Hello! I'm relatively new to this forum (in the last week) and I wanted some advice. I tend to have clear skin overall but when I do get spots they are huge, at times they have been cyst-like, painful and of course not attractive to look at! It really affects my self confidence and I worry about my skin a lot! To the point I am scared to make plans or cancel seeing people because I'm upset about the state of my skin. It's almost like the spots I get are not normal, most people get those tiny pimples that you can't really notice, but with mine there's no hiding the fact I've got a pimple
Anyway. So I've tried tetracycline (cleared my skin nicely but I felt sick ALL THE TIME and had a horrible burning feeling in my throat/chest after taking it), cutting out dairy for a year (did NOTHING for my skin and I missed cheese too much!) evening primrose oil (no effect), tea tree oil (worked to speed up healing of active spots and seemed to reduce amount of breakouts some of the time), Zineryt (I had an allergic reaction and broke out in an itchy and stinging rash!) and I'm currently using Dalacin T and have been on the contraceptive pill Cilest for three months (Ortho Cyclen in USA). I currently have a cyst like spot on my face that the Dalacin T is calming slightly.
The ONLY thing that has ever worked for my skin is Yasmin (birth control pill)! When I was on Yasmin for 2 years my skin was pretty much perfect. I stopped taking it 8 months ago because I came across all the health scares/lawsuits on the internet and freaked out, I threw all my pills away. Anyway three months after stopping taking yasmin my skin was a mess - way worse than usual, probably due to the changing hormones after coming off yasmin. I waited it out for a bit (using tea tree and evening primrose oil as a dietary supplement) but in the end it got me down so almost three months ago I started taking the birth control Cilest (ortho cyclen). The doc said it could take up to three months to work on my acne. Now its been almost three months (3 days to go) and I'm still not happy with my skin. Plus I've had some other side effects on this birth control that I'm not happy with.
I'm SERIOUSLY considering going back on Yasmin, despite the potential health threats. From what I've read on the internet more recently (in journal articles, scientific reports) the risks may not be that bad (or at least the same as other contraceptives). I'm pretty desperate to get my skin back how it was.
What do you guys think? I've also heard Spironolactone works in the same way as the ingredient in Yasmin to regulate hormones and treat acne? Perhaps I should try this instead?
Sorry for the lengthy post, any advice would be much appreciated!!!!
Lou xx
Can I just ask what tea tree oil product you were using? I'm thinking of getting some since DD has developed a BP allergy. All I know is that her skin was the best on Yasmin and spiro. I can't address the health threats of it, I'm sorry. I always pray about the meds she's on LOL. Like for protection. Sometimes you have to way quality of life against risks. Life with acne can suck. If you don't want to take it again, you could try another non-androgenic pill and add some spiro. It was probably the spiro-like progestin in Yasmin that helped you so much. DD tries to get along with Yaz and 50 mgs of spiro because of the side-effects from spiro. Yasmin made her too emotional unfortunately.
Thurday Plantation is the best tea tree oil I've tried. I've also tried Boots (uk) own version as well as a number of other brands and the Thursday Plantation seems to be the most effective (although slightly more expensive than the others). I tend to apply it neat and it works fine for me. However people with more sensitive skin may need to dilute it first.
I agree, its definitely the progestin that helped me. No other BC pill helped me like Yasmin. I decided I'm going to go back on it, I need my quality of life back and I didn't have any bad side effects on Yasmin. I just freaked out because other people were having health problems on it and it was all over the media. But I guess there are risks on every medication 
Hi there.I know how you feel,but there are health risks with any drug you take honestly.
You will hear horror stories about Accutane,Yasmin,Minocycline,Doxy,and even Spiro...
Some things just don't agree with certain people.But it sounds like you were on the Yasmin 2 years and didn't have any problems,so hopefully that will not be the case with you.
Spiro is actually not medically listed as a treatment for acne yet here in the U.S.,so some doctors won't even prescribe it for that purpose.Of course there are health risks involved as with any medication.
You must get your electrolytes tested and your potassium levels tested periodically to make sure they aren't too high or low.These things can be fatal.
Since Yasmin has a similar ingredient as spiro in it,perhaps that is part of the problem some people are having?
My doctor agreed only on the terms I get tested every 3 months.
The internet is full of misinformation though or people who hype things up (usually for some kind of personal gain like trying to sell you THEIR products).
As long as you and your doctor keep an eye on things,you shouldn't worry yourself so much over what you read on here.
I would go back to what has worked for you,cuz it is hard for a lot of people to find something that works well for them.
Hi there.I know how you feel,but there are health risks with any drug you take honestly.You will hear horror stories about Accutane,Yasmin,Minocycline,Doxy,and even Spiro...
Some things just don't agree with certain people.But it sounds like you were on the Yasmin 2 years and didn't have any problems,so hopefully that will not be the case with you.
Spiro is actually not medically listed as a treatment for acne yet here in the U.S.,so some doctors won't even prescribe it for that purpose.Of course there are health risks involved as with any medication.
You must get your electrolytes tested and your potassium levels tested periodically to make sure they aren't too high or low.These things can be fatal.
Since Yasmin has a similar ingredient as spiro in it,perhaps that is part of the problem some people are having?
My doctor agreed only on the terms I get tested every 3 months.
The internet is full of misinformation though or people who hype things up (usually for some kind of personal gain like trying to sell you THEIR products).
As long as you and your doctor keep an eye on things,you shouldn't worry yourself so much over what you read on here.
I would go back to what has worked for you,cuz it is hard for a lot of people to find something that works well for them.
Hi DarkJewel! Thanks so much for replying, I was wondering if anyone was reading my post! To be honest I am so upset with my skin at the moment that I have decided to go back on Yasmin.I've talked it through with my doctor and my friends and family and they all agree that my skin problems are causing a lot of emotional distress for me and that it would be best to start taking yasmin again. My GP also thinks Yasmin is as safe as other contraceptive pills, in fact she believes it to be one of the safer ones. So I'll go with that rather than what I read on the internet! I agree about people hyping things up for their own gain. Obviously the companies building lawsuits against Bayer are going to stress the risks involved. But all birth control carries risks, each ones specific to that drug. Like you say, I was on yasmin for two years and did not have any problems, so I'll take my chances. Plus, I need contraception and the other pills I've tried are giving me horrible side effects (ortho cyclen currently!). Thanks for your advice. I will talk to the doc about having my potassium levels checked. I'm not sure how keen they will be to do that on the NHS, but I'll mention it anyway
I'm having similar problems to this also, stopped yasmin seven months ago and skin is awful, started on face and now chest and neck also bad, it's really getting me down and I'm thinking I have no choice but to go back on it cos it's taking over my life. Wondering how long it will take to work if I do go back on it? Feel like I'm giving up cos I'll have gone through an awful 7 month for nothing.
If you are fearful of going back on Yasmin, you can look into the Spironolactone route. I've taken Yasmin before it cleared me up 95%, back on it years later along with 50 mg of Spiro and slowly but surely working my way back to clarity. It's been a tough few months, so the sooner you can start on a treatment to balance your hormones out the sooner you will be back to your self!
I'm having similar problems to this also, stopped yasmin seven months ago and skin is awful, started on face and now chest and neck also bad, it's really getting me down and I'm thinking I have no choice but to go back on it cos it's taking over my life. Wondering how long it will take to work if I do go back on it? Feel like I'm giving up cos I'll have gone through an awful 7 month for nothing.
Thanks for replying!
I went off Yasmin for three weeks to go to a less strong pill called Femodette. After three weeks I started breaking out everywhere! With cysts and little ones too. I couldn't handle it and just changed back to Yasmin again. I've been on Yasmin for a week now and my skin is much better again but I do worry that, after having read posts which have said that the Yasmin is less effective the second time around, I will not get my skin back to being as clear as it was.
I have now made the decision to get back on the yasmin, unfortunately I don't think they prescribe spironalactone for acne here in the uk. I'm hoping to see a dermatologist to see how to get off the yasmin for good without my skin going crazy.
Just hope it still works for me and that it doesn't take long, also don't think I can cope with it getting worse before better so fingers crossed for a smooth ride!
Just remember everyone is different, you only went off it for a few weeks. I think many people try it again years later when your hormones have fluctuated throughout your normal lifetime and so things do work different. I am 32 now and I have had a few flareups in my 20s due to changing hormones. As we get older things change, so have faith that this will work once again for you
Thanks for replying!
I went off Yasmin for three weeks to go to a less strong pill called Femodette. After three weeks I started breaking out everywhere! With cysts and little ones too. I couldn't handle it and just changed back to Yasmin again. I've been on Yasmin for a week now and my skin is much better again but I do worry that, after having read posts which have said that the Yasmin is less effective the second time around, I will not get my skin back to being as clear as it was.
Yup, I take 50 mg of Spiro, on day 58 so far. I also started Yasmin last month. It is helpful to be on a BC while on Spiro to help keep your periods regulated. I didn't have my period for 1 year form bodybuilding and then had a terrible outlash of hormonal acne. So these two are working together to balance me out. I also am on Doxy since the initial breakout as with almost all acne treatments. Happy to answer any questions from my experience, but so far I am happy with my choice. Lots of support on this group from other women on here who have had success to. look for Green Gables posts as well!
Liz
Here are some studies that I found:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3315877/
http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/rxlist_view_comments.asp?drug=aldactone&questionid=fdb6671_pem
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/adult-acne-is-treatable
Thanks for the reply, that's interesting I will definitely bear that in mind for when I see the dermatologist. So are you taking both together? Do you eventually hope to just use the spiro on its own?
i take spiro as well and it has worked better for me than anything else i have ever tried and i have done it all. the pill just made me break out worse i hated it and was on it for years. i don't take birth control while on spiro and my periods are just fine now. it took a good few months or so for them to regulate. good luck to you!