Acne

[arturia]

Hi ladies, anyone else have horrible acne?

I have acne even without pregnancy. I'm fairly certain it's hormonal as nothing has ever really gotten it to go away completely, although some things do cut it down. I haven't been diagnosed with PCOS; I still had regular cycles pre-pregnancy where I was obviously ovulating, and a pre-pregnancy ultrasound didn't identify anything wrong with my ovaries either.

So anyways, my problem is right now I have horrific acne all over my back. I have zits that I can't see but dh says are terrible all the way from my shoulders to the small of my back! Some on my boobs as well but it's mostly managable. Bits on my face and although it's clear-ish most days, it's disgustingly oily. (my skin is oily as a standard but it's even oily on my cheeks now) I get that being pregnant increases sebum production, but this is getting ridiculous.

So, anyone have any way to get rid of this or at least cut it down? Since it's on my back, daily product use is likely out of the question. Should I be asking my doctor about this?

 

[GoldenRatio]

Hey hun! sounds like my situation. I had regular cycles and no cysts however i was diagnosed with PCOS due to hormonal inbalance. One doc said yes u have it and other said no, not sure who to believe. I just accepted the fact that my hormones are messed p and tried fixing it before pregnancy.

I cut out dairy and sugar which made me lose weight and clear my acne. When i got pregnant, i started eating everthing and not diet. All the acne came back. My back, boobs, face filled with it. Some weeks it gets better but then it comes back even worse. Putting strech mark oil on my belly makes it even worse! because now i have bumps on mu belly and lower back too.

Couple things i found that helps if you are not lazy like me.

Nutmeg/honey/cinnamon mask for drying the acne
Turmeric/honey/yogurt mask for scars
I got lemon salt vodka scrub from lush that helps my body acne, drying tho!

Also I cut out dairy again because I get lots of acne and constipation when i consume dairy.

 

[arturia]

I tried cutting out milk pre-pregnancy. It helped a bit, for a couple cycles, and then stopped. I just felt like I was denying myself something I liked for no benefit by that point. I'm not super interested in cutting out sugar completely in part because I can't: Flavorless water currently makes me feel disgusted, I can't force myself to drink it, and I've already struggled with dehydration from not drinking enough. I'd rather drink water mixed with fruit juice and suffer the consequences. Also I have enough to worry about without removing all enjoyable food that's left to me. (not sayin' I eat sugar all day, but I'm eating more fruit than I ever did and I don't want to deny myself all candy for the next 6 months either, I'm stressed enough.)

I'm not good with masks, and the worst problem is my back, so I can't exactly rub stuff all over it every day, so unfortunately that other stuff is out too.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

 

[GoldenRatio]

I didnt cut sugar during pregnancy and even pre-pregnancy it was refined sugar not natural sugars like fruits and such.

I think hormonal acne cant be fixed from outside, you can buy expensive pregnancy safe skincare but i dont think they gonna work. I try different masks to make the scars better but definitly wont stop acne coming.

I would try cutting milk, cheese, yogurt and creams for a week. Mine takes a week to see improvement. Plus i still use coffee cream, and eat dessert and chocolate that may contain dairy. I just dont consume dairy in large quantity like having a piece of cheese or icecream.

 

[arturia]

Like I said, I cut it for months before pregnancy and it didn't stop my acne. I'm not convinced it'll stop it now.

Maybe I should ask my doctor. Even when I did use product (I don't currently) I ended up with burned skin after a week from a supposedly mild salicylic acid mixture.

 

[GoldenRatio]

Yea i heard some doctors do give creams. My doctor said its normal and didnt give me anything hehe She was annoyed that i even asked. I guess some of us dont get to glow during pregnancy

Let me know if you find anything or if ur doctor gives anything. Good luck!

 

[arturia]

Yea i heard some doctors do give creams. My doctor said its normal and didnt give me anything hehe She was annoyed that i even asked. I guess some of us dont get to glow during pregnancy

Let me know if you find anything or if ur doctor gives anything. Good luck!

I will. I really hope my doc offers something because this isn't a few whiteheads here and there, this is akin to the worst teenage acne all down my back. Needless to say I won't be swimming any time soon.

 

[Teach123]

Sudocrem works wonders on spots. It calms the redness down and dries them out quicker.i would speak to doc for longer term solution x

 

[GoldenRatio]

Sudocrem works wonders on spots. It calms the redness down and dries them out quicker.i would speak to doc for longer term solution x

hmmm i got some at home, gonna try tonight hehe

 

[2have4kids]

I use a pump soap with a small bit of antibiotic in it and have a scrub mitt to exfoliate and keep the dead skin off from clogging pores. I also find the odd tan or bit in the sun helps dry things up but I don't recommend this for long term solution. My acne is homone related, it completely goes away with pregnancy and comes back along with tough chin hairs when I'm not pregnant. I think it's estrogen dominance.

Yours could be hormone related if you get it in the T-zone and/ or chin area or food related if not. You could try allergy or intolerance testing if you think it's food related. If you get them after waxing ensure you wash with hydrogen peroxide over the newly waxed areas.

 

[Jessicahide]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Australian-Bodycare-Ketsugo-Spray-75ml/dp/B000XZDM7K


xxxx

 

[03babysquish]

I use organic coconut oil with tea tree oil mixed in after I get out of the shower. I don't use any soaps with fragrances, and buy an organic soap that is made for me by a business called Brazen Bees. If you tell her what is going on, she will make you something, and it is pretty cheap. As soon as I started using it, it all went away!

 

[arturia]

I get them T zone mostly yes. I gave up on keeping most of my hair trimmed after I got an ingrown hair though. I'd just get itchy bumps and it was uncomfortable. I also wash with fragranceless soap because I have some sort of allergy that used to give me occasional random hives after washing.

Jeez my skin is so awful.

 

[GoldenRatio]

I use a pump soap with a small bit of antibiotic in it and have a scrub mitt to exfoliate and keep the dead skin off from clogging pores. I also find the odd tan or bit in the sun helps dry things up but I don't recommend this for long term solution. My acne is homone related, it completely goes away with pregnancy and comes back along with tough chin hairs when I'm not pregnant. I think it's estrogen dominance.

Yours could be hormone related if you get it in the T-zone and/ or chin area or food related if not. You could try allergy or intolerance testing if you think it's food related. If you get them after waxing ensure you wash with hydrogen peroxide over the newly waxed areas.

What is bump soap? Does it hav the antibiotic in it already?

 

[2have4kids]

I use a pump soap with a small bit of antibiotic in it and have a scrub mitt to exfoliate and keep the dead skin off from clogging pores. I also find the odd tan or bit in the sun helps dry things up but I don't recommend this for long term solution. My acne is homone related, it completely goes away with pregnancy and comes back along with tough chin hairs when I'm not pregnant. I think it's estrogen dominance.

Yours could be hormone related if you get it in the T-zone and/ or chin area or food related if not. You could try allergy or intolerance testing if you think it's food related. If you get them after waxing ensure you wash with hydrogen peroxide over the newly waxed areas.

What is bump soap? Does it hav the antibiotic in it already?

A PUMP soap doesn't spread skin infections like a bar soap will in the shower. And you should use something that will treat the wounds as if they're infected just so that it doesn't spread ie either by seeing a doctor to get a cream to help you heal or get a pump soap that's slightly antibiotic. The one I use is called Tersaseptic. Or you can google alternatives. Here are the reviews:
https://well.ca/products/tersaseptic_7279.html

But do make sure you're scrubbing to exfoliate as well so that you're not constantly dealing with blocked pores by either dead skin or clogged oil.

 

[GoldenRatio]

I use a pump soap with a small bit of antibiotic in it and have a scrub mitt to exfoliate and keep the dead skin off from clogging pores. I also find the odd tan or bit in the sun helps dry things up but I don't recommend this for long term solution. My acne is homone related, it completely goes away with pregnancy and comes back along with tough chin hairs when I'm not pregnant. I think it's estrogen dominance.

Yours could be hormone related if you get it in the T-zone and/ or chin area or food related if not. You could try allergy or intolerance testing if you think it's food related. If you get them after waxing ensure you wash with hydrogen peroxide over the newly waxed areas.

What is bump soap? Does it hav the antibiotic in it already?

A PUMP soap doesn't spread skin infections like a bar soap will in the shower. And you should use something that will treat the wounds as if they're infected just so that it doesn't spread ie either by seeing a doctor to get a cream to help you heal or get a pump soap that's slightly antibiotic. The one I use is called Tersaseptic. Or you can google alternatives. Here are the reviews:
https://well.ca/products/tersaseptic_7279.html

But do make sure you're scrubbing to exfoliate as well so that you're not constantly dealing with blocked pores by either dead skin or clogged oil.

Thanks, I'm gonna look into it

 

[GoldenRatio]

Apparently tersaseptic is discontinued, where do u get urs from?

 

[2have4kids]

Walmart, I can still get it. Cetophil has a soap that's similar.

 

[Chiochick]

I also have bad acne pre pregnancy. It's the bane of my existence. I've tried so many brands of face wash and nothing helps.
It flares so much worse during pregnancy. Right now my entire face is covered in bumps. Some of them are cystic and others are whiteheads.
I'm stalking this thread.