u/Additional_Stick1900

The first two photos are from April 27, its hard to tell in the lighting but basically everywhere u see an inflamed pimple, there was a closed comedones/ whitehead. My routine has been The Ordinary glucoside foaming cleanser in the mornings and BPO 10% in evenings, Purito Oat in Calming Gel morning and evening. Then spot treating with 2.5% benozyl peroxide.

I feel like all of these closed comedones are erupting out of nowhere. Today Im starting a Curology prescription (sulfa/zinc pyrithione cleanser, and Aza/Clinda/Zinc topical Rx). Has anyone cleared something like this topically? I dont want to do any hormonal interventions because last time I tried generic Yaz, I was actually getting severe SI.

Edit: I should say I never struggled with acne in my life until March. I strongly suspect it was due to taking an emergency OCP

I was on generic YAZ BC w/ drosperinone for 1 month, which is to my understanding basically ~15mg Spiro, and I just never want to feel like that again. My energy, libido, and gym performance are very important to me. Whats the point of having hair if I don’t want to leave my bed all day. The dark thoughts were getting about as extreme and dangerous as they could get. 4 days off of it and Im already starting to return to normal.

Im honestly not even willing to risk trying another medication with a similar profile to this. Especially as someone prone to and with a family history of depression. I think I am very sensitive to either this progesterone or having lower DHT levels.

With an AGA diagnosis, is a DHT Blocker absolutely necessary to keep growth from oral min? Is anyone here with AGA doing okay on oral min only? If regrowth can outpace the shedding, even if I never have a full thick head of hair I’ll be happy to just keep what I have. I will try every other treatment under the sun but messing with my hormones again isn’t something I want to do.

I would be open to scalp injections with dut but I dont know how effective that is for women?

[Acne] Hope of clearing this topically?

AGA, no oral DHT blockers, still hope?