It's getting bad, really bad (from what I'm used to anyway, which was one or a few here and there but I lived. Now I'm getting what I consider outbreaks of minefields over larger portions of my face). I wash my face twice a day with a facial cleanser. I need to change my sheets on my pillow somewhat often because if I don't it makes it worse. When did your pimples go away?

For me, I had to eventually go to a dermatologist and get a prescription for Acutane. They only prescribe this as a last resort though because it is a very intense drug with a ton of possible side effects. Not to scare you but I had to stop taking the medicine about five months after starting it due to my brain swelling directly from the medication. I mean it worked wonders and three years after it, I'm still only seeing the occasional bump (though it gets worse with summer, heat and all).

Also, DHT is linked to increased acne I believe, so be wary of that. 

(I sat all of this as someone who was assigned male at birth and I don't know the specifics of your case. Just thought you might wanna know.)

Yes, testosterone increases pimples in and of themselves because it increases oil production in your glands which increases the likelihood to develop pimples. I was reading that some people didn't really get them until 1 year in and I have had them for quite some time now so I was hoping maybe they would go away earlier or something. Hopefully.

I understand your pain :/ I've had horrible cystic acne for years and I have found something that has kept them under control. A lot of people go for Accutane, but I tried to steer clear of it because of all the nasty side effects. My dermatologist recommended a topical antibiotic that seems to kill all signs of acne. It works wonders. If you're interested in the name of it just let me know

I'm seeing a doc for a different reason on Monday hopefully, so I'll mention the pimple thing too and maybe they can recommend me something stronger than the facial cleanser I am using because while it helps and it did help a lot when I had only one or two, when I get these larger outbreaks it's clearly not helping more than perhaps reducing the infection rate.

Well, mine got better on HRT (my face looked sore, swollen, and wounded nearly all the time before), but I still get a few lesser breakouts occasionally and I do have a lot of experience with acne. I know the only thing that works when I get a breakout (with big pimples) is something with triclosan as an ingredient.

I also avoid aggravating it by using natural soaps in the shower (or no soap, if I'm not very sweaty or dirty). Doing that has cut down on the back acne a lot. For my face, I always ensure my razors are disinfected before each use and new/sharp, and I use Skintimate shaving cream (it's for women's legs but I don't care, that stuff is the best I've ever tried for the face because the razor just glides right over and leaves it smooth).

I've had moderate acne since teenagehood, for varying time periods. It was really bad in my mid-20's, I think because of a psych med I was on. When I started T it got bad again, but just as I passed the 3 year mark on T it's started to clear up. A few months before the 3 year mark I was prescribed a peroxide cream, and that seems to be what turned the tide. It cleared my face up a lot, and even though I no longer use the cream, my face is noticeably clearer, people have commented. (my avatar pic is from last year, when the acne was still moderately bad)

I use facial cleanser and one of those facial scrubbers. Package says exfoliating facial sponge. Got em 2 for about for bucks at Wally World. I also use clindamycin gel, which is some kind of antibiotic, I think? My endo prescribed it to me, but she says it's usually a dermatologist script.
Anyway, I used to have really bad acne, and that combo improved it in less than a week. So that's my recommendation.

When I was going through puberty, I got the horrible outbreak your describing. It took 4 years I think before they stopped on their own. Unfortunately it was one of those things I just had to deal with. It didn't make it easy because I had a hard enough time relating to others at that point in my life.

Just the last few weeks I've been getting them on my shoulders, upper arms and upper chest.. Really hating it, and I think I can directly attribute it to rising T levels (stopped my blockers).. Really hating it.. but getting none on my face oddly enough, I'm still doing low dose E.. maybe that's why face is ok but body getting more.. idk..

Quote from: devention on June 29, 2014, 02:26:07 PM
I use facial cleanser and one of those facial scrubbers. Package says exfoliating facial sponge. Got em 2 for about for bucks at Wally World. I also use clindamycin gel, which is some kind of antibiotic, I think? My endo prescribed it to me, but she says it's usually a dermatologist script.
Anyway, I used to have really bad acne, and that combo improved it in less than a week. So that's my recommendation.

Yes, I'll mention it to my doc tomorrow when I see them for a med prescription. Maybe they can prescribe me something similar. It's much better now but it might be handy if it flares up the way it did earlier. Also I am not sure if it's a result of summer but I have gotten more overall and on places I didn't get before like on my throat.

I am not seeing an official endo because my gyn took over the hormone work that my clinic should be monitoring lol, but I took my first blood test this week so I hope I get the analysis soon enough before my gyn goes on summer vacation. Then I'll have a bit of an idea of my levels. I have been self-medding up until now so I have had no clue about my T levels so this is my first check up.

I also have had a lot of acne on my back for many years now even before taking T and it only healed out completely like earlier this year or something. I can recommend scrubbing with a sponge and some soap, shower regularly and change sheets at least once a month. Also, don't wear your shirts too often. It's all about minimizing contact with dirt that can clog the pours and thus cause infection that will lead to acne development.

Sponges work wonders though, since they exfoliate/peel your skin of dead skin residue. I just won't use a sponge for my face because my facial skin is a lot more sensitive than my back.

I shower and change clothes each day for work, showering, I use that scrunchy ball shower thingy you put gel on.  Exfoliates my shoulders ok but I still get small pimples on shoulder blades.  The ones on my chest and arms, are the bigger, blind ones.. Hurt like hell as they stretch the skin..  Must. Not. Squeeze. but I fail, just to relieve the pain, hot compress doesn't do anything but make them grow faster.  sigh. I will just have to go back on the Spiro or herbals to slowdown T production again. 

Actually I think I have Acne in my shoulders. Its no where near as bad as when I was a teenager. The worst part is I can see these red dots beneath the skin. Those eventually surface and become pimples. I'm hoping this changes when I start HRT. Its actually one of the many reasons why I'm hoping I can start HRT while still in therapy.

Quote from: Paula Christine on June 29, 2014, 02:47:20 PM
Just the last few weeks I've been getting them on my shoulders, upper arms and upper chest.. Really hating it, and I think I can directly attribute it to rising T levels (stopped my blockers).. Really hating it.. but getting none on my face oddly enough, I'm still doing low dose E.. maybe that's why face is ok but body getting more.. idk..