Hey, nice to meet you.

I will be 30 this month and I have about same background as you. My spots started when I was about 23, it might be about life, stress, studies and all those.

Antibiotics was pretty good last time, but spots come back after a few months, it could be partly because I am not careful. My fav foods like hot food and prawns break me out when I eat them wrong time of the months. Spots also seem to flare up at around that time of the months.

I posted some of my stuff in a log called lymecycline and epiduo log. I have seen a derm some weeks ago and he gave me Lyme which I am in about 5 weeks now.

Anyway, here is what I am doing now,

Internally,

Supplements:

Zinc

Magnesium

Evening primose

Cod liver oil

Antioxidants and other beneficial things:

Probiotics yogurt

Matcha green tea

Green smoothies

Topically,

Am:

Coconut oil as cleansing with warm water

Vitamin c and aleo Vera gel mix

Vitamin e oil complex

Zinc oxide based sunscreen, Clinique city block (thinking of moving to original sprout sunscreen)

PM:

Coconut oil as makeup remover and cleanser

Niacinamide based moisturiser (using cerave PM lotion as it has Niacinamide in it)

Topical routine used to be really complex before with things like Clinique mild clarifying lotion and other AHA and BHA products. But when my spots come back after a few months of clear skin, I realise that they offer no help in preventing serious breakouts.

Good luck and have a great time

Hey, nice to meet you.

I will be 30 this month and I have about same background as you. My spots started when I was about 23, it might be about life, stress, studies and all those.

Antibiotics was pretty good last time, but spots come back after a few months, it could be partly because I am not careful. My fav foods like hot food and prawns break me out when I eat them wrong time of the months. Spots also seem to flare up at around that time of the months.

I posted some of my stuff in a log called lymecycline and epiduo log. I have seen a derm some weeks ago and he gave me Lyme which I am in about 5 weeks now.

Anyway, here is what I am doing now,

Internally,

Supplements:

Zinc

Magnesium

Evening primose

Cod liver oil

Antioxidants and other beneficial things:

Probiotics yogurt

Matcha green tea

Green smoothies

Topically,

Am:

Coconut oil as cleansing with warm water

Vitamin c and aleo Vera gel mix

Vitamin e oil complex

Zinc oxide based sunscreen, Clinique city block (thinking of moving to original sprout sunscreen)

PM:

Coconut oil as makeup remover and cleanser

Niacinamide based moisturiser (using cerave PM lotion as it has Niacinamide in it)

Topical routine used to be really complex before with things like Clinique mild clarifying lotion and other AHA and BHA products. But when my spots come back after a few months of clear skin, I realise that they offer no help in preventing serious breakouts.

Good luck and have a great time

Hi mmo0690

It sounds like your acne is caused by imbalanced hormones as well since u say u break out more that time of month.

I have been reading alot of info from the website "high on clear skin" by fran kerr. She has written about how to balance hormones using natural products so that is what i'm trying at the moment.

Antibiotic medication sounds like it works temporarily because it is killing acne bacteria on your skin. I am doubtful of its long term success though. I don't think i would want to b on antibiotics for the rest of my life. They can upset the good bacteria/probiotics in your gut which we need for health. And bad bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics long term.

I'll let you know if i have any success with my current treatment

Hi geek girl, thanks for the reply.

I am also concerned about the gut issue from antibiotics. That is why I make sure daily intake of Probio yogurts. I heard of the book you said, but haven't read yet. Like yourelf, I too am fed up with meds. Lyme is my last try to speed up things a bit.

These days I am constantly looking for super healthy foods. I found that bone broth good for general health which should eventually show up on the skin. The key is cooking it at low temperature for over 8 hours. A few Google search shows it has amino acid, minerals and collagen which is good for health. I actually am training myself to eat less and less meat, a bit hesitant to break what I got so far with that as well. But, I might give it a go though.

I will keep you posted with my progress too.

Update

Just finished writing a lovely long post and then it just disappeared. Where did my post go? Is it floating around in cyberspace somewhere ????

Well here is my second attempt.

So that dreaded time of the month is over and finished with now. My usual breakout didn't seem as bad so i guess that's a good sign. Although i did notice i felt a bit extra anxious and cranky. From what i've read vitex can take a few months to work so maybe my hormones are still adjusting? I'll go with that.

Right now my skin's looking pretty good. Only about 3 or 4 actual pimples on my chin. And they're pretty small. The rest is redness, marks from old pimples, scars etc which i suppose will never go away but least they're easy to cover with make up.

Took a break from the vitex for a few days cos still getting funny side effects. Will start back on it again today.

Fathers Day was on sunday so it was afternoon tea with family. I was being so good with my diet but then couldnt resist a piece of chocolate cake. Aaarrgh why am i so weak!!!! So i'll probably pay for that in 3-4 days time with a couple of pimples.

Time for another update. Skin is going well. Still going with my paleo/low sugar + grain diet, vitamins and supplements to balance hormones - estroblock and vitex. Had a bad headache for a week which would not go away. Was reading about how taking vit d can start to deplete magnesium so added in a magnesium tablet and the headaches went! Trying to get more natural vitamin d from the sun now.

Very few pimples on my face to super happy about that. Any that do come up are very small and disappear quickly. No big inflamed sore nasty ones. Of course i am in first 2 weeks of my 'cycle' still so my skin is always improved during this time. Will be interesting to see what happens in the next 2 weeks - that's the most troublesome time!

Skin still very oily with blocked pores on my nose and some redness, but grateful for the improvement in the acne. Nice to be able to touch my chin without it being sore and bumpy - and applying make up is much easier.

Just realised i've never talked about what topical products i'm using. Thought I'd write a post about that in case anyone's interested.

I have veeeeerrry sensitive skin that reddens easily so i try to be gentle with my skin. In the past i tried harsh scrubs and products to dry my skin out but they actually made my acne worse and irritated it.

For washing my face i've used a few different brands but try to go for one of those 'natural' products. I've used 'natural instincts' brand, sukin and a'kin. For moisturising i use either lalisse brand or a'kin during the day and at night rosehip or jojoba oil. I know it sounds weird putting more oil on my skin but i find it far better than trying to dry it out. The oil nourishes my skin and makes it feel soft

On pimples themselves i use a toner called lalisse brand. Lalisse are quite good, they have other products for acne skin as well. When i've had more sore and inflammed pimples i also put manuka honey on to sooth them - only at night though. Sometimes i make myself a mask using oats, honey and yogurt - thats also really soothing

I do wear make up if i go out especially at work because i can't stand the way i look without it. I know its probably not the best for my skin but wouldnt be able to leave the house otherwise. I use just regular store brands - revlon, mac, maybeline. I should probably use a more natural product but haven't been able to find any.

Well hope that helps. Thanks for reading.

I feel so disheartened and frustrated right now

I am completely perplexed with my skin. I have had a nasty breakout today. About 8 ugly, big, inflammed pimples have appeared on my chin/mouth area. What the ???!!!! My skin had been going quite well up until this point. I can't figure out if i ate something dodgy or if its still my hormones out of balance. It is almost a week now till my period (if its on time) so this is the time my acne gets alot worse. It was just so sudden and has really made me feel depressed.

Food wise its not like i had a major pig out on any 'bad' foods. Thinking back to what i've eaten the last week i can only think of a few possible culprits. I ate a banana monday. I normally dont eat much fruit because my skin reacts so easily to the sugar. With banana i had a bit of goats milk yogurt. Again i normally dont eat much dairy, just occasionally some yogurt. I'm surprised that the banana and yogurt could have had such an impact but it must be so.

Anyway i've had a good cry and complained about how unfair my life is so now i'm just moving on. So dont want to go to work tomorrow but I'll lather my face with make up and just hope no one notices how disgusting i look. I'm telling myself i'm strong and brave and these pimples will heal. I just have to be stricter with my diet.

Dear pimples, I HATE you sooooooo much. I will destroy you. I am NEVER giving up - so dont think you have beaten me yet!

Ok that awful breakout has started to settle down now.

I would still like to know what caused it.

So I've been on Vitex for 2 months. Estroblock around 3 months. Aside from that breakout I had last week I do think there has been some improvement in my skin overall.

Have decided to embark on a new variation to my diet. Been reading a book by Kimberley Snyder. Its not specifically on acne but mentions it along with discussion of how our bodies and liver can become overloaded with toxins from our diet/environment. I always felt the "paleo" style of diet helped my skin but I'm beginning to wonder if I am consuming too many animal products as my health hasn't been the best. Kimberley's diet emphasizes plant foods - so lots of raw salads, green smoothies/juices. She herself is a vegan but she says consuming small amounts of animal protein only in the evening is ok if you still want to. Anyways I'm going to try to work some of her principles into my diet and see how it goes. I did try a "raw food diet" once for a few weeks and found I broke out but I think that was because I was eating ALOT of fruit. Kimberley does mention that people with acne or very toxic levels can initially have trouble digesting fruit so best to keep it at a minimum when starting out.

Here's my eating/detox plan -

Breakfast

Green smoothie

Snacks

Lots of green juices

Carrot/celery sticks with homemade raw dips

Lunch

BIG salad

Dinner

Salad and cooked vege (occasional legume/gluten free grains/or animal protein is especially hungry)

Nooooo dairy or processed food.

Eat light in the morning - cooked/heavier meal only in the evening.

The idea is to pack my body with loads of nutrients from plants, limit toxins and give my digestive system a rest.

Well that's my project for October

Time for an update. 
I have been enjoying my new "diet." I like the way I feel lighter on the stomach eating less dense foods in the morning. (Previously doing "paleo" style I was eating a heavy breakfast with eggs/cooked vege). I have hardly had any any animal protein - just haven't felt like it! I have been trying to listen more to my body and have just felt like eating more salads and vege. I have noticed though I have been getting alot of headaches - not sure if this is detox or because I have been eating banana in my smoothie (I do have sensitivities to amines which is in banana).
So how is my skin?? I wish I had better news to report but my skin has not been too great. A few pimples on my chin and around my mouth - but no more that normal. But I seem to have broken out crazily on my forehead. I normally don't get many pimples on my forehead so I am wondering if this is some kind of detox thing? Luckily I have a fringe of hair which hides these so I am not too worried - much prefer a breakout there then on my chin those are the worst! I have been eating a little fruit and small amount of grains/legumes. I don't know if eating these higher carb/sugar foods are causing the breakout or if this is just a temporary detox that will improve. I really don't feel like going back to eating alot of animal products though so I'll keep going with it. 
On the positive side my energy has been great. I struggle with low energy and often feel sleepy all day. Vitamin D has helped my energy but I also think this new way of eating has also helped. And also I think the Vitex helps with my energy. I am still taking Vitex. I am sticking with quite a low dose because at first I had some funny symptoms from it - racing heart beat/jittery feeling. Those symptoms have gone so I guess my body has adjusted to it. Now I find it just kind of peps me up a little bit which is nice  Maybe because its meant to stimulate your pituitary gland? Also had no pms symptoms last period which was obviously very good. I ran out of the premular brand (which is meant to be high quality) trying a different brand now cos I already had it at home. I have also nearly run out of my estroblock. Not sure whether to keep persisting with this. Its quite expensive and although I felt small improvements there has been nothing miraculous. Have to think about that one.
Just ordered a new skincare product online - I am such a sucker for a new acne product! Its a cream and wash from a company called Hemp Hemp Hooray. The products have all natural ingredients - and surprise surprise contain hemp oil. I read some good reviews online and it is specifically for acne. I know I am such a sucker!!!! I have such a compulsion to spend my money on acne products! Forget shoes and clothes - all my money goes on vitamin supplements and skincare products - very sad
 

Been reading alot lately about liver health. If your liver is overloaded with toxins then it might have trouble eliminating excess hormones which leads to acne. I already have some milk thistle tablets which is a herb meant to be beneficial for liver so i'm going to take those. What has really bern interesting me though is what i've been reading about taurine an amino acid that has been shown to help heal the liver. Taurine also had reported benefits for blood sugar issues and those with diabetes. So i'm going to try see if i can purchase some and give it a go. It doesnt look too expensive online so worth a shot.

Decided to stop taking estroblock and vitex now and try these liver supplements instead. And keep eating healthy of course!!

Try not to switch things up too frequently as you won't be able to accurately tell whats working and whats not.

Yes i know i am so impatient!
I am so confused with my skin. Had a bit of a breakout last week but last couple of days has been really good. ??
My skin is very inconsistant. When i have good days i am so happy but it never seems to last.
So i'm just going to continue with my diet and current supplements for now. Going to make more of an effort to minimize fats - cooking oils etc and nuts. I know some sources say coconut/olive oil is good for you but other things i read say those oils lead to more oily skin. I'm also wondering if nuts could be contributing to the breakouts so going to reduce those.

I am now reading into digestive health and the link of skin with gut microbes. I decided to try some probiotics recently and i had a massive breakout! I can only conclude it was the probiotics because when i stopped them my skin settled down. So this got me wondering if this was a detox reaction because it was killing bad bacteria or something like SIBO. SIBO is when bacteria that should be in the large intestine start to populate the small intestine and cause damage. Could taking probiotics have aggravateda condition like this? I'm only guessing here but its worth exploring. So i might get some oregano oil and garlic and see if i can kill off some bad bugs. Just hope i dont get any awful detox reaction.

As for diet, i think i might have to completely remove fruit and grains again as they are meant to feed the bacteria. A low carb diet always improved my skin in the past. Its just hard to stick to because i start feeling tired and have trouble eating enough calories.

The oregano oil made me feel a bit nauseas but no sudden breakouts and i'm taking it slow. Unfortunately it being christmas time and all i was a bit slack with my diet.

So i've had my little holiday pig out now its time to get serious again. Going to try making some bone broth and take other gut healing supplements like glutamine and enzymes. And try a low carb diet again for awhile.

So my skin has not been so great Dec/Jan. I have been a bit slack with my diet. I know there's no excuse - but with all the festivities of christmas, new years, several Jan birthdays i have eaten some junk. I was also super depressed because my cat died  

I'm starting to wonder also if the estroblock i ws previously taking was helping more then i thought ??? I decided to purchase a bottle of estroblock pro to try as its meant to be stronger then the regular. Been on it 2 weeks now and i have to say my skin is looking clearer despite my diet not being great. Did have a really bad headache for a week though - maybe that was a detox reaction? Well the real test will be if i get breakouts or pms symptoms before my period. 

For my gut i'm going to start taking great lakes gelatine powder because i read good things about that. 

I still feel alot of confusion and anxiety aroud my diet. Paleo style seemed to help my skin the most but i dont feel the best eating llow carb/high fat and meats. This is the diet recommended for gut health but i read that animal products/fats can increase estrogen levels and cancer risks. My mother had breast cancer (caused by too much estrogen) so i guess i am super paranoid about it. Its soooo confusing when all the info out there is so contradictory. Anyway i think at the moment my gut feeling is to focus on lots of plant food and allow some low gi/gluten free grains - and face the consequences.
Also been reading about how a high fat diet can actually make blood sugar issues worse as the fat stops insulin working properly ??? I think i read too much!
 

Just had my period and it was really late. Also quite a few pms symptoms. Thinking i better go back on vitex. This is what i seem to have concluded about those hormonal supplements i've trying:

Estroblock - does improve my pimples so i will keep taking the pro/high strength one even though it is soooo expensive.
Vitex - dont think this effects my skin really but did make my period more regular and reduce pms.