Hey all,

I am new here because I am so lost as to what to do now with my skin... I have had "pimples" and EXTREMELY oily skin since I was 11 (it was never acne, just the one/two papules every time I woke up). I tried everything over-the-counter and everything the doctor would give me: nothing! However, it only got bad about 10/11 months ago where it became full-blown cystic (I am now 22). I went back to the doctor and he gave me Epiduo which was terrible and didn't help. He also said this was the last chance saloon before Roaccutane. I resigned myself to thinking nothing would help me, and a few months later I went back to my doctor again to change my pill as it was making me nauseous; he gave me a fairly new-on-the-market low-dose oestrogen pill (Gedarel 20) and, oh my gosh, it worked on my skin from day one! I am now just over three months in and my skin is virutally clear-ish.  

However... I am now left with blackheads and whiteheads (which I never had before?!?!), the odd very very tiny pustule and very very occasionally the odd papule; however, I don't know what treatment I need for them. I am still taking Epiduo, but my doctor thinks I should stop taking it as it is clearly the pill helping. I've stopped using it twice a day but I am so reluctant to stop it completely because my whiteheads and blackheads become (badly) inflamed if I leave them (and I am also a picker, oops ). I have started Zinc, Vit E and Vit D3 which have also helped, I believe, but I don't know what to do about topical treatments because I am so concious I don't think I could actually stop using them. I am confused as to whether benzoyl peroxide is best, salicyclic acd or even glycolic acid?? My whiteheads are so stubborn on my cheeks and so are the blackheads on my forehead. I have sort of come to realise I will never have pristine skin, I will always have one or two odd blackheads, etc, but it stills gets me so down when I wake up to find a whitehead/blackhead has popped up and become inflamed on my cheek. 

I have read salicyclic is best for blackheads, while benzoyl for whiteheads, and glycolic for bringing all the impurities to the surface. I am thinking maybe I need low-dose salicyclic topically and glycolic as a face mask every few days or something similar every now and again?? I currently use BareMinerals Blemish Remedy which contains 1% salicyclic as a cleanser, then use a oil-controlling toner and then moisturise, but I am soooo confused as to what to do?

There is so much on the internet and I think I've done too much research and I've confused myself more! I You guys will probably be much more of a help then other websites! Thanks so much in advance if you can shed some light and sorry for my confusion and possible naivety