What I would point out is that chicken is usually fed soy and grain formulas rather than eating the grass/bugs that it would naturally eat in the wild. And because soy/grain are high in bad fats, the chicken is usually as well. I found that cutting out pork fat, chicken fat, and egg yolk, that my acne improved. I attribute this to Arachidonic Acid which is a form of Omega 6 that is very inflammatory. Basically Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid) is converted to Arachidonic Acid in the body and then becomes more inflammatory compounds. Broccoli is also goitrogenic meaning that eating too much of it or eating it raw can be harmful to your thyroid. Though your diet is very good, maybe these small changes will help. Diet hasn't been a cure for me, it has helped alot but I really think it isn't the only solution, so you might want to look into other deeper, underlying causes of your acne. It's unfair that some of use can eat impeccably clean diets and still have acne. To go to the extreme, some people may cut all grains (oatmeal and rice included), all sugars (fruit included), all goitrogens (broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower), all nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers), all legumes, all nuts, even egg yolk, chicken, and pork if those cause a problem for you. But I don't really think that these steps are necessary for clear skin. Maybe also try incorporating some wild fish occasionally, some green tea, dark chocolate, seaweed, red palm oil (in small amounts for Vitamin E & A), turmeric (curcumin) and grass-fed beef. I would say that these are all generally good foods for acne.

What I would point out is that chicken is usually fed soy and grain formulas rather than eating the grass/bugs that it would naturally eat in the wild. And because soy/grain are high in bad fats, the chicken is usually as well. I found that cutting out pork fat, chicken fat, and egg yolk, that my acne improved. I attribute this to Arachidonic Acid which is a form of Omega 6 that is very inflammatory. Basically Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid) is converted to Arachidonic Acid in the body and then becomes more inflammatory compounds. Broccoli is also goitrogenic meaning that eating too much of it or eating it raw can be harmful to your thyroid. Though your diet is very good, maybe these small changes will help. Diet hasn't been a cure for me, it has helped alot but I really think it isn't the only solution, so you might want to look into other deeper, underlying causes of your acne. It's unfair that some of use can eat impeccably clean diets and still have acne. To go to the extreme, some people may cut all grains (oatmeal and rice included), all sugars (fruit included), all goitrogens (broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower), all nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers), all legumes, all nuts, even egg yolk, chicken, and pork if those cause a problem for you. But I don't really think that these steps are necessary for clear skin. Maybe also try incorporating some wild fish occasionally, some green tea, dark chocolate, seaweed, red palm oil (in small amounts for Vitamin E & A), turmeric (curcumin) and grass-fed beef. I would say that these are all generally good foods for acne.

Thank you for the detailed reply. Do you still eat chicken? I think I have seen free range chicken for sale at the grocery store; would this be lower in omega 6?

What I would point out is that chicken is usually fed soy and grain formulas rather than eating the grass/bugs that it would naturally eat in the wild. And because soy/grain are high in bad fats, the chicken is usually as well. I found that cutting out pork fat, chicken fat, and egg yolk, that my acne improved. I attribute this to Arachidonic Acid which is a form of Omega 6 that is very inflammatory. Basically Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid) is converted to Arachidonic Acid in the body and then becomes more inflammatory compounds. Broccoli is also goitrogenic meaning that eating too much of it or eating it raw can be harmful to your thyroid. Though your diet is very good, maybe these small changes will help. Diet hasn't been a cure for me, it has helped alot but I really think it isn't the only solution, so you might want to look into other deeper, underlying causes of your acne. It's unfair that some of use can eat impeccably clean diets and still have acne. To go to the extreme, some people may cut all grains (oatmeal and rice included), all sugars (fruit included), all goitrogens (broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower), all nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers), all legumes, all nuts, even egg yolk, chicken, and pork if those cause a problem for you. But I don't really think that these steps are necessary for clear skin. Maybe also try incorporating some wild fish occasionally, some green tea, dark chocolate, seaweed, red palm oil (in small amounts for Vitamin E & A), turmeric (curcumin) and grass-fed beef. I would say that these are all generally good foods for acne.

Thank you for the detailed reply. Do you still eat chicken? I think I have seen free range chicken for sale at the grocery store; would this be lower in omega 6?

no free range chicken doesn't really guarantee anything. For example cage free eggs come from chickens that are still inside these giant warehouses with minimal outside light. As extreme as this is, I think eggs from a farmers market where you can speak to the person who sourced the eggs, may be your best bet. It's important to know that the eggs came from grain-free and soy free chickens that were able to roam freely outside.

Non-inflamed acne usually doesn't respond to diet. In my case, it did and it didn't. My forehead comedones went away when I was on the SCD diet, but my cheek comedones remained. No other dietary change has impacted my non-inflammatory acne to any noticeable degree - and I've tried a lot of dietary modifications over the last few years.

I finally caved and got a retinoid. It's taken 3 months but I'm finally seeing massive improvement. Two steps forward one step back. If you choose this route, persistence is key, and it will get worse - much worse - before it gets better. But the payoff, for me, has been worth it.

Also, I still occasionally get inflammatory acne when I eat terribly.

How much do you lose a week?

Non-inflamed acne usually doesn't respond to diet. In my case, it did and it didn't. My forehead comedones went away when I was on the SCD diet, but my cheek comedones remained. No other dietary change has impacted my non-inflammatory acne to any noticeable degree - and I've tried a lot of dietary modifications over the last few years.

I finally caved and got a retinoid. It's taken 3 months but I'm finally seeing massive improvement. Two steps forward one step back. If you choose this route, persistence is key, and it will get worse - much worse - before it gets better. But the payoff, for me, has been worth it.

Also, I still occasionally get inflammatory acne when I eat terribly.

Thanks for your reply. I have been considering trying a retinoid too, but I am very scared about it. When I tried a retinoid before I took accutane I remember it made my skin so much more oily that usual. Have you experienced anything like this? Have you noticed any change at all in oil production? Oh, and what retinoid are you using?

How much do you lose a week?

What do you mean? How much weight? I'm not losing weight right now, but if I don't eat enough I can quickly go from 125lbs to 110 lbs. Right now I'm at my low weight which is close to 110lbs.

Thanks for your reply. I have been considering trying a retinoid too, but I am very scared about it. When I tried a retinoid before I took accutane I remember it made my skin so much more oily that usual. Have you experienced anything like this? Have you noticed any change at all in oil production? Oh, and what retinoid are you using?

I've used Adapalene at 2 different concentrations and am currently using tretinoin 0.1%. My skin did get very oily for a few weeks. I am now well into month 3 and am having no more problems with oil. In fact, my skin in drier than it was before, and generally has a very nice texture.

I don't blame you for being scared about retinoids. I often was on the brink of giving up many, many times in the past 3 months due to oily skin, flaking, redness, and massive breakouts. But I persevered, and now am reaping the benefits. Sticking with it is the hardest part. I'm not totally clear yet, but I think by the end of December, I will be if I clean up my diet and get the sleep I need.

Thanks for your reply. I have been considering trying a retinoid too, but I am very scared about it. When I tried a retinoid before I took accutane I remember it made my skin so much more oily that usual. Have you experienced anything like this? Have you noticed any change at all in oil production? Oh, and what retinoid are you using?

I've used Adapalene at 2 different concentrations and am currently using tretinoin 0.1%. My skin did get very oily for a few weeks. I am now well into month 3 and am having no more problems with oil. In fact, my skin in drier than it was before, and generally has a very nice texture.

I don't blame you for being scared about retinoids. I often was on the brink of giving up many, many times in the past 3 months due to oily skin, flaking, redness, and massive breakouts. But I persevered, and now am reaping the benefits. Sticking with it is the hardest part. I'm not totally clear yet, but I think by the end of December, I will be if I clean up my diet and get the sleep I need.

Thank you Quetzlcoatl, you're response is super helpful! I'm still very scared though...I guess I'll have to make an appointment with my derm and ask what retinoid she thinks would work best for me. I just can't get out of my head though how the last time I tried them my skin was red, oily, and my pores looked a little bigger.

Ok well I'm too scared to try retinoids right now so I'm going to try salicylic acid and tweaking my diet some more. I think I might try to cut out rice, potatoes, and corn.

So I didn't cut out rice, potatoes or corn yet, but I have stopped using almost everything in my skincare regimen and I switched some of my makeup to mineral makeup and the clogs on my cheek and chin look better. My nose is still a major issue though. My nose is similar to this:

Not a severe but it still drives me crazy! I'm bumping this up a bit to ask again if anyone has gotten rid of this (sebaceous filaments, I guess) through diet. They're starting to scar my nose pores

I love chicken, but the chicken I grew up with (raised my own) is not the same as what you buy in the store. They are feed hormone and soy as stated. Soy offers the complete protein package that isn't available if they were just fed grain. Its the food industry's motto of quantity not quality therefore anything to fat up them birds and produce more profit. So if able obtain chicken that is not fed soy or hormones. Or raise your own

Noninflammed acne makes me think that this is not a hormonal or dietary issue as much so as it is a skin shedding problem which results in dead skin that plugs pores which enlarge with dried sebum (when the right kind of bacteria become involved the skin becomes inflamed and pus forms form immune response). So you would need to treat the skin topically to normalize the keratinization process of the skin.This could be done exceptionally well by the use of a retinoid synthetic like differin or the stronger retinol. BHA helps speed up exfoliation process deep within the pore also strengthening the pore wall while AHA promotes top layer of skin to shed to prevent blockages.

Now, which for you? Well certainly not all at once until your skin is well accustomed to this. I would try the retinoid if you have it. Be mindful of the initial breakout; its expected in most cases as is with BHA. AHA not so much for my experience. Its a trial an error process. Personally neither BHA/AHA worked for me even though i had the same problem. I used differin and it helped... but i stopped and the problem came back months later.For me i found that shaving with a razer regularly is enough exfoliating to keep the skin healthy-no need for harsh products.