Lauu Lauu
2 years ago

Hormonal acne help! Please 😞

I suffer with hormonal acne and can get blind under the skin lumps form when my hormones are at their highest.

I have lost all confidence, I don’t even like leaving the house when my skin is like that.

Please can I have some help on this matter? I’m new to this site and I’ve followed the create your routine thing on here… but just want to know if there’s anything I could do better / more / less to help reduce the amount of acne?

I’m quite reluctant to try retinol due to my skin being quite sensitive to new products and I can’t bring myself to have even more acne right now… it’s my friends wedding soon and I wanted to try and clear this up as much as possible 😞

Thank you!!

Skin type: combination (very fair skin)

Skin concern: cystic hormonal acne / blemishes / uneven skin tone

AM - Everyday
1
Kind Defence Antibacterial Light Moisturiser Simple - Kind Defence Antibacterial Light Moisturiser
Use every day, as many times as needed. For most people, it's best to use a moisturizer twice per day. In the morning, apply it before your sunscreen (or skip the moisturizer in the morning if your sunscreen feels hydrating enough). In the evening, a moisturizer is usually the last step of a routine.
2
Pep Start Daily UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Clinique - Pep Start Daily UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Use every day before going outside, even if it is not sunny. Sunscreen is the last step of your morning skincare routine. You can apply makeup on top of it.
PM - Everyday
1
Ceramides Foaming Cleanser Revolution Skincare - Ceramides Foaming Cleanser
Use a generous amount of product to remove all dirt, sunscreen or makeup in one step. There is no need to double-cleanse. It is a good idea to always finish cleansing with a splash of clean water to remove any residue from the cleanser. Most people only need to cleanse their skin with a cleanser once per day, at night. It is the first step of a night skincare routine.
2
Kind Defence Antibacterial Light Moisturiser Simple - Kind Defence Antibacterial Light Moisturiser
Use every day, as many times as needed. For most people, it's best to use a moisturizer twice per day. In the morning, apply it before your sunscreen (or skip the moisturizer in the morning if your sunscreen feels hydrating enough). In the evening, a moisturizer is usually the last step of a routine.
3
1% Bakuchiol Serum REVOLUTION SKINCARE - 1% Bakuchiol Serum
You can use this product in the morning or at night, before your moisturizer or sunscreen. If your skin tolerates it well, you can use it twice a day.
PM - Every other day
1
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% The Ordinary - Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Use your azelaic acid product every other day, either in the morning before your sunscreen or at night, before your moisturizer.
Acne & clogged pores Uneven skin tone Sensitivity
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Thank you for sharing and I am sorry the acne affects your self-confidence. I think it happens to most of us, but it doesn't make it suck less if I am honest.

I'd say that if acne affects your quality of life, it is absolutely worth the effort and money to seek treatment from a dermatologist. Hormonal causes of acne can't really be fixed with topical over the counter products. Of course, topical treatments can help lessen the breakouts and speed up healing, but they won't help you solve the problem completely. If you can, please go see a derm - they can consult you about all possible treatment options (not all of them are retinoids!) and you can make an informed decision on what to try.

Besides that, the routine you've got from the Builder is a very good place to start for a sensitive skin. You can also add a salicylic acid product (for example, this: https://whatsinmyjar.com/product/kate-somerville-eradikate-blemish-spot-treatment) as a spot treatment (apply directly to the spots 2-3 times per day to help heal quicker).

Once your skin barrier improves (and you get less sensitivity), a topical retinoid can be very helpful to you. If you can access it, the best type would be adapalene (brand name Differin). It's available over-the-counter in the US, and you can also get an e-prescription in the so called "online acne clinics" by the major pharmacies in the UK. If you can't access adapalene, than a retinol is probably the easiest choice and it can also be very effective. You can start with it just once a week to see how your skin reacts.

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Thank you so much for the reply and the information you have provided! I will definitely be looking into the spot treatment and looking for a dermatologist help! Thank you again ☺️

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I used to have really bad hormonal acne and my doctor diagnosed me with PCOS (poly cystic overly syndrome), not sure if you ruled this out at all but I've seen a lot of people with severe cystic acne ending up having PCOS as well. I've been on a medication for about 4 years and only breakout before my cycle but it's MUCH more manageable and never cystic. Though as soon as I'm off the medication the cystic acne comes back but if I take it my skin is clear!!! All this to say, perhaps talking to your family doctor or gyno might be just as, if not more helpful since you mentioned it's hormonal. Hope this helps but if you already ruled this out I hope you find what's causing it!! Best wishes fellow cystic acne haver

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Thank you for your comment! ☺️ I’m sorry to hear that you struggle with this too, but I hope you’re doing well with your medication. ☺️

Yeah I’ve had PCOS ruled out, I feel like I am running in circles sometimes. I keep seeing videos / websites that say different skincare routines to follow that I don’t know if I’m doing right from wrong anymore 😂 but I have recently had my contraceptive pill changed from the mini pill to a combination one… so fingers crossed that helps in some way to control this hormonal acne!

It’s good to hear that others have gone through or are going through this, because I think that’s my biggest worry is going outside and feeling as though people are staring at my face. When I’m reality they probably don’t care or they’ve had it themselves! So thank you again for your reply, it means a lot that people have taken the time to try and help 😊

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