Prior to having bub 4 weeks ago, I've never ever had acne in my life, not even in my teenage years. I've had the odd pimple here and there but my skin's been quite nice and smooth for the most part. However, after having bub, I've broken out in lots of pimples mostly on the sides of my cheeks and jawline. My face hurts from the acne.
The pimples started appearing in the last trimester of my pregnancy but they were manageable and not that bad. Now it's full blown acne ever since I've had bub.
Is the acne related to me breastfeeding bub at all? I don't want to give up bf even if it is but what can I do to get rid of the acne? Has anyone experienced this? Does it get better? The acne is making me quite depressed and not wanting to get out of the house.
i dont have any answers to your question but just wanted to sympathise with you..... i feel the same when i get pimples and of recent years have started getting the odd cold sore which completely mortifies me..... i even missed my 10 year highschool reunion over it.
it might pay to research whether it is safe to take homeopathic remedies while breastfeeding.... i used to take Martin & Pleasance Combination D Tissue Salts when my skin broke out.... you can buy them from the health food shop.... they are little tablets you chew (no real taste) and for a severe breakout i would take them every half hour for two days and i know i used to swear by them..... my skin is a lot better now but i still have them in the bathroom just in case as they work so well to clear up and heal bad skin. i would definitely recommend checking if you can take them and give them a go. they work wonders.
A lot of women suffer from hormonal acne...I wouldn't be surprised if this is just one of your body's reactions to the huge biochemical changes it has gone through with the pregnancy and having a baby.
Having said that, there are many modern medical treatments for acne these days. Maybe talk first to your GP and if you don't get results from their suggestions you could ask for a referral to see a dermatologist. Tell them you are breastfeeding and you don't want to stop - a good doctor will understand this is important and work their treatments around it.
Good luck - I had a horrible acne condition on my chin a number of years ago and I do know how it can erode your confidence.
is it acne or rosacea, or are they the same thing?
There are some good natural treatments for it but you'd need to check carefully that they are OK while you are breastfeeding.
I'd probably go to your doctor about it, because it my just be hormones. I broke out like a teenager in the first trimester of my pg- I didn't want to leave the house! I'm in my third tri now so I can't comment on acne after the birth, but if it continues I can recommend Pro-Activ, I used it a couple of years ago when I was suffering break outs and it really does work! I never had a problem again until I got pg...
Good luck, I know how it affects your confidence XX
It does sound hormonal but mention it to your doctor, maybe at your 6 week check-up. In the meantime maybe just try some simple things like drinking lots of water (until your wee runs clear, sorry too much info!). Try some steam: pour some hot water into a bowl, head over, towel etc. I also used to apply just a tiny bit of zinc cream to the worst breakouts... it dries it up very fast. A little bit of sunshine is good too, maybe just spend a half hour outside, walking in the park with your face in the sun. Don't apply foundation if you can avoid it, unless you are going out.
Emma: those tissue salts sound interesting! I'm going to look into that! I have a metabolism imbalance which is giving me minor breakouts too... lots of tiny little zits on my jawline... not red thankfully but it's driving me nuts! So I'll be watching this thread too. I'm still BFing too.
I developed horrid pimples from the implanon. I was the same, never had pimples in my life and knew they were hormnal cause they started a month after I had the implanon when AF would have been due
I went to the docs and she gave me a perscription face wash called Clindatech. It worked within 2 days. I tried other over the counter acne stuff and nothing worked. This stuff was fantastic! It cost me $30
Yes the acne is definitely hormonal, as it only developed after the birth. I have a wedding to attend tomorrow and if it wasn't one of my best friends' wedding I would probably hide in the house and never emerge again.
I thought once I had the hang of bf I would be OK - I had a horrible time with bf with cracked and bleeding nipples, bub not latching on properly etc. and was just about to give up but I persevered through the pain and agony and it got better only 2 weeks ago, and that's when the acne really developed and had gotten worse ever since. This is my first bub btw.
I can't wait for the 6-week check up to ask my doctor, I may just make an appointment for next week. I'm so depressed - it's affected my self confidence so much. I had wanted to give bub the best start in life by bf but if it is the bf that is causing the acne I don't know what to do. I just want to cry if I have to choose between bf bub and having normal clear skin again.
Emma, the Martin & Pleasance Combination D Tissue Salts sounds interesting - I may ask the doc about it.
I'm already started using Proactiv but only once every other day as per the instructions so I don't see any results yet. I just went out to Myer to buy a tube of concealer for the wedding tomorrow as well.
I'm also using Citaphil as a cleanser, already drink lots of water and take daily walks to get some exercise and sunshine.
Sorry for the long depressing post. Thanks for reading though.
Cherry, the doc tried to say that not much works for hormonal pimples because obviously its the hormones causing it but this stuff worked a treat.
I stopped using it for a few days cause all my pimples were gone then last night i had another 2 coming out on my forehead and put the clindatech on it last night and its almost gone today
Like i said, i used other face washes and acne treatments and they didn't do a thing.
Get in as soon as you can, you'll feel fantastic if it works!
I've suffered from acne since I was about 13 so I guess you could say it's hormonal (usually flares up around af time). I started a low GI diet last year and it has been absolutely fabulous - def worth a try. My skin now glows, I never had that before I always felt like I looked really oily or really pasty. I have also started using an organic skincare range called sukin - it's lovely, kind to your skin and isn't expensive. I sympathise - acne is terrible and although I've learnt to live with it over the years but now people actually comment on how good my skin looks.
P.S - I've tried everything from roaccutane to ProActive & preescription face washes to Christian Dior. Nothing has worked for me like the low GI diet has.
Sorry to be negative - but I tried Clindatech for my early pg breakout and it didn't do anything! Nor did my pro-activ or drinking heaps of water. It might just take time for your hormones to settle down...
AJC, I don't think my acne has got anything to do with diet, as I've never experienced anything like it ever before. But I guess the GI diet is worth a try if nothing else works.
I saw my GP yesterday and she said that my case is a hard one to prescribe medication for, as the complicating factor is that I'm breastfeeding. She said she could easily prescribe me the pill (Yasmin) which would get rid of the acne, but she can't for this reason. So she prescribed me some antibiotics. I'm seeing her again next week for my 6-week postnatal check up so she's going to check on my progress. She also referred me to a dermatologist, but I can't get an appointment with him until late April as he's so busy
If the antibiotics don't work, I really don't know what to do. My GP said my acne is quite severe and she's worried about scarring I can't believe how I could go from relatively clear skin to this - everyone (who's visited bub and me at home, as I don't go anywhere these days without a ton of makeup!!) I know has remarked on my acne as it's really out of the ordinary. Before this I never wear makeup except for a bit of blush and lip gloss.
If, for example, the antibiotics don't do anything, and I have to choose between stopping bffing (therefore enabling me to go on Yasmin) and clear skin, I just don't know what to do. What would you do? Am I vain for giving up bffing for the sake of my skin??? I'm tearing up and feeling so much despair at the thought that I have to give up bffing, esp. since bub and I have struggled during the early weeks to finally successfully breastfeed.
What would you do???
Last edited by cherryblossum; March 7th, 2008 at 07:55 PM.
Cherryblossum - I hear you. I never really had serious acne either, until DD was born. She is 8 1/2 months old now and its still not going away. It is hormonal. Nothing can be done about it (that I know of). I did take a course of antibiotics, which cleared it up temporarily, but it came back when I finished the course. I would love to know if there is anything that can be done about it. I got married when DD was 4 months old and couldn't even wear make-up or anything to my own wedding, as any attempt to cover it made my skin look all lumpy.
But, I am not going to give up breastfeeding yet because of it. I am planning to breastfeed DD for two years, so I am nearly halfway there. I figure that if I made it this far with crappy skin, I can do it for a while longer. This time is really about DD. The breastfeeding relationship we have is so special that I wouldn't give it up for something as superficial (pardon the pun) as clear skin. And as everyone says, the time will go by really quickly.
Last week I bought a new antibacterial facewash from the chemist call PHisohex (the PH are in capitals) and it's really helping... and it's cheap at $8 for a good sized bottle.
I wonder which hormone is causing the problem? Could it be worth seeing a hormone specialist? If you are going to have more children will this happen every time? it would be great to get some answers. I saw a Endocrinologist for a hormone issue i have and he knew a lot more than my GP did! he knew about medication i could take while BFing whereas my GP was suggesting I wean.
I suspect this will settle down as your baby needs less milk from you... especially after you introduce solids. It must be so hard. Don't give up hope... I'm sure there are other women out there who have suffered in a similar way... but have found answers...
Hi guys, just an update. Had my 6-week postnatal check up with GP last week. Everything is fine, except for my acne which didn't seem to respond to the antibiotics. My GP thought that my case is serious enough to warrant trying to get an earlier appointment with another dermo, so she called around and asked a favour from one of her contacts, and made an appt for me to see him today (at 7.30am, as he couldn't fit me in any other time).
I just got back from seeing this dermo, and the news is not good. He thinks that my acne is severe enough for him to prescribe me roaccutane. As soon as he told me that, I bawled my eyes out right in his office - I couldn;t control myself, I was that upset. He thinks the pill is not even fast acting enough, as he reckons I will get scarring if acne doesn't clear up soon. I bawled all the way home in the car - I must have looked pathetic if the other drivers can see me.
I'm having my blood tested and also a swab taken to see what kind of acne it is, and we will go from there. Upon seeing me crying he tried to console that it may not come to that (stopping bfing) but it is something that I may need to consider doing if I was to take roaccutane.
I'm just sooo upset because I love bfing bub so much, and I feel like I'm letting her down by stopping.
Starfish, did you see a dermo for your acne? I can put up with crappy skin for 6 months (which is the length of time I plan to bf DD) but on the advice of my dermo, I don't know what to do. Even now as I'm typing this and looking at DD's beautiful sleeping face tears are rolling down because I really want to give her the best (breastmilk) and I feel like I'm being selfish by choosing my skin over her.
But on the other hand I know it won't be healthy mentally for me to stress over my skin and to worry about scarring. I'm just so devastated....
cherryblossom - I completely understand your upset at the thought of roaccutane. I took it for just under 12months and it was the worst time of my life (caused mild depression and really didn't help my skin that much) - I would never take it again. Read about the side effects before you make a decision - it's a s**t of a drug (to put it bluntly).
Have you considered talking to a naturopath? Not sure if they will help but it's worth a try before resorting to roaccutane.
I really really hate to preach but you would be surprised how much what you put into your mouth can control your body (i.e Insulin is a hormone and very much diet controlled - that's how they come up with the low GI diet). Basically if you eliminate the highly refined processed foods (that aren't good for you anyway) then you'll be worlds better off. Just google it and have a read.
Thats that last time I'll post in here now because I will just keep harping on about low GI - I just believe in it so much and I just really wanted to help.
Acne - very depressed :(
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Well done.
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