Let's talk dermatology

[ironbaby]

I went to the dermatologist this morning. I have acne (apparently I am perpetually 13), and I have used Retinols off and on since high school. Anyway, we were discussing what I could use, and once I said we'd be trying to get pregnant in the very near future, my options became very limited.

It seems I can use an anti-inflammatory cream (which I promptly forgot the name of), and I can go in for monthly microdermabrasion or Blu-U treatments. Does anyone have experience with either of these, especially as it relates to acne? I have had the microdermabrasion once, but it was too expensive to continue as a routine since the Retinol already helped a bit.

What do you do for acne while TTC?

[Ray]

foundation.

lol no but seriously. I couldn't even tell you where the closest dermatologist to me is. Probably the city. I used to use St. Ives facial scrub, now I just remove my make up, rinse, and invest in a good foundation. Sorry I can't be more help

[lemoncupcake]

Thank you for starting this thread - this is something that I've been wondering about as well.

Quick backstory: I've struggled with hormonal, cystic acne for the last 5-6 years. When untreated, it was really bad. Like it would wake me up in the night if I turned my face the wrong way and hit the pillow. Within the last year a new dermatologist found the perfect mix of meds and topicals that kept everything under control and it's been great! I stopped the meds last month when I took my last BCP but I'm finishing up my topicals now since we are still TTA this cycle. None of the meds or topicals were approved for use during pregnancy.

My skin is still suspiciously clear right now, but I'm waiting for the shit to hit the fan when AF comes. From what I've found online, it sounds like AHA products will be safe to use. My OBGYN also mentioned something about topical antibiotics, but recommended that I make an appointment with my dermatologist to go over my options if(when) it gets bad again.

Another thing I'm trying to be good about is avoiding dairy. I've read in several different places online of people who have noticed a big difference when they cut it out.

[onesweetworld]

If I didn't use my clarisonic, I would have acne. The clarisonic with Philosophy's Clear Days Ahead saved my face.

[ironbaby]

I spent years (seriously) finding a foundation that didn't exacerbate the problem. After lots of trial and error, I had a routine that worked, but the Retin-A was part of it.

[valie]

I get breakouts of sebaceous acne. It was awful around the time I got KU and I was told to do hot compresses with Epsom salt.

GL. Skin problems are the pits.

[ironbaby]

Mar 26, 2015 8:59:53 GMT -5 onesweetworld said:

If I didn't use my clarisonic, I would have acne. The clarisonic with Philosophy's Clear Days Ahead saved my face.

I use my clarisonic every day. I'll try the Clear Days Ahead. It is just a salicylic acid cleanser? I assume those are safe to use?

[lemoncupcake]

Clarisonic helps with my little bumps and pimples, but it doesn't really make much of a difference for the cystic stuff I use it anyway, though! I feel like it does a great job of removing my makeup, much better than just washing with my fingers.

[kcones88]

Hi there I suffer from cycstic acne, which I'm told is one of the harder types to combat. I've basically tried everything at least once; proactive, otc stuff, retinol-A, even tried Isotretinoin (Accutane) a few years back. I also did a year long treatment of blue light and infrared light (non-ultraviolet) from a dermatologist, until I decided that the side-effects outweighed the benefits. I have extremely fair skin and basically was told I couldn't be in the sunlight at all, even with sunscreen on. I was prescribed an antibiotic that gave me migraines and completely wiped out my appetite. It just wasn't worth it in the end.

Since then, I've been trying to control my acne by myself. I use a 2% salicylic acid facewash in the morning, and a benzoyl-peroxide mask at night. I also switched to foundation and concealer meant specifically for oily skin. I stopped using a toner, as I found it was too harsh on my sensitive skin and actually caused me to breakout more. And I've gotten into the habit of changing my pillow case once a week, and I think it's made a difference.

I think the biggest difference maker for me is the combination of salicylic acid and benzoyl-peroxide. I've tried both by themselves in the past, and they work for a few weeks before things get worse again. I'm not completely acne free today, but when I do get breakouts they're easier to manage and go away more quickly.

[lemoncupcake]

Mar 26, 2015 9:01:40 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

Mar 26, 2015 8:59:53 GMT -5 onesweetworld said:

If I didn't use my clarisonic, I would have acne. The clarisonic with Philosophy's Clear Days Ahead saved my face.

I use my clarisonic every day. I'll

According to this: www.babycenter.com/0_safe-skin-care-during-pregnancy_1490031.bc?showAll=true


But if you prefer to avoid yet another doctor appointment, Baumann recommends using a facial wash that contains no more than 2 percent salicylic acid (look for the percentage on the product label). This small amount is considered safe.

[lemoncupcake]

Mar 26, 2015 9:00:48 GMT -5 valie said:

I get breakouts of sebaceous acne. It was awful around the time I got KU and I was told to do hot compresses with Epsom salt.

GL. Skin problems are the pits.

Just out of curiosity, how has your acne been during your pregnancy? I've heard that it can go either way (much better or much worse).

[nuggetrn]

I have never been to a dermatologist but I have struggled with acne for quite some time. I am admittedly losing that battle at the moment because I really am not taking care of my face the way that I should!

What has helped me in the past (and I need to get back on it) is Mary Kay's Timewise system. The biggest reason I love this is because I have a super oily face and in all the years of trying to find something that works for me it is the one thing that has done wonders for the oiliness. I also have an olay cleansing brush that makes a big difference when I am faithful about using it.

I am also a person that cutting out dairy has helped immensely. I realized I was having GI issues with dairy and drastically cut that out/started taking lactaid as needed and as a happy coincidence my acne really improved.

[Sparkly]

Yeah... You pretty much can't use any acne stuff when you're pregnant. It sucks.

[Ruca]

I've read all over that coconut oil helps with acne. Might be worth looking into? Hope you're able to find something that helps.

[valie]

Mar 26, 2015 9:11:42 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Mar 26, 2015 9:00:48 GMT -5 valie said:

I get breakouts of sebaceous acne. It was awful around the time I got KU and I was told to do hot compresses with Epsom salt.

GL. Skin problems are the pits.

Just out of curiosity, how has your acne been during your pregnancy? I've heard that it can go either way (much better or much worse).

This thread made me start thinking about that. My skin has been a lot better than usual since I finished 1st tri except for around the time DS was born. It's been a while since I was PG, but I still BF so maybe that is helping.

[madamewaffles]

After going off BCPs I got really bad acne. For awhile my doc prescribed me topical clindamycin but it left my skin super duper dry and tight, so I quit using it. I've found a great balance with my Clarisonic, and alternating between Lush facial scrubs and GlamGlow. Their mask is heavenly. I can put a dab on a big zit before bed and in the morning it's virtually gone. Another thing that has helped my skin has been to up my water intake.

[campbell]

When I (really) cleaned up my diet, my skin changed 100% almost overnight. Clean eating and tons of water.

[ironbaby]

Mar 26, 2015 9:25:31 GMT -5 madamewaffles said:

After going off BCPs I got really bad acne. For awhile my doc prescribed me topical clindamycin but it left my skin super duper dry and tight, so I quit using it. I've found a great balance with my Clarisonic, and alternating between Lush facial scrubs and GlamGlow. Their mask is heavenly. I can put a dab on a big zit before bed and in the morning it's virtually gone. Another thing that has helped my skin has been to up my water intake.

Tell me more about GlamGlow. It's expensive. Which product do you use?

[longhornwino0907]

Mar 26, 2015 9:29:27 GMT -5 pippacricket said:

This is what I used when I got my BFP - www.belliskincare.com/default.asp

Until I get another BFP though, I'm going to continue using my Proactiv since it's all that has ever worked for me.

This is good to know, since Proactiv is all that's worked for me, too!

[heatherj9603]

I started using a company that's naturally based. I use a charcoal face mask once or twice a week, then I use a tea tree and blueberry face bar twice a day. I suffered for YEARS and nothing worked. Turns out my "acne" was more or less a reaction to cheap products and chemicals. 

[madamewaffles]

Mar 26, 2015 9:46:53 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

Mar 26, 2015 9:25:31 GMT -5 madamewaffles said:

After going off BCPs I got really bad acne. For awhile my doc prescribed me topical clindamycin but it left my skin super duper dry and tight, so I quit using it. I've found a great balance with my Clarisonic, and alternating between Lush facial scrubs and GlamGlow. Their mask is heavenly. I can put a dab on a big zit before bed and in the morning it's virtually gone. Another thing that has helped my skin has been to up my water intake.

Tell me more about GlamGlow. It's expensive. Which product do you use?

It is expensive, but I snagged a 20% off coupon on www.retailmenot.com (love this site, I get so many coupon codes there). I use the SuperCleanse facial wash. You put it on your skin dry, and then wet your fingers and rub it in to make it foam. Then I use my Clarisonic over it and rinse. On the nights that I mask (started out 2-3x a week, but now that I'm in maintenance mode, I do it 1x a week), after cleansing, I apply the SuperMud Clearing Treatment and let that dry for about 20-25 minutes before rinsing it off with a clean washcloth. With both products, a little goes a long way. I've barely made a dent in the mud and I've been using it for 2 months. Also, if you have a Sephora near you, ask for samples to try it out first. The samples from my Sephora gave me enough to use the face wash about 3 times and the mask 4 or 5 times.

[Deleted]

I know a lot of people who have used Rodan and Fields Unblemish while pregnant and nursing. There's 2 different toners you can choose from, 1 is not safe but the other is. A couple of the girls I know suffered from cystic acne and had used several different prescriptions that never worked, and they swear by Unblemish.

[ironbaby]

Mar 26, 2015 10:19:59 GMT -5 madamewaffles said:

Mar 26, 2015 9:46:53 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

Tell me more about GlamGlow. It's expensive. Which product do you use?

It is expensive, but I snagged a 20% off coupon on www.retailmenot.com (love this site, I get so many coupon codes there). I use the SuperCleanse facial wash. You put it on your skin dry, and then wet your fingers and rub it in to make it foam. Then I use my Clarisonic over it and rinse. On the nights that I mask (started out 2-3x a week, but now that I'm in maintenance mode, I do it 1x a week), after cleansing, I apply the SuperMud Clearing Treatment and let that dry for about 20-25 minutes before rinsing it off with a clean washcloth. With both products, a little goes a long way. I've barely made a dent in the mud and I've been using it for 2 months. Also, if you have a Sephora near you, ask for samples to try it out first. The samples from my Sephora gave me enough to use the face wash about 3 times and the mask 4 or 5 times.

I forgot about Sephora samples. I will hit them up this week!

[mugster]

This in no way contributes to the conversation: I thought I had acne and kept putting harsher and harsher things on my face. It was rosacea, and I was making things worse. Sounds like you are sure you have acne though...

[lemoncupcake]

Mar 26, 2015 10:19:59 GMT -5 madamewaffles said:

Mar 26, 2015 9:46:53 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

Tell me more about GlamGlow. It's expensive. Which product do you use?

It is expensive, but I snagged a 20% off coupon on www.retailmenot.com (love this site, I get so many coupon codes there). I use the SuperCleanse facial wash. You put it on your skin dry, and then wet your fingers and rub it in to make it foam. Then I use my Clarisonic over it and rinse. On the nights that I mask (started out 2-3x a week, but now that I'm in maintenance mode, I do it 1x a week), after cleansing, I apply the SuperMud Clearing Treatment and let that dry for about 20-25 minutes before rinsing it off with a clean washcloth. With both products, a little goes a long way. I've barely made a dent in the mud and I've been using it for 2 months. Also, if you have a Sephora near you, ask for samples to try it out first. The samples from my Sephora gave me enough to use the face wash about 3 times and the mask 4 or 5 times.

And if you like it and decide to order online, Sephora usually has a high percent on ebates, too! Right now it's 8% cash back. 

[chimomma19]

I use Organics and then coconut oil for my moisturizer. Seriously, give it a try!

[ironbaby]

My night cream is Organics, and I love it. I tried coconut oil as a moisturizer, but it made me feel too oily.

[onesweetworld]

Mar 26, 2015 9:01:40 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

Mar 26, 2015 8:59:53 GMT -5 onesweetworld said:

If I didn't use my clarisonic, I would have acne. The clarisonic with Philosophy's Clear Days Ahead saved my face.

I use my clarisonic every day. I'll try the Clear Days Ahead. It is just a salicylic acid cleanser? I assume those are safe to use?

I've read conflicting information but I'm not giving it up.

[ironbaby]

Mar 26, 2015 11:59:16 GMT -5 onesweetworld said:

Mar 26, 2015 9:01:40 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

I use my clarisonic every day. I'll try the Clear Days Ahead. It is just a salicylic acid cleanser? I assume those are safe to use?

I've read conflicting information but I'm not giving it up.

I saw on WebMD that salicylic acid isn't safe for pregnancy. Grr. So much information out there. I think I will start with a benzoyl peroxide to be safe.

[heatherj9603]

Mar 26, 2015 10:26:58 GMT -5 mugster said:

This in no way contributes to the conversation: I thought I had acne and kept putting harsher and harsher things on my face. It was rosacea, and I was making things worse. Sounds like you are sure you have acne though...

This was me except it was keratosis Polaris, which looks exactly like acne.