Acne Issues

[FTMKyle]

So I am wondering what you guys did about acne, if anything. I've already been on T before, but I had to stop because I walked out on my last job due to harassment issues and could no longer afford it. That was two years ago. I'm going to start back on T in December, and I am not looking forward to the acne.
My situation might be a little unique considering that I have always had a problem with acne since the onset of female puberty, and still have it now at age 29 without T. I've researched adult acne and the biggest cause is hormonal imbalance. From my understanding, testosterone causes sebaceous glands to secrete more oil, and the oil becomes a target for bacteria. I've started to wonder if my natural T level is higher than most female bodied people. The reason I suspect this is because I have always looked like a guy, and my libido is pretty high. I plan on asking my doctor about it when I see him. Basically, I deal with acne all the time. My pores are the size of Texas, and my skin secretes enough oil to make my own natural car fuel. All the women in my family have great skin, and only my dad has encountered this same problem. He dealt with acne until he was 27, and he still has really oily skin. So it might be genetic. 
Going back on T, I know I will start breaking out like crazy, and I want to avoid that. So I am open to suggestions.
Also wondering what to expect when going back on T. Will my voice start cracking again? I can't imagine that it will last too long. I guess that is my biggest concern because the people I work with don't know that I am trans, and I don't want them questioning my cracking voice. I am basically frozen in a nineteen year old body. People are always going on about how young I look. Oddly enough, I find it annoying, so I hope with time and testosterone I will start looking a little older. 

[DriftingCrow]

I am not, and have never been, on T. I do have some adult acne though, I think it's because of a hormonal imbalance (I started growing facial hair this August, so I think I have PCOS which causes higher levels of male hormones to be produced than what is considered normal). I never had bad acne, but then I moved down South where it's humid and hot 10 months out of the year, and it got bad then, I think because of all the pollens and wee beasties floating around in the air. It started getting better when I moved back up North and then worse once I started growing a beard. I just wash my face with an all-natural face wash by neutrogena, and use a face lotion with some benzoyle peroxide in it. Nothing really seems to help too much, but luckily it's not too bad-it was worse when I lived down South- and I can usually hide it with a little bit of concealer.

[Sawdust]

Apple Cider Vinegar. It stinks to high heaven, but it works. I've been taking 2 apple cider vinegar tablets every day and I don't break out. If I skip a day, the acne starts to form again and I have to wait a couple days until it goes away (still better than being off the stuff though). My state is a HEB state and I got the bottled raw vinegar from there. No, no, Never again. It's super strong and super smelly. After a while, I dreaded my doses and felt like I was going to hurl just by the thought of it. Then I found the tablets in the health-y diet-y pill section in the HEB. This stuff is so much better. Of course, it still smells, but not nearly as badly, and if you let the pill sit on your tongue, it will start to get that vinegar taste. I don't let that bother me since I tortured myself with the actual vinegar for so long. If you get desperate enough to try it, you should be able to find a 200 count bottle for around $14, possibly cheaper online.

[Zerro]

I use T gel every day to keep my levels stable and then I protect the "horny"(it sounds funny, but it's legit haha) layer of my skin by not overwashing. If I experience bad spots of acne, I put a skin-friendly clay mask over the spots to clean out the dirt and stuff. When I wash my face, I use one of those apricot scrubs and that pretty much gets rid of the blackheads. I still have some spots every now and then, but it's not unbearable.

[Brooke777]

Check out acne.org

[Simon]

I've had bacne (back acne) for my adult life. It's mainly on my shoulders and upper arms. Occasionally I'll get some on my lower back but that's not often.

I was diagnosed as having PCOS when I was 14 but refused to take birth control. Started shaving my face at 15 (my teen years were riddled with bullies, lol). Turns out I have a benign ovarian tumor that produces Testosterone. Enough to where I have a level in the low 300's. That explains the changes and the bacne.

Over the years I've controlled it rather well with anti bacterial bar soaps (Safeguard works well) and limiting the amount of fried foods I eat. Like the original poster I do not look forward to increased acne...especially on my face. I have a fair amount of scars on my back from years of bumps...don't want that on my face and I start T the middle of next month.

Has anyone tried Proactiv? My gf was thinking about buying me a bottle and I figured if I use it a little at a time on a cotton ball the bottle would last awhile. It is pricey and every dollar is a dollar that could be saved for surgery so I don't want to try it if it isn't that great.

[Zerro]

I personally found that Proactiv made my acne worse. I used it for a year, and as soon as I stopped, my breakouts began to become manageable. It wasn't worth the cost, imo.

[Simon]

I personally found that Proactiv made my acne worse. I used it for a year, and as soon as I stopped, my breakouts began to become manageable. It wasn't worth the cost, imo.

Thanks for letting me know. I'll try sticking with anti bacterial soaps and pray my face doesn't go crazy on T.

[JohnAlex]

The active ingredient in proactive is benzoyl peroxide. which you can actually get pretty cheaply.  People I know who used Proactive and they said anything with benzoyl peroxide will do the same. Proactive has 2.5% in their solution, but you can buy other cheaper bottles with like 10%.

[Mosaic dude]

I stick mashed garlic on the spots before I go to bed.  That kills 'em pretty reliably.