5 replies to this topic

[clararae]

Hi,

 

I've tried so many different products at this point, and everything works for a short amount of time, and then I continue to break out. I'll have one or two days where I feel like my skin is great and then pimples just keep forming. I'm a makeup artist and model, so I'm very aware about what I use on my face. I eat a VERY clean diet: no dairy since I'm allergic, no gluten (Intolerance), no sugar, and no red meat, and minimal fats because I cannot digest it easily. I recently (in the past year) had my gall bladder removed due to terrible stomach pains and not being able to digest food. I've had periods where I feel better, but it always starts back up again. I exercise regularly, wash my face every night/day. I moisturize, use toner, a peel about once a week, and spot treatments every time I break out (which is ALL the time now!)

 

I feel like I've read every single forum, "best things to use for..", "best supplements to take", advice columns, and I do all the suggested things..and still no relief. I'm thinking about trying to add in some different supplements, thinking it's hormonal imbalance since I don't get my period at all (or maybe a couple times a year)..but even that I'm still unsure on what to take: I cannot take fish oil or anything like that due to not having a gall bladder and my body wouldn't absorb it, but I'm thinking some vitamins and zinc? 

 

I would absolutely love to hear any advice from people who have been through this or similar situations before. I really don't want to go to a dermatologist since I feel like they will just try to sell me more products (if they actually work, then great, but I feel like something over the counter, would be the same thing, correct?) 

 

This is really starting to effect my everyday life, since I'm a model, I can't come to shoots with concealer/foundation on and I feel so self conscious now since my skin is so bad, I just don't know what to do!

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

[Sarsar123]

Why don't you have periods? Are you taking birth control?

If you don't, then the answer could be that you are not looking after your body weight/fat properly, no periods suggest issues with hormones related to body weight if you are underweight and then it would be no surprise you have bad skin

[bobbyz1]

Something you're eating and/or a product, whether it's a certain brand/type of make up, laundry detergent, shampoo, etc. you're using is making you break out. Pills/creams products aren't the solution just a temporary bandied that briefly hides the problem and after a while once your skin becomes immune to the ingredients, they won't even work anymore.

 

I break out every single time I eat shrimp, chocolate, or coconut. If I avoid these things, my skin is clear. But since coconut gives me acne, I also have to check and make sure food products i'm eating aren't made with coconut oil, or have any type of coconut anything in the ingredients list. it takes work and time, effort. Took a while to find out exactly what was causing my acne, but once I found it, I eliminated it, and my skin fixed itself naturally.

 

You should keep a food/product journal or something to find out exactly what is making you break out. Also healthy diet/exercise is also key. Every product and food around today contains a ridiculous amount of chemicals that the human body wasn't meant to eat and/or use the way we do....and we then use more products to combat the problems another product gave us. It's a viscous cycle that you need to break if you want your acne to go away!

Try to use as many natural/organic products as possible...from make make up, to laundry detergent, etc. Also for me I think fabric softener was giving me flare ups of acne for a short time, so I eliminated it and never had one of those flare ups again.....everything is worth a try...you CAN defeat acne and get to the cause of it, it's just a matter of taking the time to find answers.

 

Bolthouse farms makes a 100% fruit juice (non gmo) puree....go for the green goodness, it has spinach, all sorts of great nutrients...you can find it at walmart....lots of things in it are great for skin.

Edited by bobbyz1, 17 February 2013 - 10:37 AM.

[clararae]

Thank you so much for all the feedback. 

 

Sarsar123 : I've seen many doctors about it, and there really is no straight answer. I've never in my life had a regular period. I got it when I was 9, lost it around 15, had it back for a few years, then lost it again. I'm at a healthy weight for my height, but I think it's a hormone imbalance. Which I'm not sure what I can do about.. maybe adding supplements would help. I'm not on birth control, I was put on it when I was 12 to regulate my periods but it didn't help and I had horrible side effects.

 

bobbyz1 : This is always the first response I get...although I do eat organic and all fresh foods. I don't eat any processed foods or sugar. When I do eat chicken or fish, I try by best to eat locally sources, no hormone, etc. I've studied nutrition so I'm very conscious about how food can heal so many things. And changing my diet has helped heal many illnesses surrounding digestion. etc. that I've experienced. I used to eat yogurt and grains, but switched to a more paleo based diet because my stomach was still killing me so much even after I had surgery. I'm at a point now where I really cannot cut any more foods out of my diet since it's already so narrow..it just seems like I'm allergic or "sensitive" to everything, and it's so frustrating. I literally ONLY eat fresh fruits and vegetables, squash/sweet potatoes, chicken and fish. I can't eat coconut or nuts, or grains because I'm allergic so I know that's not it. 

 

I hope my answers don't come across as inconsiderate, I'm really trying to figure out what I can do. I've spoken and seen SO many people and always get the same suggestions, and I'm so careful about what I put on my skin, my pillow cases, everything, that it's taking over my life!! and there is still no relief, I'm just feeling defeated at this point...

 

 

 

 

 

[Rorius]

I could be wrong, but are your symptoms not a sign of PCOS? And is a different kind of birth control/Accutane not an option for the acne?

 

Honestly go & see a dermatologist. They are the experts, & do not listen to anyone on this board who believes they know better and blabs a load of rubbish.

[sepsi]

People put way too much faith into diet being able to cure acne. It can help, but it's far from be-all-end-all cure.

 

There's a connection between gut issues and skin problems. From what you've said, it sounds like you have some serious digestive issues, perhaps due to not having a gall bladder.

 

Have you noticed (or paid attention) any connection between how your gut is doing and your skin? Anecdotally, I always get get some fresh pimples when I eat something my gut doesn't like.