Beauty Tips For Body Care
Hey, all! So before we begin this long post, a few disclaimers.YMMV. Everyone's skin is different and hormonal acne is notoriously hard to treat.I'm not a doctor. Please see your doctor for diagnosis and a treatment plan that suits you.My hormonal acne was not as severe as it is for a lot of people.My skin type is normal/oily.There are (very bad) before and after photos linked at the end. Quality isn't good because I didn't know about this sub & how to properly take them when I started. I also don't have photos from when my skin was at its worst for reasons you can probably guess. You'll just have to trust me here.If you spend any time online, in the doctor's office, or on this sub (which has truly saved my skin so ilysm), you've probably heard a billion stories about how meds like spironolactone and hormonal birth control are the be-all, end-all for hormonal acne. And that's usually true. My sister, for example, struggled with horribly painful cystic acne for almost a decade and spironolactone changed her skin/her life. For many others I know, the BCP was the ticket. But there was one huge problem for me: I have an autoimmune disease that totally prohibits me from taking either of those things.Some BackgroundI don't want to get into too much detail about my illness because it's personal, but I was on the BCP for ten years before I realized that, holy shit, it was causing about 50% of my painful inflammatory flareups. My condition is largely under-studied so the role that hormones play in its progression is still clinically uncharted territory.Another side effect of the condition is intense, chronic pelvic inflammation. A side effect of this side effect is frequent, painful urination. Because spironolactone has a diuretic effect, it is an absolute no-go for me, as confirmed by both my specialist and my derm.Before going on the BCP, I had pretty typical hormonal acne -- cystic bumps around my cheeks and chin every month. That's why I got on the pill in the first place. After coming off of it, my skin went into total meltdown mode for the first three months (it was so, so bad) and then returned to my pre-BCP level once things adjusted.All my derm could really do was get me some tretinoin and hope for the best since oral hormonal therapies were off the table. She also recommended that I drink 1-2 cups of spearmint tea per day to serve as a mild androgen blocker, but she wasn't optimistic that these two things would help.Nor was I, but to my surprise, they did. Along the way, I found this sub to see if there was anything I could do in addition to this, and as I mentioned before, all of you amazing folks have been instrumental in my acne prevention plan. This is where I learned the two key principles that would eventually get my skin under control:Baby the absolute hell out of your moisture barrier.Actives/chemical exfoliators can sometimes help you outrun acne lurking under the surface.From there, I built a routine that I'm thrilled to say has totally fixed my skin in about 8 months.Here it is:AMWash with CeraVe foaming cleanser (CeraVe hydrating in the fall/winter)Tone with Manetti Roberts RosewaterApply Skinceuticals Discoloration Defense serum on cheeks where my PIE tends to lingerApply CosRX Aloe Soothing Sun CreamPMRemove makeup with avocado oilWash with CeraVe foaming cleanserTone with Manetti Roberts RosewaterApply Skinceuticals Discoloration DefenseMix pea-sized amount of 0.1% tretinoin with pea-sized amount of CeraVe skin renewing night cream and 4 drops of rosehip seed oil. Apply as last step.Drink 1 mug full of spearmint tea. (this can be done whenever, I just prefer coffee in the morning.) It sounds hokey but I went on vacation for a week without the tea around my time of ovulation and had 3 cysts pop up. The stuff works to balance hormones.(All day: water, water, water, water. I have to force myself but I chug the stuff. I also eat a primarily vegetarian and low-dairy diet, but that's mostly to help with my chronic pain.)Spot Treatments and MasksDiaper rash creamSCA introduced me to the spot treatment that totally changed my cystic bump life. Cysts are getting rarer and rarer these days, but when I do get them, I use 40% zinc oxide diaper rash cream to spot treat and cover with a large hydrocolloid patch overnight to hold in place. My cysts, which used to last two weeks and leave horrific PIE redness behind, now go away in two nights and leave just a faint pink mark which fades in a few days or weeks.The Ordinary 30\% AHA + 2\% BHA maskFor this one, I halt use of tretinoin two days before and two days after since it's a pretty aggressive active. I use this a few days before my period every month and then every once in a while just for funsies.Paula's Choice 2\% Benzoyl Peroxide GelThis is to spot treat little CCs and bumps that aren't cystic. These usually appear on my chin when I ovulate.Aloe VeraStraight from the aloe plant. I recently incorporated this as a mask to combat redness. Works like a charm.Oil MassageI take the same avocado oil I use to remove my makeup and do a 10-minute facial massage with it every few weeks. I notice overall reduction in my PIE for a day or two after, probably due to all that awesome hydration. Used this video to learn how. Also, it just feels amazing.What I Wish I Hadn't DoneBefore SCA taught me about my moisture barrier, I was out here in these streets assaulting my skin with super strong tret and lots of actives. This 1) made my purge phase nightmarish and 2) left horrible PIE behind. Be gentle with your skin. It's a marathon, not a sprint.Okay I'll STFU NowI'm really sorry this is so long, but I know how frustrating hormonal breakouts can be for folks who can't be on meds and I just want to help. As mentioned, here is how my skin is looking these days alongside some really poor quality photos taken after my tret purge phase was done, about midway through my acne journey. No photos from when my skin was at its worst, sadly. Wasn't even on Reddit in those days so I didn't know better.Thanks so much again to this sub for teaching me a lot. Like I said, this won't work for everyone and you absolutely must see a doctor for diagnosis, but I want people to know that there can be a light at the end of the tunnel even when you aren't able to take the ideal course of treatment.If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by MadsD91
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