After developing horrifying cystics (again, they were a problem in my early 20's, now I'm 30) with all the small whiteheads and blackheads all over my face particularly on my jawline, cheeks, and around my mouth.....I began to loose hope in my skin's overall apperance. Nothing was working until I started seeing my facialist twice a month for facials, extractions, and chemical peels. My dermatologist put me on Spironolactone 50mg. twice daily along with prescription topicals (Acanya and Atralin). I've made a commitment to give up dairy also in addition to see what that did for my skin as I've read that dairy can further aggrevate acne making me break out more. I've been on all of these skin care methods for about 4 months now and seeing amazing results. I do have scarring from my cystics on my cheeks but they are fading with Obaji C Clarifying serum and Proactive Dark Spot Corrector. My make up of choice is Sephora Tarte Tinted Moisturizer (mattes when I sweat and gives me a subtle glow) and Sheer Cover loose powder that covers exceptionally well to even out my skin tone. I clean my make up brushes 2-3x per week and use new make up wedges every day when applying. I wash my pillow cases that often as well.
My cystics have calmed down with an exception of a couple here and there that I get injected with cortisone as needed. I do have ones that linger that need a second or third injection to completely get rid of them. The small whiteheads and blackheads are decreased in the amount in comparison of what I use to have. The Atralin (Retin-A) I use every night tends to bring up the whiteheads and I get extractions every 2 weeks encouraging my pores to stay clear. It's taking time to see complete results but I feel that I am getting there. The giving up dairy is extremely difficult but I'm finding vegan alternates that are absolutely amazing where I do not feel deprived. I've been complimented on my skin's overall appearance indicating that I have a glow now. Spironlactone is the main source of my acne being controlled and clearing up. The trick is to stay on a regimen to see if it truly works consistently so that you can see gradual results. It is discouraging to not see results right away but it takes time with the topicals and oral medications. I refuse to take a hormonal birth control method as it makes my body react with weight gain, moodiness, worse acne, and other side effects. I have a Paraguard Copper IUD instead that's non-hormonal that's working really well for me and I don't have to worry about it for 10 years.
Wow, I'm in the same boat so am happy to hear this.
I'm feel like I'm dying because os the cystic acne I'm dealing with and I just started 50mg/day of Sprio this week.
I wonder if I am not taking enough if I have cystic acne? Was yours really bad when your derm prescribed it?
I have a cyst that is about 4 weeks old; 2 weeks since it became raised and embarrassing..............I'm debated getting a cortisone shot for it.
Just wondering if you ever regret getting cortisone shots?
The other awful cyst I'm dealing with I had injected and it didn't help and I had atrophy and I swore I wouldn't do it again but I'm so desperate I'm considering it.
Wow, I'm in the same boat so am happy to hear this.
I'm feel like I'm dying because os the cystic acne I'm dealing with and I just started 50mg/day of Sprio this week.
I wonder if I am not taking enough if I have cystic acne? Was yours really bad when your derm prescribed it?
I have a cyst that is about 4 weeks old; 2 weeks since it became raised and embarrassing..............I'm debated getting a cortisone shot for it.
Just wondering if you ever regret getting cortisone shots?
The other awful cyst I'm dealing with I had injected and it didn't help and I had atrophy and I swore I wouldn't do it again but I'm so desperate I'm considering it.
Hi started out with 50mg once daily than got bumped up to 100mg. once daily. This was due to the fact that I was coming in at least once a week for cortisone injections for new cystic acne popping up in the same areas on my cheeks and near by mouth as well as my forehead areas they liked to always pop up. My Dermatologist said that the increase in dosage should gain more control over my cystics and they have moreso than just the 50mg. dosage. I had no idea how bad my acne was until I looked closely as my skin where my cystics where alongside with whiteheads and blackheads all over my face. I had at one point lost cout at 7 or 8 cystics at a time where my face hurt so bad that I'd be in tears. I haven't had a problem with atrophy after injections nor do I regret getting them because they work so well for me. I don't think twice when I need to get rid of my cystics especially the ones that linger and won't fully flatten.
However, I cannot fully credit the Spironolactone increase......I noticed a HUGE difference once I started to give up dairy. I cannot stress enough how much dairy affected my skin. I do have some "dormant" cystics that have the bump even after the cortisone injections that I have to get reinjected to fully deflate them. When I ate even the slightest bit of cheese or continued to drink milk in my skin errupted in cystics about 6 or more at a time. I carefully considered giving up dairy entirely due to the fact that I was starting to take an anti-androgen which is a hormone found in dairy products (along with insulin another cause of acne) so this pretty much counteracts if I continued to consume dairy products making my meds not working probably at all I thought. This was my train of thought in researching it all. I've been off dairy for almost 2 months now and my skin is behaving so much better where Spiro is able to fully work in my opinion. It's still taking time to fully see results but I am seeing an incredible difference as my Dermatologist and Facialist are impressed with the results I am making.
People say that diet has nothing to do with causes of acne but I truly do believe that dairy is toxic to acne sufferers like myself. We do everything we can to get clear skin but who to thought that dairy can be one of the inflamming factors to probably causing our painful cystics.
Keep up with the Spiro along with your skin regimen, I won't stand for cystics even at my healing/clearing stage as I will get them injected when they pop up and it is ok per my Dermatologist when I asked her if it's alright to continue along with the cortisones.
My mother's side of the family clearly are suffering from acne that is pretty much at a severe peek. I don't dare as the sensitive questions about my cousin's skin but I know that if I wasn't doing what I am doing now, my skin would look just as bad. The scarring was a huge concern too as I let my facialist extract professional with her gentle touch and I don't pick at my face or touch it throughout the day.
Well done, Vitamin-A is awesome. Keep it up.
Vitamin A? Not sure what you're referring to.....?
Oh i must have put it in the wrong post! Sorry. Never tried cortisone injections, what's the run through with them? Best thing for cysts is to get the puss out from each angle and then apply your product to disinfect.
Never tried spiro either, side effects?
No worries, threw me off for a sec there.......the cortisone injections help heal cystic acne with it's steroid anti-inflammatory properties. It speeds up healing time as little as one day for me where it flattens out. I do not mess with cystics as they are serious forms of acne that are deep within the pore to where topicals cannot reach and leave those for my Dermatologist to go after with the injections. I don't even let my facialist pop them at all even if they are "ready" to be popped because of horrible scarring that can occur and spread infection to other parts of my face.
Spironolactone is an off label hormonal acne medication prescribed for women where it blocks the androgen hormone. Androgen is a male hormone that stimulates oil glands making them overactive causing severe acne in females especially around that time of the month. Spironolactone is not prescribed for men for acne purposes but is given to males for congestive heart failure conditions. It side effects are in men: Erectile dysfunction and breast enlargement. Other side effects include: nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, lethargy, blurred vision, headache, and raises potassium levels where you must be monitored by your doctor for blood work for monitoring.
Wow, thanks for the info. After all the thing i've tried in the past i've never heard of spiro, guess that's because i'm a man! What side effects have you got though?
How many cysts do you normally get? Glad to hear there's a way around them, how often do you get them treated? William.
Wow, thanks for the info. After all the thing i've tried in the past i've never heard of spiro, guess that's because i'm a man! What side effects have you got though?
How many cysts do you normally get? Glad to hear there's a way around them, how often do you get them treated? William.
RIght now, I only get one or two at a time since my meds are kicking in. As compared to 6 or more. I get them injected seems like every 2-3 weeks now rather than once a week at it's worse. The only side effects I get with Spiro is lethargy and weakness if I combine it with my beta blocker to control my nerves when I work. I use to take Propranolol for performance anxiety when I work as it controls my shakey hands but I don't since starting Spiro because it lowers blood pressure also.
I do need to get 3 dormant cystics injected again soon as they are still present that won't go away until I inject them 2 or 3x which is common.