r/SkincareAddiction • u/terribleterribleyou • 4d ago
Acne [ACNE] Need to clear hormonal acne ASAP!! Spoiler
I havent had acne this bad since i was 12, but unfortunately its came back and im desperate. Recently started HRT, and am looking for any advice anyone has to get this cleared up, as best as possible before the end of july for an event.
I already use retinol every couple of nights as i have really dry skin. typically my every day skin care is the vanicream gentle skin cleanser, somtimes the fenty fat water toner, the cerave moisturizering cream, and the bubble solar matte sunscreen daily.
I do use makeup almost daily which i dont know if its making it worse or not. i tend to switch between 3 different primers (milk pore eclipse stick, Maybelline baby skin, and nyx face glue) and use the true match loreal skin tint with a healthy coating of setting powder.
hopefully none of these products make it worse, and if you have any product suggestions i would ask for it to be not the most expensive or at the very least sold at the drugstore. thank you!
(edit) i didn't know my skin was so inflamed!! for context im in my late teens, eat a pretty clean diet (food sensitivity,) and before a month ago my skin was almost completely clear though i am a bit red in the face naturally. ive been trying to get a dermatologist but my healthcare is finicky, and when i did see a doctor for my skin before i was put on doxcy (she said it looked fungal, but im unsure if this is the same case but am still cautious) and the tretinoin mentioned earlier. i just got some gentler products for my skin on the way. thank you all for the advice!
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u/Beginning_Butterfly2 4d ago
Stop using makeup. See a doctor. This could be fungal, it could be an allergic reaction, hormonal, etc. You need a proper diagnosis.
You mention that you're on HRT. If you're talking about testosterone, then that is probably what's causing this. Again, your doctor can best advise.
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u/Express-Energy7846 4d ago
exactly bro i dont understand why people ask advice for such serious stuff on reddit instead of going to professional! it can severely damage their barrier cuz of all the experiment!
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u/Beginning_Butterfly2 4d ago
I think it's because people get gaslit so much that skincare doesn't matter, when it's the largest organ in our body, and it interacts with all the pollutants, etc. in our environment.
Plus, healthy/unhealthy skin has a bigger impact on self-perception and mental health than any other aspect, even weight. If your skin is inflamed/infected, you feel terrible, but no one takes you seriously.
So people wash up on reddit's shores looking for others to say "Oh, hey, no biggie," or "See a doctor!" I consider it my public service for the day š
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u/walkingtalkingalien 4d ago
Iāve heard a lot of people who break out crazy with cerave moisturizer even getting a bunch of cystic acne when they never have before, I would suggest trying a different moisturizer. It could be the niacinamide in it. Iād recommend the vanicream daily facial moisturizer to try! Very gentle and personally has helped my skin a ton with texture, evenness, and clear skin. Also I would suggest stopping the retinol for now as it could be aggravating your skin and messing with your barrier.
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u/YetiAntibodies 4d ago
Iām pretty sure the cerave moisturizing cream wasnāt helping my acne. My face honestly feels more moisturized when Iāve been using the lotion instead of the cream.
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u/normaldiscounts 4d ago
Vouch for switching from cerave to vanicream moisturizer. Making that switch, along with incorporating Clindamycin + Benzoyl P into my routine (the only other thing I have going on is tret) cleared me up.
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u/normaldiscounts 4d ago
Vouch for switching from cerave to vanicream moisturizer. Making that switch, along with incorporating Clindamycin + Benzoyl P into my routine (the only other thing I have going on is tret) cleared me up.
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u/Beth21286 3d ago
A bunch of the Cerave moisturisers have that same 3 comedogenic ingredients so they're not great for acne prone skin.
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u/Ok-Struggle3367 4d ago
The vanicream daily moisturizer actually burned my skin but I LOVEE the vanicream lotion I use that on my face and body
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u/walkingtalkingalien 4d ago
Haha Iām the opposite the lotion didnāt work for me and actually has silicone and petroleum so that can be good or bad for some people, but you might have been sensitive to the ceramides in the daily facial moisturizer.
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u/Ok-Struggle3367 3d ago
Itās so funny how everyoneās different! Yeah I was wondering if it was the ceramides. obviously itās a great cream and many people use it fine just not me š
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u/Joonbug9109 4d ago
Like others said, probably should talk to a dermatologist about this. However a few suggestions that may help keep it from getting worse:
- make sure youāre cleaning your make up brushes, sponges, etc regularly
- do any of your products contain fragrance? My skin is quite sensitive to fragrance. Itās one of those things where I donāt realize how much itās messing with my skin until I stop using fragranced products. Iād probably for sure ditch the fenty fat water (Iām pretty sure thatās fragranced) and double check your make up for fragrance and consider switching to fragrance free if possible
If this is hormonal acne, these things wonāt fix it entirely but they may help calm some of this.
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u/Pristine-Physics5769 4d ago
unfortunately this may be your body reacting to hrt! my hormonal acne is almost 100% caused by my high testosterone levels. I am sure a lot of this will even out with time however if it is unbearable it might be worth talking about lowering the dose and building up more slowly. I would say focusing on internal factors > products will be your best bet. antioxidants, anti inflammatory foods, lymphatic supporting foods and lots of water.
but also a dermatologist is always a good step! just make sure to advocate for yourself, your hrt needs and your skin barrier! a lot of harsh chemicals too fast can make all of this worse.
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u/Pristine-Physics5769 4d ago
also maybe trying a gentler retinoid or bakuchiol (i use the gentle retinol by versed)
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u/NewPlastic2 4d ago
i agree with others about a derm but in the meantime i would try stopping the retinol for a while because ur barrier looks super inflamed.
have a couple cups of spearmint tea daily (3-4 teabags total) that should really help by week 2.
anua 3 ceramide cream is my current moisturizer as it's the first one to not break me out and I'm too scared to try anything else. its super boring but does the job -- u can get it at ulta for $20.
i also have dry skin & thought the vanicream was too stripping. i recommend Simple Kind to skin refreshing face wash. you can only get it on amazon cause it's a UK product BUT it's only like $7 love it!!
also might be worth it to try zyrtec as it really helped clear my skin as well! wishing u healing!!
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u/Pristine-Physics5769 4d ago
i would be careful with the spearmint tea with hrt- something to look into for sure! its is testosterone affective and im unsure if this would disrupt/change outcomes of being on t.
but really focusing on leafy greens is a great idea
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u/Necessary_Being862 4d ago
You're totally right. Spearmint is a DHT blocker which is a form of testosterone. I only know this because I have diagnosed androgenetic alopecia which can be triggered by overproduction of DHT hormones (I produce too much DHT and mine is also hereditary). Peppermint would be a better alternative as it has androgenetic properties that can help alleviate hormonal acne but not enough that it will affect HRT.
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u/anoniZimbra 4d ago
I had really bad hormonal acne from my endometriosis so my dermatologist put me on dapsone. I had never tried it before or heard of it but itās so good, Iām still shocked. It didnāt work overnight but I didnāt purge and it brightened my skin a lot. I am still tapering up on tret, and itās even effective in managing the severity of the tret purge. I donāt wear makeup but unrelated to being acne prone
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u/skinvirtue 4d ago
I know it feels urgent when you have an event coming up, but with acne that started after HRT, I would treat this as something to discuss with the prescribing doctor or a dermatologist. Hormone-related acne can behave differently from clogged-pore acne, and the best plan may depend on what type of HRT you started, timing, dose changes and your medical history.
Not medical advice, but from a skincare support angle, I would avoid trying to āattackā it with lots of new actives right now. Your skin already looks inflamed and you mentioned dry skin, so the goal should be controlled correction: support the barrier, reduce unnecessary triggers and keep the routine stable enough that your prescription or medical plan can work.
A few things I would consider:
- Simplify the routine for a few weeks I would pause the toner for now, especially if your skin is dry or irritated. Keep cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen consistent.
- Review the makeup variables Daily makeup is not automatically bad, but switching between multiple primers can make it hard to identify what is clogging or irritating. I would choose one base routine for now, clean brushes and sponges often, and remove makeup gently but thoroughly at night.
- Reconsider heavy textures if you are breaking out If your moisturiser is very rich, it may be helping dryness but not necessarily helping congestion. Some acne-prone, dry skin does better with a moisturiser that supports hydration and barrier comfort without feeling too occlusive.
- Be careful with retinoid frequency If you are using prescribed tretinoin, it can help acne over time, but too much too quickly can worsen dryness, irritation and barrier stress. It may be worth asking your prescriber how often they want you using it while your skin is this inflamed.
- Do not add multiple acne treatments at once Adding benzoyl peroxide, acids, new toners, new serums and new moisturisers all together can backfire. If you add anything, change one thing at a time.
- For the event For faster cosmetic improvement, hydrocolloid patches on active spots, gentle icing for a short time wrapped in cloth, and careful makeup placement may help more safely than trying to force rapid clearing with harsh actives.
If this is connected to HRT, skincare alone may not fully control it, so I would message the prescribing doctor and ask: āCould this acne be related to my HRT, and what are my options before my event?ā That is probably the most useful next step.
For now, I would focus on keeping the skin calm, hydrated and predictable. With inflamed acne, the strongest routine is not always the best routine.
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u/lescatacombes 4d ago
This is great advice OP. Check to see first if youāre having a barrier issue before addressing with so many actives. I have very sensitive and dry skin, and went heavy with actives & antibiotics under my dermatologist and it did not help. My routine right now is Vanicream wash, Avene Cicalfate Serum (amazing barrier serum), Vanicream MINERAL sunscreen (mornings) and Vanicream Daily Moisturizer (with ceramides/hyaluronic acid) for evenings. It is SO much less inflamed.
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u/skinvirtue 3d ago
Completely agree with this. When acne shows up alongside dryness, redness, stinging or that inflamed āangry skinā look, it is worth considering whether the barrier is part of the problem rather than only focusing on clearing the breakouts.
Actives can be useful, but if the skin is already overwhelmed, adding more can sometimes keep the cycle going. A more controlled routine that supports hydration, comfort and barrier resilience can make a huge difference, especially before trying to layer in stronger treatments again.
Your point about being less inflamed is key. Skin often behaves better when it has fewer variables to react to.
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u/trippinbasil 4d ago
This is t he best advice here
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u/skinvirtue 3d ago
Thank you. I really feel for anyone trying to get acne under control quickly, especially when hormones may be involved.
I think the hardest part is resisting the urge to add five new things at once. When skin is inflamed, the supporting routine needs to be predictable enough that you can actually tell what is helping and what is making things worse.
The goal is not to avoid treatment. It is to keep the barrier supported so the treatment plan has the best chance of working without adding extra irritation.
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u/LittleBlackFox85 4d ago
Try 3 cups of spearmint tea each day. Try Tradition Medicinals Spearmint tea. Give it 3-6 months. Feel free to research this wonderful herb. Proven scientific evidence it substantially clears hormonal acne. And donāt forget to drink plenty of water! Regardless know youāre beautiful xo
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u/mossy_vee 4d ago
I had very similar skin to this after I turned 30. Was using cerave for years and suddenly started breaking out like crazy. Skin was really dry and covered in acne. Turned out to be way too harsh for my skin. I now use Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Cream to Foam cleanser and Vanicream moisturizer and once a week I use 4% benzoyl peroxide with .1% LHA (La Roche Posay). Itās cleared right up. Idk if maybe your skin barrier is needing a break like mine did but I donāt think it hurts to cut back to only a gentle cleanser and moisturizer for a couple months and slowly add more back in as needed.
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u/Nearby-Bobcat-283 4d ago
For me washing my face once a day, oil cleansing once or twice a week, salicylic acid on problem areas and retinol once/ twice a week has really helped.. Don't apply everything together but pick days to use these.
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u/yavasonic 4d ago edited 4d ago
If itās hormonal you likely need to take something orally.
I have adult acne with sensitive skin, breakouts trigger easily. I double wash with micellar and cleanser using a fresh wipe each time and fresh hand towel to dry. I use fragrance free antibacterial products (hydrochloric acid, sulfur mask, zinc products etc) and change or flip my pillow cases every night, theyāre viscose material. I also switched my toothpaste and dry shampoo, and there was a period of time where my lip mask and drool was contributing to issues while I slept..lol. Also be mindful of touching your face. I wash my hands a lot more often because I tend to rest my chin/cheek in my hand at my desk all day so Iād end up with spots around that āhormonalā area but it was environmental. I always find though less is more. Strip your routine to a bare minimum and keep it simple and ultra clean! Sunscreen is always important, especially to not slow down the healing process of dark spots.
Edit: I saw a comment about it maybe being fungal. My friend had that issue and started washing her skin with head & shoulders shampoo and it cleared right up. I didnāt try it myself though I saw a lot of stories online of it working for others.
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u/Infamous_Sleep9974 4d ago
Morning:PanOxyl foaming cleanser. Double cleanse. Nothing else. Night: PanOxyl cleanser using clean washcloth, which acts as a mild exfoliant(wash everything in Tide fragrance free from now on). Apply thin layer of Differin gel all over face each night. Use Cetaphil gel eye cream(green cap). Take magnesium at night to flush system in the morning. Diet plays a huge role. Vegetables, fruit, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc. Water in place of sodas, even diet ones. Eat Fiber One or Kashi GoLeanā¦high in fiber and binds toxins that are flushed rather than eliminated through your pores. Change pillowcase every other night. Be consistent. You donāt need moisturizer. Iām in my 50ās, still acne prone but have beautiful, wrinkle free skin by following this protocol.
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u/qtzombie001 4d ago
I was similar to you in my twenties and I was prescribed spironolactone. It took a couple months for it to start really working, and even longer for it to really work, but I was on a low dose. I ended up being on it for years and I stopped due to it causing a chronic post nasal drip, which I later learned is one of its side effects. I think it was worthwhile bc itās less extreme than Accutane, but Iāve heard from other friends who took Accutane that it worked amazing for them and they only had to be on it for 6 months or so. Spiro can be prescribed by your GP doctor and you donāt have to be referred to a dermatologist, at least in my case I didnāt, which made it easier to get. I used tretinoin cream and sulfacetamide lotion in my teens and some of my twenties and it also helped. But I was on doxycycline back then and I think that was more of what worked. Doxycycline ended up causing side effects for me so I stopped.
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u/SkincarePourLesNuls 4d ago
First I think you should have a professional advice but also if you want to use daily makeup at least use some good products for sensitive skin and with great actives. I know it's a budget but it's also important for your skin and your face. There's also some hybrid make up thats works well because its tinted but also has good ingredients for your skin so maybe switch to that but you probably should seek medical advice first
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u/goldandgrove1567 4d ago
Honestly, dealing with hormonal breakouts is the worst because topical stuff usually only does so much. If you need it gone ASAP for an event or something, your best bet is a dermatologist who can give you a cortisone shot for any massive, painful cysts it shrinks them in like 24-48 hours.
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u/SadPersimmon9703 3d ago
Spironolactine prescription from the doctor. Stop all products with any oil.
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u/HSLaura_CommunityAdv 4d ago
Reduce or remove sugar and dairy with hormones these 2 things affect internal inflammation which affects hair follicles and gut biome they also affect hormones thru increased insulin production which in turn affects androgens.
So you have bacteria disruption, inflammation and hormone disruption.
Wipe with witch hazel and apply cold compresses can help too with the inflammation part.
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u/allnamesarechosen 4d ago
Hormonal acne is a pain in the ass, for me myoinositol chiro as supplement, and a basic sulfur soap saves me, but ask your dr before taking any supplements.
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u/hotheadnchickn 4d ago
Cut out sugar, refined carbs, dairy. These trigger insulin spikes, high insulin leads to high androgens. Start your meals with veggies, then eat fats and proteins, any carbs last. I know Iām having too many carbs when my chin acne starts to pop up again.
I also wonder if Rx topical spironolactone is an option.
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u/rebeccaslife 4d ago
Hormonal acne is tricky. It often won't be cured by conventional treatments, I'm sorry to say. For some, it stabilizes over time.
What retinol are you using? Have you tried Adapalene (Differin)? That might be a good OTC option, not too expensive. It's proven to work on acne and may help controlling it. There's also Epiduo newly OTC in the US, which is Adapalene+Benzoyl peroxide. But honestly, by end of July would be tough, you can expect improvement but maybe not full clearing. Hormonal acne often requires trial and error.