Post-summer breakouts: What works?

If you need a scan for your kidney, go through the radiology department at a major hospital—like Mayo Clinic or something similar. If you haven’t been to their outpatient clinic before, they're supposed to get you scheduled within a month—I managed to snag an appointment in three weeks, I think.
That's just regarding the bloodwork.
As for the kidney ultrasound, I ended up paying out of pocket at a private clinic because the wait times are just endless.

My kidneys seem fine, and my hormones are okay too, but these breakouts just won't clear up—it's frustrating.

I’ve had my thyroid and hormone levels checked twice now, and everything comes back perfectly normal. There isn't any swelling or any issues at all.
That "lump in your throat" feeling? Yeah, I know it well too... but honestly, it's just because stress and mood tend to hit you right in the gut, causing that tightness that makes you feel like you're choking.

Sometimes it just hits me out of nowhere, and I'll start sobbing like a baby, only to feel completely fine five minutes later. It's tough when that happens while you're out in public or dealing with people every day—you feel like everyone is staring at you like you're an alien.

As for me, I'm actually home right now. I quit my job to head back to college, so the plan is to finish my degree, maybe get married, and eventually have a baby.

The thing is, I know plenty of women whose situations didn't improve at all, even after they had their children. 😢

If I could give one piece of advice to any girl considering birth control like Yaz: please don't! Think about it twice before you jump in.
When I first started taking them, my skin was flawless, but my cycle was a total mess, which is why my doctor put me on them to "fix" things. Well, now I'm dealing with liver issues (since synthetic estrogen can cause fat buildup in the liver), my skin is a disaster, and my hormones are spinning out of control. It's been two and a half years since I stopped taking them, and I'm still dealing with the fallout.

Betty Adams12 said:If you're a girl thinking about jumping on Diane, my advice is simple: don't. Seriously, think twice before you even consider it.
I didn't have a single breakout when I first started taking them. The only reason I even went on Diane was because my cycle was such a mess and they promised to fix it. Well, look where that got me. Now I'm dealing with liver issues—apparently, that synthetic estrogen can cause fat buildup in the liver—my skin is an absolute disaster, and my hormones are basically doing laps at a hundred miles an hour. It’s been two and a half years since I stopped, and I'm still dealing with the fallout.

How long were you actually on them? That's gotta be a huge factor in how much damage was done, right?

I was on Diane for about two years, maybe even a little less. Before that, I took Celest for a year.
In terms of duration, it wasn't any longer or shorter than what most women typically experience.

My doctor told me that if my Diane doesn't clear things up after three months, we’ll have to step things up—and I mean a real specialist, Professor Simunic over at Mayo Clinic, not just some random GP. My OB-GYN isn't a fan of Diane, though; I also saw Dr. Marton, and she was actually the one who suggested starting the Diane in the first place.
So, I basically got—well, not a second opinion, more like a third opinion—just specifically regarding the hormone side of things.

The dermatologist is also pushing the Diane, but honestly, after everything, I'm feeling pretty hesitant.
I don't really deal with those painful, deep cystic bumps, so maybe I'm not even the right candidate for Accutane.

Anyway, ladies, how old are you all?

Yesterday I went to see my specialist at the Mayo Clinic, and after I laid out my entire history, she just stared at me and asked—what exactly do you want from me here? 😕
She isn’t a bad doctor, generally speaking. Even though I haven't spent much time under her care (thank God for small mercies), I do trust her; I feel like she actually knows what she's doing. But what happened yesterday? It was incredibly disheartening. I really had high hopes for this appointment... 😢
She didn't even suggest a hormone panel, not even when I practically begged her to! I am convinced that my hormonal levels are the root cause of all these acne issues, yet it feels like nobody gives a damn... or maybe they already know there's no magic pill, so they're just trying to save a buck and avoid wasting both my time and theirs?
I still need to get my thyroid checked, but honestly, I suspect everything there is fine. I’ll probably end up wasting an entire day and a chunk of change for nothing. Still, whatever—I'll go. But I think I need to find some alternative way to clear my head. Since life clearly won't give me any peace...

crimsonhound28 said:Ladies, how old are you all?

28. 😍

Last year, my dermatologist prescribed nothing but Skinoren and some topical liquid—Erythromycin for my face (which, frankly, smells absolutely atrocious at 3 p.m.). I actually asked her if I should be on Accutane, and she just brushed it off, claiming I’d need to go see Ginićka first...
To be perfectly honest, Ginićka wasn't just unpleasant; she was downright rude, and she somehow took offense to me even mentioning facial hair. On top of that, she didn't even give me a proper exam before deciding everything was perfectly fine... 😍
In the end, I did manage to get the Accutane, but as I mentioned, the whole ordeal was pretty much useless... except for the fact that I managed to annoy my doctors... 😬

I've finally tracked down some new doctors, so I'm heading back to square one... 😉

31... I feel like I've tried basically everything you guys have, including seeing that big-shot specialist Dr. Kaliterna!! Honestly, I wanted to pull what little hair he has left out of frustration... but anyway. To make a long story short, I’ve posted about my issues before—specifically that my ovaries aren't actually the problem. The answer everywhere was just "stress." I wasn't buying it, so I kept digging and started taking Yaz for about five months because I desperately wanted better skin before my wedding. I actually stopped taking them about a month and a half ago. Then, one doctor told me all my skin troubles are actually stemming from anemia. My iron levels are sitting at a 7, so I'm still praying things get better once I finally get that sorted out. In the meantime, though, I stumbled upon this one cream, and looking in the mirror today, I'm actually glowing! Not a single pimple or breakout in sight. Sudocrem, which you can usually grab at any drugstore—it's actually that stuff moms get in those newborn gift sets at the hospital. It’s meant for diaper rash and burns and all that, but it works wonders on acne too. My face is clear now; I mean, it's not perfect, but there isn't a single zit, and even the scarring is starting to fade. This cream is incredible! Btw, I was using an Vitamin E cream over the summer, so maybe that helped too. A small tube of Sudocrem is about $9.00, and since we've all been through the wringer trying everything else... it's definitely worth a shot.

hm, yeah... we're all here, three banks.
I have this feeling—if our skin types are like this—that they’ll pretty much stay this way.
I haven't tried everything, though—nothing except Diane and Accutane.
I guess I still believe in the "R" option, but honestly, those side effects scare the hell out of me...

Sudocrem, huh? I'm kind of hesitant to experiment, but maybe I could give it a shot.
We don't all have the same skin or the same issues. Mine is just incredibly sensitive, prone to redness, and oily. I don't even know if that cream would work for me...?!

It sounds like we’re dealing with the exact same nightmare. My skin is red, oily, and just—ugh—insanely sensitive. It isn't everywhere, but there are definitely certain spots that just freak out. I mean, if this stuff is safe enough for a baby, it shouldn't be doing any harm to an adult, right? Hopefully... wait, let me correct myself, the actual name is Sudocrem, which is that specialized protective cream they use for babies. Apparently, it works for diaper rash, eczema, various skin inflammations, and even pressure sores. It’s also supposed to help with sunburns, minor burns, surface wounds, acne, and frostbite. That's what it says on the box, anyway. For me, it’s actually been pretty decent, mostly because it doesn't absolutely wreck my skin like Skinoren or Differin does. I always applied it with a Q-tip, because if I accidentally touched any healthy skin, it would start peeling like crazy. This cream doesn't do that at all. Honestly, I didn't want to go the Accutane route either—I feel like the price tag alone would be something I'd end up paying for later, just out of pure vanity. But man, I am just so exhausted from hunting for a solution to my skin issues. I started getting breakouts and these massive clusters of acne on my face about five years ago. Before that, everything was fine. Maybe try finding a cream with Vitamin E in it? It helps regenerate the skin and fade scars, and it shouldn't irritate your face too much.

You guys aren't going to believe this, but I'm back—it's jojoba. Look, I don't buy into any of those "miracle acne cure" fairy tales, but I have officially decided that I am NOT putting anything aggressive on my face ever again. Absolutely NOTHING. There was a time when I was so desperate I probably would have slapped hydrochloric acid on my skin; if something stung, I just assumed it was working better. Well, thanks to all that reckless experimenting, listening to "well-meaning" advice, and my own sheer stupidity, my skin is now incredibly inflamed, depleted, and sensitive to... everything. So, I figured—I have this bottle of jojoba (which I totally $33 earlier) just sitting there unused, even though when I actually used it, it felt surprisingly good. In some inexplicable way, it didn't even bother me 🙄
After just two days, the peeling caused by the Avena Diacneal and my little flirtation with benzoyl peroxide is finally calming down. God, I was so foolish to fall for the hype with those products...
Listen, ladies, these breakouts that stem from within cannot be cured by anything you apply to the surface!!!! Externally, you just need to be gentle with your skin and give it enough strength to handle things on its own. Everything else needs to be dealt with somewhere inside. 🙏

Drew Peterson7, did you get my DM? Let me know, I sent you a message.
I said the exact same thing as you—that I’d just stick to all-natural stuff and try jojoba—but it didn't really do much for me.
I even tried two other custom oil blends I put together—specifically for my skin type and my issues—but nothing.

I've gone back to standard drugstore brands, honestly. I have a solid dermatologist I actually trust, so I'm just sticking to whatever she prescribes.

Honestly, even jojoba didn't do anything for me... nor did that Dr. Hauschka oil... it was just way too greasy for my skin type. crimsonhound28, which dermatologist are you seeing these days?

Hey, crimsonhound28, I did! Thanks! I actually just replied to you.
Look, I’m fully aware that jojoba isn't some magic cure-all, but honestly? It feels right for me at this exact moment. It’s like it just completely settles my skin—which, let's be real, is currently an inflamed, battered, and irritated mess.

I've decided it's time to start being kind to my body 👏
Because if I don't look out for myself, who else is going to...?

silentsailor68, I’ve tried Sudocr... and honestly, 😁 I feel like I've tried just about everything. 🤔
I wouldn't say it's a bad product, per se. For me, things usually seem to improve for maybe a month or so, and then everything just goes right back to how it was—or sometimes even worse—regardless of what I apply.
My skin looks a little better today because my shipment from Estée Lauder finally arrived, but just a week ago, I couldn't even touch my face because the inflammation was so intense! And then today, out of nowhere, poof, it's gone.

Drew Peterson7, that's exactly why I stuck with the natural route. Even if it hasn't cleared up my acne, at least my skin isn't peeling and drying out like it does with all those heavy creams.

I'm 28 years old, and it honestly breaks my heart to think that I'm getting married in a year and a half, and I might have to walk down that aisle with this inflamed skin. I don't think there's a makeup artist in the country who could fix this. 😢

Betty Adams12, I totally feel your pain and frustration here...😬 honestly, I was in the exact same dark place leading up to my wedding. But look, try to see the bright side—you’ve got a full year and a half to work on your skin. To be fair, everything pretty much settled down for me once the wedding was over, so I truly believe
most of my breakouts were just pure stress. Even if I am genetically prone to it. And as for Sudocr... yeah, it's not a permanent fix since some new pimple always seems to pop up eventually, but at least it doesn't wreck the rest of my skin. Like I said before, I haven't had a single breakout in the last few days. And no, I'm definitely not pregnant! Believe me, you won't even be thinking about these issues on your actual wedding day—at least I wasn't. Plus, a great makeup artist and a solid photographer—mine were amazing—can work absolute miracles! Don't exhaust yourself worrying about stuff that's eighteen months away. Who knows, your skin might actually look incredible by then! You're going to be the star of the show for sure! 🙂

Thanks, I'm really hoping things start looking up by then too... These past two and a half years have definitely been more than enough for me.

Betty Adams12, I see we’re dealing with the exact same nightmares... I am seriously losing sleep over this because I’m constantly freaking out about how I’m gonna look at my own wedding!!😁

My skin is either flawless or a total disaster zone.. and honestly, it’s always a disaster right when I have something big coming up.. like a fancy dinner.. a friend's birthday party, or my actual wedding.. It always flares up exactly when I actually want to look good.:rolleyes

I'm getting married in May 2009, so I absolutely have to get my face under control and glowing by then.🙏
😍

Hey there, ladies! I just had to jump in here and join the conversation! 😘

I'm 22 years old, and honestly, I've been fighting this acne battle since I was in the 8th grade. Back in my sophomore year of high school, doctors discovered I had PCOS, so they put me on Diane 35. I took those for about four good years, and during that time, I tried every single cream and lotion under the sun, but my skin never really cleared up. I actually stopped taking the Diane 35 a while ago, and my face has been a hundred times better since then. However, earlier this year in January, my aunt at the pharmacy talked me into buying some Vichy Normaderm Nuite, and let me tell you—after just one application, my skin absolutely lost its mind. Breakouts started appearing at lightning speed. They even spread down to my neck, which had never happened before. I can't even describe how desperate I felt. After all those years of struggling, suffering, and wasting so much money, I felt like I was right back at square one. During that low point, I was browsing around online and stumbled upon this forum www.divastique.com/forum in a thread about problematic skin, and the women posting there literally saved me. I spent several days reading through their posts, handwriting everything they recommended based on their own experiences, and then I went to my doctor and basically told her exactly what she needed to prescribe me. I was absolutely livid because, after reading that forum, I realized these top-tier doctors and specialists had been giving me the wrong advice and treating me incorrectly for years.

See, nobody ever bothered to tell me that using Clindamycin and Erythromycin lotions for too long is a bad idea because your skin eventually becomes resistant to them. They also didn't mention that using them in the summer would cause my skin to freak out by the fall, or that the sun actually triggers more breakouts. I even found out that over the summer, they were prescribing me creams containing glycolic acid!

During the worst part of my flare-up, I was taking Geomicyn, applying Avena Diacneal at night, and using Akneroxid (benzoyl peroxide) for the heavy inflammation. I was washing with the Avene Cleanance blue gel (definitely no bar soaps!!!!), and during the day, I used the Avene emulsion (later on, the Roc Purif Ac emulsion with SPF 15 was great too). My face completely transformed within a month! Right now, I don't have a single pimple on my face, and my plan is to focus on clearing up the scarring this fall. Currently, I wash with Clean & Clear exfoliating gel, spray my face with Avene thermal water at night, and use the Avene emulsion with SPF 50 during the day (plus I use Shiseido powder with SPF 40) because I learned the hard way how much the sun affects acne-prone skin. I am praying to God that this fall passes without any new inflammation so I can finally deal with my scars!

I hope I haven't rambled on for too long...

One more thing... just keep in mind that things like dental issues or tonsillitis can also be causes for acne...

Hey ladies, I know how much this sucks. Honestly, I don't think anything hits a woman's confidence or self-esteem quite as hard as dealing with acne. It’s a tough one because, just like a lot of other health issues, it’s mostly just baked into your genetics, which makes finding a fix pretty damn difficult.
I've been fighting this battle since I was thirteen. I've basically cycled through every specialist, medication, cream, and cleanser you can imagine—I even used to order stuff all over the US, tried alternative doctors, homeopathy, the whole nine yards. Nothing worked. Not a single thing. Then, I finally figured out the catch. All of this starts from the inside. If your system is clean, your skin stops acting up. For me, getting my life in order—cutting out alcohol and cigarettes, staying super hydrated, and loading up on Vitamin C—changed everything. Now, I don't use any topical products at all; I just take massive amounts of Vitamin C and my skin stays clear. I actually tried stopping the Vitamin C just to see if the breakouts would come back, and yeah, they did. So, I'd suggest getting as much Vitamin C as possible from whatever sources you can. Good luck to everyone out there dealing with this annoying mess.