Acne and spiro

[carmella_marie]

So I had the clearest skin in high school and college. Even my mother was jealous of me, lol. All I used was cetaphil and ponds cold cream! After ds1 I stared getting blemishes here and there, more and more frequently. It cleared up during ds2 pregnancy but came back after his birth. Then when I starred swaying in January it's gotten worse and worse. My whole t-zone is breaking out and I'm beginning to be really self conscious about it. It starts getting bad around ovulation and gets worse through my luteal phase (o-AF), then gets better during my follicular phase (AF-o). So I'm pretty sure it's hormone related.

A friend of mine told me her acne followed the same pattern and her dermatologist discovered it was hormonal (most likely high testosterone) and prescribed spiro and it's worked wonders. If course now I'm starting to panic that I have high T and will sway boy. I'm pretty sure I can't take spiro whilst TTC, since my friend stopped BFing in order to take it. I was googling a natural alternative and many sites recommend saw palmetto?? AS doesn't recommend SP for me because if thyroid issues I think... Anyway, is anyone else getting break outs on LE? Who's tried spiro? Do those swayers using SP see a reduction in acne?

[atomic sagebrush]

http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-general-discussion/5166-mouth-sores-zits.html

I do think spiro can be a good pink sway tactic. But keep in mind that "hormonal" when it comes to women, doesn't necessarily mean testosterone, and even more, we are not even sure that testosterone is even doing anything for swaying. IT's just a theory. So my advice is to not obsess over what any of it means because the obsessing is a lot worse than anything some miniscule fluctuation in testosterone (if that is what is actualy even causing it) means.

[carmella_marie]

I'm not as worried about my sway as much as I just feel really self conscious about it. I've never had breakouts like this! It's been months if just getting worse and worse. The really only thing I can think to blame it on is swaying.

I'm thinking of seeing a dermatologist but not sure what I can take that's safe while ttc.

[carmella_marie]

Thanks for the article, interesting!

[Christi]

I have been having terrible back and chest acne since DS#1 was born. My skin was pretty good throughout the pregnancy, but as soon as he was born, it was back to being a teenager. I've used spirinolactone to manage my acne before, and it worked pretty well. I had no idea it swayed pink--I will definitely call my dermatologist to get on it if I don't get a BFP this cycle. One look at my chest and back and I'm sure she will prescribe it to me, no questions asked.

I noticed no difference between going on the LE diet versus not being on the diet. I also haven't noticed a big difference between SP and no SP. Though I only take SP from AF-CD14. I was so hoping that it would help with my skin, but no such luck (at least for me).

Thanks for this post--I will definitely investigate this further.

[carmella_marie]

I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to take spiro when ttc, they recommend stopping it a few weeks before your attempt as it can cause birth defects or miscarriage I believe? Not sure...

I was going to have my first attempt in September but now my DH has put it off a few months so I was thinking of going on it briefly just to see if it would help with this acne.

[maidentomother]

Spiro eradicated my cystic acne. I had perfect skin my entire life until suddenly at age 25 I developed hormonal cystic acne, the scarring kind. I took Spiro for around 9 months and the acne never came back. When I was on it, though, I had a super short LP - 4-6 days long! I was still Oing regularly, just very late in my cycle. But maybe that sways girl? I would try it and just come off it as soon as I got my BFP, personally.

It sucks to have horrible acne out of nowhere! Hugs hun.

[carmella_marie]

Spiro eradicated my cystic acne. I had perfect skin my entire life until suddenly at age 25 I developed hormonal cystic acne, the scarring kind. I took Spiro for around 9 months and the acne never came back. When I was on it, though, I had a super short LP - 4-6 days long! I was still Oing regularly, just very late in my cycle. But maybe that sways girl? I would try it and just come off it as soon as I got my BFP, personally.

It sucks to have horrible acne out of nowhere! Hugs hun.

Thanks! I think I might give it a try. I've got a few months before my attempt,mAtomic said it might be better to stop on cd1 of the month I do my guest attempt, just to be sure!

[atomic sagebrush]

I actually prefer people stop the spiro SOONER, more like 4-6 weeks before attempt, but a few people's health care providers allowed them to continue up to CD 1 of first month TTC. Like everything, there really is not enough data to say for sure what is safe and what isn't. It's only a Class C drug (which really isn't bad) and event he things that are terrible for pregnancy like Accutane only cause issues a small % of the time.

If you do go this route I would try to have a stricter sway the first month to lower odds of conception and really kind of hope for BFN.

[carmella_marie]

If I can get DH to try in October then I won't go on it, but if he puts it off until February I may try it.