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Hello out there everyone! I'm just gonna jump right in.
I'm 23 years old and I swear I thought I'd outgrow this acne. I started having issues with my skin when I was about 13, but back then I was able to get rid of it just by changing my diet (IE, no more sodas like 13 year olds tend to go after, and more water).
Everything was calm up until my junior year of high school and my face blew up with a vengeance: painful cystic acne around my chin (it hurt to smile =/) and forehead, redness, whiteheads, and just bumps everywhere. I wish I had pictures to show, but I was so ashamed I never allowed that many to be taken. My whole junior year was spent feeling depressed, embarrassed, and it really made me shy; people would make fun of me, or point out the flaw I already had to see every morning; I hated it. I had my first (and last) dematologist appointment in May of my junior year and after an antibiotic and some creams, it was the smoothest I've ever had my skin since I was in elementary school. (ps, my dermatologist classified it as moderate acne)
Anyway, it's been a good 6 years and I've had my ups and downs with my skin since junior year, but I really am getting fed up with it now.
Now, I'll say right now that my face is nowhere near what it used to be in high school, and I try to console myself by reminding myself of that, but it's just not working, especially since I'm in this mindset of "DAMNIT, I'M NOT A TEENAGER ANYMORE".
I still get painful cysts on my chin (not on my forehead anymore) a week before my period, faithfully, every month. I just recently found out that zinc could help with acne, and I've been taking it for almost a month now and while my face isn't smooth, it definitely is cutting down the time it takes for a cyst to go away/stop being painful. Before zinc they'd be there for a week, now it's cut back to about 2 days.
As far as the hormonal aspect of this, I used to be on a different birth control than what I'm on now and it definitely stopped the breakouts. But then I had other side effects and got off the pill completely for about a year. THAT'S when the cysts started coming back. I got back on BC (Aviane, but just got switched to Lutera recently) and sadly it (Aviane) doesn't help my skin out (but really, Id take a breakout over the painful side effects my other pills gave me)
I just feel like I'm in high school all over again. I see people looking at the big red spots on my chin, I see them looking at my bumpy forehead. It makes me feel so terrible, and I'm terrified that it'll go back to the way it was when I was 17.
Here's some pictures attached. I know some people might say "OH PLEASE, I *WISH* MY SKIN LOOKED LIKE YOURS!", so if you're going to say that, shut up. Just click the back button. You may be right, your acne may be severe, but that doesn't mean what I'm going through doesn't make me feel terrible and that comment wouldn't do anything to help out.
Anyway, I just want to know if the regimen would be good for me. Because I know my acne isn't severe, I get really paranoid with any product, thinking it'll be too harsh. Also, these pictures are right after period week (TMI? Sorry) so my cysts are gone (well, I feel one starting up right now, actually). I have combination skin, with the oiliest parts being my T-zone.
(But Wow! on a positive side note, my eyelashes are thick and amazing! Never noticed before 
)
Are you using any topicals? A Bp Facewash or cetaphil antibacterial bar may really help if you don't want to use Bp all over your face every day.
Have you tried omegas?
These things all help me, but I'm not on bcp, so maybe play around with that too.
What I currently use on my face is Neutrogena's All-in-1 Acne Control (daily scrub, 2% salicylic acid), Cetaphil oil control moisturizer SPF 30, and recently switched from persa-gel 10 to the Neutrogena All-in-1 Acne Control facial treatment (salicylic acid, 1%)
I'm new to this site, so I'm browsing through info to take note on, and now I'm DEFINITELY going to stop using my face wash as it has scrubbing 'bead/sand' junk in it. I see that there's a list of what to look for in store-brand producsts, I'm just nervous about wasting money, being hopeful, then further seeing no results (like I have been :/, which is why I initially went to the dematologist, after spending money on store-brand to store-brand to Proactive, which didn't work either!)
As far as omegas, thanks for the reminder!!! I used to take a fish oil supplement a while back, and to think of it, I don't remember being as upset with my skin then as I am now. I'll give it another go!
Hmm.. I'm not saying I'm an expert on acne or anything, but judging by your pictures it looks like your acne is caused from excess oil buildup, as you concluded. Considering your main area affected is the T-zone. In that case, any drying agent would seem your best bet for now. The usual BP, SA.. ect. But I'm sure you're also very aware that hormones play a huge role in the over production of sebum/oil and all that good stuff. So the only true way to battle hormonal acne is from the inside out. Along with what others have mentioned, I'd try supplements. Omegas are only going to be beneficial to your skin. Other supplements to try would be: D3 (if your vitamin D deficient) vitamin A, E, C, Saw Palmetto, and the "cure all" B5 with B-complex. Except, don't do what I did and take them all at once lol. You'll never know which one helped! 