1 hour ago, rachelrc15 said:

I am trying to diagnose my acne so that I can find a good cure.

For the past three years i have had perfectly good skin all summer long. As soon as the colder weather hits (around novemberish?), I begin to break out really badly.

I break out on my forehead and chin/moutharea, and sometimes cheeks. I notice that my forehead acne goes away slightly after the first few months, but around my chin stays.

As soon as March hits, almost overnight I am clear, or at least it seems that way. Then I am fine till the next winter.

I have taken prescribed medicine for the past three years, and that has definitely cleared it up/helped. But I can only take this for so long, and I feel as though the effects are wearing off.

My skin care routine/products don'tchange andmy daily life/routine doesn't change all that much, so it's not that. I'm wondering if it has something to do with being in the sun, but I'm not exactly in the sun in October or March, so I am confused. It seems totally seasonal, andI am not sure how to treat this.

Thank you to anyone who is willing to help! I am a 18 year old student who desperately frustrated. I had mostly clear skin growing up. Why does my skin do this?

BTW I live in the Midwest, so it gets very cold in winter. (Pics below are summer vs. winter)

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Based on your description and where your acne is located on your face, I'm 99% sure you have a vitamin D deficiency. Go get tested for vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin D, and you might have your answer. Vitamin D supplements would be my first suggestion, but make sure it's either a good quality D3 brand or a D2 prescription from your doctor (depending on how deficient you are).

If you also get other symptoms during the winter, such as depression, then you might have seasonal affective disorder...again, this can be treated with vitamin D.

Yeah agree with WishClean completely! Deffs try D3 and let us know how it goes!!!

It's difficult to diagnose your acne any further than you have acne!

My doctor has told me before that the seasons can affect your acne, but personally, I've never really noticed a significant difference. It's probably just a coincidence of when you break out. I've had some bad spells of acne in Jan - Feb before, but also some really clear spells.

You could have a vitamin D deficiency, but it's likely you'd be exhibiting other symptoms apart from acne. A few people on here have said vitamin D has sorted their acne out, but I've never seen any before/after photos to confirm this. I'd say that more people have said vitamin D supplements haven't done anything for their acne.

I'm not sure what medications you've been prescribed so far, but a good option is to try combination therapy e.g. a retinoid gel in the morning and then a topical antibiotic at night.

I agree that vitamin d is a good suggestion. It could also be the weather. In the cold weather is your skin drying out more?I often find my skin is dryer in winter especially when i'minside with lots of air conditioners. I know it seems like drying your skin out would help acne but it actually aggravates my skin. At night i use rosehip oil on my face. It has healthy oils in it like omega 3. Other similar oils you could try are jojoba or hemp seed.