What I do for my acne

[RachelAS23]

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had luck with this...

I have always been known for my clear skin.... until I stopped birth control in January. I had pretty bad acne once I stopped (like 3 or 4 extremely painful zits all the time... once 1 would stop hurting and start fading, I would get another... and I had several breakouts on my upper back). At the time I didn't know I had PCOS... didn't even know what it was. I tried several different face washes and nothing worked... so finally I went to my doctor and was diagnosed with PCOS (via ultrasound of the ovaries). I was put on 2000mg Metformin and started using a face wash with 2% salicylic acid. I NEVER get painful zits anymore, and my upper back is completely, 100% clear. I still always have very tiny, almost unoticeable pimples on my chin and between by eyebrows, but all in all I feel my acne problem is cured.

Anyone else had luck with Metformin? I'm not sure if it's the metformin or the face wash, or if maybe I have a mild form of PCOS? Also, I should add that I eat a lot of sugar and carbs, so I am amazed my face is doing so well based on what I have read on diets for PCOS. I bet if I stopped eating sugar and cut back on carbs my face would be 100% clear. I attached a picture of my face how it is now. I refuse to post a before picture, lol.
Makenna and Rach.jpg

[RachelAS23]

Here is one up closer. I am just amazed at how much better it is. I love Metformin!
October-4 012.jpg

[KMD127]

Hi Rachel,

That is so great that you find something that works for you--for me the acne is one of the worst symptoms ugh I honestly think the Met did it for you b/c the Met definitely helped me with mine...I noticed i stopped it for one month and i started devevloping cystic acne and believe me you I quickly returned to it. I was wondering if you were on extended release? Ive tried both regular and extended release and find the extended works better on acne for some reason even though I find it makes me a bit more tired (odd)...I am only on 1000 ER daily now and just got off BC and find im having skin issues again...Im wondering if I should be bumped up to at least 1500 Met or go back to BC...such a balancing act...Cleaning up ur diet should help too! (though it hasnt been enough for me)

[RachelAS23]

I am on regular Met 2000 mg per day, all at once, at night. I have heard good things about extended release but am afraid to switch since my acne cleared up and I'm ovulating again (we are TTC). I would say that, if you aren't TTC, stay on BCPs. I was on Yasmin since age 15 until age 23 (this last January I stopped) and I had NO issues while on it. My skin was amazing, I was thin.. etc. etc. So once I have a baby, I am getting right back on it.

It is worth asking your doctor if he/she can increase your Met dose. I am so thankful for Metformin. I was really freaking out earlier this year when I was diagnosed with PCOS and read all of the symptoms. I'm just glad someone caught it before it got out of hand. Good luck!

[zigzag]

Always had acne on my face, went on bcp for 9 years or so, it helped but still got cystic type acne. After I stopped BCP I had absolutely horrible acne all over my face and my back (for the first time in my life) for 12-18 months.

Been on Met now for 10 months and acne has improved but hasn't disappeared. Since being on MET, I have no more back acne at all, which I'm so grateful for and the incidents of cystic acne has dramatically reduced, I almost never get those nasty cysts anymore.

[KMD127]

Good luck in trying to conceive Rachel-that's great! Im a little weary of Yaz as I hear it worsens mood swings (anxiety/depression) for some people and I'm already prone to a bit...Ive been on many other BCs throughout the years...Im not TTC right now but Im just afraid of the long term consequences of BC and always read/hear that they may not fix the problem of PCOS and some studies say it may make insulin resistance worse! So I would think that is counteracting the Met and efforts to try to manage the PCOS but I really don't know so I'm torn right now...it would be easier just to go back to the RIGHT BC (though I havent had a good one in years--ive made a couple of switches the past few years, my body suddenly went crazy in my mid 20s and the acne got bad)...The Met definitely helps...

I have to say in terms of acne I just decided to buy a quality Omega 3 fish oil supplement and maybe Im crazy and its too soon (a little shy of 2 weeks maybe) but since I started on 2 900 tablets a day from GNC, Ive noticed my complexion is brighter, my moods a little better, and I havent been getting new inflamed bumps! Which is huge for me since getting off BC a few months back b/c my skin has decided to erupt again...It's too soon probably but I'm crossing my fingers and wanted to share...I think the trick is to find a quality supplement with EPA/DHA listed from what I've read

[KMD127]

What's interesting is I was never officially dx'ed with IR and maybe thats the reason my endo isn't bumping up the Met higher...Though I was somewhat overweight (especially in the belly/thigh/mid area) and exhibiting the classic PCOS symptoms (dxed at the gyno a few years back)...The met has helped me lose about 20 and Id love to lose another 10 or so but Im stuck...However since the Met has helped I dont know why he wouldnt bump it b/c maybe the blood tests dont necessarily detect the early IR...It's all very overwhelming

That's great the met is helping somewhat zigzag--now are you on ER or regular?

[RachelAS23]

Well I know there are other medicines out there for girls with PCOS that are not TTC... ones that mainly help with the symptoms, like hirsutism, alopecia and acne (all related to excess androgens which these other medicines help reduce). I definitely know what you mean about the mood swings with BCPs... I was on Yasmin, which is different from Yaz, but by the same company I believe... and once I stopped taking it, I felt sooo different... more calm, less angry, less on edge, if that makes sense. But in my eyes, since there isn't really a "cure" for PCOS, or really any good form of treatment other than symptom control... I might as well get back on BCPs since I had the best results with it in terms of acne, weight, etc. etc. It is the lesser of two evils. I wish they would do more research into PCOS so they could come up with an actual treatment/cure!

Oh, and I also haven't been dx'ed with IR. My doctor just put me on Metformin 2,000 mg right away. But they also say Metformin doesn't just help with IR, that it helps other aspects of PCOS and they aren't sure why... but they keep prescribing it. Once again, I wish they would do more research.

Good luck ladies!