I've suffered from acne for the last 4 years. I've tried antibiotics then had UTIs and other infections. Tried changing diet, herbs, soaps, moisturizers. I've decided it has nothing to do with my food or cleanliness, it is a hormonal issue. My doc prescribed Yaz but I realized it is expensive without insurance so my pharmacist consulted my doc and they gave me Tri-Nessa. I've been reading negative comments about it on different web sites and I'm nervous about taking it. I don't want to break out more or gain weight, depression or no sex drive. What should I do?
Tri-Nessa is a good choice. Don't worry about a decreased sex drive--birth control generally doesn't do that. Weight gain will be minimal if any (maybe 5 lbs). And you can always stop taking it if you have any problems. I've dealt with acne all my life. It finally decreased when I got out of college--it was totally caused by stress. When I have a stressful situation now, I know that about a week later I'll be piling on the cover-up!
Other options you may have, or can try: differin topical gel, benzoyl peroxide wash (otc or a lower strength prescription), antibiotic creams/gels (topical, so you will avoid yeast infections) or Retin-A cream/gel. ProActive is a benzoyl peroxide face wash with gentle exfoliation that might be helpful also.
Acne can be really frustrating, hope this info helps. And you are right--it isn't due to your cleanliness!
I have a friend who did great with some Mary Kay products. Even cleared it up while she was planning her wedding. I can pass up her info if you're interested.
Have you tried a mineral powder foundation. Like Sheer Cover, Bare Essentials, even Mary Kay carries them now. The minerals helped my face clear up. They help to repair the skin from acne and discoloration. The UV rays from the sun, or tanning can also help, but be careful, you don't want to swap acne for cancer! I would try natural methods before prescriptions. My brother was on that acutane crap that has been proven to cause depression and has been linked to teenage suicides. Horrible. So be extra careful when taking oral medications. Best of luck to you!
There is a soap you can get over the counter. You have to go up to the Pharmacist to ask for it. I used it long ago and it comes in two strength 5 % and 10 %. I am sooooo sorry I cannot for the life of me remember the name of it, but it really works!! Go and ask if they have prescription soap with the two different strengths. I will continue to try and remember and email you back if I can think of the name!
I've been down this road my entire life. I've even taken accutane...which has helped, but not the miracle I was hoping for. I may even consider taking it again after my year off is up. In the meantime, I am taking spironolactone. It's the same as drospirinone which is what they put in Yaz to help with the acne. It reduces the testosterone level in your body, which is often the cause of acne in adult women. It's generic, so it's very inexpensive and combined with some topical products (Tazorac for me) it has really helped. It did take a couple of months to really notice a change, but now I rarely get anything serious pop up...maybe around my period. It has also helped somewhat with cramping and menstrual flow. I would definitely recommend asking your doctor about it. If Yaz helped, but it was too expensive, then this may be your answer.
Hi Carole,
I have actually helped a lot of women with acne and had excellent results. Most of the time it is related to your liver, although there isn't a "medical test" that will show it. I beleive it is nest to get to the root of the problem, so that your body can heal itself rather than trying to cover the symptoms. I have a great protocol for cleansing and balancing your liver if you would like to chat about it. I know how frustrating this can be, plus any time there is a medication there is a big chance that there is going to be some sort of side effect. Wiehgt gain, depression and no sex drive can cause even more stress in your life and who wants that? ;-)
I would love to help you out. Feel free to contact me, I'm in CO too! [email protected] www.myherblady.com
Best of health,
Robin
well i have adult acne too..hormonal of course....ive tried sooo many different cleansers/lotions and even tried Pro Activ..but that burned my face..ugh..so I heard about this stuff called Sensiclear and i LOVE IT! the website is www.sensiclear.com. you can even try it for the first month free..well youpay s & h but its only like 7.00. but i thought what the heck...ill try it for the month if i dont like it...then no hurt done, but it works and its gentle on my skin...doesnt smell funny. Just thought it might help ya out.
I know you've tried a zillion things ... but here's one more. My oldest daughter has the "Irish Ivory" complexion so when she breaks out, it's really noticeable. I tried salon products, took her to a specialist, Pro Active, etc. Here's what worked (seriously) ... MyChelle products! You can find them at Vitamin Cottage, Whole Foods, etc. (also online). It worked so well that we saw a visible difference in two weeks. After only one month, a few moms asked me what she was using (the change was that dramatic). She's in high school so it was definately hormonal. Rather than spend another fortune, I tried her on the trial pack for around $20 before we bought the product. It's worth a try. Honestly, the stuff is fabulous. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Lori
BTW this is not a multi-marketing thing. MyChelle is retail.
I have been in a similar situation. Now that I am no longer on the pill- my hormones took action. I wanted to try a more natural route- before I tried accutane. I have been going to an accupuncturist since January. Every month about 2 weeks before my period. the past 2 months it has worked. I will continue to go monthly for the next 3 months, and after hope to only go once every 3 months. However, it does cost $75 per session. But like I said, if it clears me up - I am all for it. I had received a referral from a friend. (just read Robin's comments- I too am taking herbs, both to clear the liver + some others, this may also help.)
I have had problem skin since junior high (seems like eons ago...) and thought that once I had a child my face would start to "normalize". When that didn't happen, I got the trial size of the Proactive that is advertised on TV. At first I hated it because it dried my skin out terribly - I would rather have acne than look like my face was flaking away! Once I figured out what my skin could tolerate as far as freqency of uses, I have happily been acne free. I think the trial is only $20 plus shipping. Give it a try, hopefully it works for you!
There is a product on the market that is called proactiv - it works but it is expensive. ( I used it but it was 50 a month- thought that was a little high) 3 years ago I found a health and wellness company that has an amazing skin care line - my skin is great now and their products are very cost effective. I also take their anti oxident too which cleared up my skin. If you would like to know more about this company you can request more information here: www.AHomeCareer.com
Have a Great day!
Have you tried Pro-Active? I know it's not a prescription for hormonol problems but I have read great things about the product.
I don't have an answer, as I have the same problem. But I enjoyed reading all the other comments and ideas from everyone else, gives me somewhere to start either.
I was always under the impression that acne goes away when you "grow up"...but it seems to get worse the older I get....especially when I'm not on any form of birth control....Thanks guys!
I have been suffering acne problems for the last 25 years. When I was pregnant with my first child, the problem became so severe that my niece was actually frightened of me. I had the same problems as you with antibiotics. What worked for me was using Proactive, but that was too expensive to maintain. I switched to Neutrogena's Salicylic Acid wash and lotion. It took about 3 months for the acne to clear up. If you go to Walmart, you can get the Equate brand that's even cheaper.
I hope this helps.
Since we are all different, there is no best choice for acne and it's just a matter of trying and trying until you find your answer. My answer (after trying and trying and trying for years) ended up being Proactive Solution. I would do a commercial free for them if they wanted...it has been a miracle in my life when I was feeling pretty hopeless with the whole thing.
I also have been down the Accutane route. I personally, am not going back there. That much vitamin A is just plain not good for the rest of your body. Try a product that uses Beta-Caritin instead, like Arbonne's Clear Advantage. This system works because you treat the acne from the inside with vitamins and from the outside with cleanser, toner and lotion. Check out the website: www.arbonne.com
Hi Carole. The company I represent sells a product called Plus that is food for your hormones, and may help clear up your face. It has been my experience that if you help clean up the liver too, then the face has a chance to clear up. We have an amazing product called ImmunoStart that actually helps remove the buildup of daily toxins and heavy metals in our system. I am happy to tell you more about these products. You can contact me and we can talk by phone. Our products are natural food based products and not drugs. I am looking forward to helping.
My 15 year old son takes after his father in the acne department; his father had acne that resulted in severe scarring and my son was headed down that road too. We had tried everything and nothing seemed to work (OTC products with salacylic acid often times make acne worse). I was watching a program on a product called Murad so I ordered it. It runs about $30 a month, but it is well worth it. In addition, it doesn't dry out the skin. www.murad.com
I would recommend the product to you, but it is like many have said, not everyone is the same and it varies depending upon our body chemistry. It has taken about 2 months for it to work, but that is a lot faster results than we have seen with anything else, including Proactive. The second shipment was a bonus size and the stuff lasts forever (it was still only $30 for the shipment). Good luck!!
Ugh! I have been down this road and its awful. I feel terrible for anyone who suffers through this. We're adults, it seems ridiculous to get acne!
I have tried just about everything out there and I thought my acne was from hormones too (never had it until after I had my son). I recently found a facial bar soap by a company called 'Kiss My Face'. It comes in several varieties, but I got the Olive Oil & Lavender and I LOVE it. It was $1.50 at Good Earth. My face feels so clean and it doesn't dry it out even when I use it morning and night. And I love that it doesn't have a ton of different chemicals in it, nor does it bleach my clothes and towels. I didn't even break out during my period. I've also been using Aveeno Clear Complexion Moisturizer (which I think was around $10 at the grocery store). It has a small amount of salicylic acid to stop breakouts, but is moisturizing enough that my skin isn't flaking off (and I usually have very dry skin). I've also noticed that the Aveeno is slowly starting to make my acne scars fade (I'm very fair-skinned).
Another product I ABSOLUTELY LOVED was by a company called MD Formulations and it was their Facial Cleanser with a glycolic compound. It was amazing, but I despise having to order products and wait for them to be shipped. It was a little spendy ($32+shipping for 8.3 oz), but it lasted for quite a while. The ordering was the only reason I stopped using it.
Good luck! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!