Hi everyone!

I have been a long time reader on acne.org, but this is my first time posting. I wanted to wait until I reached 100% clearance before I shared my story. Basically, I want to lay out the action plan that I used to clear my severe hormonal/cystic acne. You can take parts of it as advice or try to follow the whole regimen. I just really want to help others out there who struggle with severe acne and save them years of future struggle as well.

In short, I've dealt with uncontrollable acne cysts all throughout my chin and sometimes on my cheeks and even my forehead for about 7 years. I also have dealt with extremely oily skin and black heads, bumpy skin, and overall clogged pores. I've tried various Rx medications as well as almost every over the counter product you can imagine. At times, I was able to get some of the less severe acne cleared via these topical tactics, but the painful, scarring cysts on my chin would not go away. I was recommended a course of Accutane, but I opted out as I go to school out of state and would not be able to meet with the same doctors every month. So I started to look at other options, and it wasn't until I began reading about the connection between hormones (most often testosterone in females) and chin acne that I finally moved in the right direction. I was prescribed spironolactone for it, and it did help a lot! My oiliness went down drastically and my chin calmed somewhat. Unfortunately, I never reached maintainable clearance and the side effects of the drug as a diuretic were too much for me to continue. In my research I also began to see articles that explained the hormones in dairy to have androgenic (ie. testosterone-like) effects,and I read amazing success stories about people who cut out dairy. I brought it up to my doctor numerous times and was always told the connection was unproven; however, this past year I stuck with it anyway, and all I can say is wow. I'm so happy, but I'm so angry that I went so many years and have so many scars that could've been prevented. Cutting out the dairy cleared my face up 100%, like I have never seen since before puberty. Granted, I do still use topicals to keep my skin texture and pores in check, but together I have finally cured my worst nightmare. So please, take a look at my regimen below and give it a shot. I myself am very much a cynic, and I think this is one of those things you just have to try out for yourself. Everyone is different and it may or may not work. But if your skin and story sounds like mine, it could be your cure as well.

Diet: absolutely no dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, creams, etc). I may eat a small bite or two maybe once a month, but for the vast majority of the time I have found great alternatives and new recipes. Pinterest is awesome, and vegan recipes can often be adapted to maintain dairy free components while adding back meat or eggs if you want. The key is to not deprive yourself, and soon you won't even miss it, I promise. This helped with cysts on my chin, as well as oiliness.

Water: I shoot for at least 70-90 oz every day. You can look up online your personally recommended amount, but it is oh so important to clear skin. This helped with cysts and inflammation.

Change pillow cases/sheets: it's important to keep oils with bacteria off your face (no I'm not against face oils in general). I switch my pillow case every other day and flip it over every night to get a new clean side. This helped a lot with clogged pores on my cheeks. Another great thing is oil sheets. Clean and Clear makes a good option.

Don't pick: this is so hard but so important. If a pimple is entirely to its head, I willsafely extract it with kleenex over my fingers, and follow up with hydrogen peroxide and a hot rag. Other than that, I do not pick or try to extract anything from my face.

Topicals:

Morning:

1. Neutrogena Acne Stress power cream (NOT the scrub. Scrubs will always aggravate inflamed acne and should be avoided) good because AHA and BHA
2. Hot compress held to any large cysts to encourage healing and draining
3. Neutrogena pore refining toner - more AHA and BHA
4. Clean and Clear acne spot treatment on T zone and other problem spots at the moment
5. Cerave moisturizing lotion (normal dark blue bottle) - super lightweight
6. Cotz sensitive sunscreen SPF 40 - SUPER important to avoid redness from sun sensitivity if you have fair skin (like me)
7. Aveeno baby lotion to hands and neck to prevent dryness from all of these other products

Night:

1. Neutrogena naturals wash / make up remover
2. Neutrogena acne stress power cream
3. Hot compress to any large cysts
4. Neutrogena pore refining toner
5. Adapalene .1% (aka Differin .1% cream, NOT gel)
6. BP 5% / Clindamycin 1% (aka Benzaclin) applied as spot treatment
7. Aveenobaby lotion to hands and neck to prevent dryness from all of these other products

Once a week: Aztec healing clay mixed with apple cider vinegar - amazing stuff, definitely check it out if you never have

Body acne topicals: used on chest, back, and butt regions (basically where I sweat and then break out)

Morning: (in shower)wash with Grandpas Thylox sulfur bar (NOTE: DO NOT MIX WITH SILVER JEWELRY - I learned the hard way that a chemical reaction occurs that immediately tarnishes the silver. I was able to restore my ringbut just avoid it in the first place)

Night: Stridex maximum strength facepads; may apply some BP/Clindamycin cream as a spot treatment to any problem spots

Whew, I know that was a lot. I hope this was helpful though. Please please reach out to me to ask questions. I want people to know how much acne is internal as external, and to find their combination of changes in both areas that gives them clear skin. It is possible. It isnt something you should have to wait out. And I want so badly to help so even one less person had to spend years of their life like I did on this misunderstood infliction.

I will also post what I use for make up (when I wear it) if anyone is interested. I also should note that I take Microgestin Fe 1/20 for BC, but it showed no improvement or worsening of my skin, much to my dismay.