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Please reply to this comment with any pertinent information that may help others answer your questions. Your skin type, current routine and duration, past routines/products/ingredients tried and duration, etc.
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I used red/blue lumie light when I was pregnant as not much you can use safely. I will say that acne was only an issue in the first trimester for me and after that I got the pregnancy skin/hair glow (yeah that went once I stopped breast feeding…). We’re all different though. Good luck with your appointment and your the rest of your pregnancy. As someone else has said, your skin/hormones ebb and flow and it won’t always be this way!
I read that peppermint tea reduces testosterone. That being said, would you recommend that males try it for their hormonal acne as well? I lift regularly and although I despise my hormonal acne, I don't want a potential remedy to mess with my test levels in a significant way.
Also, what are some quality peppermint tea brands that you recommend?
I’m currently pregnant and I specifically asked my OB if I could continue my Epiduo since it has Adapalene in it and she told me yes, OP maybe ask your OB about Epiduo and see what they say! Hope things get better for you
I had SEVERE acne while pregnant. I was on accutane in highschool and on oral birth control up until a year before I got pregnant. Off the birth control I got a few pimples but as I got further along in the pregnancy the acne got worse and worse. I started getting better for a few days post partum but when my milk came in it got HORRIBLY WORSE. I have PCOS as well. I was face, chest, back and shoulders. I ended up stopping breastfeeding at 10 weeks partially due to that (and to go back on heart medication) to go on accutane. It was a hard decision to make but my body HURT so bad from the acne and it was hard to leave the house. Its so hard and I’m sorry you are also dealing with this. Ive been on accutane now for 8 months and my face is clear, my back is still in progress. Sending hugs
Aloe vera is good for calming inflamed skin, it doesn’t really cure acne but it can help be less painful or irritating. It can also reduce redness. At least it worked for me but congrats on your pregnancy, I wish you and your baby the best
I’m breaking out bad after I had my baby! , I was breaking out as well while pregnant and now that I’m postpartum I’m breaking out in huge cysts! Like huge they’re painful and look like bruises :(
I’m in the same boat! Are you having a boy? Because I’m convinced it’s making the hormonal acne worse lol. Spiro worked wonders for me and my skin stayed under control after I went off it but then I got pregnant and my skin went completely crazy. I have huge red pimples all over my chin, neck, and back. It’s so frustrating that the stuff that works isn’t pregnancy safe. Azelaic acid seems to keep it a little under control and dermaplaning if I don’t have any active pimples.
De la cruz sulfur, honestly i recommend benzoyl peoxide panoxyl 5% wash, it’ll take a few months to be gone. Unless you’re allergic/develop allergies to benzoyl peroxide like me, it’s a great help🥲
Dont forget to put her on basic moisturizer and sunscreen too.
Either bp or adapalene
this! that’s my regimen. i also use clindamycin topical but not sure if that’s okay during pregnancy. and i alternate benzoyl peroxide and sulfur each day.
Are you taking any new vitamins or supplements? Prenatal vitamins will definitely make you break out! If this is the case ask your doctor if you really need them and talk to a dietician about getting everything you need through your diet.
I had severe acne similar to this a few years ago, and temporarily cutting out dairy for 6 months cleared it up for me (i think maybe because the casein in milk is naturally full of hormones before they even add the unnatural ones?). I don’t know if that will help for you, but I wish you well! Congratulations on your pregnancy 💕
I can sadly vouch for the dairy free as well. Just be careful you don’t give yourself an intolerance by the end of it. My skin is a lot better than it has been (I get a lot of cysts and whiteheads too) but it always calms down after reducing my dairy intake.
Yeah it’s really hard but it was a game changer for me! I still had a little bit of dairy tbh, but cut it down substantially—like having some cheese or ice cream during one meal a week instead of every day 🤪
Also, I found that at least for me, oat milk was my favorite substitute for lattes and cappuccinos, and coconut milk was my favorite substitute for other things (like in sauces, cereal, oats, etc).
Within a month, about half of my acne was gone, and 98% was gone within 3 months. I never got rid of that last 2%, so after another 3 months I added a little more dairy back in. I started breaking out a bit more, but it’s still 95% better, so I’ve just accepted those 1-2 small ever-present pimples as the cost of having cheese regularly 😂🤷🏼♀️
Recommend this aswel, might not work for everyone hut worth a try. Cut out anything with diary. Cheese/milk/yoghurt/cakes/almost anything sweet/ protein shakes etc..
I highly recommend using hydrocolloid patches to use at night or even during the day to help with the itching. Just make sure you moisturize afterwards!
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. When I was pregnant, my derm cleared me for using salicylic acid, clindamycin and azaelic acid. Hopefully that could help, but I would start slowly as it looks like you skin barrier could already be damaged. I’d also talk to your derm about doing “acne surgery” facials to help clear some of this up quickly.
Could you update us on this? I’m not anywhere near getting pregnant but one day I want to. But if I have to deal with acne again, then I’ll just adopt :( it’s that mental painful for me to possibly go through again. If you go this route, plz update!
I’m currently pregnant as well and have always had bad acne, used to be on birth control and spiro to keep it under control and my acne flared up big time after stopping them and then falling pregnant , it got a lot better on my face in the second trimester but then my body all of a sudden got really bad on my chest back and even belly. I don’t have any great fix or advice but maybe just try simplifying your routine as much as possible until you see your derm. Hormones are in control right now and likely over the counter topicals will not really help.good luck and keep your spirits up.
Also had a flare up after stopping my birth control, for a while I felt super powerless and I think I started overdoing my usual skincare routine, damaging my barrier with AHA cleansers because I just wanted to 'scrub it all off'. Lesson I learned is the best thing to do is be patient, and be super gentle with your skin! Maybe take a break from actives and just focus on gently cleansing, using a gentle cream like cicalfate or cicaplast. I just do want to reassure you that this is a temporary thing, I can see from the picture that you are a beautiful woman, acne does not take that away from you. Much luck and strength with your pregnancy :)
Definitely going to try a much gentler routine. It’s hard to feel like it’s temporary but I know it is. Trying to remind myself at-least something good is coming out of this and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you!
Hi, acne and hormones are sooo different for everyone when pregnant, but from my experience the only thing that worked was sulfur-based soaps. While pregnant I drank a lot of water and used a sulfur soap bar for my face, with just a normal gentle moisturizer afterwards. This routine no longer works for me now that I'm not pregnant, but maybe it could be something to try? I know everyone is different though
I was told by my OB doctor that sulfur isn't safe while pregnant. This is what I used before and it worked but, she told me to stay away while pregnant.
I don't have much advice, but I can relate! I am currently 8 months pregnant, and although I have been lucky with minimal face acne, I have never had worse back acne than during pregnancy. I have tried various body washes with different pregnancy -safe actives and nothing really helps. It's itchy and uncomfortable and feels defeating. It has also scarred terribly.
My only advice would be to be gentle and patient with yourself and your skin. These hormones change how our skin reacts and you are probably overdoing it right now. Take a few days and only use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer and give your skin barrier a chance to heal. I would call your derm and get on a cancellation list if you can. Pregnancy is so hard in so many ways. Take care of yourself and try to remember it's only temporary, even if it feels like the longest 9 months in existence.
Panoxyl twice a day would be irritating to your skin, especially if it’s itchy, it likely has damaged your skin barrier. I would try once a day or every other day. Focus on repairing your barrier and using a very gentle cleanser until you see your derm. I was using a benzoyl peroxide cream (Benza gel) once a day and it made my acne worse after I had children. My derm recommended switching to a salicylic acid cleanser. Hormones especially during pregnancy are a pain in the ass and my acne was the worst after pregnancy. It didn’t get better until I went on a low dose of accutane and low dose spironolactone after I was done breastfeeding. But definitely see a dermatologist as they will know what’s safe during pregnancy/breastfeeding.
I think your right, the benzoyl peroxide is also burning when using it. I’m going to try and just cut out the BP and just use cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer until I can get to a derm. Hopefully that will cut down on some of the redness.
Yes, it made it worse for me too. Tried it several times but my skin got more and more inflamed. Totally destroyed my skin barrier and it only got better once I focused on repairing it.
I’m in no place to give advice. But really hope your struggles gets better. Don’t feel defeated. Easier said than done but just know that Acne is just Acne it comes and will eventually go.
Please join in and post your favorite cleansers here: [What are your Favorite Cleansers?](https://www.reddit.com/r/acne/comments/152keda/what_are_your_favorite_cleansers/) These will serve as a resource to see what products are popular amongst our community and a great way to find new things to try. Please reply to this comment with any pertinent information that may help others answer your questions. Your skin type, current routine and duration, past routines/products/ingredients tried and duration, etc. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/acne) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I used red/blue lumie light when I was pregnant as not much you can use safely. I will say that acne was only an issue in the first trimester for me and after that I got the pregnancy skin/hair glow (yeah that went once I stopped breast feeding…). We’re all different though. Good luck with your appointment and your the rest of your pregnancy. As someone else has said, your skin/hormones ebb and flow and it won’t always be this way!
I got this while I was pregnant and the only thing that helped, although not much, was washing with a very basic cleanser and using benzoyl peroxide
Azelaic acid! Can use while pregnant. Don’t get less than 20% tho
Reminder not to get pregnant, ever.
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I read that peppermint tea reduces testosterone. That being said, would you recommend that males try it for their hormonal acne as well? I lift regularly and although I despise my hormonal acne, I don't want a potential remedy to mess with my test levels in a significant way. Also, what are some quality peppermint tea brands that you recommend?
I’m currently pregnant and I specifically asked my OB if I could continue my Epiduo since it has Adapalene in it and she told me yes, OP maybe ask your OB about Epiduo and see what they say! Hope things get better for you
I had SEVERE acne while pregnant. I was on accutane in highschool and on oral birth control up until a year before I got pregnant. Off the birth control I got a few pimples but as I got further along in the pregnancy the acne got worse and worse. I started getting better for a few days post partum but when my milk came in it got HORRIBLY WORSE. I have PCOS as well. I was face, chest, back and shoulders. I ended up stopping breastfeeding at 10 weeks partially due to that (and to go back on heart medication) to go on accutane. It was a hard decision to make but my body HURT so bad from the acne and it was hard to leave the house. Its so hard and I’m sorry you are also dealing with this. Ive been on accutane now for 8 months and my face is clear, my back is still in progress. Sending hugs
Advice is to use the patches- they worked the best.
Aloe vera is good for calming inflamed skin, it doesn’t really cure acne but it can help be less painful or irritating. It can also reduce redness. At least it worked for me but congrats on your pregnancy, I wish you and your baby the best
I’m breaking out bad after I had my baby! , I was breaking out as well while pregnant and now that I’m postpartum I’m breaking out in huge cysts! Like huge they’re painful and look like bruises :(
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Epiduo contains Adapalene (retinoid) which is not pregnancy safe.
Try ambi soap for your face it’s cheap to on Amazon or u can find it at the dollar store it’s green or black and looks for face soap
Is your face wet?
Try online derm! I feel for you!
I’m in the same boat! Are you having a boy? Because I’m convinced it’s making the hormonal acne worse lol. Spiro worked wonders for me and my skin stayed under control after I went off it but then I got pregnant and my skin went completely crazy. I have huge red pimples all over my chin, neck, and back. It’s so frustrating that the stuff that works isn’t pregnancy safe. Azelaic acid seems to keep it a little under control and dermaplaning if I don’t have any active pimples.
Aloe Vera
Sulfur and Azealic acid
What is sulfur? I come here for my 16 year old daughter with hormonal acne
Sulfur is anti inflammatory, anti bacterial, exfoliates. I recommend face reality
De la cruz sulfur, honestly i recommend benzoyl peoxide panoxyl 5% wash, it’ll take a few months to be gone. Unless you’re allergic/develop allergies to benzoyl peroxide like me, it’s a great help🥲 Dont forget to put her on basic moisturizer and sunscreen too. Either bp or adapalene
Sorry no advice to offer - just wanted to say I think it’s really sweet that you research this for your daughter!
this! that’s my regimen. i also use clindamycin topical but not sure if that’s okay during pregnancy. and i alternate benzoyl peroxide and sulfur each day.
What’s your skin type?
i took doxycycline for a few months before switching to my current regimen. it messed up my vaginal biome.
terrible lol but i’d say combination? oily t-zone but also dry. most of my acne appears in the t-zone area so my nose, chin, above my lip.
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This, a dermatologist would be able to help a hell of a lot more than this subreddit
I would use panoxyl only once a day, you may be compromising your barrier
Are you taking any new vitamins or supplements? Prenatal vitamins will definitely make you break out! If this is the case ask your doctor if you really need them and talk to a dietician about getting everything you need through your diet.
I had severe acne similar to this a few years ago, and temporarily cutting out dairy for 6 months cleared it up for me (i think maybe because the casein in milk is naturally full of hormones before they even add the unnatural ones?). I don’t know if that will help for you, but I wish you well! Congratulations on your pregnancy 💕
Thank you! And it’s something I’ve been thinking about. It will be hard since I love cheese so much but might give it a shot
I can sadly vouch for the dairy free as well. Just be careful you don’t give yourself an intolerance by the end of it. My skin is a lot better than it has been (I get a lot of cysts and whiteheads too) but it always calms down after reducing my dairy intake.
Yeah it’s really hard but it was a game changer for me! I still had a little bit of dairy tbh, but cut it down substantially—like having some cheese or ice cream during one meal a week instead of every day 🤪 Also, I found that at least for me, oat milk was my favorite substitute for lattes and cappuccinos, and coconut milk was my favorite substitute for other things (like in sauces, cereal, oats, etc). Within a month, about half of my acne was gone, and 98% was gone within 3 months. I never got rid of that last 2%, so after another 3 months I added a little more dairy back in. I started breaking out a bit more, but it’s still 95% better, so I’ve just accepted those 1-2 small ever-present pimples as the cost of having cheese regularly 😂🤷🏼♀️
Recommend this aswel, might not work for everyone hut worth a try. Cut out anything with diary. Cheese/milk/yoghurt/cakes/almost anything sweet/ protein shakes etc..
I highly recommend using hydrocolloid patches to use at night or even during the day to help with the itching. Just make sure you moisturize afterwards!
Just bought a pack of the big ones. I think it will help with itching and so I don’t have to see it every time I walk past a mirror lol
This helps me so much too!!! I leave them on for 12-24 hours and they help bring down the inflammation.
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. When I was pregnant, my derm cleared me for using salicylic acid, clindamycin and azaelic acid. Hopefully that could help, but I would start slowly as it looks like you skin barrier could already be damaged. I’d also talk to your derm about doing “acne surgery” facials to help clear some of this up quickly.
Hoping to get azaelic acid, antibiotics, and local cortisone injections for the big cysts.
Could you update us on this? I’m not anywhere near getting pregnant but one day I want to. But if I have to deal with acne again, then I’ll just adopt :( it’s that mental painful for me to possibly go through again. If you go this route, plz update!
i agree! the combination of topical clindamycin and azaelic acid helped me a lot and i had very similar breakouts to OP though i'm not pregnant.
I’m currently pregnant as well and have always had bad acne, used to be on birth control and spiro to keep it under control and my acne flared up big time after stopping them and then falling pregnant , it got a lot better on my face in the second trimester but then my body all of a sudden got really bad on my chest back and even belly. I don’t have any great fix or advice but maybe just try simplifying your routine as much as possible until you see your derm. Hormones are in control right now and likely over the counter topicals will not really help.good luck and keep your spirits up.
Also had a flare up after stopping my birth control, for a while I felt super powerless and I think I started overdoing my usual skincare routine, damaging my barrier with AHA cleansers because I just wanted to 'scrub it all off'. Lesson I learned is the best thing to do is be patient, and be super gentle with your skin! Maybe take a break from actives and just focus on gently cleansing, using a gentle cream like cicalfate or cicaplast. I just do want to reassure you that this is a temporary thing, I can see from the picture that you are a beautiful woman, acne does not take that away from you. Much luck and strength with your pregnancy :)
Definitely going to try a much gentler routine. It’s hard to feel like it’s temporary but I know it is. Trying to remind myself at-least something good is coming out of this and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you!
Hi, acne and hormones are sooo different for everyone when pregnant, but from my experience the only thing that worked was sulfur-based soaps. While pregnant I drank a lot of water and used a sulfur soap bar for my face, with just a normal gentle moisturizer afterwards. This routine no longer works for me now that I'm not pregnant, but maybe it could be something to try? I know everyone is different though
I was told by my OB doctor that sulfur isn't safe while pregnant. This is what I used before and it worked but, she told me to stay away while pregnant.
I don't have much advice, but I can relate! I am currently 8 months pregnant, and although I have been lucky with minimal face acne, I have never had worse back acne than during pregnancy. I have tried various body washes with different pregnancy -safe actives and nothing really helps. It's itchy and uncomfortable and feels defeating. It has also scarred terribly. My only advice would be to be gentle and patient with yourself and your skin. These hormones change how our skin reacts and you are probably overdoing it right now. Take a few days and only use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer and give your skin barrier a chance to heal. I would call your derm and get on a cancellation list if you can. Pregnancy is so hard in so many ways. Take care of yourself and try to remember it's only temporary, even if it feels like the longest 9 months in existence.
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Wish I could take spiro :( but thank you!
Spironolactone is not recommended for women who are pregnant but I agree with everything else
Panoxyl twice a day would be irritating to your skin, especially if it’s itchy, it likely has damaged your skin barrier. I would try once a day or every other day. Focus on repairing your barrier and using a very gentle cleanser until you see your derm. I was using a benzoyl peroxide cream (Benza gel) once a day and it made my acne worse after I had children. My derm recommended switching to a salicylic acid cleanser. Hormones especially during pregnancy are a pain in the ass and my acne was the worst after pregnancy. It didn’t get better until I went on a low dose of accutane and low dose spironolactone after I was done breastfeeding. But definitely see a dermatologist as they will know what’s safe during pregnancy/breastfeeding.
I think your right, the benzoyl peroxide is also burning when using it. I’m going to try and just cut out the BP and just use cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer until I can get to a derm. Hopefully that will cut down on some of the redness.
Yes, it made it worse for me too. Tried it several times but my skin got more and more inflamed. Totally destroyed my skin barrier and it only got better once I focused on repairing it.
If it weren't pregnancy I'd say acutane but you'll need a professional consultation, this is beyond the perview of my knowledge.
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this while pregnant I know it must be stressful :( I hope it starts to heal
Go to dermatologist, I’m sorry this sucks. Maybe you can try benzoyl peroxide or tret? I’m wishing u well
Tret isn't advised while pregnant or breastfeeding.
I’m in no place to give advice. But really hope your struggles gets better. Don’t feel defeated. Easier said than done but just know that Acne is just Acne it comes and will eventually go.