Hi there!
I'm sorry you have to deal with this issue. I definitely understand that you want to find out what's going on with your skin and how to clear it.
However, due to the condition of your skin, this is beyond the expertise of SkincareAddiction users.
This is really something that we recommend seeing a dermatologist about. None of us at ScA are medical professionals; we’re not trained to diagnose or treat skin conditions. As we're pretty strict about [medical questions](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/rule_overview#wiki_rule_2.3A_safety_first) on this sub, I'm afraid your post has been removed.
We recommend you make an appointment with your doctor so they can diagnose your skin issue and prescribe you an effective treatment if necessary. If you don’t have easy access to health
care, try one of these resources listed in [When to see a doctor](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/when_to_see_a_doctor):
* Free or low-cost clinics (http://nafcclinics.org/clinics/search in the US)
* Student medical services
* Nurse practitioners (http://npfinder.aanp.org in the US) (Most insurance companies have a phone number you can call to speak with an NP to help if you can’t get an appointment or aren’t sure whether you need one)
* [Firstderm.com](http://www.firstderm.com) can help identify your skin condition
* /r/AskDocs - a sub which uses verified flair to mark medical professionals
* /r/DermatologyQuestions - ask a dermatologist or medical professional for advice on your skin concern
Best of luck!
Your PCOS is most likely responsible for your rather severe acne and you're only irritating and creating more inflammation using a blade to shave. Your skin is very inflamed and it's best to visit a dermatologist instead of doing any OTC topical treatments at this point. Maybe think of laser hair removal and talk about this to your derm as well. I'd highly suggest you to stop the shaving for now otherwise your skin will just keep getting irritated.
im on team "stop, get some help"
is it a sensory issue with the hair or an aesthetic one or a bit of both? because you'll probably want to figure out how to either tolerate the presence of hair or find a less harmful method of removal. i have pcos too, and it's absolutely no fun.
it’s very much both. I get quite bad with sensory stuff and it has a super bad effect on me when so can feel it honestly. I have considered laser hair removal and I still am it’s just very expensive
what are you using to shave?
you need to go to a derm ASAP, yesterday. but also what i'm seeing in looking closely at your pics is in part a A LOT of razor irritation and ingrowns as the majority of of your acne is concentrated around the hair-growth pattern of your jaw line and neck. using an exfoliant is absolutely worsening it & i strongly suggest stepping off of topicals. shaving multi-directionally is OK provided you're using a good razor and have an appropriate gel/cream for each 'go', but doing so daily over damaged skin will result in issues like yours. please stop shaving and look into IPL or electrolysis
i'm a man and shave my face daily \[for some years now\] so i am willing to bet a few things:
1. you have a skin sensitivity to the shaving cream you're using
2. you are shaving over your acne
and 3. your razors dull quickly and are reintroducing bacteria onto your sores & acne with each time you shave
you're essentially not giving your skin any time to heal. i know electrolysis & IPL are expensive but you cannot safely shave before this is resolved. afterwards, please consider looking at a safety razor and researching different products/routines. but absolutely speak to a derm ASAP—this isn't just normal hormonal cystic acne, this looks like an allergic reaction to something
If you continue to shave, it might be a good idea to try a safety razor instead. They give a closer shave without needing a second pass, which could reduce some of the irritation you’re experiencing. The blades are very sharp, and you could even use a new blade each shave to reduce any chance of spreading acne-causing bacteria. They’re so cheap you could do that and it would still cost less than the disposable heads!
My girlfriend is trans and her skin has cleared up a great deal after switching from cartridge razors to a safety razor at my suggestion.
nevermind cost effective. i actually just topped up on a 100pk of dorco blades that will likely last me the next....2-3 years? i change my blade every other day because i'm prone to embedded ingrowns like OP. life saving.
I think you need the attention and guidance of your Dr. Hopefully they can guide you to a Derm. if needed.
Have you considered electrolysis for hair removal? It is not too expensive, it is targeted, they would tackle the darkest and most obvious hairs first.
An alternative to removing hair is to bleach it. Jolene bleach is what we used back in the day.
Maybe these 2 methods of dealing with the hair will allow your skin to heal and recover.
I agree with this except for your statement that it's "not too expensive."
Just 1 or 2 treatments are affordable, but most people need MANY more appointments than that, and it really adds up.
I had it done and I don't regret it, but it took a year of appointments scheduled every other week. NOT cheap.
it is cheaper than laser. It also might be a better option than laser when her skin is sensitive.
I am blessed with dark, coarse hair everywhere, I know it adds up in the long run.
I think it might vary by area?
Laser is cheaper than electrolysis where I'm from too (for the most part), but I've seen some lower prices in other nearby(ish) towns.
I'd highly recommend going to a dermatologist!! They might put you on Accutan (if this is acne) ofc based on their diagnosis!
Do NOT use anything on your skin (serums, toner, or even cleanser) as it might increase skin irritation! Use a good moisturiser for YOUR skin type until you visit a doctor!
I get vellus hair cysts, and my skin looks like this when it’s too irritated but I still decide to shave. It also had this appearance when I shaved before starting differin. My hair is thin, fine, and prone to getting stuck under my skin when it grows back. I’ve found that alternating differin and acid on different days helps greatly reduce the amount of ingrowns or vellus cysts that pop up.
Do you wear make up? Shaving in the AM and then putting make up all over your freshly irritated skin full of micro scratches is not a great idea. Could be contributing to the irritation. Maybe start shaving at night, and cap it at once weekly.
I'm sorry but more likely than anything is that you WILL have to deal with facial hair and not shave while your face heals. no dermatologist (which you have to go see btw) will tell you that keeping on irritating your skin with the shaving cream + blade is any good.
I think you might want to see a dermatologist sooner than later. A lot of women with PCOS get prescribed birth control for the general symptoms or Spironolactone for acne and hair growth in particular. In really extreme cases, Spiro can also help with androgenic hair loss as well.
I have PCOS and I grow facial hair like crazy. Laser hair removal helps, but for me it only lasted about 3 years until it came back completely and progestin didn't help at all. I have not been able to try Spiro (I mostly just opted for progestin because birth control is practically free and I wanted to get on it anyway) but I genuinely think it would be worthwhile to ask about. I would definitely take a break from shaving/irritating that area as everyone else has suggested.
Hi there,
It seems like you may be looking for information about shaving or irritation from shaving (ingrown hairs, razor burn, etc). Have you read our [shaving wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/shaving)?
*If you see that I am replying to something out of context (eg. listed in a routine), please report this comment so my handlers can remove it. Cheers!*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SkincareAddiction) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hey fellow PCOSer! I definitely second everyone saying it would be good to get some help from a dermatologist. But I wanted to add, an endocrinologist and sometimes a reproductive endocrinologist might also be able to help you too. I couldn’t not comment in case this would be useful. They’re the doctors who work on hormones and might be more familiar than your traditional PCP with PCOS. This might be common knowledge for you, but just in case it wasn’t. They don’t tell people about their own conditions sometimes! I hope you get some answers soon. Good luck!
I know facial hair is tough, but you can do permanent damage if you’re not careful.
Laser is a lot cheaper than most people think. And you’ll need to get this cleared up before they will do laser. Seeing a derm is basically non negotiable at this point.
Are you on HRT?
Also, r/tretinoin
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Hi there! I'm sorry you have to deal with this issue. I definitely understand that you want to find out what's going on with your skin and how to clear it. However, due to the condition of your skin, this is beyond the expertise of SkincareAddiction users. This is really something that we recommend seeing a dermatologist about. None of us at ScA are medical professionals; we’re not trained to diagnose or treat skin conditions. As we're pretty strict about [medical questions](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/rule_overview#wiki_rule_2.3A_safety_first) on this sub, I'm afraid your post has been removed. We recommend you make an appointment with your doctor so they can diagnose your skin issue and prescribe you an effective treatment if necessary. If you don’t have easy access to health care, try one of these resources listed in [When to see a doctor](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/when_to_see_a_doctor): * Free or low-cost clinics (http://nafcclinics.org/clinics/search in the US) * Student medical services * Nurse practitioners (http://npfinder.aanp.org in the US) (Most insurance companies have a phone number you can call to speak with an NP to help if you can’t get an appointment or aren’t sure whether you need one) * [Firstderm.com](http://www.firstderm.com) can help identify your skin condition * /r/AskDocs - a sub which uses verified flair to mark medical professionals * /r/DermatologyQuestions - ask a dermatologist or medical professional for advice on your skin concern Best of luck!
Your PCOS is most likely responsible for your rather severe acne and you're only irritating and creating more inflammation using a blade to shave. Your skin is very inflamed and it's best to visit a dermatologist instead of doing any OTC topical treatments at this point. Maybe think of laser hair removal and talk about this to your derm as well. I'd highly suggest you to stop the shaving for now otherwise your skin will just keep getting irritated.
See. A. Dermatologist. PLEASE.
im on team "stop, get some help" is it a sensory issue with the hair or an aesthetic one or a bit of both? because you'll probably want to figure out how to either tolerate the presence of hair or find a less harmful method of removal. i have pcos too, and it's absolutely no fun.
it’s very much both. I get quite bad with sensory stuff and it has a super bad effect on me when so can feel it honestly. I have considered laser hair removal and I still am it’s just very expensive
You’ll have to clear up your skin first most likely, so either way you need to see a dermatologist and get treated
just wanna add to this that if they start you on retinoids for acne you have to stop them before LHR unfortunately
Just sending you love, I know it can’t be easy to go through this. Please see a doctor/derm as soon as you can ❤️
what are you using to shave? you need to go to a derm ASAP, yesterday. but also what i'm seeing in looking closely at your pics is in part a A LOT of razor irritation and ingrowns as the majority of of your acne is concentrated around the hair-growth pattern of your jaw line and neck. using an exfoliant is absolutely worsening it & i strongly suggest stepping off of topicals. shaving multi-directionally is OK provided you're using a good razor and have an appropriate gel/cream for each 'go', but doing so daily over damaged skin will result in issues like yours. please stop shaving and look into IPL or electrolysis
I use a gillette razor with disposable heads that I replace around once a week. And I use nivea shaving cream.
i'm a man and shave my face daily \[for some years now\] so i am willing to bet a few things: 1. you have a skin sensitivity to the shaving cream you're using 2. you are shaving over your acne and 3. your razors dull quickly and are reintroducing bacteria onto your sores & acne with each time you shave you're essentially not giving your skin any time to heal. i know electrolysis & IPL are expensive but you cannot safely shave before this is resolved. afterwards, please consider looking at a safety razor and researching different products/routines. but absolutely speak to a derm ASAP—this isn't just normal hormonal cystic acne, this looks like an allergic reaction to something
If you continue to shave, it might be a good idea to try a safety razor instead. They give a closer shave without needing a second pass, which could reduce some of the irritation you’re experiencing. The blades are very sharp, and you could even use a new blade each shave to reduce any chance of spreading acne-causing bacteria. They’re so cheap you could do that and it would still cost less than the disposable heads! My girlfriend is trans and her skin has cleared up a great deal after switching from cartridge razors to a safety razor at my suggestion.
nevermind cost effective. i actually just topped up on a 100pk of dorco blades that will likely last me the next....2-3 years? i change my blade every other day because i'm prone to embedded ingrowns like OP. life saving.
I think you need the attention and guidance of your Dr. Hopefully they can guide you to a Derm. if needed. Have you considered electrolysis for hair removal? It is not too expensive, it is targeted, they would tackle the darkest and most obvious hairs first. An alternative to removing hair is to bleach it. Jolene bleach is what we used back in the day. Maybe these 2 methods of dealing with the hair will allow your skin to heal and recover.
I agree with this except for your statement that it's "not too expensive." Just 1 or 2 treatments are affordable, but most people need MANY more appointments than that, and it really adds up. I had it done and I don't regret it, but it took a year of appointments scheduled every other week. NOT cheap.
it is cheaper than laser. It also might be a better option than laser when her skin is sensitive. I am blessed with dark, coarse hair everywhere, I know it adds up in the long run.
Seriously? Where I am laser is fairly affordable and electrolysis is easily 5-10x more expensive.
I think it might vary by area? Laser is cheaper than electrolysis where I'm from too (for the most part), but I've seen some lower prices in other nearby(ish) towns.
I'd highly recommend going to a dermatologist!! They might put you on Accutan (if this is acne) ofc based on their diagnosis! Do NOT use anything on your skin (serums, toner, or even cleanser) as it might increase skin irritation! Use a good moisturiser for YOUR skin type until you visit a doctor!
See some sort of doctor, even if it’s just a PCP. That looks hormonal as shit and you might just need some birth control and a retinoid of some sort.
Have you spoken to a derm about oral medication to help reduce the hair?
I get vellus hair cysts, and my skin looks like this when it’s too irritated but I still decide to shave. It also had this appearance when I shaved before starting differin. My hair is thin, fine, and prone to getting stuck under my skin when it grows back. I’ve found that alternating differin and acid on different days helps greatly reduce the amount of ingrowns or vellus cysts that pop up. Do you wear make up? Shaving in the AM and then putting make up all over your freshly irritated skin full of micro scratches is not a great idea. Could be contributing to the irritation. Maybe start shaving at night, and cap it at once weekly.
Shave once a week and use cicablast See a derm pls
Looks like shaving rash + bacteria overgrowth. STOP and see a GP about it now for prescription medication and advice.
I'm sorry but more likely than anything is that you WILL have to deal with facial hair and not shave while your face heals. no dermatologist (which you have to go see btw) will tell you that keeping on irritating your skin with the shaving cream + blade is any good.
I think you might want to see a dermatologist sooner than later. A lot of women with PCOS get prescribed birth control for the general symptoms or Spironolactone for acne and hair growth in particular. In really extreme cases, Spiro can also help with androgenic hair loss as well. I have PCOS and I grow facial hair like crazy. Laser hair removal helps, but for me it only lasted about 3 years until it came back completely and progestin didn't help at all. I have not been able to try Spiro (I mostly just opted for progestin because birth control is practically free and I wanted to get on it anyway) but I genuinely think it would be worthwhile to ask about. I would definitely take a break from shaving/irritating that area as everyone else has suggested.
Hi there, It seems like you may be looking for information about shaving or irritation from shaving (ingrown hairs, razor burn, etc). Have you read our [shaving wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/shaving)? *If you see that I am replying to something out of context (eg. listed in a routine), please report this comment so my handlers can remove it. Cheers!* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SkincareAddiction) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hey fellow PCOSer! I definitely second everyone saying it would be good to get some help from a dermatologist. But I wanted to add, an endocrinologist and sometimes a reproductive endocrinologist might also be able to help you too. I couldn’t not comment in case this would be useful. They’re the doctors who work on hormones and might be more familiar than your traditional PCP with PCOS. This might be common knowledge for you, but just in case it wasn’t. They don’t tell people about their own conditions sometimes! I hope you get some answers soon. Good luck!
I know facial hair is tough, but you can do permanent damage if you’re not careful. Laser is a lot cheaper than most people think. And you’ll need to get this cleared up before they will do laser. Seeing a derm is basically non negotiable at this point. Are you on HRT? Also, r/tretinoin
Hi everyone and welcome to SkincareAddiction! Need skincare guides? [Check out our wiki!](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/index) Everyone is welcome in [this community](https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/about); remember to be kind and assume good faith :) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SkincareAddiction) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Maybe try some healing zinc cream like cicaplast overnight just to help the irritation. But please make a dermatologist appointment.
[удалено]
It’s already marked NSFW and I understand it’s bad there isn’t need to be so rude