There’s light at the end of the tunnel - 6 months post birth control acne

June summer of 2024 I went on birth control (bc) for not even 2 months I got off of it late July and 2 weeks later I noticed all these little bumps under my skin. I tried pimple patches and a bunch of other over the counter products thinking I could get rid of it but it wouldn’t budge. A month out I started noticing these pimples getting larger and becoming more inflamed. By August I reached out to my dermatologist and scheduled an appointment that was unfortunately 3 months out. October finally came and my dermatologist prescribed me: Morning: 1. PanOxyl Acne Creamy wash (over the counter) 2. Clindamycin phosphate topical lotion 1% 3. Hydro boost water cream by Neutrogena for moisture (over the counter) Night: 1. La roche posay hydrating gentle cleanser (over the counter) 2. Tretinoin .01% 3. Hydro boost water cream by Neutrogena I followed this routine RELIGIOUSLY. Even when I felt tired I got my butt up. By the end of the month, I noticed the redness and inflammation was significantly reduced. December was my 3 month post op by then most of my pimples had faded. I still had some small ones and I had a lot of dark marks. My dermatologist increased my tret to .05%. I also asked about sunscreen that I could use. She recommended the Eucerin clears skin 50 acne prone + oily skin and I made sure to apply this in the morning after my moisturizer. Within 2 weeks my dark spots started to fade. The last set of pictures show my 6 month post op visit. I still have some dark marks but acne on the other hand is completely gone. I have continued the same regiment since my December visit and since October, I would say I noticed just that 1 pimple that flared up on the side of my face but literally have never had a pimple since. Just wanted to share because I know what it feels like to not want to go outside or be seen with this much acne on your face. It really knocks your confidence. I remember searching Reddit and looking up different things that would help me. Try your best to be PATIENT with this process. Hopefully, this helps someone! submitted by /u/DimensionFar2790 [link] [comments]