. I remember when my skin was at its absolute worst, I had the worst cyst ever on my right cheek. It took up probably 2/3 of it, and now I can't even see where it used to be. I have some redness and marks from smaller breakouts, but overall my skin is nice and plump, with a few mild indentations I'm sure will go away with time.
Like I said before, if I have to wait another 2-3 months for clear skin, I have no problem waiting it out. These three months have gone by so fast, and these results have already changed my whole life. Truthfully, I'm not exactly in love with the state of my skin right now, but if I had to live with my skin the way it is right now for the rest of my life, I'd still be thankful. Three cysts at a time, with some scarring and redness, will always be better than eighteen+ cysts. I never want to forget where I used to be, because I'm doing so much better than back then and that progress is so motivating to keep going.
Okay end of my motivational speech lol thanks to anyone still reading
Another small update:
I'm still losing weight from spiro I think. I now have a gap between my thighs when I stand with my legs together. Other than that I look pretty much the same.
I've recently been having period cramps but no actual period? I've already looked up causes and stuff but none of it is a strong possibility. There's no way I could be pregnant, and I doubt I have ovarian cysts, or ovarian cancer. I hope my period isn't going to get completely messed up and unpredictable. I'll keep updating.
Good to hear your progress. All the best.
Sorry if I'm posting too much, but I just have a lot of thoughts that might be helpful to anyone reading this. Just to give my full experience on spiro, whether it ends a complete success or not.
I think I've been doing things to worsen my skin without really realizing it. I know there's no way for me to get 100% clear through lifestyle alone, but there's still things that can worsen hormonal acne. I admittedly consume a lot of caffeine, and on top of that I love love love exercising. I know it's good for your overall health, but I know I overdo it. That can definitely worsen breakouts. It might just about kill me, but I think I'm going to force myself to stop exercising entirely for maybe a week. Idk what else to do in my spare time but I'll just have to get creative. Also gotta cut back on sugar. I've gotta admit, I do have a big sweet tooth.
I'm having a bad skin day. It's not that I have a ton of new breakouts, but I just feel awful about the state of my skin. I know it's getting better, slowly, but it is healing. The redness left behind from all those years of breakouts is really upsetting though. They won't budge no matter what I do and I feel like they always make me look messy. There's just something so disgusting about it. Cystic acne is so deep inside the skin that regular treatments for post-acne redness don't seem help them at all. Even though I'm exfoliating everyday, it feels like it's taking forever to improve and I'm worried that my skin is so permanently damaged that there's no way to reverse it. I don't think my skin will ever be one tone or nice and full like it was when I was little. I have so much scarring and damage. It's just so upsetting to me lately. Sometimes I feel like my skin is doing good but then I see it in the sunlight and it's just so disgusting. I don't know why my skin seems like it's resistant to almost any skincare product I try? It's always dry and the texture is gross and uneven. I don't know how to make it better.
Sorry to hear you are feeling low. That's true : lots of people struggle with the scarring left behind, but please be gentle and careful not to overdo the exfoliation. The medication is still working hard to clear your skin I expect and the scarring and redness can be dealt with later? I have noticed so many people on this site seem to report overdoing the exfoliation and use of topical products such as retin a and bp and then really damage their skin much further. What is the derm advising re topicals whilst u r on spiro? Is it safe to exfoliate? Take care. All the best.
3 hours ago, Juwalker said:Sorry to hear you are feeling low. That's true : lots of people struggle with the scarring left behind, but please be gentle and careful not to overdo the exfoliation. The medication is still working hard to clear your skin I expect and the scarring and redness can be dealt with later? I have noticed so many people on this site seem to report overdoing the exfoliation and use of topical products such as retin a and bp and then really damage their skin much further. What is the derm advising re topicals whilst u r on spiro? Is it safe to exfoliate? Take care. All the best.
Yeah, I told my dermatologist I started using a glycolic acid toner and he said that would be great for the redness. I stopped using it and started using that exfoliating mask I posted about though. It seems to work great as a spot treatment but I might go back to the toner and give vitamin c another try. I don't use manual exfoliants like scrubs and stuff anymore, I stick to chemical exfoliation now. I'm always gentle with my skin and I'm not over doing it. I think I just need to give it time to heal. Technically I've made a ton of progress within the last three months. I'm going to just try my best to push through another three months and see where I am then. I think if in two months I'm not seeing anymore improvement at all I might go back to my derm to maybe get on a mild birth control or something to help the spiro along. I'm just unsure if my body will be able to tolerate birth control and I don't exactly like the idea of it. But whatever it's not that time now so I'll try not to worry about it so much. Thanks for the support by the way, I really appreciate it. 
15 hours ago, DesperateVegan said:Yeah, I told my dermatologist I started using a glycolic acid toner and he said that would be great for the redness. I stopped using it and started using that exfoliating mask I posted about though. It seems to work great as a spot treatment but I might go back to the toner and give vitamin c another try. I don't use manual exfoliants like scrubs and stuff anymore, I stick to chemical exfoliation now. I'm always gentle with my skin and I'm not over doing it. I think I just need to give it time to heal. Technically I've made a ton of progress within the last three months. I'm going to just try my best to push through another three months and see where I am then. I think if in two months I'm not seeing anymore improvement at all I might go back to my derm to maybe get on a mild birth control or something to help the spiro along. I'm just unsure if my body will be able to tolerate birth control and I don't exactly like the idea of it. But whatever it's not that time now so I'll try not to worry about it so much. Thanks for the support by the way, I really appreciate it.
Hi DesperateVegan! Sending you some unsolicited encouragement to keep on this journey you are on. I've been on Spiro almost 4 years. I documented the first part of my journey on here, it took a solid 5-6 months before clarity was something I could believe in. At the time I was on BCP and 75 mg. I too had redness/hyper pigmentation lingering and the Makeupartist choice peels were the best thing to help clear my skin, keep the clogs from happening or inflaming and I still use the peels weekly. Mandelic, Salcylic are great for redness and current breakouts. So gentle and easy to use. As for triggers- SUGAR, caffeine and carbs are the culprit if you have hormonal acne. Working out as in lifting heavy weights may lead to an increase in testosterone, so that is something to think about. I was a trainer and working out heavily- absolutely had an impact on my breakouts.
Keep writing and coming back to talk with others, it helped me SO much.
2 hours ago, CarpeMomentum said:Hi DesperateVegan! Sending you some unsolicited encouragement to keep on this journey you are on. I've been on Spiro almost 4 years. I documented the first part of my journey on here, it took a solid 5-6 months before clarity was something I could believe in. At the time I was on BCP and 75 mg. I too had redness/hyper pigmentation lingering and the Makeupartist choice peels were the best thing to help clear my skin, keep the clogs from happening or inflaming and I still use the peels weekly. Mandelic, Salcylic are great for redness and current breakouts. So gentle and easy to use. As for triggers- SUGAR, caffeine and carbs are the culprit if you have hormonal acne. Working out as in lifting heavy weights may lead to an increase in testosterone, so that is something to think about. I was a trainer and working out heavily- absolutely had an impact on my breakouts.
Keep writing and coming back to talk with others, it helped me SO much.
Thank you so much for the reply!! I've spent hours reading spironolactone success stories and they always keep me motivated. Three months on a medication is such a short period of time to determine whether it's really working or not, I keep trying to remind myself of that. I've had chemical peels in the past and though they didn't keep me clear, they helped tremendously with the overall health and appearance of my skin. I'm considering getting a laser treatment for the redness once I finally clear up. Sugar actually doesn't seem to make me break out unless I continuously consume large amounts for long periods of time, but I'm still working on replacing my sugar with stevia when I can, along with other lifestyle changes. Once again, thanks so much for the reply. I'm so glad you've had success.
I haven't had any new breakouts in the past four days. I don't think it's clear from here for good, but I'm doing alright.
I'm back to update though because I've noticed another side effect. It's not that I'm super sad or anything, but I've just felt more emotional lately than usual and I think it has something to do with the medication. I've always been an emotional person but lately I've just felt so touched by things so easily?? lol I've cried over so many weird things. It's not like dramatic sobbing of course but I just tend to tear up more often than not when I'm super happy now than I did before. I've cried over multiple episodes of the Simpsons, a good cup of coffee, my cat being cute. I don't think it's from my period either because I'm not the kind of person who experiences noticeable emotional changes around that time.
Besides that, the dizziness has basically completely gone away since I've started making more of an effort to stay hydrated. I think I'm still losing weight. The most noticeable place I can see the weight loss would be my thighs and maybe my upper arms. I wish I had a scale to actually know for sure how much I'm losing but I can only go by what I see for now.
By the way, my current routine is generally something like this:
Cerave foaming cleanser (my all time favorite)
Cerave renewing sa lotion
Cerave am spf 30 lotion everyday
And things I use every few days:
Exfoliating mask
Sheet masks (many different kinds)
I also use Mario Badescu buffering lotion on any cysts that form. It doesn't seem to work as great for me as it does for most people, but it does seem to help them a bit, especially while they're still small.
Also, a few days ago I started using petroleum jelly as a spot treatment for cysts and redness and it's done a brilliant job of reducing inflammation, softening and smoothing things out. I got the idea from some accutane reviews I read before where people struggled with severe dryness on the medication, and I decided to try it. I haven't gotten super dry on spironolactone but I naturally have dry skin, so some extra moisture doesn't hurt. It's also been great for around my eyes, and my lips that have been a little extra dry lately.
Anyways, I'll update if anything else changes. For now everything seems pretty alright.
I just realized I haven't really had any breakouts above my nose for nearly a month now? My cystic breakouts have been occurring along my jawline and my chin. Unfortunately they're still getting pretty big and super painful, even though the breakouts I got last month on my cheeks stayed fairly small and less painful.
Anyways, throughout my years of searching for a cure to my cystic acne, I've heard a lot about saw palmetto?? Apparently it works great for hormonal acne, because it has anti-androgen properties. Though spironolactone is an anti-androgen, I thought that maybe giving saw palmetto a try along with it will help push it along?
I'll definitely have to check with my dermatologist first to know whether or not it's going to negatively interact with the spiro. The soonest I could get it would be tomorrow night. I'll let you guys know if I get it.
Quick update:
My forehead, my shoulders, my chest, and my cheeks, are still clear of active breakouts. I still haven't had any breakouts on the upper, or even the middle of my face, but unfortunately my right jawline is still breaking out. I'm not too upset about it though. It's not as red as I feel it should be?? Normally my cystic breakouts can turn bright red, and in some cases it even turns purple/blue. I think the spironolactone might be reducing that inflammation or something that causes it. Probably that, along with my skincare routine. My breakouts are staying close together. I have a small cluster of about four cysts of varying sizes. I did get a pretty bad one to begin with but it's going away now and the other three are fairly small.
And also, I still haven't gotten my hands on some saw palmetto. I'm not really in a huge rush to get it, but I'll def post if I get some.
Edit: I wanted to mention that I've had the flu for around three days now, and normally I get a lot of breakoutswhen I'm sick but it isn't nearly as bad as it was before spironolactone. Now that I think about it, it's probably what's causing or contributing to my current breakout situation.
I have taken Spironolactone for years now and my skin is flawless. My best advice to anyone with hormonal acne/ cystic acne is be patient. Wash your face and body with an antibacterial soap such as Gold Dial Soap after you shampoo and condition your hair. Use an exfoliate no more than 3 times a week (preferred 2 x's) However, always use a clean white washcloth to wash your face. The washcloth willexfoliate the dead skin. Use a toner, that is what corrects the texture of your skin. Use a product to protect against future breakouts. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize with a spf. A 3 step product like proactive, Clinique, Obagi, etc. will include everything I just talked about. A cleaner, toner, and a preventative. Then you need a moisturizer.
Drink lots of water!!! Makes for dewy glowing skin!!!!Last suggestion is to do a round of Jessner face peels with a microdermabrasion at the end. Good luck!!!!
oh and stop changing products. Find something and stick with it. You are creating a hot mess on top of the mess you already have!!!!
Hello, I'm back for a small update.
Since my last post, I've only had one cyst. It's already going away so no worries. I feel like the breakouts are kind of slowing down, but I'm still prepared for more. I'm not getting my hopes up. After all I'm not even four months into my treatment and it's most likely going to take more time to get and stay completely clear.
I've been keeping up with my skincare routine morning and night. Nothing new to report there.
I'll update if there's anything new. So far though, this month has been pretty uneventful.
On 9/19/2017 at 1:36 AM, Queensproull said:I have taken Spironolactone for years now and my skin is flawless. My best advice to anyone with hormonal acne/ cystic acne is be patient. Wash your face and body with an antibacterial soap such as Gold Dial Soap after you shampoo and condition your hair. Use an exfoliate no more than 3 times a week (preferred 2 x's) However, always use a clean white washcloth to wash your face. The washcloth will exfoliate the dead skin. Use a toner, that is what corrects the texture of your skin. Use a product to protect against future breakouts. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize with a spf. A 3 step product like proactive, Clinique, Obagi, etc. will include everything I just talked about. A cleaner, toner, and a preventative. Then you need a moisturizer.
Drink lots of water!!! Makes for dewy glowing skin!!!! Last suggestion is to do a round of Jessner face peels with a microdermabrasion at the end. Good luck!!!!
oh and stop changing products. Find something and stick with it. You are creating a hot mess on top of the mess you already have!!!!
I'm moderately knowledgeable on skincare and I'm treating my skin just fine. I wash, use toner, moisturize, and use sunscreen everyday. Thanks though.
Hello my friende
Do you remember me? now in month two of taking spironolactone i am clear. I am so happy and pry it is the permanent change. now i have lot of red marks and scars and try to fade them.
On 9/26/2017 at 2:56 AM, sara1990 said:Hello my friende
Do you remember me? now in month two of taking spironolactone i am clear. I am so happy and pry it is the permanent change. now i have lot of red marks and scars and try to fade them.
I'm so happy for you!! This medication has changed so many lives. It's changed mine for sure. I'm so happy it's helping you too. It's not uncommon for someone to quickly improve on this med, and I'm glad you could be one of those people. Good luck on your future spironolactone journey.
AND UPDATE!!
Sort of an emotional update. Just about my feelings as of right now about my skin and spironolactone. To the average person it would seem ridiculous to be this emotional about getting clear, but honestly this medication has changed my entire life in ways someone who's never dealt with severe cystic acne could never truly understand. The fact that I can sleep on my side without hurting from cysts, or that I can simply smile without feeling pain and being reminded that my cheeks are covered in cysts, and the fact I can spot cover individual scars when I leave the house vs my entire beet red face is so mind blowing to me.
I can't believe how healthy my skin feels right now. After struggling so badly with such severe cystic acne for so long, I really believed my skin was going to be damaged for the rest of my life and there was no way of ever reversing it. I'm proving myself wrong day by day. I'm still getting breakouts sometimes, but the overall health of my skin is getting better and honestly it's definitely healthier than before I even started getting cystic acne. It feels so thick and firm. It's more moisturized than I ever thought it would be. I feel like my cheeks look and feel so much fuller too. I look a lot younger, and honestly I feel more feminine than ever before. I'm feeling super confident about my progress so far. I'm definitely on the right track to getting and staying clear. I feel like all those times I doubted this medication are kind of in the past now. I'm definitely not 100% clear yet, but the fact that I don't have to wake up every morning and look at 15+ cysts is such a miracle in itself. When my skin was at its worst, all I wanted was to look and feel like my old self again, but I don't even feel like my old self anymore like I wanted to. I feel even better than before. I have so much more confidence now, knowing how much worse I could look really makes me appreciate my natural appearance. I'm so excited to see where my skin will be at this time next year. I hope I get and stay clear.
Fabulous news Desperate Vegan. So happy for you.
Little update:
I've been terribly sick lately, and it's been hard to get in enough fluids, which of course has led to my skin becoming dryer. Surprisingly it's not breakout out like crazy whenever I get sick though. I do have one cyst on my right cheek but it's so deep under the skin there's not much I can do about it but try to ice it. It seems to be getting better on its own though. Anyways, I've recently started not loving the cerave sa lotion. I feel like I needed more moisture so I got a tub of cerave regular moisturizing cream, and it's been fantastic. I originally got it for my body, but it felt so nice, I had to give it a try on my face. It's actually pretty thick, and I thought it would make me look really oily, but it seems to have a blurring effect on my skin?? My pores look so much smaller when I'm wearing it. It doesn't look shiny at all, and I can definitely feel that barrier it said it would provide. I put it on last night and when I woke up and tried washing it off I thought it wasn't coming off and that it was super stuck to my skin, but then I realized that's just how much more moisturized my skin is with this moisturizer and it was actually just the feel of my own skin lol. I absolutely love it and I think it'll work great during the upcoming dry autumn/winter months. I feel like I've finally found my perfect skincare routine. And the great part about cerave is that all of their products have such similar ingredients, just different percentages, so I feel pretty great about changing my moisturizer because it doesn't feel like I'm introducing a ton of new ingredients to my skin too quickly.
Today is my four month mark on spironolactone!!
I don't know if it's just a coincidence, but since I started using my new cerave moisturizer, I haven't had any new breakouts. I have spots that are healing but my skin is doing pretty damn good today. There's really not much else to say right now. I'll definitely update if there's any big changes. Thanks to everyone who's been encouraging me to keep going and for everyone who's still keeping up with my progress. I'm feeling super confident about my progress so far.
Great news!!! Thanks for educating us all about spiro. Keep posting. 