Hello there. I am 24 years old and graduated from college and got married last year. You would think this would be a great time in my life but unfortunately I have had some pitfalls. I began struggling with acne when I was around ten years old. Throughout high school I had deep acne on the sides of my face that I thought would never go away. At 18 I began taking ortho tri cyclen and spironolactone. In not much time my acne cleared up and people began to say that I have a doll face and perfect skin. I was so happy and felt like I deserved it after years of hell in high school.
August 2018 I decided to go off birth control pills and I began to get a few pimples that would not stop with over the counter medication. I also stopped taking the spironolactone in October or Novemberbecause I was told it can cause birth defects. I began having far apart periods and developed some cystic acne in December. It has continually gotten worse since then. I would rate my acne moderate or severe. It is so mortifying and depressing. I have been getting big lumps under my skin that make all my surrounding skin red. My mom said the right side of my face almost looks like it is having a painful allergic reaction.
I found out in December that I have PCOS. I am 5 foot 3 and 115 lbs but this hormonal disorder does run in my family. My mom and sister have it and I was conceived with Clomid. My gynecologist told me when I want to actively try to conceive to contact her for ovulationdrugs and until then I can take birth control pills in the mean time since I am miserable without them. About a month ago I began taking the spironolactone again and almost a week ago I began taking the birth control Yasmin. I got my period a week ago and it is ending now and my acne is worse than it has been since I was a teenager right now.
I am so scared that I will never get my beautiful skin back. I never realized how vain I am until this happened to me. I want clear skin again so bad so I can have a few fun months and be happy before we decide to actively try for a baby. I cannot hang out with friends any more and it is even hard to go to work a lot of the time. Does anyone have advice or encouragement? I am impatient and topical medications have never worked for me.
Hey! I'm just going to be honest and say that there is not much advice I can give you on the topic PCOS acne, due to the fact I know very little about it. What I do want to say is that you should think a little more positively. I know I might be sounding pretentious, but if your friends are truly your friends they wouldn't judge you based on your acne. For the past 2 years, I have been suffering from slight acne, and orange peel skin. My friends, however, really didn't care neither did they notice, because the way we looked had very little impact on our relationship.
Regarding work, I know how it feels to have a lack of confidence when it comes to your skin, my advice is to just ignore the people who do judge your for your acne. Yes, it hurts, but don't pay attention to them. At the end of the day you are trying to live the best of your life, and they are trying to live theirs. If they stoop as low as to judge you for the most minuscule thing, they don't have the right to have your attention on them.
Just realize, at the end of the day, there are too many things to look forward to in life to just focus on one thing. This is very hypocritical of me, due to the fact that I have a constant worry of my skin. People don't even notice my skin problems, yet I am so conscious and insecure due to it. I once had perfect skin, but took it for granted and ruined it, and that fact is constantly on my mind every single night. Sorry, if this isn't much help or advice, I hope your acne does get better. Just remember not to let your acne get to you so much, even if it is hard.
I am so sorry you are going through this. Acne really takes a toll on self esteem. I had pretty good skin until about 7 months ago when it went haywire. I have for the last month not left my house...seriously. I am married with 3 children (21, 18, and 13) and my husband thinks I should just "get over it and not care". I thought I was stronger than this, but it has been debilitating. I am now on spironolactone and Beyaz birth control. Hopefully I can be done with this Hell sometime soon. Prayers for us all.
3 hours ago, noashe said:Hey! I'm just going to be honest and say that there is not much advice I can give you on the topic PCOS acne, due to the fact I know very little about it. What I do want to say is that you should think a little more positively. I know I might be sounding pretentious, but if your friends are truly your friends they wouldn't judge you based on your acne. For the past 2 years, I have been suffering from slight acne, and orange peel skin. My friends, however, really didn't care neither did they notice, because the way we looked had very little impact on our relationship.
Regarding work, I know how it feels to have a lack of confidence when it comes to your skin, my advice is to just ignore the people who do judge your for your acne. Yes, it hurts, but don't pay attention to them. At the end of the day you are trying to live the best of your life, and they are trying to live theirs. If they stoop as low as to judge you for the most minuscule thing, they don't have the right to have your attention on them.
Just realize, at the end of the day, there are too many things to look forward to in life to just focus on one thing. This is very hypocritical of me, due to the fact that I have a constant worry of my skin. People don't even notice my skin problems, yet I am so conscious and insecure due to it. I once had perfect skin, but took it for granted and ruined it, and that fact is constantly on my mind every single night. Sorry, if this isn't much help or advice, I hope your acne does get better. Just remember not to let your acne get to you so much, even if it is hard.
Thank you. I am hoping since I had excellent results before I can get back to that point again. I feel trapped in a nightmare. How did you ruin your skin?
3 hours ago, KarenM said:I am so sorry you are going through this. Acne really takes a toll on self esteem. I had pretty good skin until about 7 months ago when it went haywire. I have for the last month not left my house...seriously. I am married with 3 children (21, 18, and 13) and my husband thinks I should just "get over it and not care". I thought I was stronger than this, but it has been debilitating. I am now on spironolactone and Beyaz birth control. Hopefully I can be done with this Hell sometime soon. Prayers for us all.
My husband does not understand my feelings either. He wishes he could take away the acne and have it for me. How long have you been on the spironolactone and birth control? Have you tried accutane? I had great results with the spironolactone and birth control pills before.
7 hours ago, bubblyxkitten said:Thank you. I am hoping since I had excellent results before I can get back to that point again. I feel trapped in a nightmare. How did you ruin your skin?
My husband does not understand my feelings either. He wishes he could take away the acne and have it for me. How long have you been on the spironolactone and birth control? Have you tried accutane? I had great results with the spironolactone and birth control pills before.
I have been on spironolactone for 2 months and Beyaz birth control for 1. I am starting to see it slow down, but it is still debilitating:(
9 hours ago, bubblyxkitten said:Thank you. I am hoping since I had excellent results before I can get back to that point again. I feel trapped in a nightmare. How did you ruin your skin
About 2 years ago (when I had no knowledge about skincare), I decided to use a clay mask. There were no instructions on how often to use it, so I basically used it every single day for about a week. This of course caused major skin damage, as I kept on over exfoliating my skin without realizing it. I only found out a week or two later, when I started to have mild acne and large pores (orange peel skin). I've been depressed about my skin since, and nothing seems to be curing the damage that has been done to my skin. I am starting to fear that this damage is permanent. I know how you feel about being trapped in a nightmare, since this seems never ending.
Edit: I have also been avoiding exfoliating, since it is what cause my skin damage to begin with. I hope people realize that over exfoliation is a terrible thing, that can totally ruin your skin. It seems as though the skincare industry keeps on preaching about why you have to exfoliate and if you don't it is bad. This is a total lie, as not everyone's skin is the same, and even the slightest bit of exfoliation can damage someone's skin (not everyone and anyone). I just feel upset at the fact that one little thing, managed to ruin my skin for seemingly the rest of my life.
4 hours ago, noashe said:About 2 years ago (when I had no knowledge about skincare), I decided to use a clay mask. There were no instructions on how often to use it, so I basically used it every single day for about a week. This of course caused major skin damage, as I kept on over exfoliating my skin without realizing it. I only found out a week or two later, when I started to have mild acne and large pores (orange peel skin). I've been depressed about my skin since, and nothing seems to be curing the damage that has been done to my skin. I am starting to fear that this damage is permanent. I know how you feel about being trapped in a nightmare, since this seems never ending.
Edit: I have also been avoiding exfoliating, since it is what cause my skin damage to begin with. I hope people realize that over exfoliation is a terrible thing, that can totally ruin your skin. It seems as though the skincare industry keeps on preaching about why you have to exfoliate and if you don't it is bad. This is a total lie, as not everyone's skin is the same, and even the slightest bit of exfoliation can damage someone's skin (not everyone and anyone). I just feel upset at the fact that one little thing, managed to ruin my skin for seemingly the rest of my life.
Can I ask if you are male or female? Have you talked to a dermatologist about any surgeries or treatments they could do?
6 hours ago, KarenM said:I have been on spironolactone for 2 months and Beyaz birth control for 1. I am starting to see it slow down, but it is still debilitating:(
I have noticed since being on spironolactone for a month my skin and hair are less greasy. I could literally feel the greasiness before! It made me feel awful.
So this is my skin right now! I might delete these pictures later. I dunno. Hopefully in a few months I can have good before and after pictures. I hate those purple welts. I can feel the pressure in my face even!
18 hours ago, bubblyxkitten said:Hello there. I am 24 years old and graduated from college and got married last year. You would think this would be a great time in my life but unfortunately I have had some pitfalls. I began struggling with acne when I was around ten years old. Throughout high school I had deep acne on the sides of my face that I thought would never go away. At 18 I began taking ortho tri cyclen and spironolactone. In not much time my acne cleared up and people began to say that I have a doll face and perfect skin. I was so happy and felt like I deserved it after years of hell in high school.
August 2018 I decided to go off birth control pills and I began to get a few pimples that would not stop with over the counter medication. I also stopped taking the spironolactone in October or Novemberbecause I was told it can cause birth defects. I began having far apart periods and developed some cystic acne in December. It has continually gotten worse since then. I would rate my acne moderate or severe. It is so mortifying and depressing. I have been getting big lumps under my skin that make all my surrounding skin red. My mom said the right side of my face almost looks like it is having a painful allergic reaction.
I found out in December that I have PCOS. I am 5 foot 3 and 115 lbs but this hormonal disorder does run in my family. My mom and sister have it and I was conceived with Clomid. My gynecologist told me when I want to actively try to conceive to contact her for ovulationdrugs and until then I can take birth control pills in the mean time since I am miserable without them. About a month ago I began taking the spironolactone again and almost a week ago I began taking the birth control Yasmin. I got my period a week ago and it is ending now and my acne is worse than it has been since I was a teenager right now.
I am so scared that I will never get my beautiful skin back. I never realized how vain I am until this happened to me. I want clear skin again so bad so I can have a few fun months and be happy before we decide to actively try for a baby. I cannot hang out with friends any more and it is even hard to go to work a lot of the time. Does anyone have advice or encouragement? I am impatient and topical medications have never worked for me.
Hi doll! I am sorry you are in a place where you feel like you have to make a decision between clear skin, or trying for a child. I have followed a few women that were in the same position as you who chose to go on accutane so that they could be clear for pregnancy. Having a child may actually change your hormones again, and you could find clarity you just never know how your body will react.
I have PCOS, am off birth control, but have been on Spironolactone for 5 years and it continues to keep my hormonal acne away. I believed if I was interested in conceiving I would go off Spiro once I knew I was pregnant. The dose I am taking is so low 125mg. You need to be in a healthy mindset and place in order to welcome in your new family in the best place.
I use weekly gentle Mandelic acid peels and that has helped tremendously over the years. Stay strong and continue to get support and ask questions from the community!
3 minutes ago, CarpeMomentum said:Hi doll! I am sorry you are in a place where you feel like you have to make a decision between clear skin, or trying for a child. I have followed a few women that were in the same position as you who chose to go on accutane so that they could be clear for pregnancy. Having a child may actually change your hormones again, and you could find clarity you just never know how your body will react.
I have PCOS, am off birth control, but have been on Spironolactone for 5 years and it continues to keep my hormonal acne away. I believed if I was interested in conceiving I would go off Spiro once I knew I was pregnant. The dose I am taking is so low 125mg. You need to be in a healthy mindset and place in order to welcome in your new family in the best place.
I use weekly gentle Mandelic acid peels and that has helped tremendously over the years. Stay strong and continue to get support and ask questions from the community!
I was always hoping I would outgrow my acne but now it appears this will be a lifelong struggle. I feel like PCOS is a curse.
14 minutes ago, bubblyxkitten said:Can I ask if you are male or female?Have you talked to a dermatologist about any surgeries or treatments they could do?
I am a female. I have told my dermatologist that I think the acne might be due to over exfoliation, he did say that there is a chance that it could be from over exfoliation, and then brushed it off. He prescribed me Clindamycin Phosophate Topical Solution (an antibiotic) and Differin (over the counter Retin-A). These are used to treat normal/regular acne though, not acne from over exfoliation. Next time I see him, I guess I'll try mentioning the over exfoliation again, but I am guessing he is still going to prescribe me the same things. Honestly there are very few good dermatologists near me, so I guess I'll have to stick with my acne for a while. I also feel like any surgeries and lasers might damage my skin more, as they tend to be very harsh. If anything I am just hoping I will be able to heal my skin barrier, and have at least my pores to go back to normal.
32 minutes ago, noashe said:I am a female. I have told my dermatologist that I think the acne might be due to over exfoliation, he did say that there is a chance that it could be from over exfoliation, and then brushed it off. He prescribed me Clindamycin Phosophate Topical Solution (an antibiotic) and Differin (over the counter Retin-A). These are used to treat normal/regular acne though, not acne from over exfoliation. Next time I see him, I guess I'll try mentioning the over exfoliation again, but I am guessing he is still going to prescribe me the same things. Honestly there are very few good dermatologists near me, so I guess I'll have to stick with my acne for a while. I also feel like any surgeries and lasers might damage my skin more, as they tend to be very harsh. If anything I am just hoping I will be able to heal my skin barrier, and have at least my pores to go back to normal.
Have you been tested for PCOS and had labs done?
4 hours ago, bubblyxkitten said:Have you been tested for PCOS and had labs done?
I definitely don't have PCOS, because it is not in my family, and because I don't display the symptoms of having PCOS. My primary care doctor would have realized if I did have PCOS, due to the fact that I go to checkups yearly. I have not had any testing or labs done for PCOS. I truly believe that the acne is caused by over-exfoliation, I just need to find a proven way of healing my damaged skin barrier. I truly regret exfoliating my face everyday with a clay mask.
4 hours ago, KarenM said:I have to go 2+ hours away for my dermatologist. There are no good ones by me... one I saw when this all first started told me to just not look in the mirror and I probably just had infected hair follicles. He was awful and so wrong.
I feel your pain, but I just don't have the time to go to a dermatologist 2 hours away for me. My current dermatologist just meets up with me for 3-5 minutes, and quickly prescribes me things that don't really help my skin. Though I have to admit that Clindamycin does help my skin for clogged pores, at the end of the day it doesn't cure my skin being prone to closed comedones. I think my skin frequently gets closed comedones due to how large my pores became after over-exfoliation. I rarely get actual pimples.
On 2/21/2019 at 6:29 PM, noashe said:I definitely don't have PCOS, because it is not in my family, and because I don't display the symptoms of having PCOS. My primary care doctor would have realized if I did have PCOS, due to the fact that I go to checkups yearly. I have not had any testing or labs done for PCOS. I truly believe that the acne is caused by over-exfoliation, I just need to find a proven way of healing my damaged skin barrier. I truly regret exfoliating my face everyday with a clay mask.
I feel your pain, but I just don't have the time to go to a dermatologist 2 hours away for me. My current dermatologist just meets up with me for 3-5 minutes, and quickly prescribes me things that don't really help my skin. Though I have to admit that Clindamycin does help my skin for clogged pores, at the end of the day it doesn't cure my skin being prone to closed comedones. I think my skin frequently gets closed comedones due to how large my pores became after over-exfoliation. I rarely get actual pimples.
Hi there! Well, I recently had some challenges with over exfoliation. I use the Acne.org Glycolic acid and was not using a moisturizer and was also doing weekly peels. HELLO crazy red, dry, flaky and irritated skin. I did a ton of research to find a PH balanced oil free cleanser to help repair my barrier. Cosrx Good Morning Low PH cleanser has been a God send. Within less than 5 days my skin is hydrated but not oily, the clogged pores that were created by dry skin are either disappearing or coming to a head and my skin is calm in general. I also started using a Rose water spray to hydrate after washing and my routine, it's from Makeup Artist's choice. I also have been using Tula moisturizer for some time now as it has probiotics to help balance and restore the skin barrier. The oil free moisturizer has also been changing the texture of my skin overall. It's worth a shot looking into both, they have outstanding reviews and almost 5 stars. Both are made in Korea, the land of amazing skin care products as far as I can tell.
So this is my skin right now! I might delete these pictures later. I dunno. Hopefully in a few months I can have good before and after pictures. I hate those purple welts. I can feel the pressure in my face even!
This is my acne this week. Honestly not sure if it got better or worse. :\
Hi. I am 28 years old and had acne ever since I was 11. I do have pcos and the best moment in my life was when I found out about androcur. It was great it healed my face and my mind. But now I made the biggest mistake of my life to stop taking it because the doctor told me so and she gave me spironolactone and now my face looks horrible! I regret this so much. I now started taking androcur again and hopefully it wont be long until it will clear my face! Because I feel completely terrible and I am ashamed with my face!
So far I have stopped using Differin and Clindamycin for almost a week. I feel like in doing so, I gained a few more clogged pores than before. The reason for this is because I want to let my skin heal, without using any strong actives. I hoping that after a few weeks, my pores will go slightly back to normal (as my large pores is the reason that they are getting clogged in the first place). What to do you guys think about this? So far as a nighttime skin care routine, I double cleanse my skin, pat on a hydrating toner/essence, and finish up with a nourishing moisturizer.
4 hours ago, noashe said:So far I have stopped using Differin and Clindamycin for almost a week. I feel like in doing so, I gained a few more clogged pores than before. The reason for this is because I want to let my skin heal, without using any strong actives. I hoping that after a few weeks, my pores will go slightly back to normal (as my large pores is the reason that they are getting clogged in the first place). What to do you guys think about this? So far as a nighttime skin care routine, I double cleanse my skin, pat on a hydrating toner/essence, and finish up with a nourishing moisturizer.
1. What does your dermatologist think?
2. Can you take accutane? That is supposed to reduce pore sizes.
On 3/14/2019 at 9:27 PM, bubblyxkitten said:1. What does your dermatologist think?
2. Can you take accutane? That is supposed to reduce pore sizes.
1) My dermatologist isn't that great. He has mostly mediocre reviews. That and I feel like he prescribes the same things to everyone with acne (no matter how mild or severe). My dermatologist would probably disapprove, however, I feel like my skin isn't going to heal if I follow his regimen on a daily basis.
2) I don't take accutane, because my acne isn't that severe. That and my acne has nothing to do with genes or the way body works, it's just because I managed to ruin my skin barrier (by over-exfoliating). I did ask for accutane my dematologist wouldn't prescribe it to me, because my acne is fairly mild.
So far I have changed my regimen slightly, instead of totally stopping Differin and Clindamycin I am going to use it when I really need it. For example, when I get a lot of clogged pores or pimples. Right now my skin is decently clogged so I am going to use Differin and Clindamycin till it calms down a little bit. Then, I will focus back to hydrating and repairing my skin.
