M.R.
Wow...I thought I was the ONLY one! I can totally sympathize with you about all of this as my skin has a daily mind of its own....oily most of the time but then all of a sudden it goes into modes of combo skin or dry areas too! I think I'm part chameleon because I don't change colors but I do change skin types a lot! I have always had mini break-outs as a teenager but never anything serious and certainly not cystic acne. I kept waiting for the pimple to go away and by age 35, they were still a problem. At age 40, I had enough. I went to a dermatologist and we declared an all out war on my skin.
I found out many things from my dermatologist. First off, my skin is combination. Oily in the T-zone and normal everywhere else. Dryness was usually from hormonal swings or from cleansers or products that were not agreeing with my skin. I also found out that my skin is sensitive but turns over skin cells very quickly which often results in clogged pores, mild acne, and more problems with oily skin. I was told to use a cleansing bar called Cetaphil or a facial cleansing gel from LaRoche-Posay called Effaclar. They are gentle and also PH Balanced to adjust the skin back to its acid condition that it needs to be in. After cleansing, I got prescribed a daily routine. Clindamycin Gel in the morning all over the face and Retin-A Microgel .01% at bedtime. This is a miracle for me. No acne and that Retin-A is the fountain of youth in a tube! My own dermatologist told me that if she could take a bath in it, she would!
I also changed my diet and got even better results. The daily routine cleared up about 90% of the problems but eliminating sugar and gluten from my diet has taken my skin to all new levels! I found out I had gluten intolerance so the diet change was necessary for me. The by-product of great looking skin was another bonus of quitting sugar, refined or processed foods, and gluten. A drastic change! The diet I have to stick to is not for everyone and I understand that part but the treatment I have been on to clear my skin up has been working for me and it's been two years now. The Retin-A has now also prevented and/or corrected any wrinkles that might have been forming and my skin is in the best shape it has ever been in. I do not look my age and never will as long as I keep using the daily routine. Make an appointment with a dermatologist and have your skin looked at. Treatment doesn't have to be harsh or overly expensive. The Clindamycin I use is cheap and one tube lasts almost a year! Same thing with the Retin-A Micro although that tube of cream is expensive but it does last almost one year. I wish I had gone sooner because the results are that good! All this will not clear up overnight but if you do end up getting a prescribed daily regimen, give it at least three months to see the true potential of what the meds or routine can really do. Skin is made of many layers and the bad top layers have got to come off to get to the healthy and rejuvenated skin underneath. So worth the wait and the time put into it. My skin is clear, wonderfully even and smooth, and.....wrinkle free!
