I am 23 yrs old, and I have the worst acne. Growing up, as a teenager, I didn't have any, thought I was so lucky! I could go days without washing my face with anything but soap in the shower, and never had a zits! At age 19, I started getting some acne. I would wash my face and treat it, and try to prevent it. My dr. says that I have a hormone inbalance, which causes this, and put me on a certain birth control that was supposed to help with my hormones and my acne. It hasn't worked. It's been a year, and no change.
I'm not just talking about a few pimples and blackheads. I get these 'pockets' as big as a nickle on my face(sometimes bigger), that are filled with a very dark colored blood. Like almost black. I can be talking to someone at the store, and they will just start bleeding for no reason. When they finally go away, which usually takes about a mnth or two, the spot where it was becomes hard and then I find a little tiny blackhead, the size of a needle tip. I have scars on my face now because of them.
I am embarrassed at the way I look. I've gained weight, because I decided that if I wasn't pretty anymore, it didn't matter what I ate, who was gonna look at me anyway. I don't go out with my friends anywhere, they always invite me to parties(birthday holiday etc.), but I never go because I feel that everyone notices and they are talking about it or are disgusted. I've tried alot of different products. Mary Kay, Avon, Beauti Control, Proactiv, prescription, Murad, about every thing you can buy at Walmart, you name it I've tried it, so I'm just lost as to what to do next. How do I get rid of regular acne and these disgusting pockets of blood...and does anyone know what they are caused by?? I've been to the dermitologist, he just keeps giving me different creams...the same things my little sister uses, and it doesn't work. I also have not very much money right now, we are on a very, very tight budget, because of trying to move and christmas, so I can't spend $$ on anything...do you know any specific home methods or anything like that??
I'm just tired of being embarrassed and feeling like a monster. I don't want this to continue and when my son goes to school(not for years) for someone to say something about my face to him.
Thank you.
Oka, to kind clear up some things. Yes, I've talked to the dr. and the dermo...they annoy me...I've been to several, they give me a cream or a pill and send me home, it does nothing in 2 mnths and I go back. I've used most if not all products for about 2-3 mnths and I do use them according to the direction. I do drink alot of water, no soda, and only 1 cup of coffee a day. I don't eat junk food or sugary stuff or salty stuff. In fact, and it may be hard to believe, but I eat only 1 meal a day. I've battled with anorexia my whole life, so being as big as I am(I went through 4 pregnancies in 4 yrs, and 2 got almost there and then I had a miscarriage), makes me feel disgusting. Some girls are happy being big, that's fine! I love big girls, I love their charisma and life! But I'm not one of them. I'm the girl that misses being 5'7" and 115lbs. I miss being able to play football and have a set of abs to die for.
I do have alot of stress in my life, I won't go into that, but there are things in my life that are happening, that I wouldn't wish on the evilest person in the world, because it would break down your soul. Stress is a big factor, but it's not something that is ever going to go away, that is a fact.
I am currently trying Biore (sp?) cleanser...it seems to be helping. I've been using it only for about a week or so, a friend told me that they had a new one out, and it had helped her. It has cleared up most of my acne and some of the larger 'pockets' are getting smaller, in fact 1 went away completely in 2 days. If anyone has a good toner, I would appreciate it...oh and are they supposed to burn/sting when you put them on??
I didn't have a mother growing up and my father was never around for this kind of stuff, so I don't really know much about some things that you ladies do. Just because I grew up in a house of all boys and all my friends were boys, so I tend to act more like a boy, I guess.
Thank you all for your kind words and help. Thank you for your support. I know that my son loves me and will no matter what I look like, but I hate myself, and that's a problem.
Do you ever any symptoms of a hormonal imbalance?? I dealt with horrible acne for several years before finally being diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Treating the skin didn't work--It needed to be treated from the inside out. We got my hormone levels back to normal and the acne cleared right up.
Hi J. my name is A. and I'm 38 years old and I've suffered with acne since I hit puberty at 9 years old. Like you i've been on everything, but recently I tried the Clean and Clear Advantage package from Walmart, it only cost $18.00 and I have seen results with this that I didn't see on all the different prescriptions i've been on in the past. If you haven't already tried it give it a whirl, I haven't had any new pimples in 3 weeks and the dark spots are clearing as well. Hope this helps.
A.
google acne and pimples and natural remedies online/ There are many sites available with good information. Try witch hazel and remember salcycli acid and benzol peroxide are your two main over the counter ingredients. The spellings are a bit off though --sorry...........
Hi J.,
Acne can be caused by many things such as gland and hormone imbalance, high fat diet, poor digestion of fats, essential fatty acid deficiency, high sugar diet, poor liver function, poor elimination/consitipation, heredity, some oral contraceptives, allergies and allergy causing cosmetics, lack of green vegetables in diet. Have you tried watching your diet to see what may triger it? By watching your fat and sugar intake may help improve. Also may consider taking supplemental vitamins such as B-complex, C, A, Calcium, EPA, Zinc and alfalfa tabs. So finding a good multi-vitamin may help. Keep your chin up! I'm sure you will find something that will help you.
Hi J., I hope by now that things are going better for you. I just saw this post and had to tell you this. My friend suffered with the same type of symptoms that you are/were having. She tried all kinds of gimics but none really worked. She went to a Mary Kay Party (If you don't know it is a skin care/make-up line company) She started to use there timewise cleansers and within I think she would say 3 weeks her face completely changed. After that I was hooked. I now sell it because of that and I had some minor problems with my skin that it also helped. I would love to be able to share the products with you. If you would be interested to try them please let me know. ###-###-#### I live in Sarasota..not sure where you are. You should visit the Marykay.com website and it will give you a little more info about all the products. If you want a free facial please let me know. I can also send you samples of the cleanser and moisturizer. Also a forwarning...anyone over 22 should not use a toner that has alcohol in it. It will eventually make your skin get wrinkles. E-mail ____@____.com
I also had acne problems when I was in my 20's. I went to several dermatologists and they all recommended the same thing. Wash your face with Dove soap and use Moisturel lotion(about $10 and available at Walgreens, CVS, etc..).This combo for basic skincare REALLY helped. I also used a vitamin from GNC called Hair, Skin and Nails by Futurebotics (other skin vitamins did not work for me). Hope this helps!
This is worth a try.
http://www.proactiv.com/index.php?acnt=GTP00000&gcid=...
I hope you love this stuff.
God Bless and Merry CHRISTmas.
:)
Here are real stories
http://www.proactiv.com/stories/stories.php?pactvid=e46b8...
You could try boiling a pot of water and put a lemon rind in it, let the water sit for as few minutes and then put a towel over your head and steam your face this will open up your pores, steam it for about 5 minutes. Please don't get too close as you may get a steam burn. Then take the water from the pot after it cools and add white vinegar, lemon juice and a little baking soda, and swab it on your face with a cotton ball. You can also put it in a spray bottle and mist your face with it throughout the day. It's a natural remedy, but it may help clear out your pores. You should steam your face once or twice a week. You might want to try an al natural exfoliator too. You can look these things up on line, under natural remedies for acne. I also have rubbed a fresh garlic clove on my pimples before bed and wash off in the morning it is a natural antibiotic...Its worth a try. Good luck!!
Plenty of water, vitamin A and vitamin E. I will also check online that maybe something you are eating might be giving you a reaction and making you flare up like that. Also make sure whatever you use to wash your face is for sensitive sking that also helps.
I had some large cyst like acne my whole adult life. Nothing seemed to help. I got some medication called Klaron from a dermatologist a year ago and it has cleared my acne entirely (within a couple weeks it was gone). It isn't too expensive if your insurance covers it and one bottle lasts 6 months or more. My doctor gave me some samples to try first. I use it twice a day. In the morning after I wash my face I put a thin film of the solution all over and then apply my makeup. At night after I wash my face again I apply it before i go to bed. It is clear so you can't notice it. I think it is a miracle! Now I don't even have to wear make up if I don't want to since there is nothing to cover up. I used to have many blemishes at once and the old ones would leave dark spots and tried to cover them all up with makeup. I hope you can get a prescription and try it for the acne. I don't know about the spots that you say bleed are full of blood. Good luck.
Have you ever tried any products from avon I use some of the products If you like You can call me at ###-###-#### area code 850 if your in the pensacola area Its local! Im an avon representative and I do use the products! My friends daughter uses the acne products that I gave her and she cleared up pretty quick! She has been using the clear skin acne treatments and it is working really well! She is a teen oing through puberty and you know how hard the acne is when going through puberty! Give me a call if your interested in getting anything! Again my number is ###-###-#### and my name is K. Williamson! www.youravon.com/kwillaimson as well the products help with the balancing cycle of the pores! Thanks
J.,
I'm sorry for what you are going through. I'm 40 and still having acne problems. Get yourself to a dermatologist ASAP. I was 19 and on a medication called Accutane which altered my hormones and cleaned up my face. I can't tell you $$ involved since I as only 19 and my parents insurance covered it, but my face cleared up instantly. This is really strong stuff, though. You can not be or become pregnant or breastfeeding while taking this. You should get checked out thoroughly though either by your doctor or the dermatologist. They can offer either over the counter or prescription medication. I can tell you that the prescription is expensive and most insurance doesn't pay for it. But, your appearance is important to your wellbeing and self esteem. Good luck.
KarynG
Maybe it's time for the doctor to try something else. It doesn't sound like the birth control you're on is working. I've always had problems with acne and I'm 36. I have to be very careful. I tend to have oily skin but maybe some things I do will help you.
I can't forget to wash my face every night. Sometimes I forget to take my makeup off and I'll wake up with pimples the next day.
I also found that I have to wash my hair every single day. I hate doing so much to my hair (chemicals, irons, etc.) but if I skip washing it the oil seems to break my neck and face out. Even behind my ears. So if I skip washing it one day, I put it up and use alcohol. I'll rub it on my neck, behind my ears, and my face just to get the oil/sweat off of me. If I have any pimples, the alcohol seems to really dry them up. So this might help with your pimples whether you have oily skin or not.
I also moisturize every single day. The alcohol can dry your skin out so after I use alcohol, I moisturize. I really like Pond's moisturizer. If you have a pimple that starts bleeding on it's own, maybe it's due to your skin being dried?
If you can't find anything that works, give a dermatologist a try. This is obviously affecting your life in many ways. Besides treating the hormone imbalance, maybe you need a specialist to treat the acne itself.
L.
Hi J.,
I am a nurse that used to work for a dermatologist. It does take several months for the pills and creams to work if they are going to. The best thing you can do without seeing a doc is to get some over the counter acne wash with benzoyl peroxide 5 or 10% in it. It has to be atleast 5% and you have to put it on your face, leave it for 2-3 minutes atleast then wash it off. Its going to sting, its supposed to. It might make you face dry so use a good moisturizer. If it gets to dry or irritated then use it every other day. I promise this will help. Its also really inexpensive. I hope this helps.
H.
Hi J.! I am sorry to hear that! I was a 'lucky' one too and didn't have acne in my teen years. Then I hit my 20's and developed cystic acne...very large, painful sores on my face and neck. It was very embarrasing. I too had gained weight around that time and wasn't eating well. Here is what worked for me:
-drink LOTS of water
-cut out carbonated beverages (or limit to one per day)
-avoid fried foods
-eat fruits and vegetables every day
-wash and moisturize my face only twice a day (I used to wash it more thinking the acne was because my face was dirty)
-use products that do not contain mineral oil, as they can block your pores
-exercise as much as your schedule will allow (even if it is just walking for 15 minutes here and there)
Arbonne's Clear Advantage line worked for me. I got rid of my cystic acne and then switched to their anti-aging line, which got rid of my acne scarring. Because of my great results, I started recommending the products to friends and eventually started selling it. Let me know if you areinterested in getting the Clear Advantage line after the holidays. We can sign you up for a wholesaler account, so you would save 35% on the products.
Best of luck! I know how frustrating it can be. I think with a diet change and the right products, you will be amazed how fast you can get rid of the acne!
Have a good holiday and best of luck with the move!
M.
P.S. Did the dermatologist say it was acne or possibly rosacea??
I also would suggest drinking lots of water and being careful with your diet. In addition, maybe you should think about changing doctors. Also, curezone.com has a ton of information on home/natural remedies for every ailment you could think of (and some you don't even want to know about!!) They have places to post messages and talk to others about the experiences you are going through and how they deal with it and what things they've tried too. The website is set up a little different than other websites so it may take a bit of looking to find what you want. Best of luck, Jen
Hi J.,
Hope you had a great holiday!
I had the same problem. Growing up I had porcelain like skin. Never had a break out. It started with me about 5 years ago at 35 yrs old and I couldn't figure out why. I was so embarrassed I would cry constantly. I was glad to live out in the middle of nowhere cause no one could see me. I would have huge pustules that were painful,deep and bright red. Sometimes 5 or 6 at a time and tons of black heads. I tried every product you could imagine but it just made it worse. I thought that it might be a hormone imbalance so I did some research. I found that it had to do with the foods I was eating. First I eliminated all soy products from my diet. Soy alters your hormones and is a poison to your body. You can read about soy at drmercola.com. The huge pustules went away but I still had acne. Next I found out that I am gluten intolerant so I eliminated all grains. The acne began to clear up slowly. Then I noticed that every time I drank a soda, tea, energy drink, my face would break out. I eliminated all caffeine, MSG(monosodium glutimate) and aspartame. It has been about a year now since I started and all my acne is gone. A few black heads here and there and a little break out at that time of the month. I finally see "me" again when I look in the mirror. I can't believe the difference changing my diet has done!
Now I am not sure if this will work for you too but it's worth a try. It's also free!:) You don't have to eliminate everything at once. At least try the soy first since it influences hormone levels. Then eliminate the others. Maybe take note of the things you eat and drink and see if you have an acne reaction.
If you have any questions, please email me! I wish you the best!
L.
J.,
Have you talked to your GYN about those BC pills? I, too, had this probelm many years ago between my 2 children while on BC pills. My mom read a small article in a magazine and sent it to me. It said, "Are Your Birth Control Pills Making You Break-Out?" I only had small pimples during my teen years while menstruating, but had major acne after my 1st child, and never realized it was my BC pills. I know you stated that your doctor said these would help, but maybe you need a different one. Not everyone reacts to each medication the same way. Good luck to you. I've been there and know how you are feeling.
From a friend in NPR D. H.
i just read all these responses.....wow alot of these are a waste of words!!! some are good and correct- you have mentioned that you have tried everything.....but you are also gaining weight. yes, eating high fat foods does contribute to acne. yes, not exfoliating regularly does contribute to acne. so eat a bit better- take your vitamins, drink lots of water. you also really should try to get regular facials (at least once every 2 mths)- think about this way, you brush your teeth daily, but you still go to the dentist to have them clean your teeth.....getting facials is like that. if money is tight, go to a school for the facials. it is a perfect way for the students to practice and a huge break in price. try an oxygen facial.
but did you know that how you sleep can contribute to acne??? or how you talk on the phone??? do you sleep on your side or tummy?? if so, and you have oily skin, then the oils can go to your face and clog in the pores on the side you sleep or the whole face if you sleep on your tummy. if you always are resting your hands on your face (or a phone on your face) then the bacteria on your hands and on the phone can cause acne. so don't touch your face unless you are cleaning it, and wipe down all phones daily that you use.
now one last thing.....again, i know you mentioned that you have tried everything. but how long did you give each product to work before trying something else?? and did you use the product like it stated??? i only ask because some products does take a bit longer to see work. and most work only after they have been applied correctly.
J.,
I represent a pure safe and benefical company, Arbonne, we have several product lines that have helped many people with this problem... we have products that see results almost immediately. Check out my website snsamar.myarbonne.com or give me a call h ###-###-#### or cell ###-###-####
S. A
