So I am 19 years old, I started getting acne when I was 13, but only a zit every couple months, and my acne slowly increased since then. I know for a fact that my acne is diet related. I can get my skin clear for a week or two, but then I get a breakout. The past couple months I have been cutting out sugar, dairy, and salty foods and recently started healthy. My diet consists off, I eat oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, meat and vegetables/fruit for lunch and supper, I only drink water and green tea. I also workout everyday, drink a whey protein shake after as a post-workout, I shower right after I workout also. I also wash my face two, maybe three times a day, using neutrogena productions, and moisture (oil-free) after I wash my face. I also do not touch my face/hair, do not pick at my acne, keep up my hygiene, wash my pillow case often. Yet I still get acne on my chin and around my chin. My family members have had acne, for all it has gone away after they turned 20, I will turn 20 in a couple months. But lately, my acne has been worse than it has ever been, it just frustrates me that I cannot get my skin clear lately. Is there anything I can do that will help my skin?
Your acne is hormonal. Are you a boy or a girl? I dont think that so many dieatary precautions are necessary in hormonal acne, but if you are ok with that, then fine. Your hormone cycle makes you breakout from time to time. If you are female you probably notice these breakouts before your period and around ovulation. Regardless your gender i suggest you to find some supplements to balance your hormones. Also, you are very young. Maybe this condition subsides through time!
Yes, breakouts on or around the chin are generally a sign that hormones are the cause of them. Also, I noticed you mentioned that your family members had it too, though it did go away after age 20, but this does seem to lend to that it may be genetic cause as well. Another thing that stood out was that you were using neutrogena and oil-free store bought products. Believe me I used to go for all of those too. However, I have since become a licensed professional and had hours of in school and post-graduate training learning about all kinds of products and ingredients. Unfortunately, many of the ingredients found in over the counter or consumer stores/locations are not the best or healthiest for your skin. Also, by law certain products/ingredients can only have a certain percent in any given over-the-counter product, whereas, with professional products from a licensed professional can contain up to 30%. Many of the products found in consumer stores are also not correctly formulated in relation to the pH of your skin. In fact, one of the neutrogena soap bars actually tests alkaline (you can verify this using a simple pH kit you can purchase) and is close on the alkaline scale to comet, a common household cleaning agent. Your skin's natural pH is 4.5-5.5 so it is more acidic, so when you use products that are more alkaline (this includes common soap) you are actually drying out and causing more irritation for your skin, and if your body thinks the skin is getting too dry it will produce more oil, which lends to more breakouts. As far as your diet and lifestyle you seem to be doing everything you can to stay healthy which is great not just for acne but also for caring for your body in general, so do whatever works for you and if you are unhappy with a diet or feel like it is overkill, consult a nutritionist or doctor. It is always important to consult a doctor when making any changes to your health routine or if you are unsure about anything you are exposing your body to both internally and topically. Also, it is best to wash your face 2 times a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. The most important time is at night because when you go to sleep your body regenerates, so you get the most benefit. I'd recommend getting a good, professional quality cleanser that is best for your skin type and needs (maybe even get two so you can alternate as sometimes salicylic or acne cleansers if used to much can be irritating to some people so it is good to have a gentler one on hand to switch off from time to time as well), also exfoliation 1-2 times a week (probably closer to 1) to slough off any built up dead skin cells and allow for further product penetration is always recommended and beneficial. Jojoba beads are gentle and great for this (apricot is not as it is sharp beads that create micro-cuts in your skin). If you feel like going the extra mile clay masks are usually great for helping acne and removing impurities but if you'd prefer to skip this step then definately get a good quality cleanser and exfoliant. Lastly, always moisturize and use sunscreen for protection. Make sure your moisturizer isn't too heavy and again is formulated correctly. Oil-free moisturizers are generally good for acne, just make sure it isn't too drying, again I recommend professional grade because they have different options for different skin types and quality ingredients. Sunscreen is very important as 90% of photo-aging comes from the sun and the suns rays can be harmful to skin and you always want to take the preventative measure in regard to skin cancer. I know and understand that many shy away from professional products because they think the cost is too much or they feel like someone is "selling" to them or well they have the similar ingredients as the store bought ones. Well again, store bought can only go a certain percentage and those key ingredients may have barely any of those in there, and many of the other ingredients in them are not the best for you, especially fragrance because that can mean anything. Also, professional products are actually more reasonably priced than most people would think, especially in regard to cleansers, exfoliants, moisturizers, and sunscreens and many lines even combine moisturizers/sunscreens so that saves you time and money! Furthermore, professional products are concentrated and well formulated so they work for your benefit and are designed for specific skin types and conditions and a little goes a long way so they last a while and you don't have to buy them too often.
To sum up, it sounds like your acne is hormonal and genetic based and you are doing all you can to take care of yourself. I would just suggest changing up your product routine and getting better quality products that are balanced and correct for your skin and don't over do it (especially on exfoliating) and again if you are uncomfortable with anything or have any specific questions in regard to your health routine or whatever products you may be using, always consult your doctor. I hope this helped!