I think this is really interesting. I like the idea of the "second puberty" thing, and in ways actually agree with it. I keep saying this about myself too - that its like Im going through puberty all over again. My face was much much clearer last year, like say 3 pimples, 5 max every couple month. But since my period came back this year my skin has broke out, and its as if Im going through puberty again.

My mood swings are terrible aswell, like really bad, when I cry I CRY and am low for about 2 weeks. I also get worked up quite alot, this never used to happen that much last year at all.

I've never heard of a second puberty but I know lifestyle changes when people get to college, different toxins are introduced into the diet and such- along with some more stress. This could definitely contribute to acne. But generally, no I dont' think its an actual term or all that common. I think that for you- when you mention genetic PCOS- it gets worse as you grow out of your teens (internally, if you are not making huge effort to balance hormones), so the 20's can be a vengeful time for acne. I can only imagine that 30's would be worse if the hormonal issue isn't targeted.

I think this is really interesting. I like the idea of the "second puberty" thing, and in ways actually agree with it. I keep saying this about myself too - that its like Im going through puberty all over again. My face was much much clearer last year, like say 3 pimples, 5 max every couple month. But since my period came back this year my skin has broke out, and its as if Im going through puberty again.

My mood swings are terrible aswell, like really bad, when I cry I CRY and am low for about 2 weeks. I also get worked up quite alot, this never used to happen that much last year at all.

 

I'm really sorry you're going through all that. Have you ever had your hormones tested at all?

I've never heard of a second puberty but I know lifestyle changes when people get to college, different toxins are introduced into the diet and such- along with some more stress. This could definitely contribute to acne. But generally, no I dont' think its an actual term or all that common. I think that for you- when you mention genetic PCOS- it gets worse as you grow out of your teens (internally, if you are not making huge effort to balance hormones), so the 20's can be a vengeful time for acne. I can only imagine that 30's would be worse if the hormonal issue isn't targeted.

 

My life style was healthier actually, because I got diagnosed with PCOS and completley turned my life around, but I do know people that started leading very unhealthy lives at Uni because they weren't eating properly cooked meals etc. I do an awful lot to combat my problematic hormones, from all possible angles (BC isn't an option to me due to the heightened risk it puts me at for a stroke). I don't think what you're saying is true of all hormonal imbalances though - like I said, my mum had the same issues (worse really, because she had endometriosis too) and she got it at about 19 and apparently it went away at 22.

I do think understanding and treating the cause is significant, but sometimes events seem to allude scientific explanation. For example, my mum's hormones actually calmed down whilst she was pregnant with me, whereas science would suggest the acne and other issues would likely get worse.

I do think it's increasingly more and more common. You only have to look at the first time users of this board that are 18 or so get a real sense of how much it's happening. It's definitley a term in some sense because I've heard it being used, although I never thought it was an 'official' or 'medical' term.

I think this is really interesting. I like the idea of the "second puberty" thing, and in ways actually agree with it. I keep saying this about myself too - that its like Im going through puberty all over again. My face was much much clearer last year, like say 3 pimples, 5 max every couple month. But since my period came back this year my skin has broke out, and its as if Im going through puberty again.

My mood swings are terrible aswell, like really bad, when I cry I CRY and am low for about 2 weeks. I also get worked up quite alot, this never used to happen that much last year at all.

 

I'm really sorry you're going through all that. Have you ever had your hormones tested at all?

I've never heard of a second puberty but I know lifestyle changes when people get to college, different toxins are introduced into the diet and such- along with some more stress. This could definitely contribute to acne. But generally, no I dont' think its an actual term or all that common. I think that for you- when you mention genetic PCOS- it gets worse as you grow out of your teens (internally, if you are not making huge effort to balance hormones), so the 20's can be a vengeful time for acne. I can only imagine that 30's would be worse if the hormonal issue isn't targeted.

 

My life style was healthier actually, because I got diagnosed with PCOS and completley turned my life around, but I do know people that started leading very unhealthy lives at Uni because they weren't eating properly cooked meals etc. I do an awful lot to combat my problematic hormones, from all possible angles (BC isn't an option to me due to the heightened risk it puts me at for a stroke). I don't think what you're saying is true of all hormonal imbalances though - like I said, my mum had the same issues (worse really, because she had endometriosis too) and she got it at about 19 and apparently it went away at 22.

I do think understanding and treating the cause is significant, but sometimes events seem to allude scientific explanation. For example, my mum's hormones actually calmed down whilst she was pregnant with me, whereas science would suggest the acne and other issues would likely get worse.

I do think it's increasingly more and more common. You only have to look at the first time users of this board that are 18 or so get a real sense of how much it's happening. It's definitley a term in some sense because I've heard it being used, although I never thought it was an 'official' or 'medical' term.

 

Western medicine fails miserably, much of the time. In reality, science would say that when your mother got pregnant, her progesterone levels went up. She probably had estrogen dominance which is the cause of endometriosis and PCOS 99.9 percent of the time. The pregnancy probably allowed her ratio between estrogen and progesterone to fall back into balance. I've never, ever heard of something as chronic as diagnosed PCOS or endo simply disappearing on its own, but if it was the pregnancy that helped re-regulate the hormones, it makes sense. It's really a horrible thing with all the stuff hormonal acne sufferers like us have to go through. We change our diet completely, we take care of ourselves, only to still be imbalanced. Frustrating. But the key rests in hormonal balance. Easier said than done, but it can be done naturally you just have to talk to the right Dr.

I think this is really interesting. I like the idea of the "second puberty" thing, and in ways actually agree with it. I keep saying this about myself too - that its like Im going through puberty all over again. My face was much much clearer last year, like say 3 pimples, 5 max every couple month. But since my period came back this year my skin has broke out, and its as if Im going through puberty again.

My mood swings are terrible aswell, like really bad, when I cry I CRY and am low for about 2 weeks. I also get worked up quite alot, this never used to happen that much last year at all.

 

I'm really sorry you're going through all that. Have you ever had your hormones tested at all?

 

Well about a year ago they thought I may have PCOS, but it turned out I didn't after a scan I had done. I did get my hormon levels checked at that time and it had came back "normal" or so I was told anyway. However, when I recently went to the doctors a couple weeks ago, I asked if I could get them tested again and she also told me that from my previous hormonal test, it indicated that I have a slightly higher amount of androgens...which I had not been told previously. Therefore Im thinking these results may show the same thing?

Acne is very much genetic as well as hormonal - so if your mum had acne at your age, you are very likely to be in the same boat.

Hormones fluctuate all the time, but it's worse for women [generally speaking.] Once guys are finished with puberty, by the age of 21-23, their hormones are set for life, pretty much. The fluctuations in hormones are much smaller in men than in women. Men also have 'periods', so to speak when the body produces more testosterone than normal, as well as having an andropause occuring between the ages of 40 and 55 which is like menopause. See, men have a daily cycle as well as a yearly cycle - women just have monthly cycles and pregnancy. Because male hormones are relatively steady in males, it will affect their skin a lot less. Their testosterone levels are high in the morning and low in the evening, that's pretty much it, and this happens every day. So you could say that because men have 'periods' every day, their skin is used to all that.

So, what I'm trying to say is, it's not just puberty that screws with our hormones that gives us acne. Pregnancy can result in acne. Menopause can result in acne. But for some us, there is a sensitivity to even every day changes in hormones, or for women, having even just a teeny bit too high levels of androgens can ruin our skin.

 

 

I think this is really interesting. I like the idea of the "second puberty" thing, and in ways actually agree with it. I keep saying this about myself too - that its like Im going through puberty all over again. My face was much much clearer last year, like say 3 pimples, 5 max every couple month. But since my period came back this year my skin has broke out, and its as if Im going through puberty again.

 

My mood swings are terrible aswell, like really bad, when I cry I CRY and am low for about 2 weeks. I also get worked up quite alot, this never used to happen that much last year at all.

 

 

I'm really sorry you're going through all that. Have you ever had your hormones tested at all?

 

 

I think this is really interesting. I like the idea of the "second puberty" thing, and in ways actually agree with it. I keep saying this about myself too - that its like Im going through puberty all over again. My face was much much clearer last year, like say 3 pimples, 5 max every couple month. But since my period came back this year my skin has broke out, and its as if Im going through puberty again.

My mood swings are terrible aswell, like really bad, when I cry I CRY and am low for about 2 weeks. I also get worked up quite alot, this never used to happen that much last year at all.

 

I'm really sorry you're going through all that. Have you ever had your hormones tested at all?

I've never heard of a second puberty but I know lifestyle changes when people get to college, different toxins are introduced into the diet and such- along with some more stress. This could definitely contribute to acne. But generally, no I dont' think its an actual term or all that common. I think that for you- when you mention genetic PCOS- it gets worse as you grow out of your teens (internally, if you are not making huge effort to balance hormones), so the 20's can be a vengeful time for acne. I can only imagine that 30's would be worse if the hormonal issue isn't targeted.

 

My life style was healthier actually, because I got diagnosed with PCOS and completley turned my life around, but I do know people that started leading very unhealthy lives at Uni because they weren't eating properly cooked meals etc. I do an awful lot to combat my problematic hormones, from all possible angles (BC isn't an option to me due to the heightened risk it puts me at for a stroke). I don't think what you're saying is true of all hormonal imbalances though - like I said, my mum had the same issues (worse really, because she had endometriosis too) and she got it at about 19 and apparently it went away at 22.

I do think understanding and treating the cause is significant, but sometimes events seem to allude scientific explanation. For example, my mum's hormones actually calmed down whilst she was pregnant with me, whereas science would suggest the acne and other issues would likely get worse.

I do think it's increasingly more and more common. You only have to look at the first time users of this board that are 18 or so get a real sense of how much it's happening. It's definitley a term in some sense because I've heard it being used, although I never thought it was an 'official' or 'medical' term.

 

Western medicine fails miserably, much of the time. In reality, science would say that when your mother got pregnant, her progesterone levels went up. She probably had estrogen dominance which is the cause of endometriosis and PCOS 99.9 percent of the time. The pregnancy probably allowed her ratio between estrogen and progesterone to fall back into balance. I've never, ever heard of something as chronic as diagnosed PCOS or endo simply disappearing on its own, but if it was the pregnancy that helped re-regulate the hormones, it makes sense. It's really a horrible thing with all the stuff hormonal acne sufferers like us have to go through. We change our diet completely, we take care of ourselves, only to still be imbalanced. Frustrating. But the key rests in hormonal balance. Easier said than done, but it can be done naturally you just have to talk to the right Dr.

 

Ahh, now that would make sense. It never got resolved, she ended up having a hystorectomy (really sorry about my spelling just lately). Apparently you can still have problems with your purtuitry gland even after everything is gone. Odd that. I'm under the care of a specialist and he basically said I'm doing everything that I can already. It really is frustrating isn't it? Even when you do everything right things still don't seem totally under control. I've managed to control my mood swings, stabalize my weight and eliminate some of the abdominal pain, but the acne just won't budge even when everything else gets better.

I think this is really interesting. I like the idea of the "second puberty" thing, and in ways actually agree with it. I keep saying this about myself too - that its like Im going through puberty all over again. My face was much much clearer last year, like say 3 pimples, 5 max every couple month. But since my period came back this year my skin has broke out, and its as if Im going through puberty again.

My mood swings are terrible aswell, like really bad, when I cry I CRY and am low for about 2 weeks. I also get worked up quite alot, this never used to happen that much last year at all.

 

I'm really sorry you're going through all that. Have you ever had your hormones tested at all?

 

Well about a year ago they thought I may have PCOS, but it turned out I didn't after a scan I had done. I did get my hormon levels checked at that time and it had came back "normal" or so I was told anyway. However, when I recently went to the doctors a couple weeks ago, I asked if I could get them tested again and she also told me that from my previous hormonal test, it indicated that I have a slightly higher amount of androgens...which I had not been told previously. Therefore Im thinking these results may show the same thing?

 

You don't need to have cysts on your ovaries to have polycystic ovarian syndrome. It sounds counter intuative but it's true. Your brain can send out the wrong hormonal signals without always causing cysts. I'm free of cysts at the moment, but my hormonal problems haven't gone away. There are also other things which can cause hormonal imbalance.

I've learnt a lot from your posts Armadillo. Thankyou! (Awesome name too!)

I can't help but wish I was a guy when my time of the month does come around sometimes. But abdominal muscle strenthening is my friend.

I also agree with what you said about the test results. I've been told mine were normal in the past only to have another doctor a couple of years down the line tell me that actually, they were a bit irregular, but not enough so for 'major concern'.

In the case of having slightly higher androgens in your body, what exactly should be done to solve that? Is it a case of solving it through diet and lifestyle changes to lower that amount, or would it need to be solved with a pill?

I certainly will go back to the doctors and ask for a print out of my results, since I know that they will tell me I have higher androgens but will say its "within normal range" blah blah...I really do hate how they do that.

In the case of having slightly higher androgens in your body, what exactly should be done to solve that? Is it a case of solving it through diet and lifestyle changes to lower that amount, or would it need to be solved with a pill?

I certainly will go back to the doctors and ask for a print out of my results, since I know that they will tell me I have higher androgens but will say its "within normal range" blah blah...I really do hate how they do that.

 

I find that as long as you make it known that your symptoms, in this case such as acne, are bothering you, they will usually agree to work out some kind of treatment for you. Yes, your androgen levels can only properly be controlled by medicine, so yeah, you would be taking pills.