Breakouts?

[purplecow0206]

Has anyone gone off BCP and had problems with more breakouts? I swear, my forehead wasn't this bad when I was in high school! Only, now my face is dry and what I used to do when I was a teen is no longer working. I have to be careful with scrubs and other harsher cleansers, but I still am having residual breakout issues.

Any tips, if there is anyone dealing with this?

[Deleted]

Try switching your prenatal vitamins. I found out that the dha was giving me horrible cystic acne so I switched to a vegan PNV. I have also been using a clarisonic and it has gotten better.

[purplecow0206]

I'd love to try the Clarisonic but I just can't justify the price right now...

[Cricket0619]

Mine have been soo bad. I didn't get them right away after going off of bcp, I just started breaking out like a 7th grader in Dec. They are all around my chin and are big. I am now wondering if it is the DHA in my prenatals like someone said. I am thinking of starting pro-active.

[purplecow0206]

I think you're right, I haven't been paying attention to when it is, but I'll have to pay more attention next cycle. I've been looking at trying the oil cleansing method, see if that does anything. I use Cetaphil now and it still dries out my face, but I'm still having breakouts, it sucks!

[bazinga]

Add me to the list of breakouts. My chin is a disaster right now. And it is the week after I ovulated. Not sure about DHA though - off to check my prenatal bottle.

[vmars]

I always break out during my LP/during my period. I take DHA prenatals but I don't think that's the issue...I think it's just hormones. I use the clarisonic, Alba's pineapple cleanser and moisturizing lotion. I use clean & clear spot treatment on my zits.

[pooh8402]

Breakouts here too. I've had zits this entire cycle, it sucks. They've been worse this cycle than any other. I'm about 5 or 6 months removed from bc and I'm taking vegan PNVs (I just checked and I don't think they have DHA either). So I dunno.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using proboards

[lo]

My skin is flawless on BCP. Off them, not so much!! I also get them majorly on my chin, which I never had before. I am pretty sure it's hormonal for me because I got it before I was on PNVs, too. I invested in a good concealer, lol.

[belovedbride07]

My acne was kind of better on BCP, but not great.  I just bought myself some eye cream and face cream and was complaining to DH that I wouldn't be so upset about aging if I could have had a few good years without acne first! 

[goodygumdrop]

I have had acne since coming off bcp.  I never really had acne as a teen and now its all around my hairline and on my back.  They are tiny bumps, but they stick around forever, and new ones keep cropping up! Sorry I have no advice, just wanted to let you know you aren't alone.

[belovedbride07]

Mar 9, 2013 9:58:24 GMT -5 milsaroo said:

Mar 8, 2013 22:39:32 GMT -5 @callmefia said:

I've been an oil cleanse person for a year and I highly recommend.  

Link?

This is where I first read about it:

www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

I did it for quite a while, using a mix of safflower and castor oil.  My skin seemed to really like it, but I never figured out what to do about the oily towels--it's really hard to get out!  That's the only thing keeping me from starting again, so if Merida has any advice, I'll take it.

[thoseareradishes]

I haven't noticed more pimples since coming off BCP (I get the occasional pimple both on and off BCP), but my skin has been very dry and sensitive since stopping BCP and I can't use anything on it except Aquaphor, or else I get a bumpy red rash. I've complained about it often on here (sorry!). I stopped taking my prenatal vitamin and only take a folic acid now, and that helped clear it up a little. It is very frustrating .

[simpsongal]

Mar 8, 2013 16:21:08 GMT -5 mekiakoo said:

Yep. It sucks. It comes and goes, mostly on my face on my hairline and chin. I also notice I have more bumps on my back too. It's depressing.

I'll sit here and wait for advice too.

Another in the bad skin club since going off BCP - it's been awful.  I have no advice and I have no solutions but cover-up

[tarheels]

So, sorry to sound like an infomercial, but I have the answer!! I've been off BCP for 9 months and my skin got bad soon after, but it was downright awful in Jan/Feb - my skin didn't look like that in high school! So I started googling and found this stuff: amzn.com/B0053L2E1O

It's called African Black Soap and I have no idea why it works, but the Internet is full of thousands of people saying it worked for them. And me too! I've been using it 4 weeks now, through a full cycle, so I can say with confidence that it works for me. I had bumps on my hairline that wouldn't go away - gone. My forehead had constant small pimples all over it - gone.

The one thing it can't take care of for me is the single, giant, Mt Vesuvius pimple I get right before O every month. (My mom gets these - anyone else have these as an indicator?) But not even 10% benzoyl peroxide spot cream can get rid of it til it's ready to go away when the hormones level out, so I don't fault the soap.

I does dry me out around my cheeks and chin, so I follow with this: amzn.com/B0053L2E1O The 2 oz size is more than enough - and they have it in those little boxes around the register line at Sephora if you want to pick it up.

If you have oily skin, some reviews of the soap said to follow with witch hazel as a toner. That was too much for me, but it's a nice natural complement.

[purplecow0206]

I just got my supplies for an oil cleaning batch (a small amount of castor oil, and the rest filled up with half sunflower oil and half olive oil, with a few drops of lavender essential oil) and my face feels really good. I'll report back in a week or so if anyone's interested.

[Deleted]

I have been breaking out too. Mainly in my hairline and chin. It stinks. I really haven't found anything that helps yet.

[thoseareradishes]

I was at Whole Foods this morning and they had the African black soap- I don't think it is as authentic as the one TarHeels linked, but it was all natural and only $3.99.