Hormonal Acne from PCOS

[killerprinxess]

Hey I have had hormonal acne for about 12 years now. I have good days and bad days but it never goes away and it is never predictable when it will flare up. I have a skincare routine which includes

1. Clinique acne solutions foaming wash and youth to the people kale green tea and spinach cleanser

2. Clinique acne solutions liquid toner

3. “                                  “ clearing gel

4. tower 28 rescue spray as needed

5. sephora, tatcha dewy skin, inkey list omega water cream

6.  dermatologica microfoliant powder

Those are just the ones I’m using right now. I’ve tried benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, dermatologist rx treatments. and they either make it worse or doesnt change anything. 

 I also don’t use them all at once. Some of those are in am and others in pm 

Any ideas? 

[bakeamuffin]

This is so similar to me but I haven’t been diagnosed with pcos; I’ve been struggling with acne for my adult life and they can be so painful and deep, taking forever to heal. My doctor has tried 3 different antibiotics for my hormonal acne and sent me to a derm who told me the only solution was his clinics line of very expensive skincare (insert eye roll). 

I use the Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray with Hypochlorous Acid 4 oz/ 120 mL  like you, but I also love the concentrated Tower 28 Beauty SOS Intensive Redness Relief Serum with Hypochlorous Acid 2 oz / 59 mL  and their Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Skin Barrier Redness Recovery Moisturizer 1.86 oz / 55 ml  

Two things that have made the biggest impact for my skin is taking a magnesium supplement which has been a game changer for experiencing significantly less breakouts. 
I also try to limit my dairy intake; I notice that when I eat a large amount of dairy it wreaks havoc on my skin. I’m a big ice cream fan and when I enjoy my Ben & Jerrys it always comes back to bite me 🥲 

good luck @killerprinxess!!

[thelastrecluse]

Hey! I also have hormonal acne from PCOS. It sucks and I empathize. I haven't found a miracle product that clears it up, but what seems to help are the following:

• Differin gel (or any adapalene product)
• La Roche Posay Toleriane Matte Moisturizer 
• Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment with Salicylic Acid Liquid Pimple Patch for Painful Acne 1 oz / 30 mL  - this stuff is AMAZING for those deep pimples as they're forming
• Dr. Zenovia Skincare Advanced Retinol Night Repair Treatment 1.5 oz/ 45 mL - I find that this stuff works great for both anti-aging and acne, I wake up with my skin feeling refreshed and somewhat healed
• Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel Pads  - I use these about 3-4x a week

[magmagf454]

For me, I get hormonal acne, and I have tried extensive routines and all kinds of stuff to treat it!! Typically by hormonal acne I mean a few pimples and some clogged pores. I use Glossier skincare (works for my skin type!) and have a compact routine and found that to work. Even more important than my routine is my diet. Ive been on one for a couple days and Ive  seen major improvement! Usually I have a couple of pimples and clogged pores so nothing major really but it has really helped me and I think will help you. Foods I focus on are 1 spoonful of garlic and honey because its super anti microbial, foods high in protein, selenium, and mostly veggies. I drink tumeric ginger tea and liquid chlorophyll in water every morning. Foods like salmon, carrots, flaxseed, avocado and kiwi are very good. Foods I avoid are dairy products, greasy or highly processed foods, chocolate and excess sugar, and excess carbs. I really think skincare without a healthy diet is not anywhere as effective as a simple routine and a healthy diet, and I see great changes in my skin already, healing and clearing within less than a week. Im sure in weeks and months to come consistency will be the key to happy skin!! Hope this helped!! 

[Suzy108]

I have the same issue and I found a lot of improvement with the inkey list products (vitamin c & symbright during the day) and inkey list and biossance products at night (HA, nicinimide, omega water cream, novoretin, omega water cream & biossance squalene to seal it all in & on alt nights the biossance lactic acid resurfacing sleep in mask & omega water cream & squalene). Hope it helps