I am 25 years old and have been struggling with acne since I was 13. As a teen, I got a few spots here and there and used some topical treatments like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, and those didn't really do anything other than dry out my face.

When I turned 19, my skin went crazy. Cystic acne, mostly along my jawline and chin. I was put on antibiotics and birth control. I tried many types of birth control and antibiotics but none of them helped; I just felt weak. I finally started a combo of low estrogen birth control and 100 mg of spironolactone at age 21, and within 4 months, my face was spotless. Birth control never helped my skin or regulated my period but I went on it because I didn't want to get pregnant. It was the spiro that healed my acne. Now I'm seeing that spiro is not a permanent solution and it's more of a band aid for acne.

However, I started to develop symptoms of hypothyroidism. I gained weight, didn't have a period for years, was always cold, was always fatigued. I got off birth control and spiro about three months ago and was put on herbs by a TCM doctor and my hypothyroidism symptoms were gone in two weeks.

Now I've started having breakouts again but I do not want to go back on the pill or spiro. I hate the way my skin looks now - I've gotten breakouts on my jawline and around my mouth. Typical hormonal signs. So I went to the doctor to get a hormone test. Everything came back normal. I don't know what to think of that. I thought I possibly have PCOS because of the irregular periods and the acne, but I don't have any of the ovarian cysts or hair growth problems.

I most recently tried using saw palmetto and that cleared up my skin a bit.... but it made me severely depressed and at times suicidal so I had to get off of it.

I don't know what to do. I am scared to try something that could cause depression again because of the saw palmetto. And I'm scared to try birth control and spiro again because the doctor had determined that it was the cause of my hypothyroidism symptoms before. I want a permanent solution.