40, with acne like a teenager

[sfo_mom]

It happened to me recently, actually last May. I just turned 40 last year, Ive had a nice skin in my teens even in my 20-30's. Then, in May I had clusters of whiteheads along my jawline. I bought products from Murad, Peter Roth Thomas, Origins, Pro Activ. After using all these acne products my whiteheads turned into severe cystic acne left and right. Until last August I've decided to go to a dermatologist. He prescribed me tetracycline and clindamycin topical solution. It cleared my face from cystic acne (which are really stubborn ones and takes months to heal) though I get small pimples (not the painful ones anymore) they just last for few days and doesnt leave dark/red marks on my face that much unlike the cystic scars -they are still here. Luckily, I have only the red marks but not the deep/permanents ones. I guess you need to take antibiotics because it worked for me like 85%. Now my pimples are manageable though my face hasnt cleared totally. I stopped applying salicylic acid on my face. I just wash my face w/ cetaphil gentle cleanser, neutrogena spf15 oil free moisturizer or mario badescu oil free moisturizer, then apply clindamycin at the end am and pm, I just bought this am Neutrogena multivitamins spf15. I went back to basics, no pricey products instead I spend my money on facials (w/ extraction) once a month.
Hope this would help. Good luck!

[loversnow2005]

Hi ,i Hope That This Is News That You Can Use. I To Was In The Same Situation, I'm In My Fifty's And Started Having That Problem Too, I Started Cleansing My System Completly,meanning That I Cleansed All Five Channels ,the Bowels, The Lymphatic System, The Kidneys, The Lungs, And The Skin.i Also Took A Good Candida Cleanse, Then I Started Alkalining My Body, I Ate Good Raw Veggies And Friut, And Drank Alkaline Water .cutting Out All Sugar. I Started A Gentle Excerise Routine And Took Nourishing Green Foods, I Eliminated Stress As Much As I Could Through Deep Breathing, Soft Music Etc..i Hope That This Is News That You Can Use.

[megrijalva]

I am 33, with 4 children, still breastfeeding my almost 3 year old. I have had terrible acne for years. I got some good advice from another thread on this health board regarding acne and it has helped me. I know it is drastic but I wont take any artificial hormones. I have completely cut out sugar and all complex carbs(breads, pasta, white rice, baked goods). Basically I eat oats, hormone free meats, fish(wild), all veggies and fruit, sweet potatoes(few white), herbal teas, brown rice, flourless bread, nuts, plain yogurt. I know it sounds hard but it was so worth it for me to eat better and not have that ugly painful acne staring me in the face. I believe that all the sugars in your system wreaks havoc on certain people's systmes which in turn effects your hormone levels, resulting in acne. Since i have changed my diet I have had VERY few new breakouts and the ones I had(many cystic) are finally clearing up. I have been doing this now for 17 days and noticed improvement in three days. Plus this is a better diet for you so your overall health is better, less disease, slower aging..... Give it a try, I really dont crave sugar anymore and before this I HAD to have it everyday, even if it was a "healthy" dessert.
I do think that some people have weaker livers so can tolerate less bad stuff.

Good Luck!

MG

[lindam]

Originally Posted by megrijalva

I have completely cut out sugar and all complex carbs(breads, pasta, white rice, baked goods).

You mean simple carbs.

I take quite a few supplements which have helped, but cutting back on simple carbs was definitely the most effective thing I did and produced the most drastic improvement. I am completely clear for the first time in 30 years.

You might not have to be so drastic. But cut out the sugary drinks and never eat simple carbs by themselves. Always have protein, fat or high fiber foods with it, preferably first. You can also take fiber supplements when you splurge on a desert or pasta meal. Or just do it before every meal.

Sugar wreaks havoc on everyone's system, it just shows up in different ways. But, yeah, it plays a major role in aging and so many diseases, so cutting out the sugars will make you live longer and look better while you do it.

When my sister and just about everyone else around me started doing the Atkins thing, I didn't want to believe in it. But then my husband got diagnosed with diabetes and I started researching.

Originally Posted by megrijalva

Since i have changed my diet I have had VERY few new breakouts and the ones I had(many cystic) are finally clearing up. I have been doing this now for 17 days and noticed improvement in three days. Plus this is a better diet for you so your overall health is better, less disease, slower aging..... Give it a try, I really dont crave sugar anymore

It's possible something you are still eating is triggering the cysts. My skin got so clear that I was finally able to connect a food that caused the few cysts I still got. Years ago, I figured out that oranges caused the horrible cystic acne I got all along my hairline, jawline, neck and back. But I only figured it out because a coworker had the same issue, but otherwise had perfect skin. Recently I discovered that the limes I bought to drink with water caused the remaining cysts I still got. I've been tested for common allergies and I am allergic to oranges so perhaps that's why. They didn't test for limes.

Ironically, those were both things I ate believing they would be good for my skin.

[Taysmommy]

I have been on Yaz and Spiro for almost a year now. My skin is clear other than a few red scars that should go away with retin-a (Dr. says I shouldn't have too many wrinkles if I use it, too!) I am on yaz and 50mg of spiro. He just bumped me up to 100mg spiro. I told him I have put on 12 lbs in a year. He said I would have to choose if I want to go off the BC pill, but that the combo really is the best. YUCK! I do like the clear face though!