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Solved my hormonal acne problems without meds -- my regimen

MemberMember
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(@mstonia)

Posted : 10/06/2018 11:54 am

Hi there.

I went from 28 w/ years of nasty hormonal acne to 32 with none-to-socially acceptable acne. Heres what I learned that works for me:

  • Got off all forms of hormonal birth control at 22 and switched to Paraguard IUD. All hell broke loose.
  • Yes, spironolactone works. Like, amazing glowing beautiful skin, reduced my anxiety, all sorts of things. Then 8 months into it one day my lower body melted into cellulite like I've never seen before (I was around 25 years old) & I stopped taking it. Talked to docs, read online, no one lists this as side effect but how can it not be if it's blocking testosterone? Body eventually went back to normal.
  • When I was 28 I went to a holistic doctor who specialized in fertility/pre-menopausal women's health. She ordered me to get my gyno to do a full blood panel - andvoila, I was PCOS.
  • Said almost all of her PCOS girls have MTHFR gene mutation -- did gene test and voila, I have one copy of C. Resource: [removed]
  • Main supplement regimen - Methylfolate, glutathione, multivitamin, Omega, (Thorne brand, quality supplements), probiotic (specifically: Integrative Pro Flora Women's Probiotic -- this one worked better than others. Stopped having trouble with yeast infections, too)
  • Diet - PCOS (Resource:[The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility 2005]), and more importantly for me, FODMAP (Resource: http://fodmapliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Stanford-University-Low-FODMAP-Diet-Handout.pdf ). No dairy, no coffee (if I must, no more than 1/2 cup or 1 espresso shot coffee a day, it is an endocrine disruptor). Switched to unlimited white tea, green also ok.
  • Exercise - strength training 2x/week. I tend to be fatty, and I've noticed if I keep my weight at or under a certain limit, and probably more importantly under a certain body fat %, I have less hormonal and acne issues. For me at ~5'4 3/4" and working out light to modestly, that limit is 135lbs. Takes a lot of work for me to stay away from 30% body fat.
  • Wash makeup brushes with antibacterial soap, I *wish* weekly (I use Sephora brand)
  • Routine
    • Wash face and moisturize every morning and night. If I really need something easy at night I like this brand of wipes:[red flower italian blood orange refreshing hand and face towelettes]
    • I wash with CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and that's it. Wash with this soap to keep bacne at bay:[Natural Girls RockOIL/ACNE BAR THE TRUTH]
    • Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris on a cotton ball where I'm oily - on cheekbones/sides of face, nose and chin (not on my dry forehead). This made a HUGE improvement and I believe a critical step. I use before moisturizer.
    • Moisturize with CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM. I believe chemical (and most) sunscreens are contributing to the problem, so I don't use AM. If I don't want UV damage, I cover my skin or limit exposure to <= 20min. I also do not use sunscreen on body -- it makes my back breakout. When I absolutely must use SPF on face, I only like titanium dioxide.
    • In morning, ~5 minutes after moisturizer, I use Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Cream instead of makeup. I absolutely cannot wear makeup everyday - doesn't matter brand, type, noncomedogenic - I only do makeup for important meetings or evenings (dates, parties, formal events). Absolutely must wash face before going to bed, or there will be a breakout 1-3 days later.
    • Daily makeup routine: Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage+ MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural if I must cover up blemishes (skip if I can), then a little Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour
    • Occasional makeup: Christian Dior Airflash Spray Foundation, pretty much anything
  • In the beginning, I mixed 3 parts castor oil (I like this one:[Natural Girls RockPREMIUM CASTOR OIL (100% PURE)]) with 7 parts sunflower oil (I use this one:[Flora Sunflower Oil] ) to make an oil wash. Google "Oil Washing." I massaged into cheekbone, cheek, and nose areas only. Massaged, massaged, massaged in hot shower, cleaned off with help of a steamy washcloth. The idea is oil dissolves oil. This really did get my cheeks on track -- could not use on jawline or under chin though, caused breakouts. I did this frequently, every 1-7 days, in the beginning. Now I only do occasionally, when I feel oily, wore makeup, etc (not more than 1x/month).

I really have to keep up with these things to maintain my skin. If I slip for a week (for instance, I've been drinking red bull everyday for 2 weeks), I'll get a jawline/chin breakout.

Hope this helps!

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MemberMember
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(@shiragaligal)

Posted : 10/08/2018 11:54 am

Thank you for your post, big question
Were you able to get rid of the cellulite once you stopped with the spirolactone? and please tell me how

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MemberMember
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(@mstonia)

Posted : 10/15/2018 5:34 pm

Hi Shiragaligal, I was able to. There was nothing extra that I did, I just went back to my normal lifestyle and with time things improved.

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