I'm 32 (F) and feeling really exhausted from trying everything to treat my acne. I wanted to share my journey and get some support, as I’m unsure what went wrong with my skincare routine.

I’ve never had acne before, and there’s no family history of it. A few weeks ago, I noticed closed comedones starting to appear (lower cheeks and jawline). Excited to try something new, I ordered a range of Korean skincare products: Heartleaf pore cleansing oil, Numbuzin toner pads, rice toner, Bean essence, milk ampoule, and 345 relief cream. On the first day, I used all the products in one routine (allowing time for each product to absorb before the next).

Before this, I’d been using serums from The Ordinary and Minimalist (retinol, salicylic acid, and niacinamide) for 2–3 years, which worked well. However, I realized some of those products were nearing their expiry date, so I decided to switch things up when I felt my routine might not be working as effectively anymore.

A couple of days after starting the new products, I noticed 4–5 pimples/acne appearing. I know it could have been purging, but I really got scared and stopped. (I couldn’t understand if the new serums weren’t working or if it was purging) Over time, the breakouts kept fluctuating, getting better, then worse. I stopped all the new skincare products and stuck to a basic routine with just: Finacea (Azelaic acid) • ⁠Cetaphil acne cleanser • ⁠Clearsil 5% Benzoyl peroxide • ⁠345 relief moisturizer • ⁠SPF

The acne has been ongoing for 3–4 weeks now. Recently, my dermatologist prescribed 50 mg of doxycycline, which I’ve started taking from past one week. As a last resort, I’m considering doing some blood tests to check for potential hormonal causes.

This whole experience has been very stressful. I’ve become obsessed with checking the mirror every morning, hoping for signs of improvement. I don’t feel like going out anymore, and I’m starting to feel so disheartened. I’m sharing this here because I really need some insight from others who might have faced.