21F, chronic acne, hair loss, and excess facial hair
hello! i’m a 21 year old female and i have been dealing with acne since i was about 8 or 9 years old. young, i know, but its true. i started breaking out around my forehead and temples as a child and slowly the breakouts progressed across my whole face, neck, chest, and eventually reaching my upper arms and entire back. i have dealt with persistent acne and breakouts since then and have been left with so much scarring. i have seen dermatologists, ive gotten facials, and have been to doctors. literally nothing has helped me thus far. not only has my acne not gotten better, but it’s worsened over time and other symptoms have come up. i’ve been growing thick, course hair on my face in places it hasn’t before grown, like on the sides of my chin, jaw, and sideburns. additionally, the hair on my head has been thinning which started a few years ago after i got covid in 2021. at first my hair was falling out in clumps but then that stopped which i later learned was a symptom of long covid, but it hasn’t stopped. i now have visible bald spots, especially around my bangs and on the top of head. my hair is thinning across my whole head but its most noticeable at the top and throughout my hairline. i feel so ugly and gross and horrible and i’m at my wits end. i have been tested for excess androgens and pcos, which all came out in the normal range. i was also tested for a possible intersex variation that could potentially be a cause, but it wasn’t. i was prescribed spironolactone last summer but decided against taking it after reading up on all the potential side effects. taking pills really scares me but at this point, im beyond desperate. i’m depressed about my appearance and im sad about how much control this has over my daily thoughts. if anyone can help me or give me any advice i would appreciate it so so much. thank you for taking the time to read this.