[Acne] Closed comedones that become inflamed??

I've had acne for 4 years (24f) now that started during COVID when I had to wear a mask all the time and never resolved. Prior to that I would only get the occasional pimple on my forehead all throughout my teenage years Lately it's been getting worse and I don't know what to do about it and it's really affecting my self esteem.

I've noticed that it originally starts off as these little bumps under my skin and then becomes a whitehead later on. It gets more red/inflamed around my period and also improves at times but is never gone. I work in healthcare so I still do use masks occasionally. I notice that when I'm at work my entire face is super oily and the pimples are more red and inflamed even when I don't wear a mask. When I'm at home my skin tends to be dry.

Things I've tried: Vegan for 8 months when I first had this issue (didn't help) Retinol from TO Benzoyl peroxide and adapalene Salicylic acid Glycolic acid (I find my skin prefers this instead of salicylic acid but i was told that this wouldn't unclog my pores. Acid exfoliants I found made my skin more oily as well) Trifarotene Hydrafacials and micro dermabrasion with extractions (helped the skin a bit but never got rid of the issue) I tried the dermalogica clear start kit as advised by an esthetician but it wasn't hydrating enough I could only use it on days I went to work because my skin is oiler then

I found that active ingredients really damaged my skin barrier and made it a lot worse so I began using eucerin 5% urea repair cream and that helped rehydrate my skin along with hyaluronic acid. Even after fixing my skin barrier I still had this problem

What I'm doing currently: Making sure I exercise and manage stress (I have long and irregular cycles) Making sure I sleep well ( I take magnesium and vitamin D) Drink tons of water Change pillowcases weekly and sleep with my hair in a bonnet

Products I currently use: (I tried to go back to my old highschool skincare routine because my skin was good back then) Cetaphil oily skin cleanser (I tried the cerave SA cleanser and I think it damaged my skin barrier) Glamglow supermud mask 2x a week (I still have some of this and ive been using it since highschool just to treat problem areas) Dermalogica daily microfoliant (every other day) Raw Shea butter at night Eucerin 5% urea repair during the day

I feel like the bumps are more visible and some have a little black dot in them especially on my chin but at the same time I keep getting more I'm pending a dermatologist appointment

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

Edit: I have seen a doctor for my periods and for my skin. I am NOT requesting medical advice or diagnoses. I'm just asking to find out what has worked for others!