23 replies to this topic

[flipside]

Title: flipside's log...........

Background: Let's see..... I live in San Jose, CA where I was born and raised. Had acne since about 13/14, and still have acne today at age 23. My acne has been both a curse and a blessing, but mostly a curse.

Age: 23 (he said that already)
Sex: not lately..... err, i mean male
Weight: 150
Height: 6 ft 4 in

Acne: Very inflammatory acne, but not many cysts luckily. Most blemishes are in the center of my face but a few crop up on my temples and sideburn area. Also have very clogged pores on nose, chin and forehead, and basically everywhere else. Every single pore on my nose is full of thick yellow gunk (sebum) that can usually be picked out one by one with tweezers. Face is very blotchy from old pimples that heal very slowly and then cause hyperpigmentation.

Skin type: Very sensitive skin. BP absolutely fried my face, no matter how little I used. I'm a white boy who burns easily in the sun. Salicylic acid also turns my face red but is not as bad as BP. Bar soaps dry my skin to the point of making it painful to smile. Even the so-called "gentle" liquid cleansers dry my skin out a lot.

Objective: To cure my acne once and for all dammit!

well, that's it for tonight... the olympics are on!

[flipside]

Failed Attempts: BP (proactiv, and dans BP), differin, tetracylcine, and up to a hundred (maybe more) different OTC products I've tried over the years including various cleansers, mousturizers, night masks, anti-acne gels, etc. I've also tried various herbs internally which were probably good for me but didnt change my acne. I've also tried sleeping with a humidifier,which didnt help at all.

The only commercial product that has ever made my skin relatively clear, and not horribly dry was the green tea poultice by skintactix. But guess what, those monkeys changed their formula last month and the new product has made my skin EXTREMELY dry and flaky, inflamed and blotchy. Apparently they added more sulfur (among other things), which I seem to be sensitive to. Its ok though because I dont think putting a layer of dirt (mineral clay) on my face every night was good for my skin anyway.

Current Diet/Lifestyle: My diet is about 98% RAW fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and bee products (honey, bee pollen), plus an occasional raw egg to get my B12. I might try raw wild salmon someday. I drink filtered water (who doesnt) and use a shower filter. I exercise by walking around campus all day (probably about 5 mi a day... I park far away beacuse I cant afford a permit) and I try to go biking a few times a month. I also do some pushups and various home exercises a couple times a week.

Why RAW diet: Because nutrients are best assimilated into the body when they're introduced in the context in which nature created them. And because humans evolved eating 100% raw food, and our genes are designed to interact with only raw foods. Humans are the only organisms on earth that decide to cook their food (we think we're so smart). Not to mention cooking destoys nutrients and creates all kinds of carcinogens.

Sleep: I get about 12 hours a night on the weekend, and school nights I get about 7 hours. Sleeping patterns has a huge impact on our hormonal rhythm and I should try to get more regular hours. But I'm a college student.

Philosophy: The less crap you put on your skin the better. And the more fresh and natural the better. Dont underestimate your body's ability to heal itself when given the chance.

........ Next I'll start detailing my new all-natural & super simplistic regimen, and post any changes I see.

[flipside]

Ok, I just looked in the mirror and decided I had to post again tonight.....

Here's the deal... last night I started applying a pureed kiwi to my face for about ten minutes, right before bed. I also added a little fresh ginger juice to the puree.

I only got about 5 hours of sleep last night but when I woke up my face actually felt really fresh and clean... and there weren't any NEW pimples. I checked the mirror again tonight and I dont see any new pimples. Usually when I only get 5 hours of sleep my face looks like crap the next day but today was not that bad.

I should also note that the pores on my nose dont look as clogged as they normally do at the end of the day. But they are still visibly clogged, and are rather unsightly I must say.

I still have about 6 to 8 current active pimples that are either coming or going (hopefully going), and my skin is still very dry from the reformulated poultice I was using (see post above).

To sum it up. I have ditched ALL cleansers and moisturizers, masks and gels, everything is out. I am doing nothing but the kiwi puree w/ginger juice each night. We'll see how it goes.

-----------------------------

Some theory behind this:

Kiwis contain a protease (enzyme that breaks down proteins) called actinidin, which I think is helping to break apart the sticky cells on the surface of my skin. They also contain fruit acids and lots of antioxidants (especially vitamin C), that help unplug pores and relieve inflammation. I add a touch of freshly made ginger juice because ginger is an anti-inflammatory powerhouse.

Check out this article to learn about proteases and desquamation (cell shedding):

http://www.skininc.c...es/1707276.html

Also, check this thread for more info:

http://www.acne.org/...showtopic=83975

[iceboi]

Hey if your into Internal and Herbal stuff. You should try this Tea called Honeysuckle and Green Tea. you can get it at chinatown. They call it the pimple tea since it's known to detoxify your body. I'm currently using all natural products for my face as well as an all natural mask

[flipside]

Switched it up the last couple nights... I added fresh strawberry and pineapple to the mix.

Still improving......I'm not breaking out so I know this is working. If I were to do nothing to my skin for three days, I would break out like crazy (I get lazy sometimes so I know this from experience).

The fact that I havent broken out shows that this is definately working.

My skin is still quite blotchy, and there are remaining pimples that are still healing. There are only a few tiny whiteheads on my chin but I think that will be the last of them. The pores on my nose continue to be less gunk filled, and they have shrunken in diameter (there arent any large plugs anymore to be picked out by tweezers).

I ran out of kiwis so tonight I'll just do the pineapple and strawberry combo. Like kiwis, pineapples also contain a mix of proteases called bromelain, in addition to fruit acids and vitamin C. Strawberry has lots of antioxidants. Still adding fresh ginger juice to the puree.

I'll buy some more kiwis tomorrow.

I dont want to get too excited yet but my skin is definately improving.

If I have time tomorrow I'll detail my routine and provide some helpful tips for anyone interested.

Hey if your into Internal and Herbal stuff. You should try this Tea called Honeysuckle and Green Tea. you can get it at chinatown. They call it the pimple tea since it's known to detoxify your body. I'm currently using all natural products for my face as well as an all natural mask

Thats great that you're using all natural products. I think that is really the way to go. Imagine if I could cure my acne with fresh produce, lol.... wouldnt it be great to stick it to all the acne product pushers out there.

That reminds me... I am still using aveeno shaving cream every morning. This product is far from natural and I would like to stop using it. I plan to invest in a quality electric shaver when I find the money.

[flipside]

I cant stop feeling my nose with my fingers. In the last few days my nose has gotten extremely smooth... and pores continue to shrink and declogify (thats right... declogify!!) I just hope my skin continues to improve and doesnt just reach a plateau like with other products.

Picked up some more kiwis today. I'm gonna stick with kiwi/pineapple/ginger juice for the nightly facials now. Stawberries are kinda expensive and I like to keep it simple. Might try some fresh papaya. Papaya also contains a protease called papain. These enzymes can be found in some skincare productst but I think the fresh fruit offers additional benefits without the harmful preservatives or unecessary ingredients.

I plan to start looking into quality electric shavers VERY soon.

Also got some hemp oil today. Will start having a tablespoon of hemp oil each day for the linoleic acid and other nutrients. I also take my cod liver oil a few times per week.

[flipside]

Ok, added some ingredients to the fruit facial last night:

1 kiwi, 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed ginger juice, juice of half a lime, and about 7 frozen wild blueberries.

Directions: puree in a mini food processor (a blender might work also)
(the ginger juice is made by grating fresh ginger and pressing juice out of the gratings with a wooden spoon)

Then just slather on face over and over again for about ten minutes until the mix runs out. This gets kinda messy, but hey, its working so far.....

but why??????

Kiwi: contains the protease (enzyme) actinidin, which helps break apart keratins and adherins in the skin, thereby preventing and unclogging pores.
Read more about why this helps here: http://www.skininc.c...es/1707276.html
Kiwi also contains the antioxidant vitamin C, as well as many other antioxidants. Also contains fruit acids which further help with gentle exfoliation.

Ginger Juice: Just a touch is enough. Ginger is a powerhouse of anti-inflammatory substances, namely the gingerols. Acne is largely (maybe primarily) an inflammatory condition, and ginger helps to inhibit some of the inflammatory pathways.

Lime: contains vitamin C as well as citric acid. Citric acid is a relatively gentle fruit acid which helps exfoliate to prevent clogged pores.

Frozen Wild Blueberries: These can be found in the frozen sections at most grocery stores. "Wild" blueberries contain much more of the blue/purple pigments than cultivated blueberries. These pigments are extremely powerful antioxidants which help reduce inflammation in the skin. (I might try using more blueberries but I'm afraid of turning my face purple

Might try adding some powdered papain, which is another protease that comes from papayas.

Skin is still improving but I fully expect to break out in the next couple days as I have two really big exams coming up. Tomorrow I have molecular bio and tuesday I have immunology... I also have a bunch of labwork to catch up on. Probably wont sleep much until maybe Wednesday.

Bought an electric shaver today... the Norelco Smart Touch XL - Model# 9160XL
It's a top of the line rotary shaver and I'll try it out in the morning. NO MORE SHAVING CREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now only fresh and natural plant products will be touching my skin.... I feel like an Ancient Egyption Queen, Cleopatra maybe.... except that I'm not a queen, im a dude and more of a peasant.

One more thing, I've noticed that my skin is much more hydrated than before (still a little dry though). I think this is because the top layers of my stratum corneum are being exfoliated to reveal a more hydrated layer of healthy skin. I suppose this might make me more sun-sensitive but I havent had any problems thus far... plus i eat a lot of healthy antioxidant-rich foods that help protect my skin from the sun.

[LabGirl81]

I'm interested in your regimen....although I do not have the time or patience for something like that and I seem to tolerate my retinoids and BP just fine...I think it's neat that you have somewhat of a scientific background to your natural regimen....


Giving up shaving is probably one of the best things you can do for your skin. Thank God I'm a girl and I only have to put it on my legs and underarms. Shaving cream is formulated to have a very high pH, somewhere between 8.5-10.5. The more alkaline the formula is the better it works. This is because at high pH's the lipids in the hair become rigid causing the cuticle of the hair to swell making it easier to shave off(this is the same thing that happens to the lipids in your skin at high a pH). You can't just put the shaving cream on the individual hairs, so it also comes in contact with your skin. The surfactant systems used to obtain the rich foam are not only alkaline, they're pretty strong too..and they can interact with your epidemal lipids. I don't even wash my legs if I shave, since my shaving cream does a fine job....

[BFGUITAR]

Do you guys enjoy the hassle of doing this?
Would you consider this your hobby?

With the time you use to do all this stuff you could be doing something much for fun and fulfilling.
Unless you enjoy doing this. If you do by all means continue

Im just saying that if you dont like what your doing because you may not be able to handle it, just drop it and enjoy your life.

[flipside]

bought a couple papayas today and might try adding them to my fruit facial. papayas contain the protease papain and other nutrients. im also researching the market for papain and bromelain powder.

the new norelco is working out great!!! the first day it caused a little irritation... but this morning there was hardly any irritation at all. and it actually shaves closer than when i used a manual razor. the neck takes a few passes to get everything but its really not a bother. shaving is so easy and quick in the morning...

Shaving cream is formulated to have a very high pH, somewhere between 8.5-10.5

Holy crap i never new that. Thanks very much for pointing that out LabGirl!

Stupid me always assumed it was pH balanced like all skincare products SHOULD be. I bet that shaving cream was wreaking MAJOR havock on my face.

Do you guys enjoy the hassle of doing this?
Would you consider this your hobby?

I appreciate your input BFG. And yes, i do enjoy the challenge of solving a problem, especially when the reward will be so great.

I suppose I could continue buying commercial products that only work half-assed, and stop learning about my current skin condition, and just go about life with an ugly mug and a complacent attitude. But I choose not.

More to the point, I do plan on simplifying my fruit facials once I find the right combination of ingredients. For example, Im looking at buying some organic ginger juice instead of grating and pressing my own juice each night. I can probably get a lime press and store a bottle of fresh lime juice in the fridge. Also, I want to introduce some papain powder and bromelain powder to make up for actinidin variability in kiwis. Wild blueberries come frozen in a bag and are easy to include as an ingredient. I can puree all the ingredients in about 1 minute and apply to my skin for about ten minutes... that really doesnt seem like a waste of time, but rather time well spent.

Believe it or not, im actually a very simplistic person. I brush my teeth with just water. I mono eat most of my foods and never bother with fancy recipes or cooking anything (i only eat fresh raw foods)... i try not to argue with people about trivial BS...

I did have a hobby once... snowboarding... but i tore my acl so im planning on getting an acl reconstruction before i start shreddin the pow again. i used to go snowboarding about twice a month during winter, and i live 4 hours from tahoe so that should say something.....

[LionQueen]

i try not to argue with people about trivial BS...

zing!

[iceboi]

Just wanted to let you people know that there's an EASY way of getting all this done. Well there's an all natural store called LUSH and they make these biofresh Masks and use produce, veggies, fruits and natural oils to make a mask. Check them out!

[LionQueen]

I dunno ... seems like there could be real advantages to using the fresh stuff. (Not that I know what they are.) I'm not going to be adopting this regimen, but it's very interesting to read about. Cheers for doing your research and experimenting, gotta love a DIY-er.

[flipside]

Just wanted to let you people know that there's an EASY way of getting all this done. Well there's an all natural store called LUSH and they make these biofresh Masks and use produce, veggies, fruits and natural oils to make a mask. Check them out!

thanks for the tip ice but i checked out there website and was not really impressed.

just for example here is one of there products:

Enzymion Moisturizer for oily skin:

1.5 oz is $29.70 - this is an itty bitty jar for 30 bucks, sorry but that is rediculous!

Ingredients: Fresh Lemon Infusion (Citrus limonum), Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe barbadensis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Stearic Acid, Fresh Papaya Juice (Carica papaya), Cold Pressed Avocado Oil (Persea gratissima), Glycerine, Triethanolamine, Fresh Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Cold Pressed Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis), Cold Pressed Wheatgerm Oil (Triticum vulgare), Sweetie Oil (Citrus grandis), Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Cetearyl Alcohol, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben,

lets see... aloe ver gel, is that with or withour carbomer 940... fresh papaya juice im sure has zero active enzymes in this formulation.... triethanolamine, no thank you... various oils, lately im leaning toward the idea that oils should not be applied to the face... citrus essential oils can cause sun sensitivity... cetearyl alcohol, i'll pass on that... perfume, why? so my pimples smell nice, lol... methylparaben and propylparaben, synthetic preservatives linked to breast cancer.

maybe their masks have better ingredients, i havent looked at them. but if they contain any mineral clay i really dont think people should be putting that on there skin. mineral clay draws moisture from the skin, and presumably draws moisture out of the sebum, resulting in thicker sebum that is more prone to clogging. even after removing the mask, there is probably a mineral clay residue on the skin and mixed into the sebum.

I dunno ... seems like there could be real advantages to using the fresh stuff. (Not that I know what they are.) I'm not going to be adopting this regimen, but it's very interesting to read about. Cheers for doing your research and experimenting, gotta love a DIY-er.

yup, there are definitely advantages, like my face looking clearer and clearer every day. i think all the vitamin c is lightening my skin so its not as blotchy as before. and pimples are definitely being prevented (if i had been doing nothing over the last week my face would have exploded). there are a couple healing pimples on my chin. nose is still kinda oily with clogged pores but i think it will continue to improve.

still researching papain and bromelain powder. im really not sure who i should buy it from, what grade i should get, and how much i should use... i dont want to tenderize my face!

[LionQueen]

various oils, lately im leaning toward the idea that oils should not be applied to the face...

why is that? seems like kind of a sweeping judgment to lump all oils together ... would be interested in hearing the reasoning.

[flipside]

various oils, lately im leaning toward the idea that oils should not be applied to the face...

why is that? seems like kind of a sweeping judgment to lump all oils together ... would be interested in hearing the reasoning.

yeah, that may have been an over-statement... and i could change my mind tomorrow. but lately i just feel like im better of hydrating and lubricating my skin from the inside, and just avoiding products that dry out the skin on the outside.

[flipside]

been brainstorming today and just wanted to record some thoughts...

Goals:

Gently Exfoliate
- bromelain, mild fruit acids
- mother of pearl powder?

Moisturize from within
-drink lots of clean water
-eat healthy raw fats

Retain Skin Moisture
- no commercial skin washes or cleansers
- no prolonged exposure to water, especially warm/hot water
- use shower filter that removes chlorine

Reduce Inflammation
- various antioxidants topically and internally.
- eat more clean protein and fats... eat less carbs.

Reduce Sebum Thickness:
- do all of the above
- avoid prolonged sun exposure
- control p. acnes growth and reduce WBC (white blood cell) invasion of pilosebacious unit
- still thinking about this one....

----------------------------------------------------

Just some updates:

I stopped using the lime juice and the ginger juice in my facials. I think the ginger juice may have a skin-hardening effect, which is the opposite of what i want. And I think the lime juice is unnecessary and the increased acidity from it may be counter productive (acid exfoliation can harm healthy cells as well as dead skin cells). Now just using kiwi and wild organic blueberries, and will try adding bromelain powder when it arrives.

I ordered some bromelain powder from vitacost.com, its the NSI brand with an enzyme activity rating of 2,000 GDU/gram. Here's the link if anyone's interested:
http://www.vitacost.com/NSIBromelain

Been researching shower filters. Might go with the aquasana but I need to know if it removes chloramines. Still waiting for a reply. I have a shower filter right now but its a really cheap one, and the filter needs replacing anyway.

-----------------------------------------------------

Came across an interesting paper today. I just read the abstract so far but might have a look at the full text a little later:

Pathogenesis of acne.

Toyoda M, Morohashi M.

Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.

Acne vulgaris is a skin disorder of the sebaceous follicles that commonly occurs in adolescence and in young adulthood. The major pathogenic factors involved are hyperkeratinization, obstruction of sebaceous follicles resulting from abnormal keratinization of the infundibular epithelium, stimulation of sebaceous gland secretion by androgens, and microbial colonization of pilosebaceous units by Propionibacterium acnes, which promotes perifollicular inflammation. The clinical presentation of acne can range from a mild comedonal form to severe inflammatory cystic acne of the face, chest, and back. At the ultrastructural level, follicular keratinocytes in comedones can be seen to possess increased numbers of desmosomes and tonofilaments, which result in ductal hypercornification. The increased activity of sebaceous glands elicited by androgen causes proliferation of P. acnes, an anaerobe present within the retained sebum in the pilosebaceous ducts. The organism possesses a ribosome-rich cytoplasm and a relatively thick cell wall, and produces several biologically active mediators that may contribute to inflammation, for instance, by promoting leukocyte migration and follicular rupture. In inflamed lesions, numerous neutrophils and macrophages infiltrate around hair follicles and sometimes phagocytose P. acnes. To examine the participation of neurogenic factors in the pathogenesis of acne, we quantitatively assessed the effects of neuropeptides on the morphology of sebaceous glands in vitro using electron microscopy. Substance P, which can be elicited by stress, promoted the development of cytoplasmic organelles in sebaceous cells, stimulated sebaceous germinative cells, and induced significant increases in the area of sebaceous glands. It also increased the size of individual sebaceous cells and the number of sebum vacuoles for each differentiated sebaceous cell, all of which suggests that substance P promotes both the proliferation and the differentiation of sebaceous glands. In this review, we introduce the general concept of pathogenic factors involved in acne, including typical electron microscopic findings and recent evidence of stress-induced exacerbation of acne from a neurological point of view. An improved understanding of the pathogenesis of acne should lead to a rational therapy to successfully treat this skin disease.

Publication Types:
Review

PMID: 11479771 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

"follicular keratinocytes in comedones can be seen to possess increased numbers of desmosomes and tonofilaments, which result in ductal hypercornification."

^^^ That could be one of my main problems. Maybe the bromelain will help but im not sure how well it can penetrate the skin and sebum. I'll look into this...

[flipside]

study:

Antimicrobial effects of Thai medicinal plants against acne-inducing bacteria

Mullika Traidej Chomnawanga, , , Suvimol Surassmoa, Veena S. Nukoolkarnb and Wandee Gritsanapanb

aDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447 Sri Ayudthaya Road, Rachathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
bDepartment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447 Sri Ayudthaya Road, Rachathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

Received 16 December 2004; revised 24 March 2005; accepted 13 April 2005. Available online 11 July 2005.


Abstract
Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis have been recognized as pus-forming bacteria triggering an inflammation in acne. The present study was conducted to evaluate antimicrobial activities of Thai medicinal plants against these etiologic agents of acne vulgaris. Crude extracts were tested for antimicrobial activities by disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. The results from the disc diffusion method showed that 13 medicinal plants could inhibit the growth of Propionibacterium acnes. Among those, Senna alata, Eupatorium odoratum, Garcinia mangostana, and Barleria lupulina had strong inhibitory effects. Based on a broth dilution method, the Garcinia mangostana extract had the greatest antimicrobial effect. The MIC values were the same (0.039 mg/ml) for both bacterial species and the MBC values were 0.039 and 0.156 mg/ml against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively. In bioautography assay, the Garcinia mangostana extract produced strong inhibition zones against Propionibacterium acnes. Antimicrobial activity from fractions of column chromatography revealed one of the active compounds in Garcinia mangostana could be mangostin, a xanthone derivative. Taken together, our data indicated that Garcinia mangostana had a strong inhibitory effect on Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Therefore, this plant would be an interesting topic for further study and possibly for an alternative treatment for acne.

Keywords: Acne vulgaris; Propionibacterium acnes; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Antimicrobial activity

i should have added this product to my recent purchase:

http://www.vitacost....nExtractXanoMax

NSI Mangosteen Extract (XanoMax) -- 500 mg - 120 Capsules

XanoMax® Mangosteen Extract (Garcinia mangostana)(standardized to 10% mangostin, 50 mg)(fruit rind extract)

[flipside]

Hey if your into Internal and Herbal stuff. You should try this Tea called Honeysuckle and Green Tea. you can get it at chinatown. They call it the pimple tea since it's known to detoxify your body. I'm currently using all natural products for my face as well as an all natural mask

hmmm....... i was just reading about honeysuckle and learned that it contains salicylic acid, in addition to many other beneficial phytochemicals. i used to have a wall of honeysuckle on the side of my house and i would suck the nectar out of the flowers all the time.

i typed in "Honeysuckle and Green Tea" into yahoo and found an asian website stating this:

Uniquely formulated, it is rich in concentrated natural element extracted from honeysuckle and green tea to rationally adjust the secretion of sebum, regulate skin pH value, maintain the water-oil balance in skin, tighten pores, and give unparalleled clean and fresh feelings for skin.

this sounds like some sort of topical application...

i just might buy some honeysuckle flowers (Lonicera japonica) next time i order from mountain rose herbs:

http://www.mountainr.../bulkherb/h.php

here's what i read on wikipedia about the japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica):

The Japanese honeysuckle flower is of high medicinal value in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and is used to dispel heat and remove toxins, including carbuncles, fevers, influenza and ulcers. It is, however, of cold and yin nature, and should not be taken by anyone with weak and "cold" digestive system.

[igotmyphilosophy]

hi flipside, your lifestyle is really interesting. i had a few questions for you:

why'd you decide to become a raw foodist? are you 100% raw? what's your diet like? how long have you done it for? do you feel better, healthier, more energetic? do your friends and family eat this way as well?

just curious...

:]