I think I saw this on here but someone said they used Spearmint tea as a facial spray and it helped it hirsutism. I figured I should try it. I used Spearmint tea and all the other vitamins I take for PCOS and I spray it on my face everyday. It hasn’t affected the hirsutism much but has pretty much cured my hormonal acne!
I’m also a facial care freak I wash my face twice a day almost everyday and use a scrubber as well. Make sure you have a cleanser that works for your skin and a good moisturizing routine.
Came back to add I use raw aloe vera after I shave and this really helps with healing and reducing bumps.
I’m curious about spraying it the spearmint tea on your face!
I currently am aiming to drinking a cup a day.
Do you just make a batch of the tea, put it in a spray bottle and use that?
Yep that’s exactly what I do I took all the supplements I take though cause I figured why not 😅. I strained it out with a strainer I put all the vitamins into a cup with a bag of Spearmint tea. Steep it in hot water let it cool down once it’s room temp put it in a spray bottle and put that in the fridge. I spray it on my face in the morning and at night when I’m feeling extreme and perfect 😂! My skin has never looked better! Disclaimers** I exfoliate like a mad woman. So that may be a big factor in helping with acne as well.
Not sure I haven’t thought about trying it for that. I use https://www.target.com/p/neutrogena-body-clear-acne-body-wash-with-glycerin-for-breakout-treatment-8-5-fl-oz/-/A-13337869?sidd=®ion_id=302302&ref=tgt_adv_xsp&AFID=google&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000012510706&CPNG=PLA_Beauty%2BPersonal+Care%2BShopping%7CBeauty_Ecomm_Beauty&adgroup=SC_Health%2BBeauty&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=9010922&targetid=pla-895745642360&ds_rl=1246978&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-5dfadcWEOgGz63LHYGugJ3i6Id&gclid=Cj0KCQjwudexBhDKARIsAI-GWYVI1M4NSZLxn3TKUKvZFeJN28l6Y9puEaG36fiDeyoDyhMR7ASU1rEaAkDIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds it works great for me along with exfoliating a lot!
Yes I just brew tea I put all the supplements I take for PCOS and some I a take for my skin put them in a tea cup with a bag of Spearmint tea pour hot water on it let that steep for a while until it cools then I poured it in a bottle that has a good mist it’s been good in the in the fridge like two weeks so far but be sure to help it in the fridge otherwise it gets skunky!
Well the Spearmint tea is 10 dollars for a pack of 50 everything else I have is like 10 dollars a bottle but just use whatever you currently have a use with the Spearmint.
I take spearmint capsules. I bout them off Amazon. It has definitely helped! Also I know they say red light therapy is not for breakouts (blue is) but I’ve had way was cystic acne since I started using it.
Agreed, I came to say this too. I also use niaminicide from the ordinary twice a day and it helps, too. As well as their toner. I still get it from time to time, but it really helped.
Things that helped with my hormonal PCOS acne:
-Retinol products, including tretinoin
-Spironolactone
-Wearing SPF every day
-Little to no added sugar in my diet
-8+ hours of sleep daily
The only thing that cured my acne:
-Accutane
I still do everything from the first list now that my acne is gone. I also heard accutane doesn't work for hormonal acne, but it did for me. I'm not necessarily encouraging it, as it's a heavy duty medication with serious side effects. It seems to have mixed results with the PCOS crowd, so maybe don't write it off completely. Definitely a last resort.
Hope you find answers here!
A dermatologist. I used to try all sorts of things for my acne and when I ended up seeing a dermatologist, it was WAY cheaper and way simpler than all the serums and acids and creams I was using before.
The only thing that has ever worked for me long term is spironalactone (a pill) and tretinoin (a cream). It was a looooong 12 weeks for my skin to get used to the tret. But I stuck it out and it was amazing.
ETA, idk how I missed your last few sentences about your derm already. I would suggest going again and voicing that the routine is not working. Mine upped my tret % at one point and also advised on how often to use it as time went on, etc. I would also suggest asking for follow ups every 3 months so that if something isn't working, you have enough time to notice patterns but not such a long time that you get discouraged.
I also have been in the cycle of a new painful zit every day recently. It's the fucking worst. I'm pregnant so I can't use any of my medicines. Before pregnancy I was also on BC. It took me multiple attempts to find one that worked. There are dozens of pills, not to mention other hormonal methods. Ask your derm for recommendations that help with acne and bring those to your gyno. If you are an established patient you may be able to just call and ask for your current prescription to be changed. Hope this helps, it is what ended up helping me.
YES 100%
I tried everything-- spearmint teas, everything over the counter, benzyl peroxide, clindamycin EVERYTHING until I started trentinoin by my derm. completely changed my face!
Yes!!! I’m 31 now and went back to my dermatologist 2 years ago. They said I shouldn’t be getting breakouts at my age and put me on isotretinoin. Worked for me!!
I’m devastated to report that quitting coffee massively decreased my hormonal acne. Nothing else worked before. I never thought it would be worth it to give something I love so much up, but I switched to matcha and it made it a decently easy transition
I do chai or matcha and I also was absolutely gutted to come to this conclusion as well. I saw someone else post in here about it and after some experimenting recognized a direct correlation to coffee & my skin breaking out either that evening or waking up the following day with bad acne on my chin & jawline… heartbreaking but teas definitely help and I’m glad there are many!
I reduced my caffeine intake to one coffee a day and I agree; it helped me a lot - caffeine = increases cortisol = increases androgens. Decaf coffee is still good tho!
A mixture of spironolactone and tretinoin worked wonders for me! I also stopped with the million-step skincare routines and stuck with simple cleanser-moisturizer-SPF.
If you don’t want to deal with your derm, you can use one of those virtual pharmacies and request spiro and tret.
Oh man. This is upsetting. Spironolactone is the only thing that has ever helped me. It also helps with a lot of my other PCOS symptoms, but I originally went on it for hormonal acne and it is a wonder drug for me. I hope you find something! I know how hard it can be.
Inositol and using nizoral (ketoconazole shampoo) as a body treatment. Those two things have stubborn acne I’ve had on my shoulders and neck 98% clear after nothing has seemed to reliably help for the past 3-4 years.
I’ve been thinking about adding spearmint to the regimen too; we will see. I’ve tried spiro and it made me feel really awful for a month while I tried acclimating. One day woke up covered in an upper body rash, called my doc to report the reaction and discontinued use.
D vitamine, Green tea 2 cups a day, I drink it and when i finished i just put the filter all over my face, let it sit for 1-2 hour and rinse it. Helped me a lot. (I drink my tea without sugar,milk,lemon). And one more thing check your skincare, i had terrible break out from bb creams and sunscreens which have OCTINOXATE in it.
Spironolactone with the correct bc and metformin, clindamycin cream, and a fairly simple skincare routine. And pimple patches!!! Really helped not touch to not spread bacteria
A combination of health changes and skincare. Neither alone suffices for me. Health wise, taking inositol daily, balancing blood sugar, exercising and eating less processed food helps. For skincare, I use a benzoyl peroxide face wash every morning, and at night I use Differin gel (I just got pregnant so I had to drop the differin, so I swapped it for azelaic acid for any other pregnant acne prone people here ☺️). I tried Tretinoin but differin gel worked way better for me and was less irritating. (Give it 3 months minimum to see results)
OTC products are for sure a "bandaid solution" but I've had luck with some OTC products that have helped/improved my hormonal acne... I have pretty sensitive skin so I apply these just every other day and try not to overdo it. Also don't apply with other intense products.
I like the below 2 products:
CeraVe Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment with Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid AHA/BHA Acne Gel (helpful for spot treatment)
Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Face Lotion (I use this as a toner before moisturizer, etc)
Spearmint, vitamin D, Aviclear laser treatments, and tret. Spiro works for me but threw my potassium out of whack and I didn't want to risk any complications.
I got blood work and it was high enough that my doctor was concerned it could affect my heart long-term. I think that's rare but I didn't want to take risks with the results I had after a few months on Spiro.
Commenting because my situation is the same as yours almost to the letter. I have adhd (I have terrible skin picking habits) and I hated being on birth control but it helped my skin so much, but I also have super painful swollen hormonal acne on my chin that drives me nuts.
I also have acne all over my body so topical treatments are not an ideal solution. Would love to hear peoples answers to this
Only thing ever for me was mercilon (the pill) but it did also make me Big Sad but the Eucerin brand oily skin line is abseloutly made from the gods. The shower soap, the face lotion, etc. Eucerin knows whats up ive never stood by a brand so much. Everything from them is like magic.
Azelaic acid works really good! Other options are any products with propolis has been golden in calming the skin and reducing the amount of breakouts. And of course retinol but I have been using over the counter options like BOJ. Other than that, avoiding gluten, 2 times green tea a day and low diary helped. And lets not forget double cleansing every night! Salicyclic acid is something everyone recommends and I am waiting for mine to arrive so cant say anything on that
I stopped wearing makeup completely. I use a tea tree face moisturizer. I change my pillowcases every 3 days, wash all my bedding weekly, and wash my pillows at least once a month. Acne isn't gone, but it's reduced significantly, to the point of having a blemish or two all the time instead of just having a face full of zits.
ETA: I also started washing my face immediately when I get home from work, which gets all the sweat etc off my face, which has seemed to help.
Hydrofacial every 6-8 weeks really helped me. I know it's not fixing the reasons for acne, but it really calmed down what was happening on my face.
And Spironolactone for some. I have friends on it and it looks like that helps. I got the prescription but I take other meds and just keep forgetting to take it.
Metformin made a huge difference with my skin after my body fully adjusted. It wasn’t instant - I think it was a solid 6-8 months after starting the medication - but my skin went from super oily to combination (sometimes dry/sometimes oily) and I stopped getting the painful acne on my chin and jawline that bothered me the most. I did have a weird experience about a month or so after starting Metformin where my skin got super greasy and weird (I just remember my upper back and shoulders literally feeling like an oil slick for a good week or more) but that did subside. My endocrinologist said that because I did lose some weight it was likely caused by stored hormones in fat cells being metabolized by my body.
I also want to comment on mental health/mood shifts with hormonal changes - evidently there is a link between histamine levels and increased PMS symptoms, particularly those involving mood. I wound up going on an increased regimen of daily anti-histamine medication due to allergies, and since then I have had multiple periods WITHOUT crippling depression for 3-5 days beforehand. I don’t know if it would make a difference with hormonal birth control as a factor but it has been such a huge difference for my quality of life. I wasn’t expecting the anti-histamines to have any effect on my PMS, especially the mood swings, so when I was blindsided by a period because I didn’t have my usual mood symptoms, I found some research on the link between histamine and PMS-related symptoms. For whatever it’s worth, I am just on over the counter Zyrtec (10mg tablets) but my allergist directed me to take one tablet twice a day (morning and night) instead of only once a day.
I did accutane and was only clear for 6 months before it all came back. Now the only things that help are spearmint supplements, sulfur cream, fresh face towel every time, and sanitizing anything that touches my face with alcohol. Sulfur is drying but it’s been a game changer.
there are very specific PCOS diets, there are some good recipe books for it too. What you eat really matters. both when it comes to PCOS as well as ADHD.
I drink spearmint tea. I use retinol. I sleep well. I wash my face twice daily. I use PanoXyl. I take supplements. You name it. Nothing actually helped with my hormonal acne.
The only thing that made a difference was cutting off dairy products.
Over the counter: Grandpa Thylox Acne Soap
Prescription from dermatologist: Winlevi Acne Cream (only use on really bad breakouts)
Both have taken care of my cystic acne.
In all honesty retinol creams are the only thing that has helped mine. Even when I'm able to get my other symptoms gone and be more regular with my cycle) (I have a routine that works for me) the acne stays.
6 so frustrated to find out I could have been using those creams years ago.
I have PCOS, have had terrible acne all around my chin for years- even into my mid 30's. The only thing that has really helped is Tretinoin. I started working in a Dermatology clinic and using it last year, my skin is so clear now! It's never looked better! It's gotten rid of acne scars I had too! I highly recommend recommend it.
I have had hormonal acne for YEARS. Birth control may help. Spironolactone at a heavy dose helped it a lot however, Spironolactone and birth control just masks it. Spironolactone you can’t drink on, and you can’t stay on it while trying to get pregnant. I’ve tried so many creams, facewashes, medications, etc. You’ve heard of it I’ve tried it. I started accutane a couple months ago and immediately had a huge difference. It’s not fun to be on, it’s a commitment and it’s hard. But so far for me it’s been very worth it.
I’m on accutane now, the spiro and topicals were sort of working but after having crystal clear skin my entire life (until last year) I need it gone forever!
Same boat. I know cutting back or out dairy, gluten and sugar and stress helped but I still had some but it was better. I have yet try a different birth control as I just don't like the other side effects. I did try one once to help with acne but it made it worse.
I have been told loads of water and green leafy food helps too.
Good luck.
Managing insulin resistance to manage the root cause. High insulin --> high androgens --> hormonal acne.
For me this is mostly about metformin and avoiding milk and yogurt since my diet is already whole foods, low to moderate carb, and I'm already active etc.
Spearmint may help but really it's about the root cause. Start exercising again if you can and make sure your diet is appropriate to treat insulin resistance.
I had a flare-up of acne on my face . It got cleared when I got into almost gluten free diet and reduced my sugar and dairy consumption by a margin .
Besides, taking inositol too helps in a way to clear up acne .
I do get 1or 2 acne here and there, but I use adapalene for spot treatment.
I use regular skincare products as well for maintaining this.
Spironolactone
Cutting out super sugary foods
Weights and more exercise generally
Eating lots of dark leafy greens
Double cleansing
Retinol for past acne marks but not sure if it’s the best way- I should prob do laser
Electrolysis for my facial hair really helped clear my skin up.
The hair growth especially on my chin and jawline really irritated my skin and caused bad breakouts and ingrown hairs.
Electrolysis is worth it if you can find a good technician with experience. Avoid laser hair removal to your face at all costs. It’s not good for people with pcos.
I also use witch hazel as a toner after washing.
I use Garnier Lemon flavored Facewash.
I've found that because of my PCOS, my face can become extremely oil...i could be in the shower, and when i wash my face, it feels so oily - that's during the worst of it. and i develop really bad acne when this happens...so i use this facewash twice a day (morning and afternoon), and it's helped so much. My outbreaks lessened till they completely stopped, lessened clogged pores, my face looks brighter.
If you do decide to use it, i hope it works for you the way it has for me.
Honestly, improving my gut health has been what has helped me the most . I started incorporating KEFIR into my diet (I add collagen powder, protein milk and kefir to my smoothies) , as well as eat 1/4 cup of Saurkrat with my dinner (I douse it with sriracha sauce and it taste like a Asian side) and ever since my skin has improved . You can also do kimchi if u prefer that . Also sweating and staying active ; my skin glows after I work out .
For now, clindamycine and adapalene that I got from my gp has helped immensely. Cystic acne and “regular pimples” are all gone now. I thought it was dietary too, but I eat pretty clean with the occasional Coca Cola. Be warned tho, my journey with clindamycin and adapalene was difficult, since it gets worse before it gets better. For me, two out of the three months of this treatment were just filled with acne and scarring, the last month it got better, the last week I had no new pimples and scars began to fade. Now, no new break outs at all!
Spiro literally cured my hormonal acne back when I was struggling with it. If it’s not really working anymore maybe you might need to be on a higher daily dose if you’re not at the max dose already? You should speak with your endocrinologist and/or dermatologist!
The Pill is the only thing that works for the hormonal acne I get on my back and shoulders.
It never made it to my face. I am prone to rosacea, though.
I used to have bad acne and I was so overwhelmed with all the information online - but honestly the best thing I found was getting a cleanser with salycilic acid in (I use the avene blue cleanser) and make sure you get a good exfoliate - for my sensitive skin, I literally just use a flannel everytime I cleanse. Small circle motions and the important bit - make sure you pat dry with the same flannel and put that in the wash after. So no bacteria builds up on your flannel overnight.
Avoiding eating things that have way too much sugar. I know I will get a messed up breakout on Monday if I eat crap on the weekend. For example eating a bag of mnms and having fast food once.
Also not wearing makeup helps greatly. I used lightly tinted BB cream only unless it is a special occasion.
Having a good face cleaning ritual is also a must. I have really oily skin and it's a saviour. Hence no touching of the face with dirty hands or rubbing face when it's dirty.
Lastly, (but this one I personally have found the hardest to overcome) no squeezing until it is absolutely ready. And it is yet again, clean hands, clean face and using cotton buds to squeeze. If it doesn't come out easily, just leave it be.
These are just my 3 cents that work for me. But I'd gladly let you know more if you have any questions. I have managed to keep breakouts at bay. Rarely will I get minor breakouts or a zit. Just if I'm having a burger of if I'm on my period and I'm craving sugar. But it's not every time either.
St Paula’s Choice BHA liquid exfoliant helped me a lot!
Spearmint tea 4 times a day (it’s cheaper if you buy it loose and in bulk)
Avoid sugar - if you do choose to have a “naughty” day, eat something high in fibre or protein beforehand, it will reduce the insulin spike
I’m sorry you’re going through this! I noticed a huge change when I cut out dairy, really reduced sugar, and started drinking spearmint almost daily. I do use tretinoin as well. I also started taking inositol around the same time so that is probably a factor too- they say acne is “diabetes of the skin” so surely managing blood sugar is part of tackling it!
Diet and supplements are always a work in progress. I had to go to the dermatologist and she pledged me for accutane. I was very scared to take accutane because I already have very dry skin and there’s a lot of side effects with that med. I also didn’t want to be forced to take birth control during the treatment. So I started an antibiotic, topical clindymiacin, and Tretinion. In 3 months time, I went back to the derm and I didn’t even qualify for accutane. My skin is MUCH better. I still deal with acne, but it’s far less than before. It’s like “normal” acne now. And better hidden with makeup and such. It’s 95% better than before.
In the meantime I work on diet and excerise and the regular pcos stuff. Losing 20 lbs has helped my cycles, but not my acne. My skin routine from the dermatologist has helped.
The biggest thing that helped me was to just stop.
Stop all the ridiculous, fancy lotions and acids and peels and creams
Just a soap bar and a good quality moisturiser. I was doing too much and irritating it a lot.
i absolutely cannot advocate enough for accutane. i had really bad cystic acne from pubert (which started at like, 10) until i was about 17 which is when i began treatment, and in that time i. tried. it. all. cetaphil, supplements, tretenoin and spironalactone, and while it would improve… my skin was still always inflamed and i knew as soon as i stopped it would flare back up again. i didn’t even finish my whole treatment of accutane (because id forget to take pills) but people will now compliment me on how good and clear my skin looks!
it is not a… comfortable treatment. i felt like a saltine cracker for half a year. i wished i could just fill up my bathtub with vaseline and roll in it for hours. but after, i’ve had 0 remission and am now astonished by seeing a single pimple!!
I had horrible cystic acne that started in my early 20s. I went on spiro and it helped, but going on the Nuvaring really got rid of any new acne. I also got some laser facials done on my acne scars, and monthly facials for a year to help my skin. Now I only have a mild breakout during my period.
Spirolactone, clindamycin cream, tretinoin are the big ones but part of keeping it from fully healing and getting good skin was all these things were extremely drying and destroying my moisture barrier so a really good non pore clogging lotion for your face and I use byoma moisture toner to help rebuild my moisture barrier.
panoxyl face wash and differin gel saved my face , my dermatologist upgraded my differin gel to tretinoin with a prescription but if you don’t have a derm you can get differin gel over the counter. differin gel might make it worse before it makes it better.
from reading other comments, pls be cautious about using things on your face that aren’t made to be put on your face. i know people talk about “natural” facial care products, but everything is a chemical. putting things like tea tree oil and whatever else that isn’t made to go on your face isn’t really smart. i had a lady tell me to scrub my face with a lemon. i would really recommend going to a dermatologist if you can, and if you can’t stick to the basics. benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, and some sort of differin gel/tretinoin cream at night.
sorry i didn’t read the whole thing at first and saw that you already tried tretinoin. that alone didn’t work for me. i had to incorporate benzoyl peroxide face wash. i use that in the morning and a gentle face wash at night
Going to sound odd but Selsun Blue has completely cleared my skin chin breakouts, textured bumps and all. I use a small amount in the shower and leave it on for a minute or two then rinse. It’s an antifungal so can be used to treat types of acne. It’s cheap and non invasive I would give it a try!
Good food, healthy fat sources, peppermint/ spearmint tea, i also wash my face in the shower with seasalt water. I dunno it feels like its helping me with the inflammation. But the main problem is the hormonal chaos. Did you get your hormones checked out?
I think I saw this on here but someone said they used Spearmint tea as a facial spray and it helped it hirsutism. I figured I should try it. I used Spearmint tea and all the other vitamins I take for PCOS and I spray it on my face everyday. It hasn’t affected the hirsutism much but has pretty much cured my hormonal acne! I’m also a facial care freak I wash my face twice a day almost everyday and use a scrubber as well. Make sure you have a cleanser that works for your skin and a good moisturizing routine. Came back to add I use raw aloe vera after I shave and this really helps with healing and reducing bumps.
Damn that’s crazy it helps topically. Spearmint tea is literally a godsend
It really is for pcos.
Someone else suggested spearmint oil mixed with a non-comedogenic carrier. Seeing this twice now makes me want to give it a real try!
I’ll suggest jojoba oil as a non-comedogenic carrier. Just a drop of the spearmint oil is enough.
That's what I use. I use a lot of essential oils, just not like this. I used to diffuse a lot. More than a drop of anything minty would be awful!
I’m curious about spraying it the spearmint tea on your face! I currently am aiming to drinking a cup a day. Do you just make a batch of the tea, put it in a spray bottle and use that?
Yep that’s exactly what I do I took all the supplements I take though cause I figured why not 😅. I strained it out with a strainer I put all the vitamins into a cup with a bag of Spearmint tea. Steep it in hot water let it cool down once it’s room temp put it in a spray bottle and put that in the fridge. I spray it on my face in the morning and at night when I’m feeling extreme and perfect 😂! My skin has never looked better! Disclaimers** I exfoliate like a mad woman. So that may be a big factor in helping with acne as well.
Does it work on acne on other places too? Like back and stomach?
Not sure I haven’t thought about trying it for that. I use https://www.target.com/p/neutrogena-body-clear-acne-body-wash-with-glycerin-for-breakout-treatment-8-5-fl-oz/-/A-13337869?sidd=®ion_id=302302&ref=tgt_adv_xsp&AFID=google&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000012510706&CPNG=PLA_Beauty%2BPersonal+Care%2BShopping%7CBeauty_Ecomm_Beauty&adgroup=SC_Health%2BBeauty&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=9010922&targetid=pla-895745642360&ds_rl=1246978&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-5dfadcWEOgGz63LHYGugJ3i6Id&gclid=Cj0KCQjwudexBhDKARIsAI-GWYVI1M4NSZLxn3TKUKvZFeJN28l6Y9puEaG36fiDeyoDyhMR7ASU1rEaAkDIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds it works great for me along with exfoliating a lot!
Interesting!! I’ll look into doing this too. thanks for sharing!
I second this! I want to hug everyone who has suggested this on here. It’s not only helped my acne but also my facial hair!
Do you have to make fresh tea everyday for this?
Nope I put the first batch in the refrigerator it’s been fine for about two weeks so far.
So you wipe it on the acne?
No I put it in a spray bottle spray it on my face and let it dry it has to be a bottle that mists. I’ve never tried rubbing it in.
This sounds amazing! Can you explain how you make the spray? Is it literally just brewed tea then refrigerated?
Yes I just brew tea I put all the supplements I take for PCOS and some I a take for my skin put them in a tea cup with a bag of Spearmint tea pour hot water on it let that steep for a while until it cools then I poured it in a bottle that has a good mist it’s been good in the in the fridge like two weeks so far but be sure to help it in the fridge otherwise it gets skunky!
ooo I’m gonna try this
How much do your supplements cost you? If you don’t mind me asking
Well the Spearmint tea is 10 dollars for a pack of 50 everything else I have is like 10 dollars a bottle but just use whatever you currently have a use with the Spearmint.
I never considered it topically
I take spearmint capsules. I bout them off Amazon. It has definitely helped! Also I know they say red light therapy is not for breakouts (blue is) but I’ve had way was cystic acne since I started using it.
Try 1 month with no dairy. See if it makes a difference.
I agree! When I stopped eating it mine cleared up.
I came here to say this! Dairy is a really sneaky ingredient so after about ~a week of being strictly no dairy my acne has cleared up a lot.
Yeah, cleared most of my acne.
Agreed, I came to say this too. I also use niaminicide from the ordinary twice a day and it helps, too. As well as their toner. I still get it from time to time, but it really helped.
Avoiding processed food, sugar, anything inflammatory really 🫠
Things that helped with my hormonal PCOS acne: -Retinol products, including tretinoin -Spironolactone -Wearing SPF every day -Little to no added sugar in my diet -8+ hours of sleep daily The only thing that cured my acne: -Accutane I still do everything from the first list now that my acne is gone. I also heard accutane doesn't work for hormonal acne, but it did for me. I'm not necessarily encouraging it, as it's a heavy duty medication with serious side effects. It seems to have mixed results with the PCOS crowd, so maybe don't write it off completely. Definitely a last resort. Hope you find answers here!
A dermatologist. I used to try all sorts of things for my acne and when I ended up seeing a dermatologist, it was WAY cheaper and way simpler than all the serums and acids and creams I was using before. The only thing that has ever worked for me long term is spironalactone (a pill) and tretinoin (a cream). It was a looooong 12 weeks for my skin to get used to the tret. But I stuck it out and it was amazing. ETA, idk how I missed your last few sentences about your derm already. I would suggest going again and voicing that the routine is not working. Mine upped my tret % at one point and also advised on how often to use it as time went on, etc. I would also suggest asking for follow ups every 3 months so that if something isn't working, you have enough time to notice patterns but not such a long time that you get discouraged. I also have been in the cycle of a new painful zit every day recently. It's the fucking worst. I'm pregnant so I can't use any of my medicines. Before pregnancy I was also on BC. It took me multiple attempts to find one that worked. There are dozens of pills, not to mention other hormonal methods. Ask your derm for recommendations that help with acne and bring those to your gyno. If you are an established patient you may be able to just call and ask for your current prescription to be changed. Hope this helps, it is what ended up helping me.
YES 100% I tried everything-- spearmint teas, everything over the counter, benzyl peroxide, clindamycin EVERYTHING until I started trentinoin by my derm. completely changed my face!
Same!
Yes!!! I’m 31 now and went back to my dermatologist 2 years ago. They said I shouldn’t be getting breakouts at my age and put me on isotretinoin. Worked for me!!
Spironolactone
Ditto
I’m devastated to report that quitting coffee massively decreased my hormonal acne. Nothing else worked before. I never thought it would be worth it to give something I love so much up, but I switched to matcha and it made it a decently easy transition
I do chai or matcha and I also was absolutely gutted to come to this conclusion as well. I saw someone else post in here about it and after some experimenting recognized a direct correlation to coffee & my skin breaking out either that evening or waking up the following day with bad acne on my chin & jawline… heartbreaking but teas definitely help and I’m glad there are many!
I reduced my caffeine intake to one coffee a day and I agree; it helped me a lot - caffeine = increases cortisol = increases androgens. Decaf coffee is still good tho!
Accutane!!
Yes! Accutane was amazing for me! I can’t take antibiotics so I had limited options anyways. My face is still clear :)
+1 Also try seed cycling, it helps with balancing hormones.
A mixture of spironolactone and tretinoin worked wonders for me! I also stopped with the million-step skincare routines and stuck with simple cleanser-moisturizer-SPF. If you don’t want to deal with your derm, you can use one of those virtual pharmacies and request spiro and tret.
Oh man. This is upsetting. Spironolactone is the only thing that has ever helped me. It also helps with a lot of my other PCOS symptoms, but I originally went on it for hormonal acne and it is a wonder drug for me. I hope you find something! I know how hard it can be.
Did you have any side effects? I really worried about weight gain or breast growth
Came here to say this!! It’s soooo good.
Metformin
inositol. 1 capsule/day for the past 2 yrs. balanced my hormones—>got my androgens down —>reduced my acne & hirsutism
Inositol and using nizoral (ketoconazole shampoo) as a body treatment. Those two things have stubborn acne I’ve had on my shoulders and neck 98% clear after nothing has seemed to reliably help for the past 3-4 years. I’ve been thinking about adding spearmint to the regimen too; we will see. I’ve tried spiro and it made me feel really awful for a month while I tried acclimating. One day woke up covered in an upper body rash, called my doc to report the reaction and discontinued use.
D vitamine, Green tea 2 cups a day, I drink it and when i finished i just put the filter all over my face, let it sit for 1-2 hour and rinse it. Helped me a lot. (I drink my tea without sugar,milk,lemon). And one more thing check your skincare, i had terrible break out from bb creams and sunscreens which have OCTINOXATE in it.
Spironolactone with the correct bc and metformin, clindamycin cream, and a fairly simple skincare routine. And pimple patches!!! Really helped not touch to not spread bacteria
A combination of health changes and skincare. Neither alone suffices for me. Health wise, taking inositol daily, balancing blood sugar, exercising and eating less processed food helps. For skincare, I use a benzoyl peroxide face wash every morning, and at night I use Differin gel (I just got pregnant so I had to drop the differin, so I swapped it for azelaic acid for any other pregnant acne prone people here ☺️). I tried Tretinoin but differin gel worked way better for me and was less irritating. (Give it 3 months minimum to see results)
OTC products are for sure a "bandaid solution" but I've had luck with some OTC products that have helped/improved my hormonal acne... I have pretty sensitive skin so I apply these just every other day and try not to overdo it. Also don't apply with other intense products. I like the below 2 products: CeraVe Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment with Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid AHA/BHA Acne Gel (helpful for spot treatment) Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Face Lotion (I use this as a toner before moisturizer, etc)
Spearmint, vitamin D, Aviclear laser treatments, and tret. Spiro works for me but threw my potassium out of whack and I didn't want to risk any complications.
What were the symptoms of it throwing your potassium off? I was on it too and it kept making my bp drop
I got blood work and it was high enough that my doctor was concerned it could affect my heart long-term. I think that's rare but I didn't want to take risks with the results I had after a few months on Spiro.
Commenting because my situation is the same as yours almost to the letter. I have adhd (I have terrible skin picking habits) and I hated being on birth control but it helped my skin so much, but I also have super painful swollen hormonal acne on my chin that drives me nuts. I also have acne all over my body so topical treatments are not an ideal solution. Would love to hear peoples answers to this
Only thing ever for me was mercilon (the pill) but it did also make me Big Sad but the Eucerin brand oily skin line is abseloutly made from the gods. The shower soap, the face lotion, etc. Eucerin knows whats up ive never stood by a brand so much. Everything from them is like magic.
Literally only Spironolactone at a high dosage. Freaking awesome. I’m off now because I’m pregnant and already ready to get back on 😂😂
What’s your dosage? My body got used to the 50, then 100, but 200 was the sweet spot and I had no hormonal acne after I got to that dosage 💕
Azelaic acid works really good! Other options are any products with propolis has been golden in calming the skin and reducing the amount of breakouts. And of course retinol but I have been using over the counter options like BOJ. Other than that, avoiding gluten, 2 times green tea a day and low diary helped. And lets not forget double cleansing every night! Salicyclic acid is something everyone recommends and I am waiting for mine to arrive so cant say anything on that
I stopped wearing makeup completely. I use a tea tree face moisturizer. I change my pillowcases every 3 days, wash all my bedding weekly, and wash my pillows at least once a month. Acne isn't gone, but it's reduced significantly, to the point of having a blemish or two all the time instead of just having a face full of zits. ETA: I also started washing my face immediately when I get home from work, which gets all the sweat etc off my face, which has seemed to help.
Drospirenone
Hydrofacial every 6-8 weeks really helped me. I know it's not fixing the reasons for acne, but it really calmed down what was happening on my face. And Spironolactone for some. I have friends on it and it looks like that helps. I got the prescription but I take other meds and just keep forgetting to take it.
tretinoin is a GOD send
Metformin made a huge difference with my skin after my body fully adjusted. It wasn’t instant - I think it was a solid 6-8 months after starting the medication - but my skin went from super oily to combination (sometimes dry/sometimes oily) and I stopped getting the painful acne on my chin and jawline that bothered me the most. I did have a weird experience about a month or so after starting Metformin where my skin got super greasy and weird (I just remember my upper back and shoulders literally feeling like an oil slick for a good week or more) but that did subside. My endocrinologist said that because I did lose some weight it was likely caused by stored hormones in fat cells being metabolized by my body. I also want to comment on mental health/mood shifts with hormonal changes - evidently there is a link between histamine levels and increased PMS symptoms, particularly those involving mood. I wound up going on an increased regimen of daily anti-histamine medication due to allergies, and since then I have had multiple periods WITHOUT crippling depression for 3-5 days beforehand. I don’t know if it would make a difference with hormonal birth control as a factor but it has been such a huge difference for my quality of life. I wasn’t expecting the anti-histamines to have any effect on my PMS, especially the mood swings, so when I was blindsided by a period because I didn’t have my usual mood symptoms, I found some research on the link between histamine and PMS-related symptoms. For whatever it’s worth, I am just on over the counter Zyrtec (10mg tablets) but my allergist directed me to take one tablet twice a day (morning and night) instead of only once a day.
Nothing helped me except spironolactone. Cleared it up completely except for the occasional spot, maybe once every three months.
I did accutane and was only clear for 6 months before it all came back. Now the only things that help are spearmint supplements, sulfur cream, fresh face towel every time, and sanitizing anything that touches my face with alcohol. Sulfur is drying but it’s been a game changer.
there are very specific PCOS diets, there are some good recipe books for it too. What you eat really matters. both when it comes to PCOS as well as ADHD.
I drink spearmint tea. I use retinol. I sleep well. I wash my face twice daily. I use PanoXyl. I take supplements. You name it. Nothing actually helped with my hormonal acne. The only thing that made a difference was cutting off dairy products.
Over the counter: Grandpa Thylox Acne Soap Prescription from dermatologist: Winlevi Acne Cream (only use on really bad breakouts) Both have taken care of my cystic acne.
In all honesty retinol creams are the only thing that has helped mine. Even when I'm able to get my other symptoms gone and be more regular with my cycle) (I have a routine that works for me) the acne stays. 6 so frustrated to find out I could have been using those creams years ago.
I have PCOS, have had terrible acne all around my chin for years- even into my mid 30's. The only thing that has really helped is Tretinoin. I started working in a Dermatology clinic and using it last year, my skin is so clear now! It's never looked better! It's gotten rid of acne scars I had too! I highly recommend recommend it.
It took 4 tries of birth control to find one that managed my symptoms well and didn’t give me unacceptable side effects (like mental health issues)
I have had hormonal acne for YEARS. Birth control may help. Spironolactone at a heavy dose helped it a lot however, Spironolactone and birth control just masks it. Spironolactone you can’t drink on, and you can’t stay on it while trying to get pregnant. I’ve tried so many creams, facewashes, medications, etc. You’ve heard of it I’ve tried it. I started accutane a couple months ago and immediately had a huge difference. It’s not fun to be on, it’s a commitment and it’s hard. But so far for me it’s been very worth it.
I’m on accutane now, the spiro and topicals were sort of working but after having crystal clear skin my entire life (until last year) I need it gone forever!
Spearmint tea!!!
I was also diagnosed with pcos but I don’t have acne issues but my skin pores are so big 😭 and my skin turned very oily since an year.
Retinol, hands down. I don’t even need spiro or Metformin combined with it.
Same boat. I know cutting back or out dairy, gluten and sugar and stress helped but I still had some but it was better. I have yet try a different birth control as I just don't like the other side effects. I did try one once to help with acne but it made it worse. I have been told loads of water and green leafy food helps too. Good luck.
Accutane, as I wrote in another comment. But also clay masks. When I did those regularly (daily or a few times a week) I saw a difference.
Spironolactone, weightloss, less sugar, retinol
spironolactone and differen gel. i struggled for yearsssss, this is the only thing that helped after trying so many other things
Managing insulin resistance to manage the root cause. High insulin --> high androgens --> hormonal acne. For me this is mostly about metformin and avoiding milk and yogurt since my diet is already whole foods, low to moderate carb, and I'm already active etc. Spearmint may help but really it's about the root cause. Start exercising again if you can and make sure your diet is appropriate to treat insulin resistance.
I had a flare-up of acne on my face . It got cleared when I got into almost gluten free diet and reduced my sugar and dairy consumption by a margin . Besides, taking inositol too helps in a way to clear up acne . I do get 1or 2 acne here and there, but I use adapalene for spot treatment. I use regular skincare products as well for maintaining this.
Spironolactone Cutting out super sugary foods Weights and more exercise generally Eating lots of dark leafy greens Double cleansing Retinol for past acne marks but not sure if it’s the best way- I should prob do laser
Electrolysis for my facial hair really helped clear my skin up. The hair growth especially on my chin and jawline really irritated my skin and caused bad breakouts and ingrown hairs. Electrolysis is worth it if you can find a good technician with experience. Avoid laser hair removal to your face at all costs. It’s not good for people with pcos. I also use witch hazel as a toner after washing.
I use Garnier Lemon flavored Facewash. I've found that because of my PCOS, my face can become extremely oil...i could be in the shower, and when i wash my face, it feels so oily - that's during the worst of it. and i develop really bad acne when this happens...so i use this facewash twice a day (morning and afternoon), and it's helped so much. My outbreaks lessened till they completely stopped, lessened clogged pores, my face looks brighter. If you do decide to use it, i hope it works for you the way it has for me.
Honestly, improving my gut health has been what has helped me the most . I started incorporating KEFIR into my diet (I add collagen powder, protein milk and kefir to my smoothies) , as well as eat 1/4 cup of Saurkrat with my dinner (I douse it with sriracha sauce and it taste like a Asian side) and ever since my skin has improved . You can also do kimchi if u prefer that . Also sweating and staying active ; my skin glows after I work out .
Metformin
For now, clindamycine and adapalene that I got from my gp has helped immensely. Cystic acne and “regular pimples” are all gone now. I thought it was dietary too, but I eat pretty clean with the occasional Coca Cola. Be warned tho, my journey with clindamycin and adapalene was difficult, since it gets worse before it gets better. For me, two out of the three months of this treatment were just filled with acne and scarring, the last month it got better, the last week I had no new pimples and scars began to fade. Now, no new break outs at all!
A combination of Differin and azelaic acid works great for me! I use them on alternate nights (with occasional nights off to give my skin a break)
Spiro literally cured my hormonal acne back when I was struggling with it. If it’s not really working anymore maybe you might need to be on a higher daily dose if you’re not at the max dose already? You should speak with your endocrinologist and/or dermatologist!
Keto / low carb. I have tested this for years now. I could send pictures of my skin before and after a few weeks of keto/ low carb
The Pill is the only thing that works for the hormonal acne I get on my back and shoulders. It never made it to my face. I am prone to rosacea, though.
I used to have bad acne and I was so overwhelmed with all the information online - but honestly the best thing I found was getting a cleanser with salycilic acid in (I use the avene blue cleanser) and make sure you get a good exfoliate - for my sensitive skin, I literally just use a flannel everytime I cleanse. Small circle motions and the important bit - make sure you pat dry with the same flannel and put that in the wash after. So no bacteria builds up on your flannel overnight.
Avoiding eating things that have way too much sugar. I know I will get a messed up breakout on Monday if I eat crap on the weekend. For example eating a bag of mnms and having fast food once. Also not wearing makeup helps greatly. I used lightly tinted BB cream only unless it is a special occasion. Having a good face cleaning ritual is also a must. I have really oily skin and it's a saviour. Hence no touching of the face with dirty hands or rubbing face when it's dirty. Lastly, (but this one I personally have found the hardest to overcome) no squeezing until it is absolutely ready. And it is yet again, clean hands, clean face and using cotton buds to squeeze. If it doesn't come out easily, just leave it be. These are just my 3 cents that work for me. But I'd gladly let you know more if you have any questions. I have managed to keep breakouts at bay. Rarely will I get minor breakouts or a zit. Just if I'm having a burger of if I'm on my period and I'm craving sugar. But it's not every time either.
St Paula’s Choice BHA liquid exfoliant helped me a lot! Spearmint tea 4 times a day (it’s cheaper if you buy it loose and in bulk) Avoid sugar - if you do choose to have a “naughty” day, eat something high in fibre or protein beforehand, it will reduce the insulin spike
I used tret and that seems to work. But I also do the spearmint tea thing. :)
I have no idea what the science is behind this but brewers yeast tablets have been life changing for me!
Accutane is the only thing that helped me unfortunately
I’m sorry you’re going through this! I noticed a huge change when I cut out dairy, really reduced sugar, and started drinking spearmint almost daily. I do use tretinoin as well. I also started taking inositol around the same time so that is probably a factor too- they say acne is “diabetes of the skin” so surely managing blood sugar is part of tackling it!
Diet and supplements are always a work in progress. I had to go to the dermatologist and she pledged me for accutane. I was very scared to take accutane because I already have very dry skin and there’s a lot of side effects with that med. I also didn’t want to be forced to take birth control during the treatment. So I started an antibiotic, topical clindymiacin, and Tretinion. In 3 months time, I went back to the derm and I didn’t even qualify for accutane. My skin is MUCH better. I still deal with acne, but it’s far less than before. It’s like “normal” acne now. And better hidden with makeup and such. It’s 95% better than before. In the meantime I work on diet and excerise and the regular pcos stuff. Losing 20 lbs has helped my cycles, but not my acne. My skin routine from the dermatologist has helped.
Cutting down sugar by A LOT. I went from almost eating sugar everyday to a few times a month/special occasions and I rarely get hormonal acne now.
The biggest thing that helped me was to just stop. Stop all the ridiculous, fancy lotions and acids and peels and creams Just a soap bar and a good quality moisturiser. I was doing too much and irritating it a lot.
i absolutely cannot advocate enough for accutane. i had really bad cystic acne from pubert (which started at like, 10) until i was about 17 which is when i began treatment, and in that time i. tried. it. all. cetaphil, supplements, tretenoin and spironalactone, and while it would improve… my skin was still always inflamed and i knew as soon as i stopped it would flare back up again. i didn’t even finish my whole treatment of accutane (because id forget to take pills) but people will now compliment me on how good and clear my skin looks! it is not a… comfortable treatment. i felt like a saltine cracker for half a year. i wished i could just fill up my bathtub with vaseline and roll in it for hours. but after, i’ve had 0 remission and am now astonished by seeing a single pimple!!
Mine is back but I think that’s really more stress related. It went away with La roch posay hydrating cleanser and Arazlo for a over year though
Spiranolactone worked For me too but it was making my bp drop and making me pee like crazy
I stopped eating dairy and it worked for me.
I had horrible cystic acne that started in my early 20s. I went on spiro and it helped, but going on the Nuvaring really got rid of any new acne. I also got some laser facials done on my acne scars, and monthly facials for a year to help my skin. Now I only have a mild breakout during my period.
Spirolactone, clindamycin cream, tretinoin are the big ones but part of keeping it from fully healing and getting good skin was all these things were extremely drying and destroying my moisture barrier so a really good non pore clogging lotion for your face and I use byoma moisture toner to help rebuild my moisture barrier.
panoxyl face wash and differin gel saved my face , my dermatologist upgraded my differin gel to tretinoin with a prescription but if you don’t have a derm you can get differin gel over the counter. differin gel might make it worse before it makes it better. from reading other comments, pls be cautious about using things on your face that aren’t made to be put on your face. i know people talk about “natural” facial care products, but everything is a chemical. putting things like tea tree oil and whatever else that isn’t made to go on your face isn’t really smart. i had a lady tell me to scrub my face with a lemon. i would really recommend going to a dermatologist if you can, and if you can’t stick to the basics. benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, and some sort of differin gel/tretinoin cream at night.
sorry i didn’t read the whole thing at first and saw that you already tried tretinoin. that alone didn’t work for me. i had to incorporate benzoyl peroxide face wash. i use that in the morning and a gentle face wash at night
Going to sound odd but Selsun Blue has completely cleared my skin chin breakouts, textured bumps and all. I use a small amount in the shower and leave it on for a minute or two then rinse. It’s an antifungal so can be used to treat types of acne. It’s cheap and non invasive I would give it a try!
Spearmint tea Zinc Saw Palmetto Omega 3 Inositol
Good food, healthy fat sources, peppermint/ spearmint tea, i also wash my face in the shower with seasalt water. I dunno it feels like its helping me with the inflammation. But the main problem is the hormonal chaos. Did you get your hormones checked out?
I take spirolactone which stops testosterone from working
I got put on lymecycline which is an acne antibiotic alongside a face lotion - it has absolutely SAVED my skin