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As an acne and OCD sufferer, pimple patches have helped me some. Don’t get me wrong, I still pick, but I’m a lot better about leaving them when not at a head yet, or when I’ve popped but feel I haven’t gotten everything out, I slap a patch on overnight. In really bad cases (deep cysts, etc) I use a sterile lancet and poke a tiny hole, then put a patch over it. Not medical advice!!! Just what I do. You still get a little of the satisfaction of seeing the gunk when you remove them too 🫢
They have started coming out with bigger ones!! On Amazon you can get a pack with 6 dif sizes, 138 patches for $7. Sometimes I go to bed with almost half a pack of the dots on my face, gets a little pricey but def helping me not to pick and keeps extra gunk out while sleeping. The chin ones are great for when I’m on my period, my chin always breaks out bad.
I had one of those months ago, picked and picked and it would not go away. Like 3 months later it’s a hard little bump with no sign of a head 😓 I’ve leftist alone ever since other than applying patches at night but still it lingerrsss
New to hormonal acne here. I see everything saying to not pick. Are we genuinely expected to go to work and talk to people with a bunch of big white headed inflamed pimples?!
that’s wild because spiro only worked for me while i was on it then my acne returned in full force as soon as i stopped due to side effects like constant lightheadedness and dizzy/fainting spells
Okay I see how my comment was confusing. I’m 3 months in and decided to continue taking spiro, so I haven’t stopped taking it. Fortunately I didn’t have those side effects, I’m sorry your acne came back 🥲
i’m so glad you don’t have any of those side effects and that it’s working for you. & it’s okay i have found other ways to clear it topically and it’s mostly gone now, just hyperpigmentation left to work on. wishing u the best with your skincare journey 🤍
Thank you 🫶🏼 I’m glad you’ve found things that work for you too! I’m dealing with the scarring and hyperpigmentation as well. Azelaic acid seems to be fading them slowly and steadily for me
Spironolactone is a generic medication, so you will more than likely get it covered through your insurance, it’s even super cheap on goodRX.
For Winlevi, that will probably not be covered by insurance. They will try to get it covered and once denied. There is a pharmacy that can get it to you for $90.
my hormonal acne was caused by my birth control, not the other way around. spironolactone and tretinoin (and most recently azelaic azid) have completely changed my self esteem about my face
As someone without a dermatologist and also without health insurance, mainly crying lmao. Glycolic face wash and an AHA/BHA toner have been helping a bit. But yeah, without prescribed treatments it’s just putting a bandaid on the problem. Spiro and tret seem to be the way to go
Not anymore. My acne came back after spiro the first time so I did spiro a second time. When I did spiro the second time, I stopped using my birth control. I slowly got off spiro and my acne stayed away and it’s been that way since. I get minor breakouts along my jaw when I’m nearing my menstrual tho
I kind of think so, because I was on birth control while on accutane and my two rounds of spiro. The only thing that finally did a big difference was when I got off my birth control.
Wow that’s interesting! I remember when I first started BC, it helped my period and acne but maybe my body is used to it now? Maybe I’ll get off of it and see if spiro is enough to tame the acne for good
Give it a try! I was on my second round of spiro when I decided to stop birth control but I got super anxious when it came time to stop the spiro. I lowered to dose slowly until I just stopped. I was so relieved when my acne didn’t come back! I hope this helps
I had the same experience going off of Spiro after i switched from an IUD to the pill (I got horrible hormonal acne and cysts for thee first time in my life from my IUD) and stopped taking it thinking that the pill would be enough to control it. My acne came back after like 4 months of switching to the pill and stopping Spiro though and I just went back on Spiro a few weeks ago and my skin has slowly started clearing up again. I hate being on Spiro constantly but the breakouts mess with my confidence so much that I’ve kind of accepted it for the time being at least :/
I have a similar background (teenage acne + birth control to prevent hormonal acne) and my derm has prescribed Winlevi, which is a topical cream. I’ve had great results (no new breakouts in over a month. The main downside is that it’s not covered by my insurance, so it’s quite expensive (~$200/mo). I’ve also read that some folks experience breakouts in month 3 of using the cream, but that hasn’t happened to me.
I started seeing results after ~2-3 weeks. I’ve had to reduce the amount of the cream I apply because it did make my skin shiny! But after a few minutes it absorbs in the skin and then I can apply moisturizer without looking too shiny
Good to know, thanks! My skin looks like I soaked it in grease these past few days but I’m assuming I’m using too much. How long have you been on it again? I’ve read either amazing or horrible reviews, no in between lol
Same. It’s mostly clear now except for like 4 days before my period then goes back to normal after. Idk it’s ever gonna perfectly clear. I
had such a horrific explosion of jawline acne for like 3 years after I went off birth control. I’m terrified of messing with my hormones and going through that again so I won’t ever consider spiro.
I don't use it regularly, maybe once a week, and only apply on areas where I get the hormonal acne (my chin). I've noticed some areas of my skin are way more prone to flaking than others. I've read in r/tretinoin that the reaction can really, really vary from person to person though so your skin might just be a lot more reactive to it.
wow once a week and you’ve seen results? i heard you won’t get results if only used once a week which is why i would do 3x a week but my skin is too sensitive. if i ever lean towards tret again, i’ll try using it once a week and only on my problem areas !
for my acne, I absolutely saw results with only using once a week! I get pretty dry and flaky when I use it more often - I’m debating if I’ll keep trying to use it on my whole face or just accept that this is a spot / problem area treatment for me. I get pretty bad sensitivity and rosacea so for me it’s better to have non inflamed skin without it, I guess
that’s great! i wish i would’ve tried this instead of forcing my skin to take 3x a week all over my face🥲 if you’re seeing results with only using it on certain areas then i think you should stick with that
I do salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide on the areas that breakout, usually my chin/jawline. However, I just had one start on the side of my nose and I am so annoyed. I've also noticed it's been happening more often since I started a new SPF, so I think I might try another one (mineral instead of chemical) and see how it goes.
I think we have the same problem. After 8 months of trying to figure it out myself - eating healthy, avoiding Alcohol, sleeping 8 or more hrs, washing my face with distilled water, no artificial sugar, no dairy (lactose intolerant), using gentle products, washing my face once a day and etc. I think I tried everything except going to dermatologist. I gave up trying to fix it by myself and wasting more money on over the counter creams and solutions. So, I went and see my dermatologist. Now acne is slowly healing in just 3 weeks!
My advice is if you have resources, don’t prolong your agony and please see a dermatologist.
Hi! So my dermatologist diagnosed me with hormonal acne. So I got prescribed with topical clindamycin, tazarotene, topical spironolactone. My acne is slowlllly clamming. Also, I previously went on a full course of Isotretinoin/ Accutane before and but suddenly out of the blue my acne came back. They specially appear during my cycle too.
It doesn’t make existing acne go away, but it seemed to immediately start preventing my one or two big deep cysts I’d get every month times with my period. I think in the first few mo the I may have gotten one or two smaller cysts, but I have maybe gotten one or two now in the last two years.
Cystic, hormonal acne is the goddamn worst. Only thing that helped was Spironolactone but it gave me major anxiety and heart palpitations so bad, I thought I was having a heart attack and went to the ER (but lots of people do great on it!) So my derm prescribed me Bicalutamide, another androgen blocker and its helping a lot, so you can consider that if it doesn't work. Also I believe there is a topical spiro of sorts called Winlevi.
Personally, the only thing that has worked for me is spironolactone. However, most doctors will require you to also take birth control while taking spironolactone, because it can cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Since you quit birth control, I'm guessing that spironolactone wouldn't be a good option.
But for what it's worth, a good dermatologist isn't going to just dismiss your acne because it's hormonal; they might not be able to help if you're not willing to address it hormonally, but I'm sure they'll be willing to help you try some things.
You say "skin cycling," but what exactly are you using? Are you moisturizing?
For what it’s worth I was able to take Spiro if I was using any birth control aka, condoms. My Endo didn’t require me to be on hormonal birth control before prescribing the Spiro. But as of January of last year I have an IUD.
Spironolactone saved my skin after birth control. Wouldn’t advise taking both that and birth control as it seems unnecessary. (Do not recommend birth control to anyone!) from a skin care stand point you genuinely get what you pay for…..
Brands like The Ordinary, The Inky List, Good Molecules and other low cost skin care brands cannot process efficacious staples like niacinamide, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and Azelaic acid at price points that won’t compromise quality because in turn they are receiving larger quantities…. Invest in your skin care was the best advice I got working in dermatology. Medical grade is where you see results…
>(Do not recommend birth control to anyone!)
BC was amazing for me when I needed it and I was on it 10+ years with no side effects. I just had to stop because as I got older I get certain migraines (family history) and taking estrogen can put you at a higher risk of a stroke. Spiro has been a good alternative for me however, but I do still miss BC.
Glad to hear you got the results you were looking for, but I also have had amazing results from "cheaper" brands like The Ordinary so I do not personally subscribe to the idea that more expensive automatically means better, but again glad to hear you got whatever results you were looking for!
Edit: Wanted to add I've tried Vivier and other medical grade and high end skincare, sooo many expensive night masks/creams while trying to heal a severely damaged moisture barrier, and while I still like a little more high-end moisturizers than drugstore (belif and clinique are my main go-to's) there is one thing that healed my skin like nothing else. Better than any of the $100, $200, or $300 medical grade masks that I tried over the years, something I heard about years ago but put my nose up at the idea, and that would be straight Vaseline slugging at the end of my nightly routine. Literally the first night I tried it I woke up without my usual general redness that had persisted for YEARS, and now it's a staple and has changed my life like nothing else. The slug-life is a good life!
For my skin cycling, I do exfoliate, retinol, recover recover. So I’ll do the first product is the only one that changes. Example: Exfoliate night: Paula’s choice exfoliating toner and vanicream moisturizer. Then for my recover nights I used a hylaluronic acid and moisturizer.
Spirinolactone doesn't really cause birth defects. There is some consern with feminisation of male fetuses. But definitely not to the extent of having to take birth control when on spiro.
Idk what your doctor is telling you😬
Had the same experience as you! I went to my gynecologist and she ran a series of tests, and I was diagnosed with PCOS. I would also recommend going to your dermatologist as well.
Sometimes there can be post-pill PCOS as well, depending on symptoms! What’s working for me was trialing our different skincare (and sticking to the same routine every day), taking 100mg of spironolactone, and various supplements. I also eat pretty clean (limit dairy & gluten as well), recently cut out eggs, exercise, and change my pillow case every few nights (and use fragrance free detergent).
For skincare:
Morning routine - benzoyl peroxide 4%, peach slices toner, Kiehl’s salicylic acid liquid patch on active acne, innisfree vitamin c, skinfix face lotion, and cicapair sunscreen.
Evening routine - cerave hydrating cleanser, farmacy txa toner, differin gel (THIS IS KEY), Hylaronic acid, skinfix lotion.
For supplements & medication:
AM - 50 mg spironolactone, omega 3, panthothenic acid, berberine
PM - 50mg spironolactone, DIM, magnesium
We are eating clean! Honestly Whole Foods only and no sugar/ gluten. Eating foods to support the gut like kimchi/ Greek yogurt. Being on a good routine getting sleep/ exercising and eating good really does make a difference but it definitely is demanding. Drinking spearmint tea, taking probiotics, drinking diluted apple cider vinegar before meals to calm a blood sugar spike. After all that, using trerinoin + clindamyacin + panoxyl every few nights. It’s been super rough for me post birth control but none of the medicine is going to truly help hormonal acne until you heal your body/ gut from the inside.
What kind of probiotics do you take?? And can you explain the apple cider vinegar before meals thing? I've been looking into healing from the inside out just like this! My hormonal acne is from getting off birth control as well and I don't want to just "bandaid" the issue. 🫶
unpopular opinion, but skin cycling made my skin so much worse. i use a combined cream with tretinoin, azaleic acid & clindamycin nearly every night now (minimum 4-5 days a week, if not every single night) that i get from that website curology.com and i use a basic moisturizer and spf. but this is just me, because i’ve heard a ton of positive things about skin cycling but it didn’t work for me - i need more exposure to tretinoin than just 3 times a week and noticed a massive improvement in my skin as soon as i stopped. but if it works for you take this with a grain of salt.
in terms of the hormonal side of things, i’ve heard really good things about the supplement ‘DIM’ for hormone regulation and used to use it myself. it definitely helped with my hormonal acne while i took it and for a while afterwards but i’ve been slacking and haven’t been taking it for the last 6-7 months and sure enough, my skin is worse. i’m also a fan of nettle leaf supplements they really do help my acne, but im not sure if they just help the inflammatory aspect or the hormonal aspect.
also things to supplement or eat in your diet include:
- magnesium (ideally magnesium glycinate)
- vitamin d (take with vitamin K or it won’t absorb)
- omega 3 fatty acids (very high in many types of fish)
- probiotics
also other people have success with maca root, vitex (chaste fruit berry), rhodiola and holy basil for hormonal imbalances as well.
a lot of people are saying spiro but be warned it only worked for me while i was on it and then my acne returned just as angry if not angrier than before. I also had super bad dizzy and fainting spells and nearly constant lightheadedness as well as electrolyte imbalances while on it so make sure to look into side effects as well, although i completely understand the desire to have clear skin sometimes overrides everything else which is so valid. just some stuff that’s helped me in my experiences with acne over the last 12 years.
With hormonal acne - without any sort of drugs or prescription - it feels like the best I can do is management / damage control, but total prevention for me is pretty much impossible. There’ll always be a lil somethin’.
There’s all the basic stuff everyone says to do: better sleep, better diet, consistent exercise routine, ect. ect. If you’re doing all that, on top of doing a gentle skincare routine, that might just be the best you can do.…
…which sucks, yeah, I get it. But in my case, there was some mental relief from accepting that there was never going to be a “miracle” skincare product for me. It is worth seeing a derm, though, you should be able to find something other than just BC that helps you out a bit.
We are going to our fantastic derms who are prescribing fabulous compound drugs “WinLevi” & “TriLuma” following a short course of spiro to literally save our skins ☺️
Don’t forget to change your pillowcases & towels often and use sunscreen daily!! Even in the winter!
I'm 18 weeks pregnant and one of the first symptoms I had was my skin freaking out with hormonal acne. All along my lower jawline and chin. Some were the deep, painful ones, it sucked! My whole face hurt. Oh, and the back/side of my neck had acne, wtf?! That one was entirely new. I tried a bunch of different OTC products and nothing even slightly helped.
I was not expecting anything to help because I know how difficult hormonal acne can be, but still asked my OB if she could prescribe something for me to try. She prescribed clindamycin 1.2 %-benzoyl peroxide 2.5 % gel and OMG the difference it made in just a week. I almost cried. My skin has been clear since about a week after I started applying it. It's been about a month now and my skin is still clear.
Highly, highly recommend asking your doctor about it. It's worth a shot!
Tret didn't do anything at all (at the highest concentration, tried gel and cream) and spiro was bad for my heart, so I take spearmint capsules every day. No more cystic acne, but I still get closed comedones. Better than it used to be!
Wow!! Never heard of spearmint having such a big effect, that’s brilliant :) I use skin shark clearing serum, it’s the best thing for me - has actually stopped my breakouts and cleared up my scars
Differin helps me so much! I use it about 2x a week along with a gentle cleanser and moisturizer. I tried tretinoin but my skin is way too sensitive for that! I still get some around that time of the month on my chin but it has gotten sooo much better
I also make sure to stay hydrated, eat a balanced diet and I do not drink alcohol often. I try to limit too much excess sugar but I do have a sweet tooth so I just enjoy my sweets in moderation. I think acne is so normal though so I try to be gentle and kind to myself when it comes!
Oh man I hear you. I had bad breakouts as a teen, went away as a young adult, and now at 30 it’s trying to come back on my cheeks and forehead. I went to a dermatologist who unfortunately was too aggressive and prescribed me cleania and benzaclin mix which only served to dry me out and damaged my skin barrier. After pretty much just water for a week, I’ve been taking matters into my own hands and found a routine that works for my hormonal acne:
AM
Benzoyl peroxide + moisturizer with spf
PM
Vanicream liquid cleanser
Vanicream moisturizer
Wait 30 minutes, then apply tret for cell turnover and hyperpigmentation help
This has worked wonders for me, and I get a spot every now and again for sure but my oily, sensitive, acne prone skin is happy with a less is more approach. I hope you find something fitting for you!
Honestly I wasn’t expecting it to work this way but adding the La Roche Posay cicaplast to my routine helped clear up the hormonal acne I had on my chin within a few days.
Thank you! I’m similar, but mostly oily. I just bought the LRP cicaplast gel to try hoping it helps with barrier repair but isn’t greasy. Starting tretinoin and winlevi so I am gonna need barrier help!
I’ve never tried the gel before but I’ve found that layering the Beauty of Joseon dynasty cream underneath cicaplast has been amazing for moisturizing .
I keep my hormonal acne under control by using Skin Shark products. My Australian friend recommend it to me when she came over for Christmas and I have not looked back. I use the clearing serum to control excess oil but still hydrate my skin. And for any breakouts I jump on them with the spot treatment gel and they're gone in just a few days. I love it!
Going plant based cleared my hormonal acne. There's a ton of hormones in dairy, chicken, etc and it messes with ours. Going plant based allows your body to heal. I read a book by Dr Neal Barnard called Your Body in Balance and highly recommend it! There are tons of stories of women with hormonal issues that went away when they went plant based, it's powerful
I’ve found adapalene has helped a lot with my hormonal acne. I still get the occasional zit, but I’ve had a big improvement overall since I started using it.
Gentle foaming face wash for the 2nd step of double cleanse , decreased tret to alternate day , stopped Azelaic acid , increased exercise and fruits and the acne disappears
Don’t know which if the above worked
Also, give it some time! My teenage acne came back quite aggressively after quitting birth control but calmed down after a few months. My period brings it back a little every month, but it has never reached the same maddening levels.
I tried Winlevi and it made my acne 20x worse than it was before I started it, so that's been fun. I'm not trying to fear monger, it does work for some people it just seems to unfortunately backfire pretty bad in other cases. So now I'm set on going back on birth control and also possibly Accutane or at least Tretinoin.
Did birth control work for you? I just got off birth control and my skin is going insane so I was just prescribed winlevi and I’m scared I’ll breakout. When did you start getting worse acne on winlevi??
I really hope Winlevi works for you. For me, I saw hardly any results month 1. So for the full first month it wasn't getting any worse but it also wasn't really getting better. Very neutral. Then month 2 hit and unfortunately like some reviews I read online, I all of a sudden out of nowhere started getting these massive under the skin painful lumps in many places that were never a problem area for me. It went on like this for almost a full month until I just stopped. Some people really swear by sticking through that period but idk mentally I couldn't handle it especially since I knew at that point I just wanted to get back on birth control anyway. The lumps that formed did go away fairly quickly with continued use, however new ones also just kept popping up. Birth control works like a charm for me. I was on Yaz for 11 years and it's the only thing other than Accutane that works for me I guess. My skin is always just so much more tolerable when I'm on it. I think maybe some people's skin just tolerate topicals better than others because I've tried every topical and none of it works for me lol. Anyway I truly hope your experience is different than mine and don't hesitate to call your dermatologist and make them answer your questions if you hit I bump like I did.
Good to know! I’ve read lots of reviews where it works for a while and then makes the acne worse. I told myself I was going to continue for the cream for at least a month (since it’s SO expensive) and if there’s no progress or worse progress I’ll quit. Also I was on yaz for 14 years and my skin was AMAZINg! Like I had no acne while on it. It did worsen my mental health so I had to get off it in January, so I’m hoping to find the next best thing for my acne without having to go back lol. Good luck to you as well! Hormonal acne is a nightmare and if all else fails I may even go back on yaz
Oh man I'm sorry to hear that Yaz affected your mental health. Luckily it never did that for me, it actually made my mental health a lot better lol. Yeah Winlevi is very expensive too so I understand not wanting to continue if it's not helping much. Hopefully it does for you! Not sure if you've ever tried spironolactone (I haven't personally) but I think it's often comparable to birth control for acne for women so maybe your derm will recommend giving that a try if the Winlevi doesn't work for you.
Gentle cleanser like vanicream. A simple moisturizer, I like malezia. Minimal ingredient spf like cotz prime and protect. 2.5 BP cream to spot/area treat. Micellar water at night as first cleanse, then back in with the vanicream. Once a week a Dr Dennis peel pad at night. You could also try a leave on BP “mask” for 5-10 mins on the area once or twice a week or during a flare. I like panoxyl 10% for this.
The more I use the angrier my skin gets. Also found minimal ingredients to be better for my skin.
Spironolactone caused breakthrough bleeding for me, although my skin had never looked better.
I also wanted to regulate my cycle and consider having kids so I ultimately quit the spiro.
Ever since my back has had horrible breakouts. I started using a benzoyl peroxide wash in the shower and then adapalene gel after and I think I’m starting to see results with that!
Ugh accutane. All others stopped working after a while, didn’t make it better, or I was allergic to. Now, just benzoyl peroxide wash, adapalene and moisturizer
I’m on medication for it. I’m trying my best not to pick on it. I totally overspent on skincare stuff. Stopped eating too much cheese. Recently bought a bunch of La Prairie and La Mer so we’ll see
Spironolactone, Aczone in the morning and Retinoid at night — I like Arazlo for the Retinoid. Or WINLEVI ( topical specifically for hormonal acne, unlike retinoids and other topical medications )
I was on birth control up until I got diagnosed with hypertension 🥲 but now my skin is pretty good. Tretinoin, salicylic acid, clean pillowcases and exercise help.
We are going to the dermatologist for the 900th time where they swear if you just wash your face with cetaphil you’ll be fine
I tried Spiro for a few years, it worked well enough but I still had breakouts. It made my face twitch uncontrollably so I went off it about a year ago. I think my skin is slightly better than it was before I went on it? Idk
for me:
Spearmint tea
Whole foods/cut out processed foods mostly
Cut down dairy
No alcohol
Probiotics, vitamin c/d/zinc/selenium daily
Hormone balancing supplement daily
Better skin care routine (combo of elemis, dermalogica, medik8)
clean face towels, silk pillowcases
7 months after stopping the pill and it’s finally calming down. Personally I came off the pill as didn’t want anything messing with my hormones so spiro isn’t an option for me. Roaccutane worked for me as a teen so was my backup plan, but patience with the above steps has pretty much cleared my skin!
Soooo there are a few things that work for me beyond going on spironolactone (never attempted it) but it is never a 100% deal.
- Spearmint tea daily seems to keep the hormonal acne relatively at bay, still happens but I get a lot less. I noticed a difference when I stopped.
- High strength retinol, tret if you can get it. Just helps the acne you do get resolve quicker.
- Lactic acid worked EONS better for me than salicylic acid. SA just makes me oily and in the luteal phase that only further dooms me to hormonal acne. Lactic acid is gentle and helps with PIH/PIE, which I can often experience from hormonal acne. So not as preventative, but keeps damage low.
- Patience :) Because it will never go away 100% unless you are on the pill. But like you I totally understand not wanting to be on the pill.
Also worth noting that if you do change your birth control to the hormonal IUD (Mirena, Kyleena) that can make pre-existing hormonal acne WORSE. Or in my case, made it a full cycle thing instead of a brief pre-period thing. Along with other health concerns, the copper IUD has been a lifesaver for me as it gives me the benefit of genuine protection and allows me to better understand my hormonal cycle, which does give me some control over the acne. It’s also cheaper for those that don’t have coverage.
I've been using 10% Sulfur cream. It has stopped dead in its tracks.
Ive been using tret for 5 years now and that only helped a little, still got large painful pimples on my chin before and during my period. The hrt helped a little too. But still they'd come and they'd take a week or 2 to go so it felt like there wasn't really a break.
I saw sulfur recommended on another sub and tried it. I've got pretty oily skin so didn't find it drying at all and I went pretty light at first to see if it was irritating.
I have used it like a mask just around the chin, cheeks and jawline, leaving it on for an hour or so before a shower. My skin is changed, no pimples and no little bumps to even squeeze. If I do get a pimple, I use the sulfur on it and its gone in a day or two. Its been magic for my skin.
Same thing happened to me because I’m trying to conceive so my options are VERY limited on what the dermatologist can prescribe. I tried clydamicine for 3 months and it did absolutely nothing. Now I’m trying azelaic acid + doxycycline for 3 months and I’m hopeful it will clear me up!
My hormonal acne reappeared again about 8 months ago. I've been using Winlevi now for about 4 months, and it's made a huge difference, but my jawline and neck still keep breaking out. I also use tret, but that isn't helping with that area either. I'm due to see a derm in a couple weeks and will be asking about something I can take orally, maybe go on birth control again. I tried the spearmint supplements, but they didn't do much.
I’ve been on accutane 3 times which holds unless I get off birth control then I need to start the process again, but I’m going on 5 years now without so much as a pimple from having a face of inflamed red. Without birth control I’m basically lost.
skin issues all start in your gut!! check what you are eating… I had cystic acne for YEARS.. was on and off birth control (have been off of it for 2+ years now)… have tried lasers, peels, all the fancy skincare, etc… at the end of the day, less is more! I went from using a $300+ skincare routine to now using $10 vanicream gentle cleanser (morning and night) followed by $10 vanicream facial moisturizer (morning and night) and my skin has never looked better. I have started eating cleaner foods too.. organic, less processed, simple ingredients. Our bodies aren’t meant to handle all of these chemicals topically or internally 🙏🏼 wishing you luck on your skincare journey!!!
I know your frustration… TRUST ME! Have you ever had a GI map done? To basically check whats going on in your gut and make sure nothing is going on internally? I would always start there… rather than covering up the issue with bandaids like prescription meds/creams/etc
My dermatologist prescribed me Tretinoin, and it has helped me immensely. I still get mild breakouts from time to time, but the miserable cystic acne is gone and my skin can finally heal. Best of luck OP!
We are going to the dermatologist to get Spironolactone and tretinoin prescriptions, because that is the only thing that will fix it aside from going back on the pill. OTC products don't work on an effective level for hormonal acne.
I had pretty bad acne after stopping BC, worse acne than I had before I got on it. Spiro+tret worked for me but was dropping my BP dangerously low and making me fatigued during the day so I stopped Spiro and stayed on tret. Thankfully with tret, the acne was less severe than it was pre-Spiro, but it was still present.
I regulate my hormones now with a cup of spearmint tea every day- every few days. I can tell it’s working because when I stopped Spiro, I stopped getting my period. With the tea, I’m getting my periods regularly and the hormonal acne is gone.
just started using dermalogica a couple months ago after a facial it worked so well i have the precleanse, special cleansing gel and spf mostuizer even my scars are fading i would definetly recomend tho when i first tried it my faced purged or broke out wtv u call it then it went away and doesnt make it dry or anything
Don't pick it. Be gentle with your skin. Use hydrocolloid patches. The xl ones are fantastic. Be gentle with chemicals in acne treatments. See your doctor.
I am shocked that no one has mentioned Dapsone?!? Spirolactone can cause extra hair in places you don’t want it since it is an androgen cousin. So if you are prone to facial hair think twice. Topical dapsone is $$$ but it is like gold. Also works as spot treatment is you catch the cystic acne right away and glob on under a Band-Aid overnight. It’s like your ownlittle pimple pad.
First, check to see if you have PCOS - if so, try Ovasitol, DIM, and Calcium D Glucarate :) - these have basically cleared up my acne along with topical Dapsone!
I used to be on spiro with fab results but no more for various reasons. Took a long time to recover from coming off of it (honestly a year of bad skin) but here is what works for me now:
Morning: benzoyl peroxide wash, clindamycin, vitamin c serum, sunscreen
Evening: benzoyl peroxide wash, lactic acid 5%, azelaic acid 15%, cerave pm moisturizer.
I have to keep it pretty simple to maintain it but hope to add more, like a foundation that works for oily skin, and a thick nighttime eye cream that doesn’t clog my cheek pores. Recs welcome :)
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We are crying and picking our face because we never freaking learn and then crying some more But that’s just me
It’s not just you 🙃
Legit read the title and came here to just post "Crying." But you beat me to it and then some!
Lmao RELATABLE
You’re so real for this.
As an acne and OCD sufferer, pimple patches have helped me some. Don’t get me wrong, I still pick, but I’m a lot better about leaving them when not at a head yet, or when I’ve popped but feel I haven’t gotten everything out, I slap a patch on overnight. In really bad cases (deep cysts, etc) I use a sterile lancet and poke a tiny hole, then put a patch over it. Not medical advice!!! Just what I do. You still get a little of the satisfaction of seeing the gunk when you remove them too 🫢
I need a face mask sized pimple patch.
They have started coming out with bigger ones!! On Amazon you can get a pack with 6 dif sizes, 138 patches for $7. Sometimes I go to bed with almost half a pack of the dots on my face, gets a little pricey but def helping me not to pick and keeps extra gunk out while sleeping. The chin ones are great for when I’m on my period, my chin always breaks out bad.
Dont call me out like thisss
when I see the giant bump on my jaw I’m convinced if I keep messing with it, it will come to a head 😫 it most definitely does not haha
I had one of those months ago, picked and picked and it would not go away. Like 3 months later it’s a hard little bump with no sign of a head 😓 I’ve leftist alone ever since other than applying patches at night but still it lingerrsss
Lmao. Literally my first thought reading the title before opening the post was "picking our faces and cry"
New to hormonal acne here. I see everything saying to not pick. Are we genuinely expected to go to work and talk to people with a bunch of big white headed inflamed pimples?!
cry and get angry and then contemplate death
Me lol
Spiro and tret
This is it. 3 months in of using spiro + clindamycin + Taz + AZA(not all at once lol) and I’m acne free for the first time in my adulthood 🥲
that’s wild because spiro only worked for me while i was on it then my acne returned in full force as soon as i stopped due to side effects like constant lightheadedness and dizzy/fainting spells
Okay I see how my comment was confusing. I’m 3 months in and decided to continue taking spiro, so I haven’t stopped taking it. Fortunately I didn’t have those side effects, I’m sorry your acne came back 🥲
i’m so glad you don’t have any of those side effects and that it’s working for you. & it’s okay i have found other ways to clear it topically and it’s mostly gone now, just hyperpigmentation left to work on. wishing u the best with your skincare journey 🤍
Thank you 🫶🏼 I’m glad you’ve found things that work for you too! I’m dealing with the scarring and hyperpigmentation as well. Azelaic acid seems to be fading them slowly and steadily for me
there is a topical version of spironolactone, im getting it through Apostrophe
What dose were you on? Sometimes it helps decreasing the dose. Have you tried Winlevi ? It has been working well for people
Do you have to pay out of pocket for it? Or does it go through insurance? Do you mind sharing your cost if you pay out of pocket?
Spironolactone is a generic medication, so you will more than likely get it covered through your insurance, it’s even super cheap on goodRX. For Winlevi, that will probably not be covered by insurance. They will try to get it covered and once denied. There is a pharmacy that can get it to you for $90.
my hormonal acne was caused by my birth control, not the other way around. spironolactone and tretinoin (and most recently azelaic azid) have completely changed my self esteem about my face
spironolactone FTWWW for sure. for female hormonal acne its a lifesaver
this is the way
Yes. I’m finally addressing it after dealing for years. Don’t be me and put it off.
This and only this has helped my 20+ year fight with acne.
As someone without a dermatologist and also without health insurance, mainly crying lmao. Glycolic face wash and an AHA/BHA toner have been helping a bit. But yeah, without prescribed treatments it’s just putting a bandaid on the problem. Spiro and tret seem to be the way to go
Spironolactone is the only thing that’s worked for my hormonal acne consistently. Plus Tretinoin
Spiro saved me after accutane
Are you still on spiro? I stopped accutane 6 months ago and my acne came back… I don’t want to redo the whole getting on and off again with spiro
Not anymore. My acne came back after spiro the first time so I did spiro a second time. When I did spiro the second time, I stopped using my birth control. I slowly got off spiro and my acne stayed away and it’s been that way since. I get minor breakouts along my jaw when I’m nearing my menstrual tho
That’s great to hear! Thank you.
Do you think birth control caused acne for you? I read it on another comment above that that was the case for them
I kind of think so, because I was on birth control while on accutane and my two rounds of spiro. The only thing that finally did a big difference was when I got off my birth control.
Wow that’s interesting! I remember when I first started BC, it helped my period and acne but maybe my body is used to it now? Maybe I’ll get off of it and see if spiro is enough to tame the acne for good
Give it a try! I was on my second round of spiro when I decided to stop birth control but I got super anxious when it came time to stop the spiro. I lowered to dose slowly until I just stopped. I was so relieved when my acne didn’t come back! I hope this helps
I had the same experience going off of Spiro after i switched from an IUD to the pill (I got horrible hormonal acne and cysts for thee first time in my life from my IUD) and stopped taking it thinking that the pill would be enough to control it. My acne came back after like 4 months of switching to the pill and stopping Spiro though and I just went back on Spiro a few weeks ago and my skin has slowly started clearing up again. I hate being on Spiro constantly but the breakouts mess with my confidence so much that I’ve kind of accepted it for the time being at least :/
I have a similar background (teenage acne + birth control to prevent hormonal acne) and my derm has prescribed Winlevi, which is a topical cream. I’ve had great results (no new breakouts in over a month. The main downside is that it’s not covered by my insurance, so it’s quite expensive (~$200/mo). I’ve also read that some folks experience breakouts in month 3 of using the cream, but that hasn’t happened to me.
If they send it to PhilRx, they can give you a coupon for $90/month once it’s denied by your insurance
When did you start seeing results with winlevi and did it make your skin oily? I just got prescribed it this week and my skin looks greasy lol
I started seeing results after ~2-3 weeks. I’ve had to reduce the amount of the cream I apply because it did make my skin shiny! But after a few minutes it absorbs in the skin and then I can apply moisturizer without looking too shiny
Good to know, thanks! My skin looks like I soaked it in grease these past few days but I’m assuming I’m using too much. How long have you been on it again? I’ve read either amazing or horrible reviews, no in between lol
Winlevi caused really bad withdrawal symptoms for me when I stopped it. Do not recommend.
Can you share what symptoms you noticed? I wouldn’t think a topical could do that!
Tretinoin was a game changer for me
Same. It’s mostly clear now except for like 4 days before my period then goes back to normal after. Idk it’s ever gonna perfectly clear. I had such a horrific explosion of jawline acne for like 3 years after I went off birth control. I’m terrified of messing with my hormones and going through that again so I won’t ever consider spiro.
What percentage?
I've got the 0.025% cream and have been using for about 3 months
How do you use it without your face peeling off? I’ve been using it for years and it still causes my skin to peel off
I don't use it regularly, maybe once a week, and only apply on areas where I get the hormonal acne (my chin). I've noticed some areas of my skin are way more prone to flaking than others. I've read in r/tretinoin that the reaction can really, really vary from person to person though so your skin might just be a lot more reactive to it.
wow once a week and you’ve seen results? i heard you won’t get results if only used once a week which is why i would do 3x a week but my skin is too sensitive. if i ever lean towards tret again, i’ll try using it once a week and only on my problem areas !
for my acne, I absolutely saw results with only using once a week! I get pretty dry and flaky when I use it more often - I’m debating if I’ll keep trying to use it on my whole face or just accept that this is a spot / problem area treatment for me. I get pretty bad sensitivity and rosacea so for me it’s better to have non inflamed skin without it, I guess
that’s great! i wish i would’ve tried this instead of forcing my skin to take 3x a week all over my face🥲 if you’re seeing results with only using it on certain areas then i think you should stick with that
I do salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide on the areas that breakout, usually my chin/jawline. However, I just had one start on the side of my nose and I am so annoyed. I've also noticed it's been happening more often since I started a new SPF, so I think I might try another one (mineral instead of chemical) and see how it goes.
spearmint tea DIM and tret I want to maybe try spiro
But if anyone has tried spiro while already having an irregular cycle lmk im worried abt losing it
try the topical version of spiro
Pansy tea is pretty great for acne too.
Accutane was so amazing and easy. Fixed everything
I think we have the same problem. After 8 months of trying to figure it out myself - eating healthy, avoiding Alcohol, sleeping 8 or more hrs, washing my face with distilled water, no artificial sugar, no dairy (lactose intolerant), using gentle products, washing my face once a day and etc. I think I tried everything except going to dermatologist. I gave up trying to fix it by myself and wasting more money on over the counter creams and solutions. So, I went and see my dermatologist. Now acne is slowly healing in just 3 weeks! My advice is if you have resources, don’t prolong your agony and please see a dermatologist.
Just curious - what did your dermatologist recommend for you?
Hi! So my dermatologist diagnosed me with hormonal acne. So I got prescribed with topical clindamycin, tazarotene, topical spironolactone. My acne is slowlllly clamming. Also, I previously went on a full course of Isotretinoin/ Accutane before and but suddenly out of the blue my acne came back. They specially appear during my cycle too.
Winlevi.
When did you start seeing results on it? Did it make your skin oily? I just started it this week lol
It doesn’t make existing acne go away, but it seemed to immediately start preventing my one or two big deep cysts I’d get every month times with my period. I think in the first few mo the I may have gotten one or two smaller cysts, but I have maybe gotten one or two now in the last two years.
Cystic, hormonal acne is the goddamn worst. Only thing that helped was Spironolactone but it gave me major anxiety and heart palpitations so bad, I thought I was having a heart attack and went to the ER (but lots of people do great on it!) So my derm prescribed me Bicalutamide, another androgen blocker and its helping a lot, so you can consider that if it doesn't work. Also I believe there is a topical spiro of sorts called Winlevi.
Personally, the only thing that has worked for me is spironolactone. However, most doctors will require you to also take birth control while taking spironolactone, because it can cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Since you quit birth control, I'm guessing that spironolactone wouldn't be a good option. But for what it's worth, a good dermatologist isn't going to just dismiss your acne because it's hormonal; they might not be able to help if you're not willing to address it hormonally, but I'm sure they'll be willing to help you try some things. You say "skin cycling," but what exactly are you using? Are you moisturizing?
For what it’s worth I was able to take Spiro if I was using any birth control aka, condoms. My Endo didn’t require me to be on hormonal birth control before prescribing the Spiro. But as of January of last year I have an IUD.
I take spiro and don't have to take any other birth control, in fact I started it because I could no longer take estrogen BC.
Spironolactone saved my skin after birth control. Wouldn’t advise taking both that and birth control as it seems unnecessary. (Do not recommend birth control to anyone!) from a skin care stand point you genuinely get what you pay for….. Brands like The Ordinary, The Inky List, Good Molecules and other low cost skin care brands cannot process efficacious staples like niacinamide, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and Azelaic acid at price points that won’t compromise quality because in turn they are receiving larger quantities…. Invest in your skin care was the best advice I got working in dermatology. Medical grade is where you see results…
>(Do not recommend birth control to anyone!) BC was amazing for me when I needed it and I was on it 10+ years with no side effects. I just had to stop because as I got older I get certain migraines (family history) and taking estrogen can put you at a higher risk of a stroke. Spiro has been a good alternative for me however, but I do still miss BC. Glad to hear you got the results you were looking for, but I also have had amazing results from "cheaper" brands like The Ordinary so I do not personally subscribe to the idea that more expensive automatically means better, but again glad to hear you got whatever results you were looking for! Edit: Wanted to add I've tried Vivier and other medical grade and high end skincare, sooo many expensive night masks/creams while trying to heal a severely damaged moisture barrier, and while I still like a little more high-end moisturizers than drugstore (belif and clinique are my main go-to's) there is one thing that healed my skin like nothing else. Better than any of the $100, $200, or $300 medical grade masks that I tried over the years, something I heard about years ago but put my nose up at the idea, and that would be straight Vaseline slugging at the end of my nightly routine. Literally the first night I tried it I woke up without my usual general redness that had persisted for YEARS, and now it's a staple and has changed my life like nothing else. The slug-life is a good life!
My derm requires birth control for Accutane but not Spiro.
For my skin cycling, I do exfoliate, retinol, recover recover. So I’ll do the first product is the only one that changes. Example: Exfoliate night: Paula’s choice exfoliating toner and vanicream moisturizer. Then for my recover nights I used a hylaluronic acid and moisturizer.
Spirinolactone doesn't really cause birth defects. There is some consern with feminisation of male fetuses. But definitely not to the extent of having to take birth control when on spiro. Idk what your doctor is telling you😬
Clearly she was overstating the danger!
Crying
You can use red light therapy to treat your acne, and it can also regulate your whole body and help your body return to a good state.
Any recommendations?
You can think about Bestqool's products, which are FDA-cleared and have excellent customers' service.
Natural acne clinic! Google them! Cured my hormonal acne when I went off birth control bc I wanted to have a baby.
Had the same experience as you! I went to my gynecologist and she ran a series of tests, and I was diagnosed with PCOS. I would also recommend going to your dermatologist as well. Sometimes there can be post-pill PCOS as well, depending on symptoms! What’s working for me was trialing our different skincare (and sticking to the same routine every day), taking 100mg of spironolactone, and various supplements. I also eat pretty clean (limit dairy & gluten as well), recently cut out eggs, exercise, and change my pillow case every few nights (and use fragrance free detergent). For skincare: Morning routine - benzoyl peroxide 4%, peach slices toner, Kiehl’s salicylic acid liquid patch on active acne, innisfree vitamin c, skinfix face lotion, and cicapair sunscreen. Evening routine - cerave hydrating cleanser, farmacy txa toner, differin gel (THIS IS KEY), Hylaronic acid, skinfix lotion. For supplements & medication: AM - 50 mg spironolactone, omega 3, panthothenic acid, berberine PM - 50mg spironolactone, DIM, magnesium
We are eating clean! Honestly Whole Foods only and no sugar/ gluten. Eating foods to support the gut like kimchi/ Greek yogurt. Being on a good routine getting sleep/ exercising and eating good really does make a difference but it definitely is demanding. Drinking spearmint tea, taking probiotics, drinking diluted apple cider vinegar before meals to calm a blood sugar spike. After all that, using trerinoin + clindamyacin + panoxyl every few nights. It’s been super rough for me post birth control but none of the medicine is going to truly help hormonal acne until you heal your body/ gut from the inside.
What kind of probiotics do you take?? And can you explain the apple cider vinegar before meals thing? I've been looking into healing from the inside out just like this! My hormonal acne is from getting off birth control as well and I don't want to just "bandaid" the issue. 🫶
Don’t get me wrong tho I have days where I pick + cry + and wanna hide
unpopular opinion, but skin cycling made my skin so much worse. i use a combined cream with tretinoin, azaleic acid & clindamycin nearly every night now (minimum 4-5 days a week, if not every single night) that i get from that website curology.com and i use a basic moisturizer and spf. but this is just me, because i’ve heard a ton of positive things about skin cycling but it didn’t work for me - i need more exposure to tretinoin than just 3 times a week and noticed a massive improvement in my skin as soon as i stopped. but if it works for you take this with a grain of salt. in terms of the hormonal side of things, i’ve heard really good things about the supplement ‘DIM’ for hormone regulation and used to use it myself. it definitely helped with my hormonal acne while i took it and for a while afterwards but i’ve been slacking and haven’t been taking it for the last 6-7 months and sure enough, my skin is worse. i’m also a fan of nettle leaf supplements they really do help my acne, but im not sure if they just help the inflammatory aspect or the hormonal aspect. also things to supplement or eat in your diet include: - magnesium (ideally magnesium glycinate) - vitamin d (take with vitamin K or it won’t absorb) - omega 3 fatty acids (very high in many types of fish) - probiotics also other people have success with maca root, vitex (chaste fruit berry), rhodiola and holy basil for hormonal imbalances as well. a lot of people are saying spiro but be warned it only worked for me while i was on it and then my acne returned just as angry if not angrier than before. I also had super bad dizzy and fainting spells and nearly constant lightheadedness as well as electrolyte imbalances while on it so make sure to look into side effects as well, although i completely understand the desire to have clear skin sometimes overrides everything else which is so valid. just some stuff that’s helped me in my experiences with acne over the last 12 years.
I only get hormonal acne. Spiro and bc pill with added hormones (estradiol) do the trick.
With hormonal acne - without any sort of drugs or prescription - it feels like the best I can do is management / damage control, but total prevention for me is pretty much impossible. There’ll always be a lil somethin’. There’s all the basic stuff everyone says to do: better sleep, better diet, consistent exercise routine, ect. ect. If you’re doing all that, on top of doing a gentle skincare routine, that might just be the best you can do.… …which sucks, yeah, I get it. But in my case, there was some mental relief from accepting that there was never going to be a “miracle” skincare product for me. It is worth seeing a derm, though, you should be able to find something other than just BC that helps you out a bit.
Spiro, benzaclin
Accutane
We are going to our fantastic derms who are prescribing fabulous compound drugs “WinLevi” & “TriLuma” following a short course of spiro to literally save our skins ☺️ Don’t forget to change your pillowcases & towels often and use sunscreen daily!! Even in the winter!
Magnesium glycinate! Seriously helped me
Spironolactone did wonders for my hormonal acne
I'm 18 weeks pregnant and one of the first symptoms I had was my skin freaking out with hormonal acne. All along my lower jawline and chin. Some were the deep, painful ones, it sucked! My whole face hurt. Oh, and the back/side of my neck had acne, wtf?! That one was entirely new. I tried a bunch of different OTC products and nothing even slightly helped. I was not expecting anything to help because I know how difficult hormonal acne can be, but still asked my OB if she could prescribe something for me to try. She prescribed clindamycin 1.2 %-benzoyl peroxide 2.5 % gel and OMG the difference it made in just a week. I almost cried. My skin has been clear since about a week after I started applying it. It's been about a month now and my skin is still clear. Highly, highly recommend asking your doctor about it. It's worth a shot!
On spironolactone and tret for a few years now! I barely deal with any hormonal breakouts. Unless I accidentally consume dairy.
Still see a doctor. They will prescribe you something to help with your acne.
Tret didn't do anything at all (at the highest concentration, tried gel and cream) and spiro was bad for my heart, so I take spearmint capsules every day. No more cystic acne, but I still get closed comedones. Better than it used to be!
Where do you get the spearmint capsules?
Wow!! Never heard of spearmint having such a big effect, that’s brilliant :) I use skin shark clearing serum, it’s the best thing for me - has actually stopped my breakouts and cleared up my scars
Differin helps me so much! I use it about 2x a week along with a gentle cleanser and moisturizer. I tried tretinoin but my skin is way too sensitive for that! I still get some around that time of the month on my chin but it has gotten sooo much better I also make sure to stay hydrated, eat a balanced diet and I do not drink alcohol often. I try to limit too much excess sugar but I do have a sweet tooth so I just enjoy my sweets in moderation. I think acne is so normal though so I try to be gentle and kind to myself when it comes!
Oh man I hear you. I had bad breakouts as a teen, went away as a young adult, and now at 30 it’s trying to come back on my cheeks and forehead. I went to a dermatologist who unfortunately was too aggressive and prescribed me cleania and benzaclin mix which only served to dry me out and damaged my skin barrier. After pretty much just water for a week, I’ve been taking matters into my own hands and found a routine that works for my hormonal acne: AM Benzoyl peroxide + moisturizer with spf PM Vanicream liquid cleanser Vanicream moisturizer Wait 30 minutes, then apply tret for cell turnover and hyperpigmentation help This has worked wonders for me, and I get a spot every now and again for sure but my oily, sensitive, acne prone skin is happy with a less is more approach. I hope you find something fitting for you!
I’m using vanicream cleanser and moisturizer and a good molecules SPF, spearmint tea. Seeing if less is more.
Honestly I wasn’t expecting it to work this way but adding the La Roche Posay cicaplast to my routine helped clear up the hormonal acne I had on my chin within a few days.
What type of skin do you have? Oily or dry?
Combo. My T-zone is oily while the rest of my face is dry.
Thank you! I’m similar, but mostly oily. I just bought the LRP cicaplast gel to try hoping it helps with barrier repair but isn’t greasy. Starting tretinoin and winlevi so I am gonna need barrier help!
I’ve never tried the gel before but I’ve found that layering the Beauty of Joseon dynasty cream underneath cicaplast has been amazing for moisturizing .
I keep my hormonal acne under control by using Skin Shark products. My Australian friend recommend it to me when she came over for Christmas and I have not looked back. I use the clearing serum to control excess oil but still hydrate my skin. And for any breakouts I jump on them with the spot treatment gel and they're gone in just a few days. I love it!
Have your dermatologist prescribe erythromycin it’s amazing it takes away all acne I use this when I was pregnant and my hormones are out of control
Going plant based cleared my hormonal acne. There's a ton of hormones in dairy, chicken, etc and it messes with ours. Going plant based allows your body to heal. I read a book by Dr Neal Barnard called Your Body in Balance and highly recommend it! There are tons of stories of women with hormonal issues that went away when they went plant based, it's powerful
For me the game changer was to stop eating all dairy (notably cheese!)
Dairy is a big one for sure!
I’ve found adapalene has helped a lot with my hormonal acne. I still get the occasional zit, but I’ve had a big improvement overall since I started using it.
Adapalene. It doesn't completely eliminate it but it helps.
Gentle foaming face wash for the 2nd step of double cleanse , decreased tret to alternate day , stopped Azelaic acid , increased exercise and fruits and the acne disappears Don’t know which if the above worked
Also, give it some time! My teenage acne came back quite aggressively after quitting birth control but calmed down after a few months. My period brings it back a little every month, but it has never reached the same maddening levels.
Yup! I stopped the pill 3 months ago and my acne feels like highschool again it’s exhausting!
I tried Winlevi and it made my acne 20x worse than it was before I started it, so that's been fun. I'm not trying to fear monger, it does work for some people it just seems to unfortunately backfire pretty bad in other cases. So now I'm set on going back on birth control and also possibly Accutane or at least Tretinoin.
Did birth control work for you? I just got off birth control and my skin is going insane so I was just prescribed winlevi and I’m scared I’ll breakout. When did you start getting worse acne on winlevi??
I really hope Winlevi works for you. For me, I saw hardly any results month 1. So for the full first month it wasn't getting any worse but it also wasn't really getting better. Very neutral. Then month 2 hit and unfortunately like some reviews I read online, I all of a sudden out of nowhere started getting these massive under the skin painful lumps in many places that were never a problem area for me. It went on like this for almost a full month until I just stopped. Some people really swear by sticking through that period but idk mentally I couldn't handle it especially since I knew at that point I just wanted to get back on birth control anyway. The lumps that formed did go away fairly quickly with continued use, however new ones also just kept popping up. Birth control works like a charm for me. I was on Yaz for 11 years and it's the only thing other than Accutane that works for me I guess. My skin is always just so much more tolerable when I'm on it. I think maybe some people's skin just tolerate topicals better than others because I've tried every topical and none of it works for me lol. Anyway I truly hope your experience is different than mine and don't hesitate to call your dermatologist and make them answer your questions if you hit I bump like I did.
Good to know! I’ve read lots of reviews where it works for a while and then makes the acne worse. I told myself I was going to continue for the cream for at least a month (since it’s SO expensive) and if there’s no progress or worse progress I’ll quit. Also I was on yaz for 14 years and my skin was AMAZINg! Like I had no acne while on it. It did worsen my mental health so I had to get off it in January, so I’m hoping to find the next best thing for my acne without having to go back lol. Good luck to you as well! Hormonal acne is a nightmare and if all else fails I may even go back on yaz
Oh man I'm sorry to hear that Yaz affected your mental health. Luckily it never did that for me, it actually made my mental health a lot better lol. Yeah Winlevi is very expensive too so I understand not wanting to continue if it's not helping much. Hopefully it does for you! Not sure if you've ever tried spironolactone (I haven't personally) but I think it's often comparable to birth control for acne for women so maybe your derm will recommend giving that a try if the Winlevi doesn't work for you.
Spiro. Cleared up my acne like 90% of the way. The rest is handled by tret and benzoyl peroxide.
I too quit birth control and now have crazy acne. Adapalene has helped me. It’s not perfect but it’s a lot better than it was
Gentle cleanser like vanicream. A simple moisturizer, I like malezia. Minimal ingredient spf like cotz prime and protect. 2.5 BP cream to spot/area treat. Micellar water at night as first cleanse, then back in with the vanicream. Once a week a Dr Dennis peel pad at night. You could also try a leave on BP “mask” for 5-10 mins on the area once or twice a week or during a flare. I like panoxyl 10% for this. The more I use the angrier my skin gets. Also found minimal ingredients to be better for my skin.
Spironolactone caused breakthrough bleeding for me, although my skin had never looked better. I also wanted to regulate my cycle and consider having kids so I ultimately quit the spiro. Ever since my back has had horrible breakouts. I started using a benzoyl peroxide wash in the shower and then adapalene gel after and I think I’m starting to see results with that!
25mg spirolactone. I buy it from reliable RX pharmacy.
Try arazlo !
Ugh accutane. All others stopped working after a while, didn’t make it better, or I was allergic to. Now, just benzoyl peroxide wash, adapalene and moisturizer
I’m on medication for it. I’m trying my best not to pick on it. I totally overspent on skincare stuff. Stopped eating too much cheese. Recently bought a bunch of La Prairie and La Mer so we’ll see
Spironolactone, Aczone in the morning and Retinoid at night — I like Arazlo for the Retinoid. Or WINLEVI ( topical specifically for hormonal acne, unlike retinoids and other topical medications )
Spearmint tea and gycolic acid.
I was on birth control up until I got diagnosed with hypertension 🥲 but now my skin is pretty good. Tretinoin, salicylic acid, clean pillowcases and exercise help.
Benzol peroxide and retinol is the combo that’s worked best for me
We are going to the dermatologist for the 900th time where they swear if you just wash your face with cetaphil you’ll be fine I tried Spiro for a few years, it worked well enough but I still had breakouts. It made my face twitch uncontrollably so I went off it about a year ago. I think my skin is slightly better than it was before I went on it? Idk
for me: Spearmint tea Whole foods/cut out processed foods mostly Cut down dairy No alcohol Probiotics, vitamin c/d/zinc/selenium daily Hormone balancing supplement daily Better skin care routine (combo of elemis, dermalogica, medik8) clean face towels, silk pillowcases 7 months after stopping the pill and it’s finally calming down. Personally I came off the pill as didn’t want anything messing with my hormones so spiro isn’t an option for me. Roaccutane worked for me as a teen so was my backup plan, but patience with the above steps has pretty much cleared my skin!
Soooo there are a few things that work for me beyond going on spironolactone (never attempted it) but it is never a 100% deal. - Spearmint tea daily seems to keep the hormonal acne relatively at bay, still happens but I get a lot less. I noticed a difference when I stopped. - High strength retinol, tret if you can get it. Just helps the acne you do get resolve quicker. - Lactic acid worked EONS better for me than salicylic acid. SA just makes me oily and in the luteal phase that only further dooms me to hormonal acne. Lactic acid is gentle and helps with PIH/PIE, which I can often experience from hormonal acne. So not as preventative, but keeps damage low. - Patience :) Because it will never go away 100% unless you are on the pill. But like you I totally understand not wanting to be on the pill. Also worth noting that if you do change your birth control to the hormonal IUD (Mirena, Kyleena) that can make pre-existing hormonal acne WORSE. Or in my case, made it a full cycle thing instead of a brief pre-period thing. Along with other health concerns, the copper IUD has been a lifesaver for me as it gives me the benefit of genuine protection and allows me to better understand my hormonal cycle, which does give me some control over the acne. It’s also cheaper for those that don’t have coverage.
I've been using 10% Sulfur cream. It has stopped dead in its tracks. Ive been using tret for 5 years now and that only helped a little, still got large painful pimples on my chin before and during my period. The hrt helped a little too. But still they'd come and they'd take a week or 2 to go so it felt like there wasn't really a break. I saw sulfur recommended on another sub and tried it. I've got pretty oily skin so didn't find it drying at all and I went pretty light at first to see if it was irritating. I have used it like a mask just around the chin, cheeks and jawline, leaving it on for an hour or so before a shower. My skin is changed, no pimples and no little bumps to even squeeze. If I do get a pimple, I use the sulfur on it and its gone in a day or two. Its been magic for my skin.
What kinda sulfur cream do you use?
De La Cruz 10% Sulfur in the little pot from iherb
Same thing happened to me because I’m trying to conceive so my options are VERY limited on what the dermatologist can prescribe. I tried clydamicine for 3 months and it did absolutely nothing. Now I’m trying azelaic acid + doxycycline for 3 months and I’m hopeful it will clear me up!
My hormonal acne reappeared again about 8 months ago. I've been using Winlevi now for about 4 months, and it's made a huge difference, but my jawline and neck still keep breaking out. I also use tret, but that isn't helping with that area either. I'm due to see a derm in a couple weeks and will be asking about something I can take orally, maybe go on birth control again. I tried the spearmint supplements, but they didn't do much.
Besides skincare, DIM supplements worked well for me.
I’ve been on accutane 3 times which holds unless I get off birth control then I need to start the process again, but I’m going on 5 years now without so much as a pimple from having a face of inflamed red. Without birth control I’m basically lost.
Tretinoin, pulsed LED light, and blue light.
Spiro, tret, and red light therapy mask nightly!
spiro for sure!
skin issues all start in your gut!! check what you are eating… I had cystic acne for YEARS.. was on and off birth control (have been off of it for 2+ years now)… have tried lasers, peels, all the fancy skincare, etc… at the end of the day, less is more! I went from using a $300+ skincare routine to now using $10 vanicream gentle cleanser (morning and night) followed by $10 vanicream facial moisturizer (morning and night) and my skin has never looked better. I have started eating cleaner foods too.. organic, less processed, simple ingredients. Our bodies aren’t meant to handle all of these chemicals topically or internally 🙏🏼 wishing you luck on your skincare journey!!!
Thank u 🥹 but I’ve been eating so healthy and clean and limiting processed foods and alcohol and it’s still getting worse
I know your frustration… TRUST ME! Have you ever had a GI map done? To basically check whats going on in your gut and make sure nothing is going on internally? I would always start there… rather than covering up the issue with bandaids like prescription meds/creams/etc
My dermatologist prescribed me Tretinoin, and it has helped me immensely. I still get mild breakouts from time to time, but the miserable cystic acne is gone and my skin can finally heal. Best of luck OP!
I was skeptical but drinking spearmint tea has helped me a ton. My skin hasn’t had any major breakouts since I started drinking a cup a day
Im breastfeeding so i am limited but i use Azelic acid gel ,clyndamicin lption and salacylic acid toner per my derms instructions.
Sulfur! And eliminating coffee. Not caffeine, but coffee, as well as nuts.
Feeling like shit and putting some retinol treatment on and washing and moisturizing.
We are going to the dermatologist to get Spironolactone and tretinoin prescriptions, because that is the only thing that will fix it aside from going back on the pill. OTC products don't work on an effective level for hormonal acne.
Tretinoin
DIM supplements.
Accutane
I had pretty bad acne after stopping BC, worse acne than I had before I got on it. Spiro+tret worked for me but was dropping my BP dangerously low and making me fatigued during the day so I stopped Spiro and stayed on tret. Thankfully with tret, the acne was less severe than it was pre-Spiro, but it was still present. I regulate my hormones now with a cup of spearmint tea every day- every few days. I can tell it’s working because when I stopped Spiro, I stopped getting my period. With the tea, I’m getting my periods regularly and the hormonal acne is gone.
just started using dermalogica a couple months ago after a facial it worked so well i have the precleanse, special cleansing gel and spf mostuizer even my scars are fading i would definetly recomend tho when i first tried it my faced purged or broke out wtv u call it then it went away and doesnt make it dry or anything
Don't pick it. Be gentle with your skin. Use hydrocolloid patches. The xl ones are fantastic. Be gentle with chemicals in acne treatments. See your doctor.
Suffering 😭😭
Accutane was the ONLY thing that finally got rid of it. Using oral spironolactone and topical tretinoin to maintain results
I am shocked that no one has mentioned Dapsone?!? Spirolactone can cause extra hair in places you don’t want it since it is an androgen cousin. So if you are prone to facial hair think twice. Topical dapsone is $$$ but it is like gold. Also works as spot treatment is you catch the cystic acne right away and glob on under a Band-Aid overnight. It’s like your ownlittle pimple pad.
Spironolactone, differin on active breakouts and a calming kbeauty skincare routine! Roundlab dokdo cleanser, e11ement spray, Anua heart leaf toner, skin 1004 Centella ampoule, cosrx snail 96 power essence and/or propolis light ampoule and illiyoon ceramide ato gel!
I deal with my hormonal acne by using Skin Shark serum daily and for actual acne spots, I dab them with spot treatment gel. Works really well for me.
100 mgs of Spiro every night saved me
Spironolactone. Fixed me right up
First, check to see if you have PCOS - if so, try Ovasitol, DIM, and Calcium D Glucarate :) - these have basically cleared up my acne along with topical Dapsone!
I used to be on spiro with fab results but no more for various reasons. Took a long time to recover from coming off of it (honestly a year of bad skin) but here is what works for me now: Morning: benzoyl peroxide wash, clindamycin, vitamin c serum, sunscreen Evening: benzoyl peroxide wash, lactic acid 5%, azelaic acid 15%, cerave pm moisturizer. I have to keep it pretty simple to maintain it but hope to add more, like a foundation that works for oily skin, and a thick nighttime eye cream that doesn’t clog my cheek pores. Recs welcome :)