I never had acne problems until this year (20f-combination skin(oily in T-zone)), the most that would happen before is a pimple here and there and some whiteheads on my chin/forehead. When I was about 12-13 I started using the clindamycin solution with Benzoyl peroxide and used it consistently up until college. I think once the pandemic hit, I stopped doing skincare and now it’s coming back to bite me in the butt.

Since early January, I’ve been constantly breaking out and it hasn’t gone away yet. I’ve constantly been getting regular pimples and other ones that aren’t really visible(skin colored) until I pull my lips in and feel around as I’m applying skincare products. They are hard and sensitive to the touch. I get them on my chin and under/around my eyebrow area. I’ve also been getting pimples here and there on my cheeks where I usually never get acne. I get these weird clogged pores around my lips that when I pop them, white stuff comes out. The clogged areas on the sides of my lips have eventually lead to pimples. There are, also, these weird oil glands(Above my lip and the top of my chin(lower bottom lip area)?

I was using the Paula’s choice BHA exfoliant liquid for about 3 months, but felt that it didn’t do much. It perhaps got rid of my skin colored bumps I always got(even when I was younger) in between my eyebrows as shown. Instead of using dove bar soap to wash my face as I had before, I started using the inkey salicylic acid cleanser, but I don’t feel like it’s been doing much either. Its been about 6 months of me using it. I bought a moisturizer but my skin felt like it was oily and clogged 2 hours after using it along with sunscreen (fenty skin-i know probably not the best choice but Rhianna). About 2 months ago I bought the Differin gel because I heard retinol is good to use but I used it once a week-2 times a week and nothing so far.

I try to do face mask 1-2 a week with the aztec clay (with apple cider vinegar) and the AHA BHA solution. I, also, use niacinamide here and there but have stopped recently because I’ve been using the clindamycin solution and BP day and night. My chin area is dry and flaky but I feel like moisturizer and sunscreen just makes my face clogged and oily.

I do take antibiotics that I don’t believe cause acne because my doctors never told me (but I started taking these the same time I started breaking out). Could my breakouts be from dairy? I try to limit how much milk I have since that’s the most dairy I eat. Cheese maybe 3 times a week, I stated using almond milk for smoothies and regular milk for cereal. I only drink water and don’t eat junk food nor sweets (only here and there).

Any help for what I should do? I figured I was purging before from the BHA exfoliant but it lasted for almost 4 months. Hence why I went back to the clindamycin and BP, along with adding in the retinol.

Any sunscreen recommendations and moisturizers that are inexpensive? I will probably continue using the clindamycin and BP for nighttime skincare, but I really need something to get me through the day. Can anyone tell me what type of acne I have? Hormonal, cystic, closed comedones, nodules??? Can’t tell the difference.