I'll be the first to admit that there are some parts of my youth that I am reluctant to let go of, but I can tell you with great certainty that acne is not one of them. It's quite perplexing to be a 30 year old adult woman and still have red spot specials from my adolescence adorning my aging face. Like a middle aged mother wearing her teenage daughter's clothes, there's some things that just don't belong on a mature woman.

For a long time, whenever my period approached, it was not an uncommon sight to see two big red lumps sprout directly above my left and right eyebrows. Like two (remarkably symmetrical) puss filled devil horns, it was as if the remnant's of my teenage angst were still simmering beneath the surface, desperate to break out in an ugly red rage (how's that for a lame metaphor!).

Initially, prior to my diagnosis of PCOS, I thought, like most people, that eating well and staying away from chocolate would do the trick. It didn't. I persisted with this method anyhow as I was unaware of what was causing the breakouts or how I could remedy them. I also tried some off the shelf acne products, but as I would later discover, the majority of these are formulated for adolescent skin and are not suited to adults. So they did not prove too effective either.

In the end I decided to try some more advanced (and expensive) acne treatments, and I was fortunate to have success with the first one I tried. After doing some research online I decided to give Dermalogica a go, who have a range of products for acne-prone skin. Initially I purchased their acne treatment kit which contains the anti-bac skin wash and medicated clearing gel (which now seems to be called 'Special clearing booster' - the names of all these products may vary according to which country you are in). Although these products significantly reduced my breakouts (when I used them religiously), I felt that I shouldn't need to use them in the first place. What was the underlining cause? Why was I still getting acne at this age?

The answer to this question, I eventually discovered, was that I had PCOS. When this diagnosis was confirmed my Naturopath immediately put me on Polyfem, a tablet containing a mix of natural herbs especially formulated to treat PCOS. Within a few weeks of starting Polyfem my usual pre-menstrual acne reduced significantly. And what remained would be effectively treated with the Dermalogica products. For the first time in a long time, I had clear skin.

I am unsure what impact Polyfem is having on my other PCOS symptoms at this stage, I know of other women who say it has eased their unwanted hair growth, but I can say it is definitely improving the condition of my skin. And I know this, not just on the evidence of acne reduction but also on the basis of the periods when I have not taken Polyfem because I had run out and been too lazy to order more. This has happened on two occasions and each time the acne came back with a vengeance. While I did not enjoy the return of the devil horns and red spot specials, it was extremely reassuring to see evidence that the Polyfem was actually working.

Each woman is different and consequently each woman's profile of PCOS symptoms and treatment successes are also different, so we can't be sure that what has worked for me will work for you. But if you are experiencing trouble with PCOS related acne, I do recommend Dermalogica and Polyfem to you. And just so it's clear, I have no association with the manufacturers of either product. I'm not normally one to promote or endorse particular products, but given I have had such great success with them and understand the frustration of dealing with this problem, I wanted to share my experience with you and let you know exactly what worked for me.

PolyFem
Polyfem is the product of an Australian herbal therapy company, however they have distribution in America and their US based website should be able to advise you where you can find it. Polyfem is part of a 'practitioner dispense only' line, which means it should only be taken under the guidance of a certified natural health practitioner. The contents of Polyfem tabs are: Paeonia lactiflora root (Chinese Peony), Glycyrrhiza glabra root (liquorice), Cimicifuga racemosa root (black cohosh) and Thuja occidentalis leaf (American Arbor-Vitae). The recommended dosage is 1 tablet 3-4 times daily, however after taking this dose when I first started (maybe 2-3 weeks) I was advised to take 1 tablet twice a day.

Dermalogica's Anti-bac skin wash and Special clearing booster (or Medicated clearing gel)
Dermalogica products are readily available online and from skin care specialists. I've found it cheaper to buy online, usually on eBay. Buying the salon size is usually better value for money and lasts a long time. I've had my current 16.9 FL OZ / 500ml bottle of Anti-bac for over a year. After the Polyfem started to work I found that I did not need to use the anti-bac skin wash everyday, only in the pre-menstrual period. A small bottle of the special clearing gel should suffice as only a very small amount is needed to attend to breakouts. The gel dries out the blemish, reduces inflammation and if you apply it in time will stop it from developing further. As the Polyfem started to take effect I found I rarely needed to use the gel, as the Anti-bac wash was sufficient to prevent major breakouts from occurring, but it's good to have on hand for those times when I lapse and don't use the Anti-bac wash as often as I should.