Hey there everyone,
I'm new to this forum, or to any forum for that matter. a few days ago i did a google search to look for some answers. Several people had mentioned that acne around the mouth and chin only as being related to the reproductive system. This was something I hadn't though about, even though I had taken A&P classes. I am a dental hygienist so I do have a medical background. Anyway, I had been having really odd menstrual cycles and have been seeing a dermatologist for several years now. The past few months my face has been really bad with acne around my mouth and chin. my dermatologist has tried several things with no avail. I had blood tests done recently-to test my hormones, thinking that something would come back b/c of my strange menstrual cycle and my location of acne. as it turns out, they all came back normal. so now i'm completely stuck and more frustrated than ever. medicine is not working (both topical and oral) and since my hormone levels are fine i'm very confused and don't know where to turn to next. any insight into this matter would be greatly appreciated. it's gotten to the point that after several months with no avail i'm completely at a loss of where to turn to.
RE: acne around mouth only yet hormone test came back negative....
Hiya K
I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you.. I've been through a number of tests myself in the last months to rule out all manner of things.. like you - problems in my repro system. I get spots around my chin around ovulation or what looks like scarring in that region.. I suffer from PCOS and my symptoms are fairly in line with that condition. Following some more serious symptoms I decided to get checked out and following 12 weeks wait I was told that I was within normal guidelines for all counts.. cancer checks, hormone checks, diabetes, liver to name a few.. after that there was precious little they could do other than put me on the pill or some other form of contraceptive to regulate my cycle and reduce symptoms. I still have PCOS that wont change, but on paper I look pretty good.
Not ideal.. although I am now considering this cause the pains I am getting can be excrutiating right now and it does get me down.
Not helping much by spouting my background am I.. but getting to that..
You haven't mentioned what the biggest problem for you is.. is it the acne or the menstrual irregularities, are there other symtoms?
Few things I've found that really help for the repro side of things.
Reflexology - I was getting regular treatments when I was training and I've never been so regular and so pain free and felt so good. If you're not flush get a book out of the library and work the reflex points they show in there. It will show you how to work those reflexes, I find much more benefit in using the feet than the hands for this. You'll often find these areas are sore when menstruating, but they often ease.
Bananas - Think it's the potassium, someone once told me to take them to relieve cramping or if you're feeling grot pre-menstruation, they work a treat.
Aromatherapy - There's a brilliant blend in the Fragrant Pharmacy book (can't find my copy atm) - had geranium in it amongst other things. If you do your reflex points using that blend it speeds things up considerably... or massage it over your abdoment. If it's really sore just rub it into the abdomen but don't use any pressure. If you use it occasionally midcycle I find it helps balance things too.
If anyone has the book and a few moments and knows the blend could they post it please.. I'm flummoxed about where my books went to..
Acupuncture - Friend of mine tried this for her problems and she said it really helped her - never tried it myself though.
The skin side of things I can't really comment on, when I get bad I just od on fruit and veg and make sure to cut out all additives and it gives me a good enough boost.