![]() Having clear skin for the first time in my adult life quickly altered my self-perception. I even triumphantly stashed my charcoal and mud masks under the bathroom sink, as I no longer woke up to red or blotchy skin. My skin was smooth, significantly less oily, and even free from the blackheads that used to decorate the pores on my nose. Since my mid-20s, my biggest breakout area had been my upper back and shoulders, which disappeared within three months.īut after four months of spironolactone, I also no longer had to fret about pimples emerging on my chin and cheeks every month when the cramps came. Three months after starting spironolactone, my acne had vanished. ![]() Yet, it proved to be an unnecessary purchase: I literally had two spots that week, instead of around 20. I noticed a decrease in the number and size of spots I had after six weeks, but I’d still get some spots during my period.Īround the three-month mark, I stopped by my local drugstore to pick up more blemish concealer in preparation for the typical monthly breakout around my period. Like most medications for acne, spironolactone also doesn’t work immediately. Men are rarely prescribed spironolactone for acne as it causes feminization, including a loss of libido and breast tissue growth. In fact, females with high hormone levels and acne at any age may see improvement with the drug. Spironolactone can also help post-menopausal women experiencing a sudden influx of skin issues. By inhibiting the production of these hormones, like testosterone, the medication reduces oil production and thus lowers the frequency of clogged pores.įurthermore, the treatment isn’t just targeted for women whose acne flares up around the time of their menstrual cycles. It blocks androgens (aka male sex hormones). While I’d taken the birth control pill since I was a teenager in an effort to combat period-induced breakouts, spironolactone works a bit more aggressively. The reason spironolactone is still fairly unheard of by acne sufferers is likely due to its main use: treating high blood pressure and heart failure. While dermatologists are increasingly scratching “ spironolactone” onto their Rx pads, many acne sufferers still haven’t heard of it - no matter how many times they’ve typed “acne” and “help!” into Google’s search bar.Īlthough doctors have known of its skin-clearing effects for the last few decades, the medication is only now gaining recognition as an effective treatment for hormonal acne in women. ![]() Why haven’t you heard of spironolactone for acne? I hadn’t, but was willing to try anything.Īfter briefly discussing how spironolactone works and its potential side effects, he sent me off with a prescription for the oral drug. ![]() Instead, he asked me if I’d ever heard of spironolactone. When the dermatologist entered the room and examined my records, I expected him to frown at my “backne,” or back acne, and suggest another round of doxycycline or bottle of benzoyl peroxide. Oftentimes, the medications only left me with peeling skin and less money in my wallet to spend on concealer. Yet even after months of use, these medications failed to remedy my monthly onslaught of red, painful bumps. Throughout my young life, I’d visited several dermatologists who prescribed me everything from topical retinoids and acids to daily doses of oral antibiotics. It’s not as if I didn’t try to treat my chronic moderate-to-severe acne. The most severe form of my breakouts erupted from the tender years of middle school through college, but at age 30 I was still experiencing the effects of hormonal acne.Įvery time I glanced in the mirror and saw a new cluster of swollen pimples on my face or back, I felt a tinge of the same humiliation and self-loathing that defined my teenage years.Īlthough I was now an editor at a magazine in downtown Manhattan, I wanted to crawl back under the covers like I did in college after waking up to yet another round of painful cystic acne. I was tired of the disappointment - and expense. While waiting in a new dermatologist’s office two years ago, I told myself that this was the last doctor I’d ever consult about my acne.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |