When you have hormonal acne, it’s like your skin is bi-polar. One week, your skin looks pretty fantastic other than some minor uneveness and some blackheads. The next, it’s like your chin just decided to have a party and invite some of its cyst friends over for drinks….and instead of going home, those cysts pass out on the couch and the next morning, you’re rubbing your eyes in a hazy fog wondering WHAT IS THAT ON MY FACE? and WHY HAS IT MIGRATED TO MY BACK!? (seriously, bacne in the summertime, so not ideal).
Hormonal acne is a whole new beast. That’s why when I saw my dermatologist two weeks ago, I inquired about getting on a treatment plan for my acne. My dermatologist agreed and put me on some meds and topicals for my acne.
Here’s a breakdown of my new skincare routine:
- I am taking one pill a day of Minocycline, a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic. Please consult your physician before starting any new medication, I am not suggesting or recommending that you use this medication, this is just what I’m on.
So far, this drug has helped with my facial/hormonal acne but my bacne has not improved whatsoever. I do not want to be on the drug longterm. I will probably be on it for another month.
For facial cleansing I am using:
- La Roche Posay Effaclar A.I. gel cleanser (buy it here)
- Neutrogena Acne Stress Control gel cleanser (buy it here)
- Clarisonic Mia face brush- on my chin area primarily, also on my nose for blackheads (buy it here, in PINK!)
I never thought I’d say this, but I’m giving my Clarisonic a second chance. I read my friend Meg’s post about how her Clarisonic helped her hormonal acne so I started to use mine again in hopes that it would help me too. As I mentioned earlier, my skin is bi-polar. I will sometimes have 2-3 weeks of skin that is incredibly clear. So much so that my jaw nearly dropped when someone told me I had “beautiful skin” when I was wearing just a tiny bit of powder to a workout class last weekend. It’s like I cannot believe that someone would say that to me because I know what’s coming…eruptions. Massive, painful, deep-rooted, large cysts. I have to say that the combination of using the Clarisonic (I focus on my chin, jaw and nose) and applying the topical cream to my chin and jaw area has made me seen a significant improvement in pore size and frequency of breakouts. I also notice they seem to heal faster. Obviously the antibiotics are also helping, but the topicals seem to yield good results as well.
For topical facial acne treatment I am using:
- 1% clindamycin phosphate gel on my chin and jaw area only- I only apply this in the area it is needed. I don’t believe in treating unaffected areas of the skin.
- Proactiv refining mask overnight preventatively and layered over the gel (buy it here)
- Mario Badescu Healing Cream- on flaking/peeling/healing breakouts only, as needed (buy it here)
For back cleansing and treatment I am using:
- Panoxyl 10% Benzyol peroxide wash— I use this in the shower on my back—it’s the highest amount of BP you can get without a prescription and came highly recommended by my dermatologist. I have mixed feelings because my bacne is very persistant and new breakouts seem to crop up daily. I’ll just be honest and admit that I’m glad it’s not my face. I hate having bacne but at least I can cover it up with clothing.
- Clindamycin phosphate 1% foam, applied to back, nightly
If anyone has better recommendations for acne on the back or acne in general, especially what worked for your hormonal or cystic acne, please share them in the comments below! Thank you for reading,
Have you considered giving up dairy? I struggled with my skin for a long time, but as soon as I cut most dairy from my diet, it cleared up. I still have some cheese, but that's about it. It made a world of difference for me.
I have the same issues! I studies Holistic Nutrition extensively for a year and found that when I eliminated dairy and different allergen foods from my diet, my acne not only healed, but rarely made an appearance – without meds! If you don't want to eliminate certain foods completely (dairy for example) I would highly recommend only eating organic dairy products & meat. The non-organic options are usually loaded with hormones, which can throw an already delicate hormone system completely out of balance! I would also recommend avoiding processed foods, adding more greens and avoiding chemical based skincare. This can aggravate acne! If you ever need tips or want some rec's, feel free to send me an email anytime! I feel for you!!! I hope it gets better <3
I hear you on the hormonal acne – once a month my chin blows up and its so annoying. I thought I left acne behind in my teens! But after reading this I'm interested in the Clarisonic brush! Thanks!
https://allthingsprettyandlittle.blogspot.com/
Veronika,
I just went to the Dermatologist two weeks ago for my skin. My skin changes from week to week too. She recommended Cetaphil®'s Dermacontrol Oil Control Foam Wash and Face Moisturizer and it works GREAT! I also picked up the cleansing bar for my body and it seems to keep heat bumps and ance away! Here is the link below:
https://www.cetaphil.com/products/cleansers/
She also put me on Tazorac and it has a retinoid in it. So far, so good.
-Megan
I have really bad hormonal acne. My doctor put me on an antibiotic for 3 months (to clear it up quickly, which didn't work) and also on Epiduo which is a topical gel. I also used my Clarisonic Mia during this time period along with Philosophy's Purity. Unfortunately I've never had any luck with my acne clearing up with antibiotics or with any prescribed cream. I've also been prescribed Differin, Retin-A, and I've also tried Proactiv.
Anyway, all of that to say that was has (finally!) been working for me this time around is Kate Somerville's Anti Bac Clearing Lotion and Murad's oil-control mattifier and I'm also continuing to use my Clarisonic. I know everyone's skin is different but just thought I would share.
I get back and chest acne pretty badly in the summer. I use regular neutrogena acne face wash gel or the acne body wash on my chest and back in the shower (last thing before I get out), ever time I shower. Then at night I use a medicated toner, usually 2% salicylic acid on my back and chest, and then cover the area in acne cream – I like clean & clear's 10% benzoyl peroxide cream. It's a pain but if I keep up with the routine I can usually keep breakouts at bay!
I used to have terrible cystic breakouts on my chin and then random breakouts on my forehead and in my hairline. I used to try a myriad of things – different scrubs, over the counter topical treatments and finally I simplified things. The only two things I use on my skin are Cetaphil face wash – its super gentle and comes highly recommended by dermatologists. And for a facial moisturizer I use Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer. It won't clog your pores and it keeps my face feeling hydrated all day. I haven't had breakouts like I used to for almost 10 months. Honestly, for me, less is more. The products, creams, scrubs and lotions I put on my skin, the worse it got. That's just been my experience. Everyone's skin is different, though. But just thought I'd share what has been working for me.
I'm dealing with the exact same thing (2 yrs post BCP – I thought it'd settle down). I can't take clindamycin so I'm doing a sulfur wash (Plexion, I think) on my face & back, Epiduo (benzoyl peroxide) spot treatment & I was doing biweekly glycolic peels but they started burning me. Cystic acne + chemical burns isn't cute. ha. I had a Pretika face washer but it stopped working. I'll be getting a new one soon, I think it helped.
I started getting hormonal acne after college. I have tried a couple of different antibiotics and they worked temporarily. I have had the most luck with Spironolactone and a very simple skincare routine. The more I use the worse my skin is. I use Mario Badescu cleanser and toner and Definite Difference moisturizer. I also use a Clinique spot treatment when needed. Since Spironolactone is a hormone you can't use it if you are trying to get pregnant, but it has worked wonders for my skin.
I feel your pain! I recently got off my birth control and my hormonal acne started acting up. I'm on Doryx (antibiotic) and using Epiduo 1% gel as my topical medicine. I've seen great improvements while on this. No acne for the past month at all and my acne scars are pretty much non-existent now. I suffer from hyperpigmentation so the scars are what really bother me the most.
I'm also trying to use natural products because I know I can't be on the antibiotic forever and it was important that I find something safe to use whenever I do get pregnant. I recently started using Sibu products including their sea buckthorn seed oil and I really feel this has helped with overall improvement. Oh, and I use my Clarisonic every night with the Body Shop Tea Tree cleanser, which definitely seems to get rid of all the dirt and grime. Have you ever considered maybe applying a mask to your back to get rid of the bacne?
Hi! I feel your pain about hormonal acne. Mine started when I was 24 and cleared up for good finally, except for the occasional chin breakout, which I can deal with compared to those painful cystic things! But it took almost 2 years! I use Purpose face wash and witch hazel as a toner 2x a day. I use the peter thomas roth peel pads ever 2 or 3 days, amore pacific eye cream every night, and I crush up an aspirin, mix it with water to make a paste, and put it on any blemish I have. I only use my clarisonic once a week and not when I'm broken out because it can make things spread. Therapy systems mineral powder is a great make up option as well as dermabrand concealer. Good luck! I know how frustrating it is!
Hormonal acne is the worst!! When I went off the Pill a few years ago, my skin went crazy (mostly in my chin/jaw area) with breakouts. It was so frustrating, especially after having had years and years of gorgeous clear skin on the Pill. My skin acted crazy for close to a year after stopping the Pill, but after that, it pretty much went back to normal. I still get the occasional breakout, but nothing even close to what it was before. I think your body (and skin) is probably still adjusting to being off the Pill, so hopefully, you'll see improvement sometime soon. I found the Clarisonic to be a HUGE help in making my skin look better, I can't imagine being without it!
Now I'm 15 weeks pregnant and dealing with THAT sort of hormonal acne, which is not very fun…especially since you're really not supposed to use any acne treatment products when you're pregnant. I can't wait until this part of pregnancy is over!
Like some others, not eating dairy has made huge improvements with my skin. Have you tried using a 2%+ salicylic acid facial cleanser? That may help too =)
Veronika,
My husband had some persistent acne on his back and just started using St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Body Scrub about 2 months ago. It cleared up his back almost immediatley! He uses this alone on his back with a scrubbie. Maybe the use of too many products is irritating your sensitive skin. I was shocked at how quickly the Green Tea Scrub worked.
It was very hard to find in stores around here (MA) so I started to think it might be popular/work well. I was able to find it at our local grocery store in the H&B section.
Good luck! Here is the link for the scrub, definatley give it a try! It's so inexpensive, might as well try it! 🙂
https://www.stives.com/Facial-Products/Naturally-Clear/Naturally-Clear-Green-Tea-Body-Scrub/
Run to CVS and get La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo! I can't use anti-acne products right now (pregnant), but this cleared up my acne really quickly and I intend to return to this routine as soon as I can: wash in the A.M. with clarisonic and a gentle cleanser (like philosophy purity or cetaphil). Apply Efflaclar duo, and then moisturizer and makeup as usual. In the P.M., I just made sure all my makeup was off (wash with hands and philosophy purity or I like Boscia makeup breakup cool cleansing oil) Wash twice if some makeup remains. So few products and the most effective routine I've ever had. I only had to use the Effaclar Duo once a day, too!
Nothing worked for me until I took Accutane. I took minocyline, used clyndamicine phosphate and Retin-A, but 5 months of Accutane did the trick. I maybe get one pimple every few months, but it's not cystic and it goes away quickly. I had cystic acne that hurt. I occasionally had it on my back, but it was mainly my face. My brother also took Accutane and it worked well.
Add cod liver oil supplements to your daily routine. It helped my cystic acne a LOT. You can add zinc as well, which helps with hormonal acne. Don't stay on those antibiotics- they're worthless. I used the exact same ones and they cleared my skin up but the second I went off them it came back full force.
I think maybe that's too many products. That seems like it would just make things worse. When I was pregnant I switched to just using Purpose cleaner at night to remove makeup & cleanse and only water in the morning. I occasionally used a wet washcloth only to manually exfoliate. I also occasionally would use a product made by bare minerals that is all natural & made from sulfur (smelled awful! Only used at night) to spot treat. I'd recommend trying that after your round of antibiotics. I used to work at dermatologist's office & have an extensive medical background. I really think that's too much product 🙂
I know people who swear by giving up dairy for their skin 🙂
Veronica, I feel your pain! I am in the same boat with you.. Except, I refuse to take antibiotics for acne – you acne migt get better while you are taking them, but it will return full force as soon as you stop. Cutting down on sugar/chocolate and eliminating dairy and soy will help. Also, try restoring your digestive system with probiotics, and taking Evening Primose oil supplement to help balance hormonal system.
I know people who swear by giving up dairy for their skin. I really think that's too much product. When I was pregnant and unable to use most products, I switched to just using Purpose cleanser at night to remove makeup and water only in the morning. I'd occasionally use a washcloth to manually exfoliate & occasionally I used a powder spot treatment that's sulfur based made by Bare Minerals. It smelled horrible, but I only used it at night as a spot treatment maybe once a week or so. I used to work in a dermatology clinic and have an extensive medical background and I really think you're using too much product. Maybe after your round of antibiotics try going a month with almost no product (just wash at night) and see how that goes. Love love love your blog =)
"One week, your skin looks pretty fantastic other than some minor uneveness and some blackheads. The next, it's like your chin just decided to have a party and invite some of its cyst friends over for drinks….and instead of going home, those cysts pass out on the couch and the next morning, you're rubbing your eyes in a hazy fog wondering WHAT IS THAT ON MY FACE?"
Thank you! I couldn't have said it better myself. Somehow, just knowing that others deal with the same exact issue makes me feel a little better. My skin is actually pretty clear right now and has been for about three weeks which means I'm due for a major break-out any second. 🙁
Treating acne is such a trial and error thing…. I think in my life I've had 4 episodes of acne, which lasted from 6 months to a year, but each time there was a different solution – and what worked for me before did not help again!
1- cured by 2.5% BP & cetaphil moisturizer (acne.org) technique
2- cured by time and topical salicylic acid products
3- cured by minocycline tablets & clindamycin wipes but took 4 months to get clear
4 – current episode, the antibiotics didn't work this time round, but I refuse to go on accutane, which would be the next step. Since most of my skin is good except for a patch on my cheeks, am using gentle cleansers and spot treating with a salicylic acid treatment, drinking lots of water and looking at dietary & environmental factors.
Hope you find a treatment that helps you! I don't have bacne right now, but when I did, wiping my back twice daily with Burt's bees tomato toner helped.
For hormonal cystic acne I have always used Mario Badescu's Buffering Lotion along with the Drying Cream. The cream smells like a tire shop, but you wake up in the morning with smoother and more even skin.
GL!
My face went insane after my doctor switched me to a new birth control pill. I had something like 50+ pimples on my face at one time. Cystic, white heads, black heads, it was a disgusting party of acne on my face.
I see my derm again next week, but currently I'm taking Doxycycl twice a day, washing my face with CeraVe cleanser (I like it better than Cetaphil because it foams up) and using epiduo every other day. The only moisturizer I like is Proactiv Green Tea. It took 10 weeks for my face to clear up. I still get breakouts around my period, but it has definitely improved. I used to think the 'dairy causes acne' line was crap, but I did realize if I don't eat very much dairy the 3rd week of my pills, I get less breakouts.
Have you taken a look at your haircare products? I found that the acne on my back was caused by my hair styling product aka Moroccan Oil.Once I stopped using it my back cleared up. And oh it might be a good idea to wash your back after you have rinsed out conditioner.
Do you change out of your gym clothes right away after working out? I find I get acne on my back when I'm sitting around in sweaty gym clothes. Just a thought! Also after I had my daughter a few yrs ago, I had terrible bacne. I used the proactive body wash and it cleared up.
Janine
Hi V!
I just wanted to recommend Cod Live Oil, I read in a few articles on the web and in some blogs that cod liver oil helped to clear up acne, so I gave it a shot. It took a couple of weeks before I noticed a significant difference(and it can sometimes get worse before it gets better) but I am almost finished my first bottle and my skin has been really great lately. I still get the occasional whitehead or small pimple but nothing cystic, no large or painful zits and even the little breakouts are few and far between.
The principal behind it I think is that cod liver oil has a high amount of vitamin A just like accutane or retin-A which are usually precscribed for acne.
I take Carlson's in liquid form; lemon flavour and the taste isn't bad at all IMO. You can also get it in capsules but they are more expensive. A bottle is about 35.00 and mine has lasted me almost 2 months. You can get it at most health food stores.
I also have to agree with the other posters about dairy. I have stopped eating dairy for the past couple of weeks because it upsets my stomach and my skin has improved even more since then.
Hey Veronika
I'm a first time commenter; this subject really tends to strike a chord with me, so I've dug everything out of my bathroom for this. I had severe hormonal cystic acne that was so bad that I no longer had breaks between the outbreaks. One cyst lasted over a year without healing and ended up leaving a pretty deep scar. My dermatologist and I pegged the problem to excess progesterone, and started treating it about 2 years ago. Save for the (rare) occasional spot, I'm basically acne free now.
To start he put me on 50mg of spironolactone (aldactone) daily to block the excess progesterone. During the day I used clindoxyl, a cream combining the antibiotic clindamycin with benzoyl peroxide. At night I used Differin (adapalene – 0.1%).
Once it was under control and my dermatologist thought my skin could handle it, I stopped using the Clindoxl and Differin, and switched to using Tactuo at night only (adapalene and benzoyl peroxide – basically a combo of the first two without the antibiotics)
Depending on the weather and whether or not I'm wearing makeup, I use either Korres White Tea facial fluid gel cleanser, or Shu Uemura White Recovery EX cleansing oil. During the winter I use La Mer moisturizing cream, but I haven't found a good non-greasy summer moisturizer with SPF that my skin can handle yet.
Obviously what works for me may not work for you, but at least if you have the information you can discuss it with your derm. Good luck!
I've used a combination of Burt's Blemish Stick and the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion to treat back breakouts. Also, I use Dr. Bonner's organic castile soap which is devoid of any weird chemicals and has essential oils in it. I have really sensitive skin and I live in a warm climate, too; since I have been using the soap, I have had fewer back breakouts. Also, the peppermint variety really cools your skin down on a really hot day.
Burt's Blemish Stick: https://www.amazon.com/Burts-Bees-Herbal-Blemish-Stick/dp/B0027KSOQI/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1343321059&sr=1-1&keywords=burt%27s+bees+blemish+stick
Dr. Bonner's Castile Soap: https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronners-Magic-Soaps-Pure-Castile/dp/B00120VWJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1343321149&sr=1-1&keywords=dr.+bonner%27s+castile+soap
Oh Veronika,
I am so sorry honey…I also had clear skin, not perfect, but good enough for me until about one year ago when suddenly I looked like some little teen that had just hit puberty. Honestly, I tried everything short of accutane and nothing really help aside from ortho tricycline and yaz, which I know is not ideal for you. Every single antibiotic they gave me gave me some sort of reaction. In the end, I found that proactive along with a whole lot of other stuff just made it worse (dried out my skin and irritated my acne). I began to see a little improvement when I just cleansed my face with cetaphil once a day. Aczone also helps but nothing got rid of it. Oh! I almost forgot. This helps:
When my cystic acne got really bad, my face would be so painful and raw. I would crush a bit of aspirin, add a little water (just enough to make a paste) and put it on the specific mark overnight, and it makes a huge difference.
I also noticed that when I take a vitamin C and fish oil pill every day, my skill wakes up looking a little better.
I know there will be days when you just want to hide your face from the world, but believe me, you are still beautiful 🙂 I wish you the best of luck.
https://www.chicsandsalsa.blogspot.com
When I had bad bacne – I used neutrogena body scrub as my daily all over wash. It really helped my back and chest, and it actually helped smooth the roughness on my arms too! I keep it in the shower now and use it after a really sweaty workout, or in general a few times a week.
I also use my clarisonic and bought the gentler acne brush heads which don't aggravate my skin as much. I hate this skin is so much trial and error. I'm using origins and my clarisonic and it's working for now…good luck!
I too suffer from bacne. Where can I find the products you're using?
I've been on accutane and it has been great! I was like you trying everything I could but honestly nothing has truly worked for me until accutane!
Hi Veronika, I really enjoy your blog. I too have suffered from hormonal acne and totally understand your frustrations. Are you familiar with Paula Begoun ("The Cosmetics Cop")? She has written books about beauty and skincare and does tons of research with her staff, all of her recommendations are based on scientific research. Following her advice has literally changed my life and my skin! Here's one of her articles about acne: https://www.cosmeticscop.com/best-acne-fighting-products.aspx
She also has a podcast on iTunes, I think it's called "Beautifully Informed" and she gives lots of good advice there. She has her own line of products as well, which get good reviews on Makeupalley. I really like that even though she has her own products she also reviews products from other companies and recommends good drugstore products, etc.
I think her basic philosophy on acne is that it's scientifically proven that you need Benzoyl Peroxide to disinfect and Salicylic Acid to exfoliate. She also recommends a gentle cleanser and nothing drying, stinging, nothing with alcohol or irritating ingredients. She says irritated skin is more likely to break out.
Anyway, I recommend checking her stuff out if you haven't already. Her website is http://www.cosmeticscop.com. I also like the acne.org site and products for a different take on things. Good luck! I am newly pregnant so can't use my regular products, dealing with breakouts again after having clear skin for many years, it sucks!
I would start takIng prenatals (even if your not ttc) and also try cod fish oil. I really don't know about the pills and products. I just know from personal experience as soon as I stop, everything returns.
Hi veronika,
I just wanted to recommend a product that I had very good success with when I was TTC and while pregnant and didn't want to use certain ingredients. It's a bar soap from a company called bathos. (bathosonline.com) it's the Rx complexion soap. It worked amazing for me! It can be drying though, but I found that as long as I thoroughly moisturized it was fine.
Also I swear it shrinks my pores which is awesome!
I had serious hormonal cystic acne on my jawline that would last for months at a time, and there was nothing I could do to treat it. I had been prescribed many medications by the dermotologist and they NEVER worked. It was always very disheartening!
I got a Clarisonic for Christmas two years ago and thought it made everything worse so I quit using it after a few weeks. But, around a year ago I decided to give it another try, making sure not to skip a day. (I actually use it morning and night but I have thick skin so it works for me.) I stuck with it, and after about two months I started noticing a difference. Now my skin is pretty much clear…I'm just working on fading the scarring.
I use Philosophy On A Clear Day acne wash or Cetaphil in the morning with the Clarisonic, followed by Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. At night I use Philosophy Purity to remove my makeup (with just my hands), and then use On A Clear Day to cleanse my face with the Clarisonic. I also I use the Clinique Gel afterwards. Oh, and I always wash my face AFTER I shampoo and condition my hair to remove any residue.
My skin has not been clear for probably 15 years, until now! I haven't had a cyst in probably 4 months (it took a loooong time to get rid of them!)but just to be safe I apply Mario Badescu Buffering lotion to my jawline every few days when I think about it (it shrinks cysts faster than anything else I've used). If I get a zit or have any little bumps I use Philosophy's spot treatment with Mario Badescu Healing and Soothing Cream on top.
That was a novel lol, but maybe it will help you! 🙂
Thanks for being so honest about your skin issues. My dermatologist put me on doxycline/epiduo since last year, and it has worked wonders for me. I am now 100% clear, except for my horrible hyperpigmentation, haha.
Advice:
– 1 sweet potato/day – sounds weird and random, but it's full of ridiculous amount of vitamin a (which is what retinols are). When my acne was at it worst, I would have a sweet potato a day (made into fries) and I would immediately notice an effect the next day
– reduce dairy and sugar; these are the worst offenders of acne, and I love my lattes too much to completely give them up, but I would try to reduce as much as you can
– green smoothies. Again, such a huge difference in overall quality of skin. They take a while to start working, but it's worth it.
– be careful when using shampoo/conditioner to not get it onto your back.
Good luck and keep us updated!!!
I hope that you see improvements soon! I use the acne brush head for my Mia and really like it- even better than the one made for sensitive skin.
https://thegrassskirtblog.com
I'm lactose intolerant so I was kinda used to not having dairy in my life, but I would cheat occasionally. Now that I'm on Minocycline I have to avoid milk entirely. I've read that you have have milk two to three hours after taking Minocycline, but my physician said to avoid it.
You'd think it'd be easy…
I have to be on for 3 more months… its already been two.
The neutrogea face and body wash both helped!
Have you tried the acne brush head for the clarisonic? I was also prescribed differn which was great at drying out my pimples and workswell with the clindimyacin. Lush's tea tree spray is also a great antiseptic for the face.
You have very long hair so it's possible that your bacne is caused by your hair products (shampoo, conditioner, styling products). Whatever's on your hair when it's sitting wet against your back.
Suz- it is hormonal. Not not because of my hair. I never had it until I went off the pill
Love your blog Veronika, it is one of my daily reads! I want to second Minocycline. It worked wonders for me as well. It does have some side effects so if you can do it for a few months and take a break, I highly recommend it!
Hey
Long time reader, first time poster! I can empathise with you. Read the Beauty Mouth blog – super advice on skincare and one of her major recommendations for acne both facial and back is to take fish supplements, high doses anywhere between 6000 and 9000mg. Take a look at her blog for other tips, she's a life saver. D
V,
Sorry to hear about your skin issues. I had similar issues about two years ago and I was prescribed a similar skin care regime. However, for long term maintenance I was told to go "natural." i.e. use a natural, non-chemical cleanser and the worst, all natural cosmetics. Yep, I was told to throw out all my MAC, Bobbi Brown, etc. Since I made the switch to Tarte, Korres and Bare Minerals, magically I have no breakouts and no irritation or redness. I just thought I would pass this along in the hopes it may help alleviate your issues sooner.
How long have you been on the minocycline? You really need to be on something like that for at least 6-8 weeks before you see improvement. If you're just going to take it for a month I wouldn't bother with it at all.
I also get awful cystic acne and Retin A .1% has been helping lately. I also feel like it is helping my scars fade.
I used monocycline as well and it works miracles. Cleared my very bad acne in2 weeks, almost by itself. I was 22 at the timeand did was not very persistent with other topical skincare. My acne did come back but as strong as they were then. When I have occasional flare ups now (im 30) i just use Dermalogica and it keeps it under control.
peronally, try buf-puf individuals 3 times a day. it has soap in it and also rinse it. This will keep the sebum from feeding the bacteria and keep your skin smooth. You'll breakout the first few days but I swear you'll never go back to anything else. I also recommend making a vit C serum with 1/4 teaspoon vit C crystals with 2 oz distilled water. Use every night. Drink lots of green tea and take sea buck omega 7 supplement for your skin. Also LED blue light kills the bacteris. http://www.theledman.com makes the best handhelg blue light.
Hi Veronika,
I have been following your blog since you left the nest 🙂 I always enjoy your posts, especially the ones that mention local places – as I am a Houstonian too. Just wanted to mention that since I see you still use Proactiv Refining Mask, the Doctor's who created Proactiv have a whole other line for "adult acne" called Rodan+Fields UnBlemish. Full disclosure, I am a consultant for the company, but on a personal level I use the Unblemish Dual Intensive Acne Treatment for my hormonal breakouts on my cheeks, chin and back -with great success. I had been on Accutane as a teen and all these years later I am starting to break out again! Here is the link to the products
https://dbaskincare.myrandf.com/Shop/Unblemish
Good luck
Hi Veronika, a reader from the UK here, love your blog and style.
Thought I would recommend this blog https://www.beautymouth.com/ – it takes a very different approach to skincare which I have found to be so beneficial to my skin. Obviously if your routine works, then stick at it, but taking a gentler approach has worked wonders for me.
great products! xx
https://www.theprovocativecouture.com/
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Hi Veronika,
I had the same hormonal acne, except I also occasionally had some on my chest. It drove me nuts. I also saw a dermatologist in my 20s who prescribed minocin (oral drug) and dalacin t (topical). The dalacin t was awesome…it reduced any acne flare up withing 24-48 hrs. When my husband and I decided to get pregnant, I had to stop using both. A friend recommended an acne clinic. The dr had performed kenalog injections to any acne cysts or pimples I had, after using cryotherapy. It was painless and so quick. My appointments were 5 mins and the treatment is 100 % safe. The dr used a stronger kenalog injections for the older acne cysts (2-3 weeks). I live in Ontario Canada and most of the visit was covered under our universal healthcare, but I did pay $35 per visit. It was amazing though bc all my pimples that were injected cleared within 15-30 mins. The dr also clears out blackheads (didn't let him touch mine though). There was no scarring or redness. I would even go on my lunch breaks. I must have visited the office 4 times over 6 months and my skin stayed clear. I later got pregnant and my skin stayed clear. Apparently when you get pregnant your skin either is super clear or breaks out. I guess I lucked out. Also remember medication always has side effects.
Hope this helps.
Luv your blog!
Oh sweetie, I know how acne can be a pain in the…well…in you case back =X I really hope it wears off eventually!!! But either way, please know that you are beautiful, no matter what!!! I can't even see any acne in your pictures =D
xoRosie
https://teacupsanddresses.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the shout out, friend!!! <3
I hope the Clarisonic is helping you. I am curious to hear more about the MB healing cream. Hormonal acne is seriously a you-know-what. I feel it's a never ending battle. My problem was that birth control actually made mine worse, then being pregnant was EVEN worse, and then postpartum is like a rollercoaster. It's definitely better than being pregnant but still bad. This makes me so mad because I'm not supposed to be breaking out like a teenager when I'm nearing thirty! Looking forward to hearing how this routine works out…!
I suffered with cystic acne for years. Really, the simpler your routine the better. I wash with Neutrogena foaming face wash and makeup remover, use my clairsonic in the morning only. During the day, I use prescription Finecea (which is actually for Roscea but it is amazing for getting rid of the dark spots left by acne) and at night, Tazorac. As for the body acne, Neutrogena Acne Body Scrub.
My dermatologist said that the more you use, the more likely your skin is to become irritated and it will make the acne worse, especially mixing all kinds of topicals.
Hi Veronica,
I am in the Houston area and I have had trouble with acne on the face and back since I was 15. I've only had one doctor be able to clear it up plus help with the scars. My acne was so bad an persistent I've been on 3 rounds of Accutane. It's Dr. Milton Moore on Kirby near Reliant stadium. He is a dermy and a pharmacist, his products are carried in walgreens, HEB and some walmarts. He also has a med spa. You can try his website at http://www.mooreunique.com . He's awesome.
Hormone acne is a though problem can u suggest me the bestTreatment for hormonal Acne.
Recently I've been breaking out REALLY badly and I was just wondering what you guys do to keep your skin fresh and clean! What products do you use, how long have you been using them, how many times a day etc….
Also, let me know what type of skin you have so I can see if your routine might work for me!
Thanks! 🙂
obagi skin care products
Been hearing a lot about Clarisonic but searching online i found it expensive and instead of buying one i opt meeting with my dermatologist instead. But i want to own one soon.
I have some mild acne on my face, and I need some good ways to get rid of it.acne mark treatments. I also have some dark spots that were left behind by past breakouts, and I'm really not loving them! Any help is appreciated! Thanks!
What's a good moisturizer for sensitive!, red, acne prone, oily skin?homemade skin treatment.I've broken out a lot recently and I need a good daytime moisturizer to combat with the acne medication i used at night that makes my skin feel red and raw and hard to move.
have you heard about Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced cleansing system? It is far cheaper than Clarisonic. That is what my acne dermatologist in NYC recommended too!
Apple cider vinegar also fights bacteria and helps to balance the pH level of the body that allows for better absorption of the oil. Mix equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and water and apply on the back togetting rid of back acne
We recommend the development of a personalized treatment plan to treat your acne breakouts. Have you considered chemical peels for your acne? Or chemical facials? You could also consider consulting an acne dermatologist about anitibiotics to treat acne. We recommend an antibiotic called doxycycline. Check it out: https://advancedacneinstitute.com/blog/2013/07/22/doxycycline-for-acne/
Panoxyl is great for minimizing pores! I bought one at Kallony and I was surprised with the results!
~Pauline @Kallony
My acne-prone areas are my shoulders and chest – and the only thing that works is washing them daily in the shower with the Citrus Clear Face Wash. Since I have been using it – no shoulder or chest acne.
Pimples are skin problems faced by almost everyone. It is one of the major embarrassments in social parties, colleges, offices or in many other social gatherings. Pimples can occur on face, back and chest. Pimples or acne is one of the most frequent, chronic and common skin diseases. It occurs due to the disturbance in hormones or at the time of puberty. Salveovita Health Care
I get the occasional painful cyst-type acne (I am in my mid 20's and this is a recent development).I have pretty sensitive dry/normal combo skin and other treatments I have tried have just made me peely and flaky.
I have been using Citrus Clear Control products for a month. At first the treatment was a little drying so I went to using it every other night and now I am applying it every night following it up with the moisturizer. My skin is DEFINITELY clearer. It is still a little irritating every once in awhile but I have not had any peeling/redness. It definitely stops the cyst-type acne from coming back.
I used Cerave for years, but stopped using it because I found better results with Citrus Clear products. Typically whatever the dermatologist gives me works for a while, but then stops. Now that my acne has become a lot more mild. I've been using Citrus Clear every day and it really helps a lot. I felt like Cerave was only moisturizing and not really cleaning, but I really feel clean and refreshed after using the Citrus Clear Face Wash. I'd recommend it to any teenager who just wants their freaking acne to go away for good.
I recently had a hormonal acne breakout which left me with bad acne scars on my face. Which is very sensitive! I purchased the dr Max Powers Scar Serum online and it cleared up acne pimples and helps to reduce my scaring. This product has rosehip oil to fight the pimples and works nice, also easy to apply and not messy at all.
I recently had a hormonal acne breakout which left me with bad acne scars on my face. Which is very sensitive! I purchased the dr Max Powers Scar Serum online and it cleared up acne pimples and helps to reduce my scaring. This product has rosehip oil to fight the pimples and works nice, also easy to apply and not messy at all.
Thank you for this great article i gathered lots of useful information but i have some dermal problems and one of my friend tolled me that Getting Rid of Stretch Marks with Microdermabrasion can be good for me but he also said that this kind of operation can create problem for laser service i mean, i wanted to know that after using microdermabrasion does laser hair removal work on my skin ??? i will wait for your suggestion
The best acne treatments in delhi for your specific case of acne is to be chosen according to your skin
I tend to get really painful acne around my hairline and forehead, I think it's hormonal. I was using the Citrus Clear Blackhead mask – and it left my skin feeling really hydrated afterwards which is something I didn't expect, most likely due to the amount of essential oils in it. I really liked that. It didn't smell odd and felt nice upon application. The following day I noticed that all of the painful pimples on my forehead and hairline had dried out and everywhere else felt nice and soft.