I really do apologize for this horrible whiny self-pitying monologue but I need to vent. No-one else understands.
I'm a grown woman, in my late 20's already, and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is ruining my life. Why? I can handle the infertility (never wanted children anyway), the hirsuitism, the irregular periods. I can even handle the stubborn weight gain and the hair loss. Those at least can be covered up with clothes and hats and even wigs (even though I hate wearing wigs).
What I can't handle is the acne and its accompanying rosacea, because even makeup cannot disguise it (and whenever I've worn makeup it's only ended up exaccerbating things afterwards). It's just gone 3am on a Sunday morning and I should be out partying. But I'm at home alone and my friends are all out without me, enjoying themselves. I feel awful for letting this beat me and turn me into a hermit, but I just can't face the world anymore. I've been in acne.org since July and have tried, for weeks or months at a time, the vast majority of solutions that seem to have worked for many others. But nothing has worked for me. Nothing. My acne is atrocious and getting even worse (it's probably grade 3 now, but is quickly becoming grade 4). I can't even bear to take a photo of myself and post it here. I want to cry every time I catch my reflection in a mirror.
I don't recall the exact date but it's been around 6 months that I'm taking 2mg fish oil daily, as well as 30mg zinc picolinate and dairy-free acidophilus. Approx 3 months taking 1 clove garlic per day, 2 tsps turmeric, several cups green tea, 3 litres water. I've drastically reduced my intake of gluten, dairy, soy and sugar; the only time I eat any of those things is when I occasionally have mayonaise, oatmeal, the odd square of dark chocolate, the occasional alcoholic drink. No more than 5 incidences of these things - and in small amounts too - per week.
I do twice weekly manuka+turmeric masks (apply to damp skin, leave for 2 hours). I use aloe vera gel, vit c serum, Clinique moisturiser for combination skin. I cleanse with gentle cleansers that don't strip the skin's natural oils. I change my pillow every other night. My hygiene is impeccable. I rarely touch or pick my zits. I detox my liver twice weekly (warm water + half a fresh lemon, drank through a straw to reduce acid damage to teeth, an hour before breakfast). I colon cleanse every week. I take disgusting foul things such as spirulina and wheatgrass several times a week to aid digestion.
Yet my acne and accompanying rosacea continues to get worse, and it really is ruining my life. I don't know what anyone can say to me. If anyone is reading this at all you're probably already at a loss. It's the PCOS that is causing this and I cannot take what is recommended to treat PCOS (birth control pills) because of the side effects (high blood pressure, weight gain, mood swings, migranes; when you are already nearing obese and facing diabetes you do not want any additional horrors).
Apologies for the essay and for depressing you. I just don't know what to do any more.
my best advice would be to go to amazon.com search acne light therapy and buy the blue and red light bulb thats around 40ish dollars that comes with a free pair of protective goggels they have super fast standard shipping i got mine within days and it basically has zero side effects. if you are able to set aside at least 15 mins a day and stick with it for a month you could see amazing results for both the acne and the rosacea. it doesent make your skin red,dry and u can barely feel a slight warmth from it the only thing is at first it brings everything to the surface so it might be worse for about a week or so. i woullddd reallyyyy try it,its 40 dollars and it could really help
Uglies, i can sympathize with you on a few levels. I am prediabetic and it sucks when you're body is out of whack - it makes everything that much harder to treat. With that said, this is the hand that you've been dealt and the what if's or if only's won't do anything but bring you down. You sound as if you've dedicated yourself to the changes that you've made and now it's time for the next step. Why not go see a derm and get topicals? I strongly beleive that diet/hormones can play a huge role in our acne (severity, type, location) but like everything else, it takes LOTS of time to correct it and even then, sometimes our bodies will do what they want to do. With that said, topically controlling your acne may help make the journey easier - it can help with your self confidence and decrease your frustration levels. If you ever want to talk more about it, please feel free to email me.
I am struggling as well with this prediabetic condition and of course, acne.
I have Pcos too and I'm on accutane and I'm clear now, and hopefully i'll stay that way after stopping. Have you ever been to a dermatologist?
I really sympathise with you, I felt like I was reading my own post. I'm 26, I have PCOS and I've been trying to get rid of my acne for 15 years. I've tried every type of birth control (but couldn't deal with the side effects), Spironolactone, Metformin, every type of fashwash and topical treatment, strict diets, antibiotics and Accutane, but absolutely nothing works because the underlying problem of PCOS is causing the acne and that cannot be fixed.
I'm the only person I know who has acne at this age and my self confidence is so low that I spend most of my time being a hermit too. I never imagined I'd be dealing with acne and scars at this age and all the harsh creams have caused me to age really badly.
I really hope they find a cure for PCOS soon so we can both smile again.
Buckwheat is a good gluten-free alternative to regular flour and it's encouraged for those with PCOS because it contains d-chiro-inositol, which helps with insulin resistance (major factor in not only PCOS but acne in general). You can find buckwheat groats and make your own cereal (I like to eat mine with chopped fresh fruit, rolled oats, some dried fruit, rose hips, and coconut oil), 100% buckwheat soba noodles for soups, or make buckwheat pancakes/bake with the flour.
On 26/01/2012 at 03:09, FaceValues said:O trigo mourisco e uma boa alternativa sem gluten a farinha normal e e encorajado para aqueles com SOP porque contem d-chiro-inositol, que ajuda na resistencia a insulina (factor principal nao so na SOP mas tambem na acne em geral). Voce pode encontrar graos de trigo sarraceno e fazer o seu proprio cereal (eu gosto de comer o meu com frutas frescas picadas, aveia, frutas secas, rosa mosqueta e oleo de coco), macarrao 100% trigo sarraceno soba para sopas, ou fazer panquecas de trigo sarraceno / assar com a farinha.
The buckwheat, soba noodles, fruits, oats dont cause acne in your face and in your body?
Uglies and others with similar problems
If you are taking, or have taken birth control pills (or have a conytraceptive implant), or you are taking or have taken antibiotics, and your "acne" does not respond to ordinary acne treatments, then you probably have fungal acne.
I suspect that fungal acne is worse in people with PCOS, possibly because of something to do with hair follicles in PCOS women. I don't think thePCOS is causing the prblem,. but I do think that women with POCOS are more susceptible to fungal acne. The CAUSE of the fungal acne is taking antibiotics (or being an antibiotic drip in hospital) and/or taking birth control pills (or taking prednisone or having a contraceotive implant). Lots of people without PCOS have fugal acne.
The treatment for fungal acne is to apply topical antifungal cream to the affected areas (and stop taking antibiotics and birth control pills). Start by applying topical clotrimazole antifungal cream to the affected areas. Get back to me if you want more more targeted information about how to control the problem.
Keep your skin dry - dust with corn (maize) flour at night, and don't use moisturiser - fungi love moisture.
If you answer the following questions I can provide more targeted advice according to the type of fungal condition that you have (which I can work out from your answers to the questions below). Do you have dandruff, flaking skin, seborhheic dermatitis, a white or yellow coating on your tongue, a red rash, itchy skin, painful skin, what looks like rosacea or psoriasis but does not quite meet the descriptions of these conditions, cysts, nodules or ingrown hairs ? Do you have unexplained headaches or tiredness or feelings of disorientation, or irritable bowel syndrome or chronic sinus problems (like hay fever but not in hay fever season) ?
Fungal acne is treatable with safe, topical antifungals (in most cases). Doctors virtually never diagnose it (they are in denial about it), and they prescribe antibiotics and birth control pills for fungal acne, which only make the condition worse and worse.
I feel so identified with you... it's frustrating when you have tried everything and still trying and nothing works for you... dealing with acne is a huge emotional battle that never ends. I am so tired of this; I don't want to look myself in the mirror, take any pictures and I am scared of everything I eat, thinking in how it is going to affect my skin. I don't even want to cry because maybe tears will make my skin worse.
In a certain way, it comforts me to think that other people out there is going through the same thing, that they understand you, that we are not alone.
I really hope we will all have clear skin some day and stop feeling this way 
Primula
If you have tried everything and nothing works, and you have taken antibiotics and/or birth control pills, then you probably have fungal acne, not ordinary acne. Pls try the treatments in my post above. You can answer the questions in my post above and get back to for more targeted information, if you wish.
BE AWARE THAT - if you have FUNGAL ACNE rather than ordinary acne, the acne will get WORSE AND WORSE with most treatments for ordinary acne. People with FUNGAL ACNE need to treat the fungus.