This is my first time posting some thing. I just really need help and I don't know what to do or where to start. And I feel like nobody wants to help me. I'm 20 and I've had acne on my cheeks since I was 16. I've tried every over the counter washes and creams there is. I saw a dermatologist when I was 17 and they were no help either. I've tried minocyclin clindamycin tazorac erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide also. They all seemed to just keep it under control but not cure it. Now I want to just fight it from the inside out. I know it's a hormonal imbalance and I want to find a way to balance my hormones but everything is just so confusing to me and I don't know what to do. I figured maybe id get a hormone test and start from there. See what's wrong with my hormones and find a way to balance my hormones. So I went to my primary care doctor on the verge of tears. I'm really just tired. None of my friends have acne and I feel like girls nowadays are expected to be flawless and here I am with acne that just doesn't want to go away. I'm tired of looking in the mirror and crying. I'm tired of people telling me to "wash my face more" and "if you had clear skin you would be so pretty!". things like that. I wash my face with an organic cleanser and I use an organic moisturizer made for acne prone skin. I eat right and excercise. I just started taking primrose oil because I read online that it helps to balance hormones. Anyways so I went to my primary care doctor feeling so vulnerable and on the verge of tears and she was being so uncompassionate and had no sympathy. Basically she told me because of my age that it's normal and to just go home and stop complaining. I asked her if I can take a hormone test to see what's to blame and she said "obviously it's you're hormones and a test won't do anything to help you." She told me I should just take antibiotics again but I really don't wana put these chemicals in my body that in the end will stop being effective. I want to find the root and fix it idk:( so she told me to take birth control. Which I also didn't want to do. I'm not even sexually active. I'm so self conscious it keeps me from having a boyfriend and going out and actually having a social life. Plus I don't want to put that in my body. And then once I stop taking it my acne will come back with a vengeance. So she kind of got bothered. She didn't understand:( I asked her if there was anything else that would help my hormones and she said no. So I asked to be referred to a dermatologist and she said they would tell me the same thing. She then just left the room and sent in a nurse to help me set up my appointment. I wanted to cry. I came home and just slept for 3 hours. I'm tired of feeling like my body hates me and my skin hates me. I'm tired of feeling like I have no control over something that belongs to me. I'm tired of feeling ugly. Then having my beautiful older sister and friends who've never had a pimple in their life make comments that hurt my feelings. I'm sorry for this being so long I just wanted to get everything out there:/ whoever read the whole thing thank you for taking the time. Any advice or help is appreciated. Thanks guys
I would say take Accutane because it's proven to be effective but if your worried about hurting your body then it's probably not a good option BUT you need to find a dermatologist that is going to sit and talk to you and care about you!! I'm 22 and still struggling with my acne but I have recently started Accutane and I think that would really help your skin:)
Hi there! I really feel for you. It's awful when the people who are supposed to help us the most only make things worse. You should definitely get a new doctor and never let one treat you in any way that makes you sad or uncomfortable. You are paying for their service after all. My acne is hormonal as well, but located mostly on my chin. I just started birth control (ortho tri cyclen) and I think it's helping. You do not have to be sexually active to go on it. I also started drinking crazy amounts of water each day and making sure my stress levels stay low. Try to find a hobby or some sort of outlet that you truly enjoy and use it as a way to relax and take your mind off of your skin. I love to read and do yoga, but find what's good for you!! Best of luck and stay positive!
xoxo
Jess
In my experience, most doctors suck. I went to my gp for depression, but also my breakouts (which greatly contributed to said depression) and he said "we'll worry about that next time". Uhm, but I'm worried about it now! Then went to a derm who gave me retin a which I am too scared to use. So right now I am taking saw palmetto because it is supposed to help if you have high androgen levels. I am sure my acne is hormonal because it is worse the week before my period, and got worse after both of my pregnancies. At both of these times, estrogen is lower, and my skin gets oily, so it seems like I have a high level of androgens. Who knows, gp and derm won't bother with hormone tests, so I feel I am on my own. I still might go to my ob/gyn if the saw palmetto doesn't help. I haven't taken it long enough yet so we'll see. I couldn't say if it would help you since I don't know what kind of imbalance you have going on. If you think your androgens are too high though it might be worth a shot. I personally would rather try something natural before birth control. Good luck, and sorry about your doctor. I too was wanting to cry when I went to mine, and then he didn't even help and was kind of cold and uncaring, so I know how you feel.
You know your body better than anyone. Go demand a hormone test. That's what I plan on doing next week. I don't care what my doctor tells me. I am not taking BC, I am not taking antibiotics and I do not want any chemical creams. I want my hormones tested and I will go from there. I just turned 23 and my acne is back with a vengeance for no reason (and migraines that seem to coincide with certain days in my cycle, which has never been a problem before).
If there's one thing I've learned from the world, its don't let someone push you around when it comes to something important like your health (or for me my pets 
).
My family made fun of me ever since I started to get really bad acne. I know its hard because I'm guessing you still live with them, but don't listen to them. You will end up a stronger person in the end.
Hello,
I am 25 years old and my acne has been persistent since I was 13 years old. I have tried accutane and every prescription / remedy possible. My acne has been around my mouth and cystic and on my lip line and I have struggled so much and I have indented scars that let me know how dumb it was to pick at the big under-grounders.
I found the cure for myself. I have been consuming acidic food and my body can't process it. My ph levels have been out of whack for years and I have made a few minor tweaks in my diet that have helped clear my problem. Try an alkaline diet and cut back on high acidic foods. It's weird I know but acne results in your body trying to detox from the inside out and the problem lies within your body (digestion). There are many websites online and my advice is to even out the amount of acidic consumption and replace some acidic foods with alkaline foods. Stay away from beans, tomatoes, coffee (limit if impossible to quit) and dark meat. I swear this is weird I know but get your PH levels in sync and your acne will be gone.
People are just so rude. I wouldn't let it get to you, though that is hard. Luckily for you, you realize how damaging antibiotics can be! Balancing your hormones is a much better plan. Changing your diet can help, too. Like cutting out processed foods, caffeine, dairy and sugar. Tons of things can mess with your hormones; dairy, soy, even the plastic from bottled water. There are lots of supplements that can help like vitex or something like this http://healthyimmunity.com/products/Estrosmart-Plus.asp Also, if I were you I would try to get help from somewhere like a naturopath instead of a conventional doctor. I think you would get much better help balancing your hormones with a naturopath. When it comes to actually healing from the inside I find they are a way better way to go. They also seem a lot more sensitive and sympathetic as well... Good luck to you
I'm so sorry you had such a terrible experience. My derm wasn't compassionate either. I say go to a naturopath. They are much more likely to help you find the root cause by doing food sensitivity testing as we as hormone testing. Also, the medication Spironolactone works wonders for hormonal acne by blocking androgens. A naturopath could prescribe that also (PCP and derms can too, but only if they're actually wanting to help you find solutions and they're not ignorant).
Good luck! You will find the answer, don't give up!
I may know exactly what you feel now. I've had that bad feeling for over 4 years. I dont have any confidence since then. All my friends dont have acne. They used to advise me what they dont really know about, I from VietNam and derms are suck. I'm depressed all the time, no one cares, even my family, even my best friends. They usually tell me that "you 'll be more handsome if you dont have cyst on nose all the time". And now, i have pitted scars all over my face.
People are just so rude. I wouldn't let it get to you, though that is hard. Luckily for you, you realize how damaging antibiotics can be! Balancing your hormones is a much better plan. Changing your diet can help, too. Like cutting out processed foods, caffeine, dairy and sugar. Tons of things can mess with your hormones; dairy, soy, even the plastic from bottled water. There are lots of supplements that can help like vitex or something like this http://healthyimmunity.com/products/Estrosmart-Plus.asp Also, if I were you I would try to get help from somewhere like a naturopath instead of a conventional doctor. I think you would get much better help balancing your hormones with a naturopath. When it comes to actually healing from the inside I find they are a way better way to go. They also seem a lot more sensitive and sympathetic as well... Good luck to you
I like this post. I personally take birth control pills - Yaz - because I am sexually active as well as wanting to clear my acne. However, if I was not sexually active or was and was fine with using condoms or another method, I would probably not want to rely on it, and regardless, avoiding processed foods and plastics is a good idea, as well as dairy and soy if they are triggers for you.
I am currently in the process of switching from plastic containers to glass water bottles and jars, and it's so much better for you, the environment, and the taste of your water and food! Yay!
People are just so rude. I wouldn't let it get to you, though that is hard. Luckily for you, you realize how damaging antibiotics can be! Balancing your hormones is a much better plan. Changing your diet can help, too. Like cutting out processed foods, caffeine, dairy and sugar. Tons of things can mess with your hormones; dairy, soy, even the plastic from bottled water. There are lots of supplements that can help like vitex or something like this http://healthyimmunity.com/products/Estrosmart-Plus.asp Also, if I were you I would try to get help from somewhere like a naturopath instead of a conventional doctor. I think you would get much better help balancing your hormones with a naturopath. When it comes to actually healing from the inside I find they are a way better way to go. They also seem a lot more sensitive and sympathetic as well... Good luck to you
I like this post. I personally take birth control pills - Yaz - because I am sexually active as well as wanting to clear my acne. However, if I was not sexually active or was and was fine with using condoms or another method, I would probably not want to rely on it, and regardless, avoiding processed foods and plastics is a good idea, as well as dairy and soy if they are triggers for you.
I am currently in the process of switching from plastic containers to glass water bottles and jars, and it's so much better for you, the environment, and the taste of your water and food! Yay!
Whenever you do stop taking Yaz make sure you know what you are doing. When I found out how bad they are for women I stopped taking them immediiately but then got pregnant with my twins a week later (which I'm happy about, but might not be for everyone!). BCP becomes increasingly dangerous as you age, too, so I think once you start getting near your 30's it's especially important to find something else. They also cause permanent damage to gut flora so everyone should take probiotics everyday,eat fermented veggies or drink kombucha or kefir.
I'd rather not get pregnant at this point in my life, and I really do not enjoy condoms, so if I stop hormonal birth control anytime soon, I will be switching happily to an IUD. But I understand your concerns. I went off birth control for a time because I did want to be more "natural" but my skin got so much worse that it wasn't worth it.