Calling all women pained by acne...

[sophielaura]

Hey everyone. I hope you don’t mind me posting this on here, I’ve been reading through quite a lot of posts - some quite desperate and I absolutely feel your pain!!


I’m a newly qualified health coach, who suffered with acne for many years, and I want to help other adult women who suffer with acne. But first, I want to better understand the big issues that you’re faced with and agonise with every day and what methods, treatments and diets you’ve tried? What’s worked or hasn’t worked? - Appreciate any feedback, thank you - Sophie

[Emily50]

Hi Sophie, I am in my 60s and have suffered from acne since I was 12. I have tried changes to my diet e.g cut out chocolate, chips etc, homeopathy, vitamin supplements. Only antibiotics have helped to clear my skin. I stopped taking Minocin as it stained my teeth, other antibiotics helped but eventually became ineffective. I have had 2 courses of Isotretenoin approx 10 years apart which improved my skin greatly for 4 years the first time, the second treatment ended a year ago, my skin has threatened to break out recently but settled down so I am hoping for the best. It is wonderful that I don't have to keep blotting my skin and topping up my make-up as my skin is 'normal' not oily and I have become unaware of my skin whereas I was preoccupied, self conscious, feeling down and unattractive. I believe acne is due to hormonal imbalance, perhaps normal hormonal changes triggered it or perhaps the pill or HRT, I can't positively identify a trigger.

I don't want anyone giving up hope of clear skin due to my story as It is unusual for acne to persist throughout your life.

[sophielaura in reply to Emily50]

Hi Emily, thanks so much for sharing & sorry to hear you've suffered with it for so much of your life, I've got my fingers and toes crossed for you with your second course of Isotretenoin keeping it away!

Just out of interest.. Have you ever looked at the correlation between the foods you eat and your hormones?

My acne is hormonal, I came off all medication and contraceptive pills a year ago now and I've drastically improved my complexion through experimenting with different foods, I don't eat bananas or anything high-glycemic, foods cooked in some oils set it off and I really limit my sugar, alcohol and caffeine intake. I know everyone is different though! I just wondered what your experiences have been

[Emily50]

Hi Sophie, thank you for your good wishes.

I haven't noticed a correlation between my hormones and diet but that isn't to say there isn't one. As I am post menapausal I don't have obvious signs of hormonal changes so am unable to detect any effect of diet on hormones. When I was young the info given was to avoid fatty food and sugar, I did so but apart from being a skinny young person it didn't help my skin. In later years the message was that there was no evidence that diet caused acne. Now we hear of high GI food affecting hormones. However, I have eaten cake, chocolate etc in excess over a period of a week or two e.g. the Christmas period or on holidays with no acne breakout. To some people the cause and effect might be very clear but for myself I think when my acne was active it would have been helpful to have participated in a scientific study which takes suspected triggers into account e.g. Stress and anxiety levels, sexual activity, activity level, climate changes e.g humidity level, environmental factors.. I have recently participated in a very detailed migraine study which correlated numerous commonly suspected triggers and protective factors. The outcome was that most participants were mistaken in their belief that a particular food, drink, activity etc triggered their migraine. It showed that in some participants eating chocolate or drinking coffee for example, rather than being a trigger, can be an effect of bodily changes in the pre pain stage of migraine. In other people it is a protective factor. The outcome suggested we are "as different as snowflakes". The study was really helpful in correlating the results of each participant's daily online questionnaire over a period of several months and then providing a map of their triggers and protective factors.

Unlike migraine, acne isn't physically debilitating and so doesn't cause as many days of sickness. I guess there is less interest in understanding, preventing or finding a cure as it is usually outgrown. However, anyone suffering from it and other persistent skin diseases knows the emotional cost of living with it.

I really like your intention to help women who have acne and wish you luck with it. 😊🤞❤️

[sophielaura in reply to Emily50]

Hi Emily, I've just realised my reply never sent!! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences i've found it really helpful and I couldn't agree with you more that we are "as different as snowflakes".

Thank you also for your well wishes 😊 ❤️

[jasminesanta]

I have extremely acne prone, sensitive skin and and I can only use natural/organic products. The Made from Earth Control Acne Wash is amazing! After using it for just 3 days my skin looks beautiful! Make sure to moisturize after too!

[sophielaura in reply to jasminesanta]

Thanks for your recommendation Jasmine glad you've found something that's working for you!

[jessicacbarnard]

Hi Sophie, I’m 20 and I have moderate Acne on my cheeks and chin and mild acne on my forehead. I have tried Lymecycline, Acnecide, other benzoyl peroxide creams but it just made me worse. I am trying to keep it natural now by taking pro biotics and other vitamins to cure it from the inside out but it’s really getting me down. I used to have really clear skin and then suddenly it just happened. Is there anything you suggest? Thank you

Jess x

[sophielaura in reply to jessicacbarnard]

Hi Jess, so sorry to hear it's getting you down but I know exactly how deflating that feels! Great to hear you're now taking probiotics and vitamins - cutting out sugar completely from my diet helped me hugely, it also reeks havoc with your gut microbiome which you're obviously concerned with if you're taking probiotics, cutting out dairy was another big one for me! Then without knowing you or your health history all I can do really is encourage you to write a food diary, journalling your symptoms every day too and also monitoring your symptoms around your menstrual cycle. If you do your homework with this properly, patterns will start to show and you'll slowly begin to take control of your health.

Acne is inflammation and this is your way of your body telling you something's not happy inside. I learnt the hard way that there are no shortcuts and actually trying doctors meds & 'skin-friendly' contraceptive pills just put a plaster over the problem, didn't get to the cause of why it was happening and actually prolonged my symptoms, meaning 7 years later my body wasn't healed and I was still experiencing acne.

I know it's hard and some days feel super exhausting with it but stick in there, if you do the journalling properly and learn to listen to your body you'll know how to heal yourself!

Let me know how you get on 😊 ❤️