Hey everyone, I'm Zaila.

I'm a 3rd year college student living in California.

For some reason, I'm the only one in my (immediate) family to have acne issues.

I've had it since middle school and I used to cover it up with make-up so much back in the day which could be why it's a bit worse now.

Before, it was on my cheeks which cleared up but it has moved a bit south to my jawline and migrated north to my forehead which I have never had before until the last couple of months. It's really bad under my ears, on my jawline.

I also work as a make-up artist (at MAC) and my co-workers all wear tons of make-up but I usually go work without foundation (if I ever wear it, it's a foundation specifically and just use a concealer (with salicylicacid) on the spots.

It just seems like when I get rid of it one places, it starts somewhere else. It's really frustrating and I'm tired not being able to leave my house unless i have make-up on.

I just recently found out i have allergies to soy (and I'm lactose intolerant)


Don't tell me to try Proactiv, that worsened it for me. And I'm a college student budget so I couldn't afford to see a dermatologist if I wanted.

Who knows, maybe I'll find my answer here

Try a GLUTEN-FREE diet.
good luck!

It probably is my diet.

I'm middle eastern so we have lots of curries, spices, etc. in my diet that's most likely the culprit to my skin acting up.

What to do....the foods so delicious

In a study of lactose intolerance, the worst symptoms were evoked by giving the lactose in water or skim milk; the least symptoms were evoked when giving the same amount of lactose in whole-fat milk.

In the only study to show that dairy can increase acne (in teenage boys, at least), the correlation was shown to skim milk, but not to whole milk.


I'll place my bet that at some point since you've had acne, you were outdoors all day in bright sunshine for at least a few days in a row, and both your acne and digestion improved during that period.

So sunlight...meaning I need more vitamin D?

Well, when i'm in the sun, my skin does get better but I don't exactly enjoy being in the sun for a long period of time, I really just can't do it.

I'm not sure what it is anymore...

TRY SUGAR AND CAFFEINE FREE DIET, WORKS FOR ME. *moderator edit*

I already don't drink caffeine. I don't like coffee/sodas too much but I do consume sugar here and there.

Hmm, maybe.

Thanks for the offer.

I had acne back in 2007 and by 2008, I had acne free skin but they came back again a couple months back probably because I didnt really maintain my skin cuz I thought they were gone for good but turns out Im wrong. I used Eucerin then and aloe vera gel, it worked really well but I guess my skin is already immune to it cuz it doesnt really work now..Maybe you can try it?

oh and trust me, diet is important too..i remember last year, I never took spicy or oily food, just once a month of mcD..i just had soup and steamed stuffs until this year of course, i guess thats why my acne came back! ..i live in a country with spicy delicacies too, its quite hard to resist, but i dont think we have much of a choice but to abstain ..-.=

Absorption of the active Vitamin D can vary for most people. It doesn't mean longer exposure=more vitamin D. Others can just stay out in the sun for a few minutes and take all the needed D which their body needs. and maybe you're one of those people. And even if some people stay out in the sun longer, the body regulates just the right amount of Vit. D needed in your body. The human body is one of the most complex and most wonderful things on earth.. I just wanted to say, that in all wonders, it should have forgotten to include acne.

Thanks for the tip you gave me. Also on an unrelated matter- what Middle Eastern nationality are you? I lived in Morocco for a summer and speak a bit of Arabic. I love the culture and the people over there.