3 replies to this topic

[calenwen]

Hi. I figured it was about time I posted here, as I've been lurking about for over a year, mostly in the diet/holistic threads.

I've struggled with acne for over ten years. When I had it as a teenager I begged my mom to take me to the dermatologist as I was convinced there was some magic pill I could take that would wipe it all away instantaneously - I must have had over ten different prescriptions over the years and none of them had the slightest effect. At the end of it, my dermatologist gave me a prescription for Accutane, but I was too afraid to take it.

I guess that was when I started looking to holistic methods, although in the beginning it was only focused on topical treatments. Diet came a few years later...

I've always had blackheads and a variety of sebum-filled ones, almost like really big white heads? I'm not sure what they're properly called, but it wasn't quite as bad as a full blown pustule. Or maybe it was, I don't know. I was getting 2-3 new breakouts a day about a year ago, so had about 12 spots on my face and neck at any given time. My breakouts were focused on my face and upper neck, only very rarely (two or three times a year) would I get one on my shoulders.

Of course, like most everyone else, having acne affected my life in so many different ways, but I don't need to get into all that now. In the beginning of the year (so about six months ago), I stumbled across an article talking about the connection between dairy and acne - acne and diet? Such a thought had never occurred to me before, but I instantly dropped dairy from my diet (I was so desperate!) and started doing more and more research into diet and acne. Dropping dairy alone decreased my breakouts by 50%. I think my acne is caused by a hormone imbalance, in that I have too many androgens (male hormones) and so cutting foods like dairy, red meat and sugar helped to balance them out a little - although I don't recommend just instantly dropping food from your diet without doing proper research, I was a little too rash... but that's neither here nor there.
I started talking supplements quite recently - cod liver oil to balance out my EFA (essential fatty acid) ratio and coconut oil to aid in the body's absorption of the cod liver oil and because it seems like an all-around awesome thing!
I've cut refined sugar and refined carbs out for so many reasons, mainly because I felt SO AMAZING after I got through the initial week of headaches and sugar cravings and never wanted to go back. Cutting them decreased my acne almost 100%! Now I only break around my time of the month or if I eat too many carbs and not enough green veggies...
To be honest, I still have so much more to figure out. I get really overwhelmed with all the information out there, lately I've been reading about the paleo diet and thinking that I should incorporate more meat into my diet, but then I don't want to eat meat unless it's been grass-fed and ethically raised and... there are so many things to consider!

I suppose I just needed a bit of support. Has anyone else had similar experiences with cutting out dairy/sugar? I did cut out red meat initially, but have slowly been re-introducing it. I know that my knowledge of nutrition is still rather inadequate, and I'm more than open to any advice, opinions or ideas you guys may have!

Ah, a final note -
I've come to the conclusion that topical treatments to nothing to prevent (my) acne. I've tried dozens of things - including BP- and my skins seems oblivious to the lot of them. The only thing that seems to irritate it is falling asleep without washing my makeup off (which is rather a no-brainer anyway). So I just wash it with a generic face soap from Lush (anyone in the UK know of Lush? ^-^), and I put coconut oil or cucumbers on it before bed and leave it alone in the morning. It's not very dry and rarely needs moisturising.

Cheers, guys! And good luck with whatever stage of acne you're currently in, I empathise with everyone on here so much and it's been so reassuring to come here and read all of your posts and know that I'm not alone. (:

[mildchild]

you are such an inspiration! i have eliminated most dairy and and am trying not to eat sugar as much and my face is clearer than ever, but at the same time, i have become to associate acne with my identity and now my own face seems strange to me without a red spot or two. :/ i am afraid to put the coconut oil on my face though, i am afraid it will make me break out.

[mildchild]

updates! we need updates! and pictures.

[GreenEyes33]

Hi. I figured it was about time I posted here, as I've been lurking about for over a year, mostly in the diet/holistic threads.

I've struggled with acne for over ten years. When I had it as a teenager I begged my mom to take me to the dermatologist as I was convinced there was some magic pill I could take that would wipe it all away instantaneously - I must have had over ten different prescriptions over the years and none of them had the slightest effect. At the end of it, my dermatologist gave me a prescription for Accutane, but I was too afraid to take it.

I guess that was when I started looking to holistic methods, although in the beginning it was only focused on topical treatments. Diet came a few years later...

I've always had blackheads and a variety of sebum-filled ones, almost like really big white heads? I'm not sure what they're properly called, but it wasn't quite as bad as a full blown pustule. Or maybe it was, I don't know. I was getting 2-3 new breakouts a day about a year ago, so had about 12 spots on my face and neck at any given time. My breakouts were focused on my face and upper neck, only very rarely (two or three times a year) would I get one on my shoulders.

Of course, like most everyone else, having acne affected my life in so many different ways, but I don't need to get into all that now. In the beginning of the year (so about six months ago), I stumbled across an article talking about the connection between dairy and acne - acne and diet? Such a thought had never occurred to me before, but I instantly dropped dairy from my diet (I was so desperate!) and started doing more and more research into diet and acne. Dropping dairy alone decreased my breakouts by 50%. I think my acne is caused by a hormone imbalance, in that I have too many androgens (male hormones) and so cutting foods like dairy, red meat and sugar helped to balance them out a little - although I don't recommend just instantly dropping food from your diet without doing proper research, I was a little too rash... but that's neither here nor there.
I started talking supplements quite recently - cod liver oil to balance out my EFA (essential fatty acid) ratio and coconut oil to aid in the body's absorption of the cod liver oil and because it seems like an all-around awesome thing!
I've cut refined sugar and refined carbs out for so many reasons, mainly because I felt SO AMAZING after I got through the initial week of headaches and sugar cravings and never wanted to go back. Cutting them decreased my acne almost 100%! Now I only break around my time of the month or if I eat too many carbs and not enough green veggies...
To be honest, I still have so much more to figure out. I get really overwhelmed with all the information out there, lately I've been reading about the paleo diet and thinking that I should incorporate more meat into my diet, but then I don't want to eat meat unless it's been grass-fed and ethically raised and... there are so many things to consider!

I suppose I just needed a bit of support. Has anyone else had similar experiences with cutting out dairy/sugar? I did cut out red meat initially, but have slowly been re-introducing it. I know that my knowledge of nutrition is still rather inadequate, and I'm more than open to any advice, opinions or ideas you guys may have!

Ah, a final note -
I've come to the conclusion that topical treatments to nothing to prevent (my) acne. I've tried dozens of things - including BP- and my skins seems oblivious to the lot of them. The only thing that seems to irritate it is falling asleep without washing my makeup off (which is rather a no-brainer anyway). So I just wash it with a generic face soap from Lush (anyone in the UK know of Lush? ^-^), and I put coconut oil or cucumbers on it before bed and leave it alone in the morning. It's not very dry and rarely needs moisturising.

Cheers, guys! And good luck with whatever stage of acne you're currently in, I empathise with everyone on here so much and it's been so reassuring to come here and read all of your posts and know that I'm not alone. (:

I'm right there with you! Dairy and sugar are the bad bad ones for me. Carbs are okay in small doses and with protein and fat. I can have goats cheese and butter though!

It's hard to stick with it. I did really really good today but had a small hot chocolate just now. Is it bad that I kept thinking about my liver and the sugar?