ON DIGESTIVE ENZYMES:
I've been taking Digestive Enzymes + Zinc for the last few weeks and I have not had a cystic breakout for the last two weeks! I was getting a new cyst every week for 4 months, even though I kept up my great skincare routine. So yay! These enzymes are super good for people who have digestive issues and for their skin problems. My issues included stomach aches and gassiness.
People who have digestive issues have a difficult time properly breaking down food so everything that isn't broken down actually STAYS in your body. Waste is sticking around in your body! Lovely! You can imagine how that can express itself in your skin/pores, no? I'm glad I've found my potion. I grabbed the Super Digestive Enzymes from GNC. There are, of course, other options.
I wrote about digestive enzymes in my previous entry, as well, though I will update on my progress soon with enzymes.
ON DIMETHICONE:
Haven't had pastule acne. I've stopped using liquid foundation altogether. I spent numerous hours reading reviews on many different liquid foundations in hope of finding something that does not make anyone break out. No matter what the specific product was, someone always complained of breaking out. I've tried numerous foundations, which always led to breakouts. Tried MAC, Almay, L'Oreal and many others over the years.
I'm suspicious of "Dimethicone" which is 99% listed as one of the top 10 ingredients in all liquid foundations. Reason is that it is also present in all makeup primers and is its primary component, which has made me breakout the morning after use (and cleansing obviously!). It is listed as a non-comedogenic ingredient in makeup, though I'm not sure that this is the case.
I'm staying away from both products either way. I rather look au naturale without liquid foundation, rather than covered butpimply. It seems to be the lesser of two evils - haha! I've turned to powder foundation instead for about a month now, and so far, so good.
Here's a recent illustration of my skin's state. It somehow looks nicer in the photo than it does in real life. I have mild redness all over, and hyperpigmentation from past acne.
I haven't really had the need to return back to Acne.org for a few years when I got over acne. When I was 18, I broke out all over my face and struggled with finding the right skincare products and taking regular trips to the dermatologist. Since then, I've only had mild breakouts and have kept them under control. All of a sudden, I'm experiencing a whole other new kind of breakout: adult cystic acne.
For the last 2-3 months, I've been breaking out in cysts. They are large, painful, under-the-skin breakouts that take forever to go away! I've been playing around with the process of elimination to find out what could be causing this by doing some research online. I have stopped taking Norwegian Fish Oil and reduced sugar intake, especially in my teas and coffees throughout the day, while keeping up my regular skin care routine.
According to some personal/consumer reviews, it has been noticed that the fish oil seems to cause breakouts exclusively. As for sugar intake, I have read that high levels of intake can be cause of breakouts because it increases the skin's natural exfoliating process which may seem desirable to most people, though it is not. In fact, it is not because it does not allow the skin to expel impurities normally. This leads impurities (potential breakouts) to get "stuck" under the skin and thus cause cysts. Both eliminated factors have not changed my skin, so I did some more reading online.
I came across the topic of digestion problems and its link to cystic acne. I have noticed that my stomach feels bloated almost always since a teenager, but have not thought much of it. I yet have to read more on the scientific reasoning behind this, but if you would like to do some independent reading, I found the topic on livestrong.com.
I've read online that zinc and digestive enzyme supplements have taken care of cysts. Also, probiotics and digestive enzymes are especially good taken together as it ensures good digestion and good bacteria is doing its work. Think of good bacteria as the little workers in your stomach to aid in digestion.
Interestingly enough, there was a scientific study which found that probiotic claims made for Activia, the yogurt, are not justified. The ingredients (i.e. sweeteners) and cooking process (i.e. heat) of Activia actually deteriorates most of the probiotics. Needless to say, that is just disappointing because I've been crazy about Activia until now.
I've begun a daily supplement regimen based on research, which I will do a review in a month or so. It includes:
1. Zinc (Jamieson, 50 mg) with Digestive Enzymes (from GNC)*
2. Vitamin B100 with Biotin (5000 mcg)
3. Silica
4. Alpha Lipoic Acid (100mg)*
The astrixed items are targeted for cystic acne (1, 4) The other two (2, 3) are targeted toward general skin and hair health, as I have skin conditions (i.e. Eczema).
Hope this helps someone out there! If it does, I'd love to read about it in the comments!
x Leizel
