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Am I truly out of options? I Appreciate any input

 
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19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 06/27/2018 12:00 pm

Hii,

I'm kinda at a point where any light at the end of the tunnel has disappeared for me. But I discovered that the internet, and this site in particular gave me strength in a way, since people went or go through the same.

Since I don't see any options anymore can someone help me and give an input? Doesn't matter what it is. I couldn't be more hopeless right now. Anything would help.

I'm going to list the things I'm doing right now for my acne. But first let me give a background.

My story

I got acne when I was around 14, I'm 19 now. At first I got antibiotics (don't remember what). Everything I got prescribed did nothing. Around age 16 I went on accutane. Ages 16 - 17 I was about95% acne free. Ofcourse when I turned 18 it came back and it got gradually worse. Right now I'm back at age 14 when my acne was the worst. Or I would say I'm a bad case of moderate acne right now, but it feels just like when my acne was severe. I have cysts (such a pain, literally), whiteheads, closed comedones. I believe it's hormonal since nothing ever worked for me and it always starts with my chin having a breakout. But that would mean that if the yasmin pil doesn't work I'm literally out of options.

Medicines I went trough
Minocyline
Doxycicline (helped for the months I was on it)
Accutane (Yes full 6 months, after a year my acne is back.)

Topical creams I went trough
Benzoyl peroxide (Allergic)
Treclinac (horrible)
Duac acne gel (Allergic.. it has bp in it)

What I take now
Yasmin birth control (2 months and 2 days, no results yet whatsoever.)
Zinc (does nothing)

Current Diet
I've been vegan for 2 years. I also cut out sugar and deep friend & unhealthy food. I know it doesn't make a difference but I'm still holding onto my diet. I also tried being gluten free for months which did nothing.

P.s. I also went and got a chemical peeling, it helped for a week but the proces was hell and after a while my acne got even worse. I know I was supposed to do it a few more times but I don't think it would've made a difference.

So here's what I'm thinking:
Actually I'm not thinking anything, I literally feel like I'm just walking into a hopeless brick wall. But let's say I had to think something; First of all I thought my acne was hormonal. So going on accutane for the second time, would make my acne return. And I'm mentally unstable to go through that process again. My last resort was going on birth control. I'm currently on yasmin for 2 months and 2 days and even today I got a new breakout. I don't want to have any hopes, but if this doesn't work it feels like I'm literally out of options.

Also, I left everything emotional and mental because of my acne as much as possible aside so that I could focus on real actions I can take. If anyone could share their thoughts or experience, anything would help!!

Thank you so much for even reading this, it was longer than intended.

Update 17-8-18: I've been on yasmin (birth control) for 4 months now and my skin is as bad and even worse as before.

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MemberMember
2
(@kelvin-nathanael)

Posted : 06/27/2018 12:12 pm

talk about diet ... your diet is almost the same as me! every morning juice from vegetables, sweet potatoes, brown rice, vegetables, and sometimes chicken or fish in the afternoon ... many people around me eat whatever they want like snack, chocolate, and it really makes me stress because I'm not dare to eat it because of my acne, and I often feel hungry ... sweet food that I can only eat is a fruit, but not too much ... are you the same as me? or do you sometimes eat sweet foods or snacks?

hey! I also want to remind, do you mean peel chemical is chemical peeling? I've also been around 4-5, and it never made me better ... I suggest you do not do it anymore, it makes my skin sore when interested and very sensitive until now ...

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19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 06/27/2018 12:17 pm

6 minutes ago, Kelvin Nathanael said:

talk about diet ... your diet is almost the same as me! every morning juice from vegetables, sweet potatoes, brown rice, vegetables, and sometimes chicken or fish in the afternoon ... many people around me eat whatever they want like snack, chocolate, and it really makes me stress because I'm not dare to eat it because of my acne, and I often feel hungry ... sweet food that I can only eat is a fruit, but not too much ... are you the same as me? or do you sometimes eat sweet foods or snacks?

Same! And yes I can relate. I'm not a person who gets jealous however seeing my friend eating whatever she wants everyday with perfect skin kinda got me. I think I developed an eating disorder as a result. I would say I have been really consistent with my diet but there were some periods that I thought it was so unfair that I just started food binging sweet and unhealthy food, as a result I started starving myself. It was a whole cycle, all because of my acne.

Right now I just cut out everything for quite a few months but once again nothing changed.

*Edit: Yes, I meant a chemical peel. Alright, I wasn't planning on doing it again anyways, thank you!

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568
(@leelowe1)

Posted : 07/06/2018 9:21 pm

Sometimes diet is not the driving force of acne but can make it worse (which i believe is the case for me). Your diet despite being somewhat devoid of unhealthy foods seem to lack basic nutrition. Your body needs energy and eating very little, even if its healthy foods, won't help your body or skin. Your body needs good fats, lean meats (if you eat meats) and starches for energy. I know what it feels like to not want to eat many foods for fear of your skin but it probably stresses your skin out more when the body is starved for nutrition or stressed. Spironolactone is something to try if you feel like your acne may be hormonal .

Keep strong, you're not alone.

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MemberMember
19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/07/2018 8:01 am

10 hours ago, leelowe1 said:

Sometimes diet is not the driving force of acne but can make it worse (which i believe is the case for me).  Your diet despite being somewhat devoid of unhealthy foods seem to lack basic nutrition.  Your body needs energy and eating very little, even if its healthy foods, won't help your body or skin.  Your body needs good fats, lean meats (if you eat meats) and starches for energy.  I know what it feels like to not want to eat many foods for fear of your skin but it probably stresses your skin out more when the body is starved for nutrition or stressed.  Spironolactone is something to try if you feel like your acne may be hormonal .

Keep strong, you're not alone.  

Thanks a lot! Your reply means a lot to me.
I know, but for the past years I would say my diet was pretty balanced. I ate the right amount of vegetables and fruits (I kept track of how much my body needed), but even then my acne didn't go away so I just gave up and started purging or starving myself. But you're right, I guess my diet contributes to how bad my skin is, but the difference seems so small that I just didn't care anymore whether I got the right nutritions.

Birth control isn't doing anything btw which sucks. I literally waited 3 months in my room for it to work :(
Also, It went from moderate acne to severe (because of the pill) and now it's just back to moderate. However, I don't dare to quit because I'm too afraid it will get to severe again.
Question: Do you recommend adding spironolactone to the BCP? It's literally the only thing left to try I guess..

Again, thank you for your time and reply. And yes knowing I'm not alone is the only thing keeping me sane but to be honest I don't know for how long I can do this.

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MemberMember
0
(@sisyphus)

Posted : 07/07/2018 10:27 am

I think you should take a second course of accutane, and i think accutane does work on hormonal acne and sometimes you must understand acne is out of your control regardless of diet and exercise, but it will surely help you at least some. Don't worry most people's acne do get better

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13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/08/2018 7:58 pm

I have a bit of hormonal acne too. What is currently working for me is 2400 mg Vitamin A and 15 mg zinc picolate. Zinc on its on does not work for acne. The reason for zinc supplement is to aid the body's utilization of vitamin A: zinc helps your body convert retinyl palmitate (the supplement) to retionic acid ( a natural compound that is not only similar to accutane but also free of accutane's possible complications and side effects). I also take 200 iu vitamin e 2x a week and 250 mg vitamin c 2x a day for antioxidant support and two 1300mg capsules of evening primerose at that special time of the month. Internal antioxidants help reduce lipid oxidation, a process that makes your very own sebum comedogenic.
On another note, I am actually glad you do not use benzoyl peroxide because that stuff is actually poison to the skin. I will suggest that you try a serum or mist with at least 5% sodium ascoryl phosphate (SAP for short). SAP is a vitamin c derivative. A clincal study found it to be more effective (pratically no irritation) than benzoyl peroxide and antibiotic gel. If you do decide to give SAP a try, make sure the product you choose do not have L-ascorbic acid or any other acid. Acids are very irritating to an already irritated skin.
Also, I took the liberty to checked the products in your current skincare routine. Your cleanser's combination of salicylic and niacinamide, based on my cosmetology knowledge, is a big no. Niacinamide in an acid base converts to niacin, a compound that causes facial flushing. And aside from your cleanser mixing salicylic acid and niacinamide, it contains sodium laureth sulfate, a surfactant that leaves behind an acne causing film. I suggest you switch to a more simpler water-soluble cleanser like cetaphil gentle foaming cleanser: it does not have any comedogenic ingredient in it. I also suggest you skip your toner too. It has a bunch of essential oils that are very sensitizing to the skin. If you must have a toner try rose water or, better yet, try paula's choice calm redness relief toner for normal/oily skin. I am not able to advice you on your moisturizer because I cannot pinpoint the particular one you are using.
I sincerely hope you find my comment helpful.

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MemberMember
19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/08/2018 8:15 pm

24 minutes ago, besimple said:

I have a bit of hormonal acne too. What is currently working for me is 2400 mg Vitamin A and 15 mg zinc picolate. Zinc on its on does not work for acne. The reason for zinc supplement is to aid the body's utilization of vitamin A: zinc helps your body convert retinyl palmitate (the supplement) to retionic acid ( a natural compound that is not only similar to accutane but also free of accutane's possible complications and side effects). I also take 200 iu vitamin e 2x a week and 250 mg vitamin c 2x a day for antioxidant support and two 1300mg capsules of evening primerose at that special time of the month. Internal antioxidants help reduce lipid oxidation, a process that makes your very own sebum comedogenic.
On another note, I am actually glad you do not use benzoyl peroxide because that stuff is actually poison to the skin. I will suggest that you try a serum or mist with at least 5% sodium ascoryl phosphate (SAP for short). SAP is a vitamin c derivative. A clincal study found it to be more effective (pratically no irritation) than benzoyl peroxide and antibiotic gel. If you do decide to give SAP a try, make sure the product you choose do not have L-ascorbic acid or any other acid. Acids are very irritating to an already irritated skin.
Also, I took the liberty to checked the products in your current skincare routine. Your cleanser's combination of salicylic and niacinamide, based on my cosmetology knowledge, is a big no. Niacinamide in an acid base converts to niacin, a compound that causes facial flushing. And aside from your cleanser mixing salicylic acid and niacinamide, it contains sodium laureth sulfate, a surfactant that leaves behind an acne causing film. I suggest you switch to a more simpler water-soluble cleanser like cetaphil gentle foaming cleanser: it does not have any comedogenic ingredient in it. I also suggest you skip your toner too. It has a bunch of essential oils that are very sensitizing to the skin. If you must have a toner try rose water or, better yet, try paula's choice calm redness relief toner for normal/oily skin. I am not able to advice you on your moisturizer because I cannot pinpoint the particular one you are using.
I sincerely hope you find my comment helpful.

Thank you so much for your detailed advice and time, it really helped me. I rarely want to try out new things but you made really good points!
I will look into everything you recommended especially the mist.
Also, the cleanser was recommended by an aesthetician so I thought it was a good cleanser (also very expensive). I notice that I do get redness on my cheeks and even bumps because of it, I suspected the cleanser for a while but I just trusted the clinic I went to and was scared to change it. Maybe they just wanted money?
I will also look into the toners you recommended and face wash of course.
This is the moisturizer I use:
https://www.clinique.com/product/1687/50933/skin-care/moisturizers/moisture-surge-72-hour-auto-replenishing-hydrator
Should I keep using that?

Again, thanks a lot.

Edit: I looked up all the products. Would you also recommend the paula's choice skin balancing toner? Or is the calm redness relief one better?
(Sorry for all the questions)

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13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/08/2018 8:51 pm

12 minutes ago, Yasminexra said:
Thank you so much for your detailed advice and time, it really helped me. I rarely want to try out new things but you made really good points!
I will look into everything you recommended especially the mist.
Also, the cleanser was recommended by an aesthetician so I thought it was a good cleanser (also very expensive). I notice that I do get redness on my cheeks and even bumps because of it, I suspected the cleanser for a while but I just trusted the clinic I went to and was scared to change it. Maybe they just wanted money?
I will also look into the toners you recommended and face wash of course.
This is the moisturizer I use:
https://www.clinique.com/product/1687/50933/skin-care/moisturizers/moisture-surge-72-hour-auto-replenishing-hydrator
Should I keep using that?

Again, thanks a lot.

Do you have dry skin? It has a lot of film forming ingredients high up on its ingredient list. It also has colorings and a couple of comedogenic ingredients ( like Oleth-10,Hexylene Glycol, and Lecithin). My verdict on it is to really observe how it makes your skin feel and behave. Does it feel heavy on application?

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19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/08/2018 9:02 pm

7 minutes ago, besimple said:
Do you have dry skin? It has a lot of film forming ingredients high up on its ingredient list. It also has colorings and a couple of comedogenic ingredients ( like Oleth-10,Hexylene Glycol, and Lecithin). My verdict on it is to really observe how it makes your skin feel and behave. Does it feel heavy on application?

I actually have combination / oily skin but it's kinda sensitive to a lot of products lately and I don't even put on topical creams. I don't feel any tingling or heaviness when I apply the moisturizer, but I don't know a lot about ingredients, I just analyzed them in cosdna.com and nothing bad came out. I think I will purchase the cetaphil cleanser and paula's toner (do you recommend the redness or balancing one?) and see if that makes a difference. Do you know some good moisturizers? The Clinique one is almost finished ayways.

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13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/08/2018 10:31 pm

I think you should buy samples of both and try them and see which one you like best. The samples are 60-80 cents a piece; buy a couple of both. If you are going to go with the skin balancing toner, do not include any acids in you skin care routine because it has niacinamide in it (by the way, niacinamide is a great anti-inflammatory, anti-acne, and even toning ingredient). 
I currently do not have a superb moisturizer to recommend :( (I will let you know if I find anything). If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask! 

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MemberMember
19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/08/2018 11:16 pm

43 minutes ago, besimple said:

I think you should buy samples of both and try them and see which one you like best. The samples are 60-80 cents a piece; buy a couple of both. If you are going to go with the skin balancing toner, do not include any acids in you skin care routine because it has niacinamide in it (by the way, niacinamide is a great anti-inflammatory, anti-acne, and even toning ingredient). 
I currently do not have a superb moisturizer to recommend :( (I will let you know if I find anything). If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask! 

Thank you. I will if I won't bother you, and also I just ordered cetaphil and rose water. This week I will also order paula's products including toner samples after I see how this goes. I'll update it here if something does or doesn't work.

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13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/08/2018 11:30 pm

good luck

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1
(@pablosanchez)

Posted : 07/09/2018 12:38 am

Id highly recommend adding a protein to your morning + lunch or afternoon. I know depression can make it hard, Ive been there - try to look for look for meal bars w/ quality ingredients, something to give your body the fuel it needs to heal. Your body needs nutrients to repair, which come from not only a healthy diet, but a steady one as well.

On top of that, maybe consider an skin supplement designed to fight acne (TreeActiv makes a great vegan Acne supplement that has helped me tremendously).

Best wishes,

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8
(@benjamin94)

Posted : 07/09/2018 3:30 am

Youre not out of options

Things you can try:
1. Second round lf Accutane
2. A stronger birth control pill, i.e. Co-cyprindiol. Yasmin is an Oestrogen/Progestogen OCP. Co-cyprindiol is an Antiandrogen/Oestrogen OCP (Specifically given for acne). I think it is more dangerous than a standard OCP (in terms of VTE risk), but the androgen antagonist (cyproterone acetate) is a very powerful anti-acne drug. If I was female I would try Co-cyprindiol. Unfortunately if i took it, I would likely grow breasts.

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19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/09/2018 11:33 am

9 hours ago, Benjamin94 said:

Youre not out of options

Things you can try:
1. Second round lf Accutane
2. A stronger birth control pill, i.e. Co-cyprindiol. Yasmin is an Oestrogen/Progestogen OCP. Co-cyprindiol is an Antiandrogen/Oestrogen OCP (Specifically given for acne). I think it is more dangerous than a standard OCP (in terms of VTE risk), but the androgen antagonist (cyproterone acetate) is a very powerful anti-acne drug. If I was female I would try Co-cyprindiol. Unfortunately if i took it, I would likely grow breasts.

I will keep those in mind for when I see my doctor, thank you.
Only thing is, this is what I'm thinking:

- I don't know whether I can take 6 months of accutane just for it to come back again. Mentally I'm not stable to go trough that again.. I mean if it's the only thing that would help sure I'll be patient but since I don't have that certainty I don't know. Also: My doctor says it's hormonal, so would accutane really do something? Don't take me wrong, I would consider a second round I just can't help but think about all the risks and possibilities.

- I did a quick search, is what you mentioned the same as dianette? I had second thoughts before starting the yasmin since dianette would be more effective, but I had read online that they both helped with acne. And I was searching for something I could take my whole life. But now that you mention it I will note it and take it with me to the doctor, it just sucks that it has to get worse before better (again) and maybe without even a result once again.

I'm also thinking about just continuing yasmin (2 weeks left before I finish one month). Edit: I meant 2 weeks before I finish three months I My hormonal? cysts are all gone now but I still get moderate acne, so something is happening just not what I wished. Should I wait till 3 months/ 4 months have passed?

And then adding spironolactone is also something I've heard about but I'm not so sure how that works or would work.
Aagh, sorry I'm just thinking out loud but thank you for your suggestions once again. If I said something that isn't right please correct me.

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13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/09/2018 1:10 pm

Cysts are definitely hormonal, so if your cysts responded positively to Yasmin, I will say continue for at least 3 months before discontinuing. Experts always say that it takes about 3 months (12 weeks) for cells and hormonal disposition to change. Correct me if I am wrong; when you say you have moderate acne, you mean papules and pustules, right? Is it similar to what I had on my right cheek (sorry, could not find one of me without makeup that let you truly see the extent of my acne).
No automatic alt text available.
IMG_2872.thumb.JPG.ecfcbb38f39027d52a7ac748db8a181c.JPGAttachment-1.thumb.jpeg.91bf8b27e66a05d12302eb3b9e986b0d.jpeg
The bottom pictures is what  my skin looks like as of today. I have light acne now. I plan in the nearest future to add a retinoid for my whiteheads and scars and to discontinue my current moisturizer because I believe it is mildly clogging my pores.
On another note, Spironlactone you mentioned might help because it is an androgen  block and a progestin booster. When I was pregnant and I was breastfeeding, my skin cleared completely but it immediately came back as I stopped breastfeeding.

Image may contain: 1 personCheck out that breastfeeding glowing, clear skin. What I am saying is that whatever can boost progesterone  and  at the same time lower androgen (the hormone that makes us make excess oil in the first place) can help immensely with acne.

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MemberMember
19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/09/2018 1:41 pm

On 7/10/2018 at 12:10 AM, besimple said:

Cysts are definitely hormonal, so if your cysts responded positively to Yasmin, I will say continue for at least 3 months before discontinuing. Experts always say that it takes about 3 months (12 weeks) for cells and hormonal disposition to change. Correct me if I am wrong; when you say you have moderate acne, you mean papules and pustules, right? Is it similar to what I had on my right cheek (sorry, could not find one of me without makeup that let you truly see the extent of my acne).
No automatic alt text available.
IMG_2872.thumb.JPG.ecfcbb38f39027d52a7ac748db8a181c.JPGAttachment-1.thumb.jpeg.91bf8b27e66a05d12302eb3b9e986b0d.jpeg
The bottom pictures is what  my skin looks like as of today. I have light acne now. I plan in the nearest future to add a retinoid for my whiteheads and scars and to discontinue my current moisturizer because I believe it is mildly clogging my pores.
On another note, Spironlactone you mentioned might help because it is an androgen  block and a progestin booster. When I was pregnant and I was breastfeeding, my skin cleared completely but it immediately came back as I stopped breastfeeding.

Check out that breastfeeding glowing, clear skin. What I am saying is that whatever can boost progesterone  and  at the same time lower androgen (the hormone that makes us make excess oil in the first place) can help immensely with acne.

First of all, thank you for sharing your information once again.

Woops I meant I'm on Yasmin for 2 months and 2 weeks now! I accidentally said one month. You still think I should continue?

This is how it went, maybe this gies you a better idea:

Before starting birth control: A few cysts (one or two at the same time), lots of inflamed  pimples and some  pustules
Month 1: Cysts got worse, all kinds of acne but still moderate
Month 2: Moderate / severe acne including cysts and pustules, papules. It was really bad. Couldn't even sleep on my side without hurting everywhere on my face.
Month 2 & 2 weeks: Cysts are gone, still getting spots like before I started birth control, maybe a little bit less but it's still here. I did get nothing for a week for the first time but maybe it was a coincidence and not because of the bcp? Because my skin is kinda acting up again.

Your skin cleared op nicely btw! I will also look into retinoid since my skin is similar to yours (recent pictures) but I would say I'm getting more spots again. Didn't help that I binged today because of this stress.. Not that food ever made a big difference.

Also, the cetaphil face wash and moisturizer just came in, I orderded them yesterday. Not getting my hopes up but I want to make sure nothing else is contributing to my acne before starting a new treatment.

Do you take something now to help your skin ?
You said earlier you take vitamin a and zinc, but no bcp ?

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13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/09/2018 2:56 pm

Your experience with yasmin, from what I gather online, seems typical: it gets worst by the 2nd month and by the 4th month, boom, clearer skin. Since this is the case, I will say continue for 6 months just like you did with acne and see what happens.
I never took BCP; 2400 mcg vitamin A and 15mg Zinc picolate ( 4x a week) and 250mg vitamin c (2x a day) and 200iu vitamin e (2x a week) along with avoiding highly comedogenic products are what helped my acne. Additionally, I tie my hair with a scarf at night and change my pillow case twice a week (and buy or wash my pillow itself every 6 months) just to make sure hair product residue is contributing to my acne.
My advice to you is rather than adding another hormone pill to yasmin, add supplements instead. Maybe try my supplement routine but do the vitamin A zinc combo part everyday for a while and the cut back to 4x a week once your skin clear up. Finally, find things that make you happy and takes your mind off your acne. Stress causes inflammation in the body and inflammation leads to more acne flare-ups.
My skincare routine right now is dead basic: wash with cetaphil and moisturize. I think I am ready to cautiously and slowly crank it up a notch. I will start differin (adapelene) once a week for a month and then slowly progress my frequency. Starting slow with any topical, gives your skin time to adjust so it does not get stunned and flare up.
You said in your old post that you have prescription topical; how is that going?

 

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19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/09/2018 10:36 pm

7 hours ago, besimple said:

Your experience with yasmin, from what I gather online, seems typical: it gets worst by the 2nd month and by the 4th month, boom, clearer skin. Since this is the case, I will say continue for 6 months just like you did with acne and see what happens.
I never took BCP; 2400 mcg vitamin A and 15mg Zinc picolate ( 4x a week) and 250mg vitamin c (2x a day) and 200iu vitamin e (2x a week) along with avoiding highly comedogenic products are what helped my acne. Additionally, I tie my hair with a scarf at night and change my pillow case twice a week (and buy or wash my pillow itself every 6 months) just to make sure hair product residue is contributing to my acne.
My advice to you is rather than adding another hormone pill to yasmin, add supplements instead. Maybe try my supplement routine but do the vitamin A zinc combo part everyday for a while and the cut back to 4x a week once your skin clear up. Finally, find things that make you happy and takes your mind off your acne. Stress causes inflammation in the body and inflammation leads to more acne flare-ups.
My skincare routine right now is dead basic: wash with cetaphil and moisturize. I think I am ready to cautiously and slowly crank it up a notch. I will start differin (adapelene) once a week for a month and then slowly progress my frequency. Starting slow with any topical, gives your skin time to adjust so it does not get stunned and flare up.
You said in your old post that you have prescription topical; how is that going?

 

Thank you I will keep these tips in mind.

About the happy part, I don't think I'll be able to do that. My BDD (caused by acne) has completely taken over my life along with other problems.
Also, earlier I said that all my cysts have disappeared. Well guess what I jinxed it, today 4 cysts returned on my face. Just when I started having hope (so stupid of me) and wanting to try new things. This is all just so devastating..

Idk why I'm ranting but once again thank you!

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13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/10/2018 8:53 am

About the cysts just breathe. Find anti-inflammatory ingredients to counteract it so it can disappear quickly: try something like grounded oats mixed with cold aloe-vera juice mask (do it couple of times a day). Make sure to stay from any sort of astringent (vinegar, lemon juice, drying solution, alcohol, etc). And about the happy part, when my hubby had depression from taking Ativan (Lorazepam), listening to instrumentals, like classical music, helped his anxiety; he said it allowed his mind to drift without negative thoughts.
If you need someone to talk to, I am always here. I know how you feel; I felt it when my acne was at it worst.
Kind regards.

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MemberMember
568
(@leelowe1)

Posted : 07/11/2018 8:37 am

On 7/7/2018 at 9:01 AM, Yasminexra said:
Thanks a lot! Your reply means a lot to me.
I know, but for the past years I would say my diet was pretty balanced. I ate the right amount of vegetables and fruits (I kept track of how much my body needed), but even then my acne didn't go away so I just gave up and started purging or starving myself. But you're right, I guess my diet contributes to how bad my skin is, but the difference seems so small that I just didn't care anymore whether I got the right nutritions.

Birth control isn't doing anything btw which sucks. I literally waited 3 months in my room for it to work :(
Also, It went from moderate acne to severe (because of the pill) and now it's just back to moderate. However, I don't dare to quit because I'm too afraid it will get to severe again.
Question: Do you recommend adding spironolactone to the BCP? It's literally the only thing left to try I guess..

Again, thank you for your time and reply. And yes knowing I'm not alone is the only thing keeping me sane but to be honest I don't know for how long I can do this.

Adding spiro to birth control is what many women do.  I chose not to and had semi decent results.  You should try it.  It can take six months or more to see if it will work for you.  It took over a year for me to see if any progress was made.

Stress and worry worsens acne which sucks because acne stresses and worries most of us.  Try to find one thing each day that makes you happy and do it.  Take a break from the mirror.  Journal your feelings.  Realize that you are loved and that acne is a part of your physical makeup at this moment but it doesn't define you as an individual.  If you need to chat, feel free to send me a message.  I've been struggling since i was 16 and now i'm soon to be 35.

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(@meruru)

Posted : 07/11/2018 10:28 am

I started birth control at 14 with an antibiotic to help with the acne. I hated the anitobiotic, it felt like my body (I already had stomach issues) was getting worse, so I stopped. I'm sorry to say that I can't remember, but I *think* it took a good 6 months - 1 year for my skin to clear up. This was in conjunction with a BP wash, differin 0.3%, and aczone. I'm still on the birth control due to convenience, 10 years later, but it also helps with acne. Switching from loryna to generic back to lornya put my hormones in a weird shock recently. 

Everything takes time, it sounds like your skin is already improving with the yaz! Though not where you want to be yet. I understand how you're feeling. I took yaz too until I was switched to loryna :) 

As for the diet, I know where you're coming from. I'm recovered from ED from depression and anxiety for 1.5 years now. My skin started recovering too when I added back in more fats, like chia seeds, hemp, avocado, sesame oil, and almond butter. I definitely notice breakouts from artificial sugars, so I try to avoid desserts. 

As for products, I use Pacifica kale detox and that stuff is strong, but it totally helped after a month of using it so far. I also use iS clinical hydra-cool serum and it helps my skin to calm down! I noticed I'm less red, especially now that I'm doing differin generic again. Cetaphil is NOT a good cleanser for acne. It's a generic by dermatologists because it's a standard, basic cleanser that works on everyone. Their products clogged my pores and broke me out. I would try to find a gentle foaming cleanser, with hypo-allogenic ingredients, to use with your ace products. Or try to find an AHA cleanser. I find BHA to be too strong to use on the daily, but it helps a few times a week. 

OH I totally forgot! hormonal acne I've heard can be helped from an amino acid called L-Lysine. A lot of people with this type of acne take these supplements and say it helps tremendously. A lot of the public is deficient in it, but I'm not sure how it'd be used with a hormonal birth control. This is just something to look into and research, especially for your body. 

Another thing, oil-free moisturizers can be pore-clogging as well. I used an oil-free gel for a month and a half and as a result got horrendous clogged pores that will take 3+ months to heal. I'm currently in month one? of my skin recovery from that but. I got pretty gnarly flare-ups due to my skin purging finally. 

They say for acne and oily skin an oil moisturizer or double cleansing is good. I can second the oil-based serum, but oil cleansers also clog my pores. It's all about experimenting. If you see breakouts immediately after using a new product then I would start spot-treating only and seeing how that area reacts (I say this but don't do it myself hahah). 

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MemberMember
13
(@besimple)

Posted : 07/11/2018 1:50 pm

5 hours ago, leelowe1 said:
Adding spiro to birth control is what many women do.  I chose not to and had semi decent results.  You should try it.  It can take six months or more to see if it will work for you.  It took over a year for me to see if any progress was made.

Stress and worry worsens acne which sucks because acne stresses and worries most of us.  Try to find one thing each day that makes you happy and do it.  Take a break from the mirror.  Journal your feelings.  Realize that you are loved and that acne is a part of your physical makeup at this moment but it doesn't define you as an individual.  If you need to chat, feel free to send me a message.  I've been struggling since i was 16 and now i'm soon to be 35.

I definitely agree with your advice on taking a break from acne. It takes a while to believe that you are totally worth it- pizza face and all- but when you do, it makes all the difference in the world.

3 hours ago, Meruru said:

I started birth control at 14 with an antibiotic to help with the acne. I hated the anitobiotic, it felt like my body (I already had stomach issues) was getting worse, so I stopped. I'm sorry to say that I can't remember, but I *think* it took a good 6 months - 1 year for my skin to clear up. This was in conjunction with a BP wash, differin 0.3%, and aczone. I'm still on the birth control due to convenience, 10 years later, but it also helps with acne. Switching from loryna to generic back to lornya put my hormones in a weird shock recently. 

Everything takes time, it sounds like your skin is already improving with the yaz! Though not where you want to be yet. I understand how you're feeling. I took yaz too until I was switched to loryna :) 

As for the diet, I know where you're coming from. I'm recovered from ED from depression and anxiety for 1.5 years now. My skin started recovering too when I added back in more fats, like chia seeds, hemp, avocado, sesame oil, and almond butter. I definitely notice breakouts from artificial sugars, so I try to avoid desserts. 

As for products, I use Pacifica kale detox and that stuff is strong, but it totally helped after a month of using it so far. I also use iS clinical hydra-cool serum and it helps my skin to calm down! I noticed I'm less red, especially now that I'm doing differin generic again. Cetaphil is NOT a good cleanser for acne. It's a generic by dermatologists because it's a standard, basic cleanser that works on everyone. Their products clogged my pores and broke me out. I would try to find a gentle foaming cleanser, with hypo-allogenic ingredients, to use with your ace products. Or try to find an AHA cleanser. I find BHA to be too strong to use on the daily, but it helps a few times a week. 

OH I totally forgot! hormonal acne I've heard can be helped from an amino acid called L-Lysine. A lot of people with this type of acne take these supplements and say it helps tremendously. A lot of the public is deficient in it, but I'm not sure how it'd be used with a hormonal birth control. This is just something to look into and research, especially for your body. 

Another thing, oil-free moisturizers can be pore-clogging as well. I used an oil-free gel for a month and a half and as a result got horrendous clogged pores that will take 3+ months to heal. I'm currently in month one? of my skin recovery from that but. I got pretty gnarly flare-ups due to my skin purging finally. 

They say for acne and oily skin an oil moisturizer or double cleansing is good. I can second the oil-based serum, but oil cleansers also clog my pores. It's all about experimenting. If you see breakouts immediately after using a new product then I would start spot-treating only and seeing how that area reacts (I say this but don't do it myself hahah). 

The cetaphil cleanser I recommended to her is the new one. I properly made sure it was not comedegenic before switching. This is the a link to the cosmetic analysis of cetaphil new gentle foaming cleanser 
https://www.skincarisma.com/products/analyze?utf8=œ“&q=Water%2C+Cocamidopropyl+Betaine%2C+Coco-Glucoside%2C+Betaine%2C+Glycerin%2C+Panthenol+(Vitamin+B5)%2C+Tocopheryl+Acetate+(Vitamin+E)%2C+Sodium+Benzoate%2C+Polysorbate+20%2C+Polyquaternium-10%2C+Phenoxyethanol%2C+Citric+Acid

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MemberMember
19
(@yasminexra)

Posted : 07/11/2018 7:55 pm

On 10-7-2018 at 3:53 PM, besimple said:

About the cysts just breathe. Find anti-inflammatory ingredients to counteract it so it can disappear quickly: try something like grounded oats mixed with cold aloe-vera juice mask (do it couple of times a day). Make sure to stay from any sort of astringent (vinegar, lemon juice, drying solution, alcohol, etc). And about the happy part, when my hubby had depression from taking Ativan (Lorazepam), listening to instrumentals, like classical music, helped his anxiety; he said it allowed his mind to drift without negative thoughts.
If you need someone to talk to, I am always here. I know how you feel; I felt it when my acne was at it worst.
Kind regards.

Thank you! It just sucks when cysts come back when they're gone for a few days. I'd rather have them continuously in that case because the shock is so big. I will keep your tips in mind, normally I just put on vinegar but I guess I shouldn't do that. Also, do you recommend exfoliating? And if so, what is the best way?

You're right. In my case I can't go outside so I try to listen to music or sing. It doesn't make me happy but it keeps my mind a little calm.

Again, thanks a lot! Giving me tips and recommendations but also even offering to talk means a lot to me.

11 hours ago, leelowe1 said:
Adding spiro to birth control is what many women do. I chose not to and had semi decent results. You should try it. It can take six months or more to see if it will work for you. It took over a year for me to see if any progress was made.

Stress and worry worsens acne which sucks because acne stresses and worries most of us. Try to find one thing each day that makes you happy and do it. Take a break from the mirror. Journal your feelings. Realize that you are loved and that acne is a part of your physical makeup at this moment but it doesn't define you as an individual. If you need to chat, feel free to send me a message. I've been struggling since i was 16 and now i'm soon to be 35.

That's a long time! Hope you're doing okay.

I'm also leaning towards the decision of not going on spiro. I just feel like it will make the ''worse before better'' stage come back, and then I'll never be able to tell whether BCP worked. Correct me if I'm wrong.
(I'm completely convinced I'm one of the cases nothing will work on but I still need to try before saying that confidently.)

I'm sorry to go against your words, I really appreciate it. But I tried doing all those things to be happy for years. It just doesn't work. However, I'm still thankful.

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