WOW!!! I am 37 and had absolutely ZERO acne as a teenager and young adult. It wasn't until I was about 25 that I got the worst acne, I still have quite pitted scars on my temple area today. I have only just made the connection after reading this thread that it was the same time as I went off Diane35!!! That drug has a lot to answer for!!

I had two bouts of roaccutane - after the first I had the best skin for abour 18 months, probably because I had to go back on the pill to take the roaccutane to start with and the second round of drugs gave me chronic fatigue syndrome and reactive arthritis so be really really careful with that drug.

Since then I have just lived with it...benzyl peroxide works for a bit but just makes you skin oilier and I never had oily skin to start with in fact the opposite, my skin was quite dry. Moisturisers were useless , they just seemed to clog the pores more.

What has had the most benefit to me is planning my wedding. My mum out of the blue said she would pay for me to get my face looked at with the view to getting a facial peel to reduce the scarring and look "pretty" on my weddng day (I am still not sure whether I am grateful or insulted that she noticed...hehe). Anyways I have been seeing a cosmetologist ( not a beautician!) and for the first time ever have had a proper medically based skin care regimen worked out for me. She uses a brand of skincare called cosmedix which is a medically based product as opposed to other stuff she also sells like clarins and md formulations which she calls fluffy skincare. I have had two sessions of a glycolic peel, microdermabrasion and CPL light therapy and on tuesday had a full strength vitamin A fruit peel. I have one pimple on my face which is probably due to ovulation and the redness and scarring from all the other acne has almost gone already. I am a convert to proper skincare, not the fluffy stuff but the real good quality and not necesarily anymore expensive stuff.
Okay a full regime has set me back just under $500 but that is a god 6-8 months worth of product and it is a simple two step morning and night (diff stuff in morning to night) routine...easy peasy.

By the way she advised very strongly against anything with benzyl peroxide in it because it may get rid of the pimple in the short term but in the long term it is further weakening the cell structure of the skin and cause rbeound breakout when you stop using the product. Vitamin A used topically actually works on the DNA of the cell strengthening it and improving skin health and it is quite safe to use topically during pregnancy.

And thanks purpley for posting that article......I have a problem with a few old lady chin hairs popping up now I am an old fart as DH puts it so lovingly. It is interesting that there is that hormonal connection between the two...something to thin about and look into.....hopefully after we have a bub!!