I followed the regimen my doctor gave me for months and saw very little improvement, which resulted in her upping my dosage of spironolactone. This was discouraging, but I stuck with it. That's when I finally saw some changes in my skin and fewer new pimples popping up. The issue was still far from solved, but it was progress. This went on for about six months and, little by little, my skin got better. I didn't love that I was on an oral medication for my skin because I typically try to avoid taking necessary medications, but it was the only thing that was working, and I was desperate.
In the spring of 2019, I started a new job as a beauty editor (one that I absolutely loved), and the decrease in stress paired with the oral medication helped my skin clear up almost completely, save for the occasional breakout here and there, and of course, those pesky acne marks that are left behind for months after a zit goes away. I know that acne is completely normal, but my self-esteem went back up once my skin cleared.
