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PLEASE HELP!! I’m at my wits end!!

I have very oily, spotty skin; when the whiteheads pop, I’m left with scabs that won’t heal because there are visible white spots underneath. It looks awful and it’s so painful! I’ve tried various skin care routines, face masks and pore strips but nothing helps.
My skin got worse when I stopped taking Yasmin. When I fell pregnant with my little boy, my skin was fine but since he was born in June 2018, I’ve been on the POP and that’s when my skin took a major turn for the worse. I feel like I would benefit from changing my contraception, but I’m still breastfeeding and don’t know what I can use? Ideally I’d like something that stops my periods because I have crippling endometriosis that’s awful when I have a period. I know if I don’t use anything, my skin will be as bad as it was before I fell pregnant. What on earth do I do? Where do I start? Are there any creams I can use (that don’t stain clothing/bed linen)? Help!

Thank you for the question.

It sounds like you've been having an awful time with your skin.

The Progesterone only pill may well be making things worse and it is recommended that you have a combined pill containing both oestrogen and progestrone for acne. There are variety of COCP (combined pills) and you can discuss with your GP to see which one you suits you- Yasmin often works for my patients.

As you are currently breast feeding the treatments options are limited.

I would usually recommend an oral antibiotic such as Lymecycline for a few months along with a topical such as Adapalene gel. These will need to be prescribed. A topical retinoid will also help dry up the skin. And of course oral Isotretinoin has excellent results for both acne and the oil production.

However the above treatments can only be be taken when you are not breast feeding. So you may have to wait.

Safe treatments while breast feeding are oral antibiotics such as Erythromycin.