A woman tried everything to clear her acne for 18 years. It finally vanished when she got pregnant.

• Kit Hondrum, 35, started experiencing acne when she was 13.
• She tried cutting dairy and gluten, oral antibiotics, and a skincare regimen.

Like many people, Kit Hondrum's first experience with acne started when she was 13. While she never considered it severe enough to go on Accutane, she wore makeup every day and was "obsessed" with her skin.

"Especially as I entered into my 20s, I was like, 'Why is this not going away?'" The 35-year-old told Insider. "That's when I really became more frustrated with everything."

She tried dietary changes, prescriptions, and a consistent skincare regimen

Over the years, Hondrum tried oral antibiotics and Differin gel (an over-the-counter retinoid) prescribed by dermatologists. She also made dietary changes based on the advice of her esthetician. Hondrum, who runs a cooking blog, tried limiting inflammatory foods and "cut dairy for a long time," which she said helped a little bit.

She also bought products from a company called TS Skincare she used to get facials from in Orlando, Florida, and kept up with her skincare routine, which involved oil cleansing and using products like toner and moisturizer.

She suspected her acne was related to hormonal imbalance because she tried multiple solutions and saw some mild changes, but not enough to fully clear her skin.

The biggest change happened when she got pregnant

When it came to her acne, she said "nothing cleared it up like being pregnant and having kids."

Hondrum became pregnant with her first son at age 30, when she saw her skin gradually become clearer. Skin changes are common during pregnancy, due to fluctuating hormones. Some people might get severe acne breakouts, while others may experience clearer skin.

According to Dr. Kameelah Phillips, a board-certified OB/GYN and founder of Calla Women's Health, "Estrogen and progesterone are typically responsible for pregnancy-related changes," including darkened nipples, linea nigra (a dark line on the stomach), and acne — or in Hondrum's case, lack thereof.

In her case, the change was fairly drastic. "My husband noticed right away," she said. "My parents, my sisters, and really anyone who I saw on a day-to-day basis, even if I was still wearing makeup, they noticed that my skin was smoother or maybe I would show up to the gym without makeup and people were surprised."

It took time to adjust to having consistently clearer skin

While it's common to break out or clear up acne during pregnancy, for most people, their skin will revert back once they give birth. For example, "if skin becomes acne-prone, it typically improves to its normal condition after pregnancy," said Phillips.

She said that while Hondrum's experience isn't common, "the changes of pregnancy are not universal and sometimes they even go against the majority experience."

But for Hondrum, who had since had a second child, she said her skin pretty much remained clear for the past five years. She thinks the acne was "definitely all hormonal," because aside from the pregnancy, her diet and skincare routine had remained the same.

She still gets occasional breakouts or a few pimples before her period, but she said the biggest post-pregnancy skin adjustment has been getting used to clearer skin.

"I feel like when I was 25 and getting married, I was pretty confident — but not with my skin," she said. "It took me years of being clear from acne to realize that other people probably didn't notice my skin texture at all. That what I had was normal, and for that emotional burden to lift."