Hi gang!

My background: Lurker for close to 10 years, almost as long as I have had acne. I am a mid-20s college student raising a sibling. In other words, I have no time. I want to look presentable, though. This is why clearing my skin naturally is so important to me. I also don't wear makeup.. so it's magnifies the issue.

I'm a hard INTJ, if you dig MBTI. That means I'm typically anxious and tense, which I'm sure is a big part of my acne.

BCP (Yasmin) cleared my skin in my teens. Went off of it because of some of the possible side effects, then went on Spiro, which worked perfectly. However, I want to heal my body. I don't want to be on medication forever. Both my parents have adult acne, so I could be looking at hard cysts on my face with other inflamed red rolling hills until I hit menopause. I was going to do Accutane, but stopped when I realized I would have to go back on Yasmin (i.e. my skin would be perfect on yasmin so I doubt the accutane would cure me.) I am using the Neutrogena light therapy mask right now. It is helping but I doubt it will help as much as I need.

I eat a diet of chicken, vegetables, and glucomannan/oat fiber (non-soluble fibers that fill you up and pass right through.) I have always had chronic constipation, so I take Miralax. When I don't take it, the inflammation gets worse. I have noticed that if I eat a ton of vegetables, my skin can get inflamed. This worries me. When I don't eat, or eat tiny portions to keep myself from starving, acne is reduced. But how can I sustain that? It doesn't seem possible. I know tanning and sweating/working out have helped in the past, but on this diet I have no energy to work out. I am scared of how hungry it would make me. No, not anorexic. I'm 5'6 and ~140.

If you have read this far, my heartfelt thanks. I am so grateful for this community. Acne is such a difficult disease to deal with in the modern world-the shame, I mean. MY QUESTION: Is there anything else I can do for my acne naturally? Should I just suck it up and go back on Spiro?