My Success Against Candida

It's been many months but I have finally come to a point where I feel I can be of some help to others considering the Candida approach. I wanted to make sure that I had achieved some level of success with my acne before sharing my story. I will try to keep it as brief and informative as I can. Feel free to PM me with any questions you have!

For starters, this diet is tough, so if you're considering it you might need to psyche yourself up for it. I jumped into it without thinking which works for some of us but I definitely recommend thinking it over.

I'm going on my fourth month of this diet (which is why I say think it over) and I'll give you a quick summary of where I started and where I'm at.

My acne was mostly concentrated on my cheeks, temples and sides of my chin. I had a few large ones on the forehead as well. If I figure out how I'll add some pics here. I had every different kind of acne you could imagine: cysts, whiteheads, blackheads, etc. They ranged from very painful to completely painless, red and inflamed or just bumps. I figured I had Candida after trying the low-glycemic diet and having a horrible breakout after eating a crap load of strawberries. I was hoping and praying I didn't have to do the Candida diet because I knew what I couldn't eat on that diet and wasn't very willing. One look in the mirror changed my mind.

The first month (May 09) I began taking Pau d'Arco tea and stopped eating most carbs with the exception of 1 whole wheat tortilla or a little oatmeal for breakfast. No sugars AT ALL. Within three days I noticed the oils on my face subsided quite a bit and I had a few odd dizzy spells. Then the cravings started...
I could eat a full steak and veggies and I was still starving. Be ready for that, it is kind of unpleasant and a huge challenge. I didn't give in. I started taking coconut oil. After three weeks it seemed as if the cravings were beginning to calm but having little to no carbs is very difficult for the body. I felt a lot of muscle fatigue in my legs but, strangely enough, I had a lot more energy. I noticed I was going to bed later and waking up earlier.
Fast forward to Aug 09: my face is about 85% clearer and pain free. Whatever acne I get now does not cause me much pain and is most likely due to other factors. I don't eat whatever I want because I still feel that I can make more progress, but I am VERY happy with my results. I know this post hasn't been too detailed but its intended to give acne sufferers some hope. I will list some things that I used below but take into consideration all the above before you start this diet. All in all, it was well worth it!

Antifungals
Pau d'Arco
NOW Candida Clear
Garlic Pills
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Olive Leaf Extract
Coconut Oil
Acidophilus
Fish Oil
Cranberry

BTW I'm going to try to make a bloggy thing. I don't know how to do this but I'll try to make it as helpful as possible. Check it out!

Spectra Laser Peel...is this new?

Just wondering if anyone has tried something called the Spectra Laser Peel? It is offered at Skin Perfect in SoCal. I think the price is reasonable, but I have searched the forums up and down and have seen very little or no info on this particular laser treatment. I have been to several consultations and have actually liked the one at Skin Perfect the most but I really have no knowledge and have heard nothing about the Spectra Laser Peel. If anyone has tried it or knows any details about what it is could you post or PM me with some info about it? It would be a ton of help...

Burning, itching...IN MY EYE!

Hello I'm new to The Regimen and acne.org. This is my second week on it so I'm not anticipating amazing results yet, I'm just taking it one day at a time. I experienced the usual burning and redness in the first week which has calmed only to be replaced by TONS of flakiness (which I'm helping with some jojoba oil). It seems that everything is progressing normally (I read the What to Expect and I seem to be pretty on track) with the exception of one thing that I have yet to come across in the forums.

My first week was tough because of the stinging and burning but now I am noticing that my eyelids are itching and my eyes are actually burning as well. I have had similar problems with Proactiv (itching and flaking on eyelids) that was helped by a little cortaid, but never any burning in my eyes. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar reaction. I really want to stick it out until at least week 8, especially now since the redness and stinging on the face has gone down. Please let me know if you have had a similar experience!!!

What I'm using:
Week 1
generic Cetaphil cleanser
Proactiv BP moisturizer
Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer

Week 2 (Barely Started)
generic Cetaphil cleanser
DK BP
DK Moisturizer
Jojoba Oil