I have acne

Trying acne hacks so you don’t have to

Disclaimer: this is merely a mini documentation of my trials and tribulations with acne treatments. I have yet to find a solution or cure. 

I’ve struggled with breakouts since I hit puberty. Around 13 years old I started breaking out more regularly and labeled myself as someone with bad skin. Now, it’s not shocking that this new label really knocked my confidence. The saddest part is, I had done it to myself. 

When high school rolled around, I began having exaggerated ups and downs about my appearance. But even then, while it didn’t really feel in my control, I still had hope it was something I would grow out of. I’d push my wishful thinking back time and time again as I caught up with the parameters I set: By the time senior year starts my skin will be better. After Christmas break the blemishes will be gone. I really want to have clear skin by graduation, I’ll do everything I can to fix it before then. 

I’m writing about this now because clearly those things never happened. In my shortly lived adult life, I still wake up with a new blemish nearly every day. 

The good news? I don’t care anymore. 

Okay, truthfully, that’s a lie. I still find myself agonizing about my appearance, feeling defeated breakout after breakout, and rolling out the red carpet for negative self-talk. The only difference now is that I’m more conscious of my doing so.  

Presently, I feel like I’ve turned a corner, ever so slightly, in taking ahold of this insecurity. I’m much more aware of what it’s capable of doing to my mental health, and instead of sitting back and letting it beat me, I’ve been investing in ways to feel better about myself despite it. In fact, this blog is an ode to all the acne hacks I’ve put through the ringer; my trials and tribulations if you will.  

I’ve tried some bizarre treatments in the past. For instance, I once used isopropyl rubbing alcohol as a spot treatment. This is a HORRIBLE thing to use on your skin and I would NOT recommend ever trying this on your own face. Rather, I’m sharing this to enlighten you, my dear reader, on how far I’ve come in my skincare journey.  

While I wouldn’t, and probably will never, claim to be some skincare guru, I have tried many methods and learned personally how my skin reacts. 

One of the first major (aka prescribed) acne treatments I tested was Clindamycin toner. This is pretty much what dermatologists will prescribe any preteen entering their office complaining about breakouts. It’s like the gateway drug of acne medications. For me it did nothing. My pimples persisted.  

I tried switching from an abrasive cleanser (anyone remember St. Ives? For some reason I feel like we all collectively used that at one point to really scratch our pores clean) to something gentler, with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, and/or benzoyl peroxide.  

From there I moved onto birth control pills. I was at an age where it served multiple purposes, but a big one for me, that I crossed my fingers for, was hopefully a bridge to a clearer complexion. It’s hard to fully remember now if it ever did much. I think frankly my skin got worse and it never became a lasting remedy as my prescription changed three separate times due to my insurance’s unreliable coverage. Each ‘sister’ prescription reacted with my hormones differently and nothing stayed consistent longer than three months. 

Now in my early twenty’s, with my own stable income, I’ve turned to almost entirely prescriptive methods. Including an IUD (Intrauterine device) I got on a whim during my first Pap smear appointment. By the way, they changed the starting age of those to 25, so I’ll see most of you back there in a couple of years <3. 

Now, an IUD is known for being a trusted form of birth control. But among that, it’s also supposed to help with the raging hormones that are instrumental in creating monstrous period symptoms, which often include acne.  I will say, it has ceased my period entirely, but the breakouts remain. On top of that, my breakouts of changed. I’ve noticed a shift in where I breakout; more consistently on my cheeks, a spot I rarely ever had breakouts in the past.  

While I’m disappointed with this result, it’s been a shrug and move on kind of problem since that IUD is up inside me and not coming out for another five years. So my solution is to work around it. 

Right after I got an IUD, I also signed up for Curology, the brand that specializes in clearing acne with personalized formulas. I stuck with it for a while. I even lasted through the “purging” state. A purge, in the acne world, is when your skin reacts to a new treatment by breaking out even more and usually in places you haven’t had acne before; a getting worse before getting better period of breaking out that you just have to wait out.  

Well, I waited—I really did!

A whole eight months and my skin still didn’t show signs of any improvement.  

I carried on for another two months while beginning to look for other options. I was bummed it wasn’t the solution for me. I even switched my prescription around the five month mark and no changes came with it. My boyfriend was a firsthand user and has effortlessly clear skin, but mine conceded to the breakouts. 

In June of this year, I ditched Curology and moved on to prescription Tretinoin (0.025%). Tretinoin is a topical cream used to treat acne. It’s a prescription strength retinoid that also holds anti-aging properties, lucky me!

There are also all sorts of side effects to scare you away such as dry, flaky skin and redness and irritation which all fall under the “retinization” process of your skin becoming used to the treatment. There is also a purging state for most acne users and a lag of 8-12 weeks (about 3 months) before seeing any noticeable improvement. If that wasn’t enough, the treatment also makes your skin will be more sensitive to the sun, so it’s recommended to be applied at bedtime followed by sunscreen in the morning.  

Unfortunately, it’s been four months, three weeks and two days and my skin still seems to be purging.

I’ve experienced more cheek acne now than I have my entire life, and they typically start and stay deep. The only good news is that even though I haven’t seen much improvement, Tretinoin is supposed to help heal these blemishes quicker and leave my complexion smoother.

In tandem with Tretinoin, I also started taking an oral medication known as Spironolactone. It’s typically used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure but has increasingly been prescribed to treat and prevent acne. It does so by interacting with hormone levels to decrease the skin’s oil production. It is typically only prescribed to females as an acne treatment as it’s known to reduce testosterone levels in males, which can cause a sort of feminization.

While not necessarily a cure, Spironolactone is supposed to help get breakouts under control and can be used long term. To me right now, three months of an oral medication everyday feels pretty long term, but my provider informed me that on average users don’t see results until six months to a year. After that you can continue to take it, or you may stop while continuing to use a topical cream and that should ward off future persistent pimples.

And that’s where I’m at today.

I have yet to find my magical cure, or even a long term realistic one. My skin still has blemishes and active pimple growth. I currently switch between a 5% benzoyl peroxide cleanser, without a cute name or bottle, and a Cerave cleanser (green bottle). I use a couple different moisturizers and try to avoid pore clogging agents, but I don’t know if you all have seen the list of ingredients to avoid, but it’s plentiful and I’m sure I’ve probably missed at least one in the midst of tiny print.  

Ultimately, I’m doing my best with the resources I have and trying to stay consistent and optimistic about the journey ahead. If you’re also struggling with acne or breakouts, just know that you’re not alone.

We haven’t all found a solution, but here’s to hoping I can before my mid-twenties!