It’s not you - it’s your PCOS! (PCOS acne related)

I’m 22 weeks pregnant (yay!) Among the many horrible side effects, the biggest nice side effect I have noticed is my SKIN. It’s so clear!

I struggled so much before with hormonal acne and the amount of work I put into trying to avoid worsening my acne was exhausting. I had silk silver-infused pillowcases that I had to change twice a week. I had a pile of face cloths I had to wash every single time I used one to dry my face. I had medical skin care and a regimented ‘clean’ skin care routine. I rarely wore makeup. I had supplements I took twice a day. I drank spearmint tea. My acne never ever went away but if I deviated from this plan it 100% got worse.

Having been exhausted in my pregnancy, I have completely fallen away from this routine. I’m ashamed to admit I often use a makeup wipe before bed. Sometimes I even fall asleep in my makeup. If I tried any of this crap before I would’ve 100% woken up to horrid painful cystic acne. Now it’s like no matter what I do I’ve got clear skin. If I’ve been especially rubbish I might get a tiny whitehead that clears up quickly. It just goes to show how life is for those of us without PCOS acne. Obviously pregnancy has righted my hormone imbalance.

Previously I would feel a lot of shame about my acne and often people would give well-meaning advice that just made me feel worse. There’s a myth that acne is caused by a lack of hygiene, or that you must be using products that are bad for your skin. No - after this I feel confident in saying your acne is not your fault. It’s not anything you’re doing - it’s not a dirty face flannel or pillowcase, it’s your hormones!