Hello everyone! I’m looking for some opinions from people who have gone through something similar.
I’m 30 years old and I’ve never really had acne before. I’ve always had oily skin and, as a teenager, I had a few pimples here and there, but nothing serious. In January 2025, I stopped taking the pill after two years. My skin stayed great for a while, but around August I started getting some breakouts on my cheeks, chin, and jawline. By October, it got really bad, persistent acne.
I tried simplifying my skincare routine: a good cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen, and I completely stopped using serums. Still, the acne continued. In February, I saw a dermatologist and my hormone tests came back normal. He said it was acne related to stopping the pill and prescribed oral Minocycline, Acnatac (tretinoin 0.025), and Skinoren (azelaic acid), along with Bioderma Sébium cleanser, Sébium Hydra moisturizer, and Avène SPF 50+ for acne-prone skin.
I started taking Minocycline, but it was a nightmare — vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, chest pain, and even a depressive feeling. After a week, I had to stop because I couldn’t handle it anymore. After reading similar experiences on Reddit, I decided to continue only with the topical treatments and stop the oral medication.
I’ve been using tretinoin and azelaic acid for almost five weeks now, and I feel like I’ve entered the purging phase — and it’s been awful for my self-esteem. Before, I could cover things fairly well with makeup, but now it’s nearly impossible because the breakouts are large and very raised. Yesterday, I spent a lot of money at Sephora trying to find good, high-coverage makeup to help conceal it as much as possible.
My dermatologist says my acne is mild to moderate, not severe, but it still feels overwhelming. I would really appreciate hearing positive experiences from anyone who has gone through this purging phase and come out the other side — I could really use the encouragement right now :(