u/thataveragegirl04

I’ve been dealing with acne for years, and now it’s mostly cystic acne on my jawline/lower face.

I got my blood work done:

- Testosterone, DHEA-S, LH/FSH → all normal

- Insulin & glucose → normal

- Periods are regular

Lifestyle:

- Barely consume dairy

- Very low sugar

- Consistent skincare (non-comedogenic)

History:

- Antibiotics → worked temporarily, then acne came back

- Low-dose Accutane for ~1 year → cleared skin, but acne has returned

Now it’s just persistent, painful jawline acne no matter what I do.

At this point I feel stuck.

Has anyone had this with normal labs?

Am I missing any important test or is this something else entirely?

I’ve been dealing with recurring jawline acne for a long time, and it’s come back even after Accutane. My dermatologist recommended a full panel of hormone and blood tests, but it’s quite expensive where I live.

I wanted to ask—if I can’t do everything at once, which 2–3 tests are the most important to start with? I’m trying to prioritise the ones that would give the most useful insight first, and then maybe do the rest later based on results.

Also, I noticed that SHBG is one of the more expensive tests—would it be okay to skip it initially and do it later if needed, or is it important to include from the beginning?

Would really appreciate if anyone can suggest what to prioritise 🙏