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irishgenes
15th June 2005, 08:30 PM
Although 8 years post-menopause now, I suffered pre-menstrual acne outbreaks for 38 years. I am now on bioidentical hormones and still get acne when I take natural progesterone every 3 months.

I clipped a short "question & answer" from a magazine a few years back. Can't remember the name of the magazine or date now, but this dermatologist said that estrogen dominant bc pills help pre-menstrual acne and Aldactone (a diuretic) blocks progesterone from stimulating your oil glands. But what most interested me was that he said taking an antihistamine such as Benadryl for about a week, starting four or five days before a flare-up is expected, works for some women. I decided to try clemestine during my progesterone days, since Benadryl makes me sleepy. It worked! I wish I had known this back when I was in high school. I don't know why this would work unless some women are "allergic" to their own progesterone? Anyway, the doctor who wrote this article was David Bank, MD, director of the Center for Dermatology, Laser, & Plastic Surgery, Mt. Kisco, NY.

nyc_zanne
20th June 2005, 01:40 AM
Thanks! I'm going to give this a try...I stopped taking claritin thinking it was drying my skin. So I have been suffering with my sinuses and Rosacea.

irishgenes
22nd June 2005, 08:17 PM
nyc_zanne: The antihistamine is for pre-menstrual acne, not for the papules and pustules of rosacea, which are quite different. I still get the p&p of rosacea--well, not so much with doxycycline. The p&p of rosacea is caused by leakage of fluids from blood vessels instead of an oil plug.

nyc_zanne
24th June 2005, 04:44 PM
Thanks for the clarification. I am unfortunately very allergic to doxycycline.

Max
24th June 2005, 05:44 PM
But what most interested me was that he said taking an antihistamine such as Benadryl for about a week, starting four or five days before a flare-up is expected, works for some women.

never heard about antihistamines being benefitial for acne - i always thought all they can do is take the itch out?

that's just another proof that women are more complex creatures than men -
i always believed it was women first reaching the ground asking their men to come off the trees :)

Violette
25th May 2008, 01:01 AM
How interesting!

I will give it a go and let you know.

Thanks for posting this information!