Hi all,
Good to find a helpful forum and similar people sharing their stories.
Been suffering from acne since 21 (now 28, had flawless skin during teenage years, acne only started appearing since twenties) ranging from moderate to moderate-severe acne. Sometimes it starts to clear but would never for longer than 2-3 weeks and new ones would form. They are mostly on the side of the face/jawline, with some occasional acne on the forehead and cheeks - are these hormonal? Tried a few oral medications last year and they worked a little bit but never cleared all my acne, I'm off them now and the acne has returned.To be honest some moderate scarring has formed (even though I do my best not to touch them)and its taken a bit of a toll on my self-confidence.
My general diet and hygiene are fairly ok. Eat a decent mix of vegetables, not much fruit, but rarely any sugars, dairyor processed foods. Wash my face twice per day, try to be gentle, and use non-comedogenic moisturiser, replace my pillows every 2 weeks. I'd say overall I'm more of a sensitive/oily skin type.
My stress levels are usuallymoderate, however I do sometimes get into bursts of high-stress from time to time (work etc.). My sleep quality isn't always great though ranging from 6-8 hrs per night.
Recently started to do a bit more cardiovascular exercise, trying to improve my gut health (pre and pro-biotics, l glutamine, collagen, bone broth etc.)and takingCBD oil.
I've tried doing dietary/lifestyle journals to figure out the root causes of my problem, however have had no real luck or a good solution... So far the only triggers I have found that aggravate my acne are:
- Ejaculation/Masturbation: This is probably the strongest trigger. Basically 3-5 days after this happens I tend to get a moderate/bad breakout (irrespective of what else I've been doing). As ridiculous as this sounds, I've basically quit masturbationcompletely for the past 2 years with releases only happening once 1-2months due to wet dreams (which I can't control).
- Alcohol: If I have a big night out, by skin will get inflammed the next 1-3 days. I've tried to minimise these, and have recently cut out gluten and beer.
- Chilli: I think this runs in the family. Would get acne overnight from spicy foods. However Im the only person in my family with adult acne
To be honest Im a bit lost at the moment. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.Have been dealing with this for a number of years and feel like I'm no closer to a solution or answer. Have tried dozens of skincare products and diet plans without much luck...
Much love
Hey there,
I feel for you! I know exactly how you're feeling. I struggled with severe, adult acne, and it really took a toll on my emotions and confidence. I slipped into depression and it got harder and harder for me to force myself to leave the house. I tried everything under the sun to try and clear my skin, but nothing worked.
About 2 years ago, I was introduced to Unblemish by Rodan and Fields. It took about 6 months for it to actually start working, but now -after 2 years- I can say that I have never had clearer skin. My results completely raised my confidence levels. I decided to enroll as a Rodan and Fields Consultant, because I want to share these amazing products with those who need it most. I want other people to experience the same results I did and fall in love with their skin. If you want any more information, please feel free to message me.
People posting on this thread with adult acne problems may have fungal acne or possibly gram negative acne, rather than ordinary acne.
If you get back to me with answers to the following questions, I can provide information to assist.
Have you taken antibiotics (or birth control pills or prednisone or accutane) ? In particular, have you taken doxycycline or tetracycline ? Do you have dandruff and/or flaking skin ? Do you have a white coating on your tongue and/or red rashes ? Are the areas with "acne" - itchy or painful ?
It's not the pillow case, it's not your gut health, it's not your diet. I used to think diet played a huge role, especially dairy, and now don't believe that. I've gone back to eating dairy and I don't break out anymore, though I only eat organic dairy without any synthetic growth hormones, so I think that makes a difference. What you have is a hormonal issue. I would recommend Spironolactone if you were female, it changed my life and wish I had taken it sooner. But anyways, I would suggest that you try aprescription retinoid such as Tazorac, which I think is the best retinoid for acne. Also, "gentle" DIY chemical peels with salicylic acid and mandelic acid, they are quick, easy, a bit painful, but so worth it. Both will exfoliate the skin, keep your pores unplugged, but mandelic has antibacterial properties so it's great for acne, and both improve acne scarring. I've seen my acne scars improve, but Ialso do microneedlingin conjunction with chemical peels. Let me know if you need any tips. I know you will see results, because even with Spiro and Tazorac, I still had some stubborn acne on my chin that just wouldn't go away and the chemical peels got rid of them.