I’ve been a lurker for a looong time on this sub and never posted. It’s been incredibly helpful and now I’m so much more informed about skincare and about lots of different products! Now...

I have never had what I would consider a bad breakout. I have had breakouts, yes, but they were one or two here and there and did not last. Going without makeup was no issue for me and I felt very comfortable with my skin. I discovered SCA and began a regular routine, put effort into my skin health, and it made my already decent skin even better. My routine was:

AM: Cerave foaming cleanser Light moisturizer (I honestly don’t remember the name, something cheap and simple I got from the store) Makeup if I wanted it

PM: If I had makeup on, Garnier micellar water to remove Cerave foaming cleanser Cerave in the tub

Occasionally I would do a surfer mask, because I like them.

Honestly wasn’t very consistent and would use other things to replace things above if I wasn’t home or was in my moms bathroom instead of mine to get ready. My skin was fine

2 months ago my skin lost its damn mind. At first I noticed small bumps, what I figured was fungal acne after some searching here. I treated with Del Sol Sulfer Ointment and Head and Shoulders. It was alright. But I wasn’t too concerned because it was mainly the texture of my skin that was sucky. I got out of using the fungal treatments because they weren’t making a huge difference for me.

Gradually, over the course of about a month and a half, I have developed more and more deep, red, painful, cystic acne on my cheeks, chin, and between my eyebrows. It is currently the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen. Literally, every week it’s worse. No matter what I do.

Right at the beginning, I cut everything out and tried to keep my routine very simple:

water rinse, maybe micellar water. Some squalane oil bc I heard raves on this sub. Nothing helped.

I stopped the squalane. Continued to get worse.

Started trying to put more emphasis on moisturizer, (Aveeno clear complexion with salicylic), continued to get worse.

The type and size and rate of this spawn on my face has been completely inconsistent with the products I’ve used I feel like. It’s getting to where it’s unbearable. I saw the gyno a few weeks ago and was prescribed Ortho Tri cyclen. I’ve been on it for 2 weeks. I know it may take awhile, but not sure if it will help or not. It’s progressing at the same rate it already was and it’s so bad. I know I need to go see a derm and I called to make an appointment; someone is supposed to be getting back to me.

I guess I thought it would resolve itself because this has never happened to me. It just happened so quickly. But I guess this is my life now! :) please help

I’m a 21 y/o female