Hey I just answered a question just like this! lol I'll just give my same answer to you as well (:
Green tea and spearmint tea are believed to lower androgen levels. Androgens are male hormones, but women have them too. During one's "time of the month" androgen levels increase and cause glands to secrete more oil/cause more acne.
I also heard taking fish oil pills could help with hormonal acne.
Taking birth control pills or spironolactone would help. Spiro is usually prescribed for those with PCOS.
Lowering blood sugar levels would help too. High blood sugar levels causes an insulin response (to lower the glucose/blood sugar levels). High insulin concentrations could result in an inflammatory response. So avoid eating sugary foods.
Shoot, i just posted a new topic about this when i could have just asked more questions on this one.
Im experimenting with spearmint tea. Fingers crossed that i see results. Im interested to know why mens levels are elevated though.
Ladies- im on depo provera which is an estrogen free birth control. But as with all forms of bc i took previously, im not nor ever have seen a change in my skin. Do you think my hormones are out of balance on the depo? Ive read that taking phytoestrogen supplements can render birth control ineffective. Thoughts on this?
Im on depo because i have endometriosis, adenomyosis, pcos, a uterine fibroid and dysmenorrhea and regular birth control causes very bad migraines since i already have chronic migraines. The drop in estrogen on the 30 day packs is what causes this apparently. Im told i will never be able to take estrogen.
Ladolcevita- i just bought fish oil gummies (easier to take than the large pills and is said to help with the burping issues some people have) can you tell me why fish oil helps with oily skin? Do you think my androgen levels are always elevated? Since i have no ladytime each month, i feel like my levels will always be higher consistently. Thoughts?
Jpoznan- i googled the hell out of ways to lower androgens tonight. A lot of sites say soy can help and also something called chasteberry. May i also ask if youre on any bc or if you have any of the other issues i mentioned? Just curious how many of us have the same ladypart troubles.
Shoot, i just posted a new topic about this when i could have just asked more questions on this one.
Im experimenting with spearmint tea. Fingers crossed that i see results. Im interested to know why mens levels are elevated though.
Ladies- im on depo provera which is an estrogen free birth control. But as with all forms of bc i took previously, im not nor ever have seen a change in my skin. Do you think my hormones are out of balance on the depo? Ive read that taking phytoestrogen supplements can render birth control ineffective. Thoughts on this?
Im on depo because i have endometriosis, adenomyosis, pcos, a uterine fibroid and dysmenorrhea and regular birth control causes very bad migraines since i already have chronic migraines. The drop in estrogen on the 30 day packs is what causes this apparently. Im told i will never be able to take estrogen.
Ladolcevita- i just bought fish oil gummies (easier to take than the large pills and is said to help with the burping issues some people have) can you tell me why fish oil helps with oily skin? Do you think my androgen levels are always elevated? Since i have no ladytime each month, i feel like my levels will always be higher consistently. Thoughts?
Jpoznan- i googled the hell out of ways to lower androgens tonight. A lot of sites say soy can help and also something called chasteberry. May i also ask if youre on any bc or if you have any of the other issues i mentioned? Just curious how many of us have the same ladypart troubles.
Fish oil actually made my skin more oily. So did eggs with omega 3 added to them.
Hi, newbie here, this is my first post. Am in my early 30s and had acne since I was 7 - blackheads, whiteheads pretty much constantly and the occasional cystic lump.
I have pcos and have recently been using a magnesium spray for 3 months to try and tackle the insulin resistance causing it. I'm about to add vitamins D3 and K2 to the mix in the hope the K2 will help. I did try drinking spearmint tea twice a day and I *think* it helped but not sure and got a bit lazy with it. I want to try and work on my diet, but I like sugar too much
I have just switched to the oil cleansing method though, just my face using castor, argan and jojoba oil. Then moisturing with argan and jojoba. This will probably affect the results but i'll try and post back in a few weeks. No photos I'm afraid, my acne doesn't actually show up in photos due to the nature of it. I think that the proof in the pudding of the vitamins will actually be if it tackles my keratosis pilaris or not.
Oh and I'm about to go from a combined pill to a progesterone only pill in about a week's time (estrogen gives me headaches) so I fully expect my skin to go haywire......
Paigems- I'm on day three of fish oil, so far so good, but if I notice any change I'll stop taking it. Thanks for the head's up. I don't eat eggs, so I'm good there.
bris305-Me too. I "think" the spearmint tea is helping, but only time will tell. At least I'm not drinking sugary drinks at all right now. That was my original goal. I'm not a sweets person, but sierra mist with dinner is just what I've always preferred.
On the progesterone-hopefully you will have the same results I have-no acne, no increased oil, no changes of any kind. (But other BCs never affected my skin either. I'm one of the lucky ones in that regard.) The migraines were awful though. I hope you have good luck with this one.
I also have pcos and just started a low glycemic diet. It's super hard to begin with, but I have actually noticed a difference. Not only is my skin less oily and clearer, but my hair stopped falling out and the pains I was having are not as bad. Controlling your insulin levels with diet is the way to go I personally think.
Jpoznan0587- Does it help with oily skin? That's my main problem. I don't really have acne issues. (Though I would if I didn't use benzoyl peroxide, but that keeps me almost perfectly clear.)
Oh wait a minute, I just googled your bc and I can't take that one either. Duh, I should have known by the name of it. I can only have ones with no estrogen synthetic or otherwise.
At least my birth control doesn't give me acne so that's good because I think this is the one I'm going to have to stay on.
been on the progesterone only pill for about 3 weeks now and no breakouts - in fact I haven't had a single new spot since I started attacking my skin with tea tree oil and tea tree soap a couple of weeks ago. Just waiting for the existing awful messy spots to clear up. Also taking a multivitamin now which has some elements that improve insulin resistance.
Also started a diet a couple of days ago, loosely following the low GI diet, generally trying to cut out sugar. Oh the headache! Also going to give up caffeine once the sugar withdrawal goes away.
Really going to try and get this pcos gone.
Diet has gotten easier, no trouble turning down high GI foods, don't even want them. Although weight loss is actually going to be an issue, I could stand to lose half a stone or so but not much more really, am already a healthy weight. Need to find something high in calories but low GI to snack on!
not so good today, really hard to turn down cider when we're bbqing AND a brit finally wins wimbledon. But only half a pint. I hope it hasn't done too much damage. it tasted very different to normal though, much sweeter. I didn't have any bread with the bbq though, only meat and healthy salad. Although suddenly aware that i haven't had any carbs today at all and don't want to get atkins breath..... where's the crisps!
Bris05- I just had a few cysts too. I haven't had any problems with the depo shot and i've been on it since december, so i can't say that's the reason.
To get rid of mine quickly, I soak a cotton round in witch hazel and press it against the cyst for about 5 minutes. I do that morning and night and the next day, i've either stopped it in its tracks, or it's reduced altogether.
Changed my toothpaste to homemade a few days ago and no new cysts for two days - was pretty much getting a new one daily. Plus no new whiteheads, pustules etc. Thinking my skin didn't like fuoride. Will report back in a week or so.
cysts only around ur mouth?
what recipe are u using for toothpaste?
all the best for the trial btw!
Yep, only on my chin. Was getting one new one a day pretty much. 5 days in and no new spots still, not even whiteheads and the weird clogged pores i've had under my bottom lip for years appear to be getting smaller.
Toothpaste is coconut oil, baking soda, xylotil, spearmint oil, calcium/magnesium powder. Plenty of recipes if you google. I also use hydrogen peroxide 3% as a mouthwash.
THe cysts started not long after going onto the progestogen only pill after years on the combined pill. I firmly believe that the excess sebum reacts with fluoride somehow. My chin was spotty on the combined pill but it took on a whole new lease of life with the mini pill.
Although my chin has always been the worst, up until recently i had spots on my whole face and they've been given the heave-ho with the oil cleansing method, been clear for weeks now. Just my chin still an issue - still waiting for the old spots and cysts to heal. Might actually start thinking about what to do for my scarring now!
cysts only around ur mouth?
what recipe are u using for toothpaste?