I've had acne ever since I was 11, and realized it was hormonal at around 15. My doc put me on Diane 35 first, which seemed to help enormously, then I didn't take anything for a year or so, then started yaz, and have been taking that on and off for a few years now. I'm now 21. For a while, yaz helped with acne just like Diane 35. What especially helped is taking breaks off and then restarting. But at some point once I decided to stop for good, I broke out like crazy, moderate if not severe pustules, all over my face, it wouldn't stop. It was the worst breakout of my life. I was 19. So I was forced to go back on yaz. It helped, but about 7 months later I began breaking out again, almost as bad, as if I wasn't even on the pill. I tried giving it up again, seeing how it'd helped in the past, and I'd always had really clear skin after I stopped yaz. But no, didn't change a thing. I go back on the pill months later. Nope, still breaking out like crazy. I don't know what's going on. I had been able to control my acne for years with just birth control, and now it seems out of control like it was 10 years ago. I get a painful pimple at least every other day now, and it seems like new ones pop up before the old ones even go away. Why would birth control no longer work? Did build tolerance to it? Is that even possible? I'm still certain it's hormonal acne cause my jawline and chin are covered with it, yet my forehead is ALWAYS perfectly clear. I'm gonna see a gyno when I have the money, and take hormonal tests, but for now I'm lost. Any advice or insight appreciated.
I think it is possible that yaz might stop working because it has the same ingredient as spiro for clearing your skin and spiro stopped working for me after three years. I'm now trying natural progesterone cream. Also, you may just be in a bad rebound from going off the pill, so it might take longer for things to get under control. What about switching to Diane again?
Thanks maria199, I am definitely going to check out the boards more. Seems like there's a ton of useful info on this forum, time for me to get into it.
brenmc, yeah I'm thinking about going back on Diane. It seems to help better than yaz, though i have to probably see a gyno first, and do hormone testing. What's weird is that normally after i'm off the pill my skin is perfect, but I feel really depressed. This time, it's reversed. I feel super upbeat and positive, but my skin is worse. Until the testing is done and I decide what to do, I really hope I can control the damage this acne is doing to me. So far I've already gotten a bunch of brand new purple scars that will probably take at least a year to go away. I have azelaic acid and I started using it a couple days ago, we'll see how that works. I'm also thinking of taking some supplements meanwhile that dont require docs approval. Anything you would recommend? I know cyclodynon helped me a while ago, so I'm getting it this month.
I know how you feel about the purple scars, I feel like I could be a professional makeup artist at this point (from spending so many hours covering acne or scars).
Vitamin D can't hurt and you could try progesterone cream if you have any of the symptoms of low progesterone (see hearts post 'how I cleared my hormonal acne naturally'). She also took DIM which can cause an IB, so be mindful of that but vitamin D and NPC won't.
Thanks maria199, I am definitely going to check out the boards more. Seems like there's a ton of useful info on this forum, time for me to get into it.
brenmc, yeah I'm thinking about going back on Diane. It seems to help better than yaz, though i have to probably see a gyno first, and do hormone testing. What's weird is that normally after i'm off the pill my skin is perfect, but I feel really depressed. This time, it's reversed. I feel super upbeat and positive, but my skin is worse. Until the testing is done and I decide what to do, I really hope I can control the damage this acne is doing to me. So far I've already gotten a bunch of brand new purple scars that will probably take at least a year to go away. I have azelaic acid and I started using it a couple days ago, we'll see how that works. I'm also thinking of taking some supplements meanwhile that dont require docs approval. Anything you would recommend? I know cyclodynon helped me a while ago, so I'm getting it this month.
Im currently taking a multivitamin everyday. Should I take extra vitamins on top of that just to help acne or would that be an overkill? Also, I checked out some info about the progesterone cream, but I'm kinda scared to try it considering I haven't tested my hormones yet and I'm not sure if I have low progesterone.
Sorry I'm kind of a newbie, but what's IB? DIM is sounding pretty good atm, seems like it helps with general health as well?
I tried Yasmin and for some reason it gave me anxiety, chest pains, and shortness of breath just enough for me to get freaked out and stop taking it after 9 days or so.
I would be worried that you are at risk for DVT, which would make any birth control a liability for you. What did your doctor say about your symptoms? Did they run any tests after those symptoms occurred?
I tried Yasmin twice and both times it gave me a horrible yeast infection that cleared up as soon as I stopped taking it both times. It cleared up my back acne but didn't really work on my face. I'm wondering if I tried it for longer it would have helped my face too. As much as I want clear skin though, I'm not sure if a constant yeast infection is worth it...
I tried Yasmin and for some reason it gave me anxiety, chest pains, and shortness of breath just enough for me to get freaked out and stop taking it after 9 days or so.
I would be worried that you are at risk for DVT, which would make any birth control a liability for you. What did your doctor say about your symptoms? Did they run any tests after those symptoms occurred?
I checked into ER that day thinking I had that, but they said nothing was wrong and I was perfectly fine. I think it was a panic attack. Still, I wouldn't want to be on a pill that did that. I was pretty sure it was the pill too because I had the symptoms all throughout the week I was taking it, and then it stopped as soon as I stopped taking it. The doc said whatever, if Yaz didn't cause anything like that I should keep taking it,