My understanding is either we have too many androgens in our body or (more commonly) our skin receptors are oversensitive to normal levels of androgens. From what I've read, anti-androgens like spiro will help both problems. Have you gotten hormone levels tested to determine if hormone levels are normal?

Spearmint tea and saw palmetto are natural anti-androgens. They might help you, especially if you use a combination approach. Something like topical retinoids plus natural anti-androgens plus a healthy low glycemic dairy free diet can be helpful.

I'm sure I've tried to understand countless times but I'm curious why anti-androgens work so well? Why are we in the position to need to use anti-androgens just to control acne and of course coming off them = acne comes back. I understand using bcp can mess up your hormones or even having to go on bcp just to treat it, but why is it impossible to fix your hormones and keep it that way?.. always seems to just come back.

Can someone explain why we have this androgen issues and whats going on there and why only anti-androgens work to control it?

I'm a little confused, still, why this is happening in myself and why all of a sudden at the age of 19 nearly 20. spiro kept me 99% clear (havent tried other anti-androgens but I've heard of others like flutamide etc). is there a way to re-create the affect of anti-androgens without taking meds? Just dont understand why i even need an anti-androgen to live my life, why my body wont be normal like most people in the world. more so why now, when i didnt have acne when i hit puberty nor when i switched pills 2 possibly 3 times.

does anyone have any insight?

 

You really have a lot of questions, FSAS. Not that it's a bad thing. I'll try to get to your other posts and questions, but I have a chaotic schedule now.

To put it short, increased androgens cause and/or worsen acne. Inhibiting androgen production can therefore decrease acne. The reason why acne can "suddenly" appear at a later age is kind of the same reason why some women get their first period at 18--usually genetics-related. Diseases and hormones can act strangely, going away and coming back for "no apparent" reason. Like many diseases, acne tends to go away on its own.

You are still young so your acne may just go away as your hormones calm down later in your 20's. Many people have that happen. In that case anti-androgens like spiro are getting you through a rough patch and then you can stop. If you're not one of the lucky ones and your acne continues then you'll have to try other ways to treat it since it's not a good idea to mess with hormones for too long. One idea is the spearmint tea because it's natural and not harsh on the body. Another option is to start using a topical that helps normalize the pores like BP or tretinoin (retin-a products). But since you are so young you may just want to stay on spiro since it works and then try going off of it in a few years and see what happens. Even if you have a body that is sensitive to androgens you may still stay clear because the level of hormones will be less as you get older. Or you may have a body that remains sensitive. But there are a number of ways to treat acne so I'd just be glad you have something that works right now. Relax...enjoy your 20's!

I think the food you eat can cause an imbalance in your hormones. I remember at the beginning of this year when I ate nothing but fruit and veggies RAW, in about 2 months i was clear. I think it was because I didn't eat anything that caused an imbalance in my hormones and didn't cause my androgen levels to rise.

Just a thought, I haven't looked into how the food you eat can balance your hormones, but i think it would be interesting since food is directly related to acne for most people.

Also, when I work out I notice acne, and i read that working out makes a certain hormone called testosterone (girls have it too) increases, so this hormone could have been the cause of my body breaking out.

I'm sure I've tried to understand countless times but I'm curious why anti-androgens work so well? Why are we in the position to need to use anti-androgens just to control acne and of course coming off them = acne comes back. I understand using bcp can mess up your hormones or even having to go on bcp just to treat it, but why is it impossible to fix your hormones and keep it that way?.. always seems to just come back.

Can someone explain why we have this androgen issues and whats going on there and why only anti-androgens work to control it?

I'm a little confused, still, why this is happening in myself and why all of a sudden at the age of 19 nearly 20. spiro kept me 99% clear (havent tried other anti-androgens but I've heard of others like flutamide etc). is there a way to re-create the affect of anti-androgens without taking meds? Just dont understand why i even need an anti-androgen to live my life, why my body wont be normal like most people in the world. more so why now, when i didnt have acne when i hit puberty nor when i switched pills 2 possibly 3 times.

does anyone have any insight?

 

btw, did you have any side affects after taking that drug?

the spiro do you mean? what do you mean sorry about side affects after taking it?

I didnt have any side effects at all on it, thats the good thing about it. I was also only on the lowest dose 25mg but for months it must have been the thing keeping me very clear. but whilst im still on diane i was worried staying on spiro because doctors always gave me weird looks when i mentioned it or even asked for it and was concerned i'd not be able to get it again. i went off it mainly just to see how my skin was without it..clearly horrible :/ but the fact that it was such a small dose and kept me that clear was very odd and i suppose ive been looking into 'fixing' myself naturally. As for 'after it' i stopped it pretty gradually and just noticed my hormonal acne came back and wasnt going to the toilet as much (the diuretic in the pill did that) but yeah nothing obvious :0

Hey I noticed someone posted earlier here that they were on Diane I just wanted to post because I went on Diane a couple of years ago and I highly discourage it, it's extremely unsafe. My hair thinned by at least 30 percent, I lost a lot of weight (at least 15 pounds) and it did NOTHING for my acne ( I was on it a year)... I know things affect everyone differently but I wouldn't chance it!!

As for Spiro, I'm really considering asking my doctor about it for my acne is it worth trying? does your acne just get worse again when you go off it?