Hormonal acne question
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free skin care · Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:19 am

I'm SO glad I found this forum!! Just reading yesterday I found out that acne on the jawline usually points to hormonal imbalances that causes acne. I looked online and it mentioned acne usually appears along jawline, down the neck and on the back and chest. I also get it on my scalp too (eew). This is EXACTLY what I have! All this time derms have been putting me on antibiotics like I had a systemic infection or something! My acne would clear up (never all the way) and come back the second I got off the meds.

So what are my options with this kind of acne besides BC? Or is that it as far as fixing this problem cos that sure sounds like what I must have. I do have breakouts before cycle, irregular, respond with vicious cyst-like painful acne when I have too much caffiene...etc. Everything I read I fit the bill. Is there no natural way to treat this? I wouldn't mind the bc...except that I'm currently taking some supps for working out that I would prefer not to mix with BC as they both raise risks of stroke and whatnot.

I would really love to hear any personal stories with this type of issue if anyone cares to share with me. I'm probably getting my hopes up way too soon. Confused

free skin care · Sun Dec 28, 2008 11:46 am

Boski takes Black Currant Oil capsules and has had some significant success. You can find her story on the 302 Skincare thread on the Porduct Reviews forum.

free skin care · Sun Dec 28, 2008 12:01 pm

I have/had hormonal acne and Spironolactone worked SO well for me. It's actually a diuretic, but it can be prescribed off-label to correct hormonal imbalances.

I had a face that would explode at certain times of the month, leaving me with these awful dark marks that would take months if not years to go away (even with aggressive use of exfoliants). Retin-a didn't help. Tazorac helped a little, but again, any topical is only going to address the symptoms of your problem. Spiro helped zap the extra male hormones I had (that's not a very technical explanation, but it's better if you look that up elsewhere anyway) so that after about two-three months on it, I stopped getting cysts. My face has been pretty much completely clear since I've been on it. Another plus is that my skin isn't as oily anymore, even in warm weather. It still amazes me that I no longer have to touch up my makeup during the day, blot my face or reapply powder.

I had no real side effects but other people have reported things like headaches, dizziness, etc. (Acne.org has a bunch of reviews for this) You should also watch your potassium intake since this allows it to build up in your system. It's not too hard, however.

I've heard that Saw Palmetto extract is a sort of herbal version of Spiro, but of course, it's a lot weaker.

free skin care · Sun Dec 28, 2008 4:23 pm

Supplements that can help hormonal acne: Blackcurrant oil, Krill oil. One of other of these work for some people (effectiveness depends on the individual).

Spearmint tea also has some research backing that it can help to modulate hormones. Some people have had success with this - 2 cups a day.

Prescription medications for hormonal acne: Spironolactone, birth control pill (e.g. Yazmin).

free skin care · Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:05 pm

Nijey wrote:

I have/had hormonal acne and Spironolactone worked SO well for me. It's actually a diuretic, but it can be prescribed off-label to correct hormonal imbalances.

Nijey,
How much do you take daily?
And sorry for my ignorance, but what do you mean by "off-label"? A generic version?
TIA

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:01 am

What about Evening Primrose Oil? I feel I have more breakouts around the time of the month since taking it. I took around 1000mg a day.

Nijey, what do u mean by the Potassium intake? R u saying that a high intake of Potassium will lead to breakouts? If so, how much a day? I have seen Saw Palmetto as its main ingredient in many breast enhancement supplements.

I usually break out a wk before my period. They can be anywhere on the face. My chin breaks out the most so I guess it's hormonal.

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:40 am

spearmint tea is indeed helpful, i feel. when i overdo the sugar, i try to counteract it with some at night.
for hormonal acne, the foods i have cut have made the largest difference. sugar, too much dairy (particularly hormone-treated), peanut products (big hormonal trigger), and soy all cause breakouts for me personally. so if you can figure out if you have dietary triggers, that could save so much pain. it's something i wish i'd known about a decade ago when the derms were pushing antibiotics at me like no tomorrow.
on that note, i also found spiro to be quite effective to help with the breakouts that make it past the diet barrier. but just be careful that you're not allergic to sulfa drugs. i am, so have moved on to whatever natural anti-inflammatory supplements i can.
anyway, best luck. : )

Mon Dec 29, 2008 2:10 am

i really have a big headache over all pimples,break outs and ugly looking scar..i tried so many products and drugs but nothing efficiently clear them out of my face..i hope someone may help me to deal with it

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:54 am

semolinapilchard wrote:

. . . i also found spiro to be quite effective to help with the breakouts . . .

semolinapilchard,
How much of the Spiro is taken daily?

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:39 am

Seeking~HG wrote:

Nijey wrote:

I have/had hormonal acne and Spironolactone worked SO well for me. It's actually a diuretic, but it can be prescribed off-label to correct hormonal imbalances.

Nijey,
How much do you take daily?
And sorry for my ignorance, but what do you mean by "off-label"? A generic version?
TIA

Off-label means a medication being prescribed for something it wasn't meant for. So Spiro's 'real' use is as a diuretic, but it has a 'side effect' of balancing hormones so some dermatologists and general practitioners will prescribe it for correcting hormonal acne.

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:41 am

Seeking~HG wrote:

Nijey wrote:

I have/had hormonal acne and Spironolactone worked SO well for me. It's actually a diuretic, but it can be prescribed off-label to correct hormonal imbalances.

Nijey,
How much do you take daily?
And sorry for my ignorance, but what do you mean by "off-label"? A generic version?
TIA

I take 200 mg/day. I started off with only 50 mg and was slowly bumped up to 100, then 150, before finally settling on 200 mg. I got some improvement at the lower dosages, but not a lot. 200 turned out to be perfect for me, but the right dosage is going to be different for everyone and depends on what you and your doctor decide.

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:44 am

Stardustdy wrote:

What about Evening Primrose Oil? I feel I have more breakouts around the time of the month since taking it. I took around 1000mg a day.

Nijey, what do u mean by the Potassium intake? R u saying that a high intake of Potassium will lead to breakouts? If so, how much a day? I have seen Saw Palmetto as its main ingredient in many breast enhancement supplements.

I usually break out a wk before my period. They can be anywhere on the face. My chin breaks out the most so I guess it's hormonal.

I mean that Spiro is a Potassium-sparing diuretic (check out its wikipedia page for more info.) It allows Potassium to build up in your system so you should be careful not to take in too much, i.e. take Potassium supplements or eat a lot of Potassium-rich foods like bananas and beans.

Saw Palmetto has long been used to address hormonal imbalances, which is why you'll often see it as an ingredient in those breast enhancement/breast health supplements. It just makes sense that if you alter your hormone levels, your breasts (and other secondary sexual characteristics like hair growth) will change. That's what happens when people switch or go on birth control and find their breasts getting bigger or fuller or their body hair becoming finer.

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:47 pm

Has anybody got any recommendations for cystic acne? I don't want to take antibiotics as i'm taking fertility medication right now and don't want anything to mess with it. But, i'm seriously suffering!

Although i had typical teenage acne, it was NEVER, i repeat, NEVER cystic and boil-like. Birth control was the only thing that sorted it for me. I came off BC five years ago to try to conceive and my skin was okay - the odd spot, still greasy, few blackheads but nothing major.

However, this summer i had a major setback (I'm 36 now). Huge big cystic acne pustules suddently appeared all along my jawline and creeping down my neck. I am soooooooooo depressed with it. I really believe this is an isolated incident and has been caused by something very specific - i think either severe stress or the fact i started using OCM. However, i can't get rid of it - i've tried watching my diet, topical applications etc but it doesn't look any different and it's really affecting my self-esteem! Sad

Have any of you suffered anything similar? It's really wearing me down now - so much so that, despite being a hater of all things antibiotic, i was prepared to go down that route - only for the fact i won't chance anything that will interfere with my fertility meds. I don't think topical is of any use to me at all, i think it's just one huge infection, but i don't know of anything that can get deep down to the root of the infection without affecting my fertility meds? Confused

God, who'd have thought adulthood could be so stressful! Aren't we all supposed to bloom once we reach maturity?!!!

TIA Very Happy

Mon Dec 29, 2008 2:37 pm

I've had some good luck with the birth control Yasmin. I've was on spironolactone for 2 years in my early twenties. I went off of it, and unfortunately within 6 months my skin was worse than it was before I ever tried spironolactone. I went back on with no real results. I don't blame it, my life is more stressful now. Now in my late twenties I deal with more hormonal acne around my jawline and cheeks. Finally, a new PCP just recommended Yasmin BC which does actually help a lot (Brand name, do not get the generic). Since, I was using BC anyway, why not use one that can help my skin? My skin is not perfect but with Yasmin and a good religious skincare routine (2% bha or 10% aha daily, with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide) I manage it. Hopefully in time it will calm down for good. It is obviously resistant at this point (I have used antibiotics and run a course of accutane too). I am not interested in dermatologists recommendations at this point. Currently, I'm looking into getting my diet back on track... The comment about food products is also very relevant. Refined sugar and wheat, commercial dairy, peanuts, and soy are big no-nos. Omega-3s, and zinc are also popular suggestions on the acne.org website.
Hopefully my comments help. If you want to know what products I use, I'd be happy to dish.

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:02 pm

I have hormonal breakouts as well (pcos related) and they are mainly around my jawline and neck (atleast that's where I hate it the most). I get them on my cheeks too but they don't nearly as bad...atleast to me. I've tried many different things and drug store items (with benzoyl peroxide, salyclic acid, and/or sulfer) never seem to do anything. I was prescribed Retin A Micro 3 years ago by my derm, and I never bothered to continue with it because I didn't results right away. However, I never threw it out for some reason, when cleaning out my drawers. I decided to try it again this fall in desperation, and decided to be persistant this time. I heard that it often take almost 6 months to see good results. So, in the beginning, I peeled and looked like I had burned my face, but eventually my skin started to heal and now I maintain with Retin A Micro along my jawline atleast. It's really made a drastic difference, but I know I will need to use it consistantly. I use to take evening primrose oil and I may have posted about it, and in the beginning it worked great, but then it stopped working and I think it just made my skin reallly oily. I'll try some of this new stuff (spearmint tea..etc) but I'm afraid to use saw palmetto. It has an opposite effect on some people.

Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:24 pm

I was surprised to read about black currant oil as heard that is an acne problem ingredient. I have had great success with saw palmetto berry. My chiro says it works the same as with the prostate and that it is also good for mucous and chest congestion. I was getting those cystic ones on my neck and found that if I massage in my Epidermx II when I felt it starting up, they would stop in a day or two. Sometimes I would even leave it on overnight. I haven't had anything else as far as acne products that has worked as well for me as the Epidermx II. I love the Triple Lavender Face Foam, it smells incredible and is a really thick foam. EDS sells the NaturDerm products and I know that greatnewskin is still with their sale. Thanks for the tips!

free skin care · Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:49 pm

Nijey,
Thank you for your responses. I spoke with my OB/GYN today and asked for some Spironolactone. She wouldn't give me a prescription for it, but she set up an appointment for me to see a Dermatologist. I just had a hysterectomy last Wed. and my face flared up almost immediately. It's so depressing. Crying or Very sad

free skin care · Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:15 am

I have hormonal acne as well and am currently taking Spiro. I am taking 100 mg. and am not seeing results. I am not as oily as before and my lips are dry but I am still breaking out on mt chin and cheeks. Right now I am trying the 302 skincare. I have the acne mist, a boost, and the drops. I used the acne mist and the drops last night and it calms my skin. It is soft and I don't feel oily or greasy at all. I will continue using it and probably stop taking the spiro. The only thing that worked for me in the past was accutane, but that was not a cure either. My skin was clear for 5 years and after having children, the acne returned. The acids and bp just do not work for me. My skin becomes very dry and red and the acne is worse. I also have tazorac that I am using a few times a week.

free skin care · Fri Jan 02, 2009 1:45 am

From what I understand, Saw Palmetto is an androgen blocker... a lot of women who are into natural breast enhancement use it, and it is notorious in those circles for causing weight gain and cellulite (then again, the women are usually taking a great deal of it and other herbs)

I'm fighting the hormonal acne problem too, so am hoping someone finds an answer -- thanks for the reminder about retin A ... I think I'll start using it again.

free skin care · Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:21 am

I am allergic to hormonal pills so I've had to deal with alternatives to try and sort out my hormonal problems and acne along jawline. I have found that cutting down on certain food groups like sugar (especially processed sugar in chocolate and coke) has had an effect as well as Chinese herbs which I have started using only recently but I can see a little bit of a difference already. I am still to cut down on the sugars since it's the festive season but I'll get there Smile

.

In conjunction with the above I take good care of my skin. I go to facials once a month and use Sothy's oily range which has made my face a little better too. At least my skin is soft. I've also bought the purifying lotion from Sothys so I'm waiting to see how that will turn out.

I really wish I could go on hormonal treatments but I don't think pill is good for you anyway so I'll just stick with my routine and see how far it takes me.

Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:51 am

im considering starting saw palmetto and maybe also vitex agnus castus supplements which is also supposed to be good for regulating hormones and helping with hormonal acne..

2 months ago i started getting cystic acne on my chin and also thought it was a one off thing caused by stress but with every cyst that goes, another one comes up and it has been ongoing for the last 2 months Sad

i have not had a clear week since! Confused

free skin care · Sun Jan 04, 2009 4:27 pm

st3rlite wrote:

im considering starting saw palmetto and maybe also vitex agnus castus supplements which is also supposed to be good for regulating hormones and helping with hormonal acne..

2 months ago i started getting cystic acne on my chin and also thought it was a one off thing caused by stress but with every cyst that goes, another one comes up and it has been ongoing for the last 2 months Sad

i have not had a clear week since! Confused

Do you pick it at all or do you just leave it? Maybe you can try spot treatment.

free skin care · Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:42 pm

wow, thanks so much for all the info...I'll start trying these things.

free skin care · Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:45 pm

im glad i stumbled across this thread.
i'm suffering from hormonal acne. I was on yasmin birth control pills but it didn't help me, i was getting painful acne around the jawline, cheeks and back. I decided to stop taking the yasmin bc pills, but my skin still seems to be suffering.
Where can i buy saw palmetto? Can i go to any drug store to get it? or do i need a prescription?

Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:27 am

I had the same problem as you did-hormonal acne for years and years Sad

I had 2 Photodynamic Therapy sessions last year (the light used was IPL and laser was Laser Genesis)and can honestly see a HUGE difference in my skin. Check online for information about how this works, but basically it dries up your sebaceous glands and kills acne bacteria. It also removes fine lines, and helps to produce collagen. The big bonus is that you don't have to take any medication internally, and the results are (for some) as good as or better than Accutane, without the side effects. My face still has some old scarring, but as soon as I receive the Obagi set I have ordered, I am planning to attack that:)

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