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OP can u maybe show a pic of a small area of your worst places of those clogged pores?
also how much fats do u usually eat? maybe u need to limit those a bit? cashews are nuts, many say its not good having those in diet for acne. also dont remember where but was said cant eat too much avocados either. i think just dont overeat avocados and have just little bit of cashews?
and maybe amounts of food and calories count too? how many calories approx per day u eat?
i eat like ~1200 cal a day now, mostly clean food. my pores seem not so clogged atm. maybe its just coincidence idk but i have same prob as u usually..they r still fuking scarred tho...
It looks like you got pretty lucky, your skin doesn't look bad at all even in brighter lighting..of course, most people with scarring know how difficult it is to capture the severity in pictures. Nonetheless, I only see some mild texture issues but nothing severe by any means.
I'm personally considering laser resurfacing for my scarring if other methods fail, but dermabrasion seems to result in a fairly high rate of hyper pigmentation so I don't think I'll consider that an option at this point.
That's interesting that you got improvement from dermabrasion, there aren't very many people who obtain more than minimal improvements or end up with worse scarring (at least according to online reviews). How much improvement did you get from the procedure?
All I can show you is pictures of my current clear skin and scarring. I took some today. However, I had dermabrasion done years ago so they aren't as deep as they would otherwise be.
Also:
assume you've been left with some degree of scarring?
It looks like you got pretty lucky, your skin doesn't look bad at all even in brighter lighting..of course, most people with scarring know how difficult it is to capture the severity in pictures. Nonetheless, I only see some mild texture issues but nothing severe by any means.
I'm personally considering laser resurfacing for my scarring if other methods fail, but dermabrasion seems to result in a fairly high rate of hyper pigmentation so I don't think I'll consider that an option at this point.
I never got the deep pits on cheeks like many people did because the cysts mostly didn't occur there, but instead along my jaw, hairline, neck & back & chest and some of these areas just don't scar like that. The deepest pits were at my temples. Also to be clear, most of these scars are over 20 years old as I figured out the cause of the cysts/nodules in my late 20s and mostly avoided it.
My diet has been great for a long time now. I eat a ton of fruits and veggies. I avoid wheat, sugar, and animal products. I don't eat vegetable oils or any oils for that matter. I eat good fats (cashews and avocado) and some gluten free whole grains like oatmeal. My skin is still sooo clogged up and lately it has been very oily. It was like this before I eliminated meat too. I exercise, get enough sleep, my vitamin D is not low. My stress levels could be lower, but I have an anxiety disorder so it's never going to be perfect. Why is what I'm doing not good enough to have clear skin?
I saw your tweet about this so I thought I'd respond, but then I realized WishClean already took the words out of my mouth:
Acne is multifaceted. Your main cause may not be diet...it could be hormonal, allergic (e.g. cosmetics, environmental triggers), gut-related... so many factors to take into consideration, although they are all interrelated in the end.
OP can u maybe show a pic of a small area of your worst places of those clogged pores?
also how much fats do u usually eat? maybe u need to limit those a bit? cashews are nuts, many say its not good having those in diet for acne. also dont remember where but was said cant eat too much avocados either. i think just dont overeat avocados and have just little bit of cashews?
and maybe amounts of food and calories count too? how many calories approx per day u eat?
i eat like ~1200 cal a day now, mostly clean food. my pores seem not so clogged atm. maybe its just coincidence idk but i have same prob as u usually..they r still fuking scarred tho...
I'd rather not post a picture. The clogs are literally all over my face, though.
I do not eat a lot of fat at all. I incorporated the cashews and avocado into my diet because I thought I needed more fat in my diet. Adding those two things to my diet seemed to help the oilyness of my skin a bit, but didn't do anything to hurt or harm my acne.
I'd say I probably eat about 1800 calories a day? I'm very thin and lose weight easily so I can't really restrict my calories.
My diet has been great for a long time now. I eat a ton of fruits and veggies. I avoid wheat, sugar, and animal products. I don't eat vegetable oils or any oils for that matter. I eat good fats (cashews and avocado) and some gluten free whole grains like oatmeal. My skin is still sooo clogged up and lately it has been very oily. It was like this before I eliminated meat too. I exercise, get enough sleep, my vitamin D is not low. My stress levels could be lower, but I have an anxiety disorder so it's never going to be perfect. Why is what I'm doing not good enough to have clear skin?
I saw your tweet about this so I thought I'd respond, but then I realized WishClean already took the words out of my mouth:
>Acne is multifaceted. Your main cause may not be diet...it could be hormonal, allergic (e.g. cosmetics, environmental triggers), gut-related... so many factors to take into consideration, although they are all interrelated in the end.
I would add that it could be irritation of some kind, but regardless of what's causing your acne, most of the time active treatment is required. Have you tried The Regimen? You said you tried BP, but I don't know if you've tried strictly following The Regimen. Over my many years coaching people, I can get almost anyone completely clear with The Regimen if they stick to it. Sometimes it can take 3-4 months, but it should work for you.
Thanks for the reply, Dan. I do agree that WishClean had a great response to this topic.
I have tried bp in the past, but have never tried the regimen. The reason for that is that my biggest issue is not inflamed acne. My pores are just clogged with blackheads and other gunk. I'm not sure if I am correct in believing this, but I thought that bp usually had little effect on my type of acne.
Diet alone will not cure you. There are other factors. You should use a gentle facial cleanser such as cetaphil or spectro jel. Change your pillow case 3 times or more a week, wash it in hot water with dye and frangrance free detergent, don't use a drier sheet as the wax will get on your pillow case. Make sure you don't get your shampoo on your face when you shower. Don't touch your face with your hands if you have an itch, use a paper tissue or cotton swab. Get sone blood work done by a doctor to see if you are deficient or have too much of certain minerals, vitamins etc.
Why dont you go to an esthetitian(not sure if I wrote it right )? I find it very helpful sometimes. Just restrict them to extracting only the blackheads, uninflamed spots and other junk. Require enzyme peeling AND steaming your face for longer time to open the pores properly, not just one of them for 5 mins, this is how scars are made...
If the cosmetitian is experienced enough with acne patients (best go to an expensive one or a one that is with medical background) and knows how to squeeze, your skin will be much smoother.
The Regimen absolutely works on preventing blackheads and clogged pores. It's frustrating for me to see people on the boards struggling when really all you need to do is The Regimen. It's really that simple.
Hopefully at some point in the future we will find a natural, holistic way of completely clearing people up in some sort of standardized way, and when that day comes I'll be the first to champion it, but in the meantime, The Regimen should fix you up.
You should use a gentle facial cleanser such as cetaphil or spectro jel. Change your pillow case 3 times or more a week, wash it in hot water with dye and frangrance free detergent, don't use a drier sheet as the wax will get on your pillow case. Make sure you don't get your shampoo on your face when you shower. Don't touch your face with your hands if you have an itch, use a paper tissue or cotton swab.
those are like trying to loose fat by trying to wash it off with water. its a bit extra hygene to make u feel clean thats all. does nothing to acne whatsoever. ony thing i agree with is dont scrub open wounds with dirty hands but ive done even that without any difference..
The Regimen absolutely works on preventing blackheads and clogged pores. It's frustrating for me to see people on the boards struggling when really all you need to do is The Regimen. It's really that simple.
does it also work on existing clogged pores/blackheads? how long before they go away? is it ok to just use bp not whole regimen for this?
I have a ton of blackheads everywhere and sometimes they become inflamed. It has been a long time and I've tried exfoliants and oil cleansing and they keep popping up. I don't think it could be caused by a topical because they were still there even when I tried just cleansing with oil, just cleansing with soapnuts, and just cleansing with stevia.
My skin is not more oily because it's summer. Last summer my skin was not like this. I got to the point where I could go 8 hours without feeling oily and then I missed 4 birth control pills last month and I'm oily within the hour. I don't know if it's really because of missing the pills, but that's the only thing I can think of.
My acne is not really different than what I had before. Before I did have much more inflamed acne, though.
I do not consume flax.
Are you positive you keep getting new blackheads? They aren't the same blackheads? Because they don't 'heal.' they have to exfoliate away and this takes a really long time. Like a year even, unless you do things topically to accelerate the process like exfoliants or extractions or massaging them out with oil.
I've not heard of blackheads becoming inflamed before. Maybe your skin is irritated by something?
Yes, your skin could have gotten oilier from the major hormone fluctuation you had.
Spiro helps by being anti-androgenic. If it worked for you, then look into other anti-androgenic things you can do, besides the avoidance of high glycemic meals and dairy that I assume you are doing. http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/230714-good-things-for-the-many-factors-that-lead-to-acne/?p=2574328
Going from inflamed acne to just blackheads sounds like a great improvement to me.
Blackheads can sometimes get inflamed which is part of the process of a clogged pore becoming infected with acne bacteria. That said, lots of people with blackheads don't progress to inflamed lesions. If you will or won't depends on many factors including skin type, hormones, sensitivity to acne bacteria, degree of general body inflammation, etc.
Usually inflammatory acne develops after a pore is clogged with a tiny plug that is microscopic within the pore. This tiny plug deprives the pore of oxygen which creates the perfect environment for acne bacteria to multiply. Then inflammation and infection can begin which results in visible lesions. Bigger plugs like blackheads can do it too.
This brings us to diet and Dan's regime. Diet can help the body deal with inflammation better, lower inflammation, and help to balance hormones and hormonal reactions. Consequently there is less oil so there are fewer plugs. If a pore does get clogged and infected with acne bacteria the skin's reaction is less inflammatory because the whole body is calmer and not so reactive. For some people diet alone is sufficient to control acne...skin plugs are then naturally expelled before serious inflammation sets in...hence less or no acne.
For other people diet is not enough. I am one of those people. I need some meds along with diet. However meds alone did not get me clear...adding a whole foods diet and avoiding dairy-sugar-processed fats (very similar to Piagem) finally got me clear. I went to many derms over the years (am 63 now) who said diet did not matter. But I am living proof that diet does matter, that meds are not enough for some people and a good anti-acne diet can help tip the scale to clear skin.
Dan writes about his regime helping. It does this by using BP which opens up the pores, even clogged pores, to allow oxygen in which kills acne bacteria. BP also helps dissolve the plugs. I personally can't use BP topically because I have extremely sensitive skin but a BP cleanser works great and is gentle enough for my skin. I also recommend microderms to help keep pores clear of dead skin which is part of what plugs are made of...that and oils.
P.S. Piagems --- I can not eat nuts of any kind. They clog me up every time. However other foods with natural fats are just fine for my skin (avocado, fish, etc.). It was extremely hard for me to give up nuts so I did specific experiments where I'd eat nuts and record what happened versus when I avoided nuts. For me, there was a definite increase in facial oil when I ate nuts and inflamed acne. You may want to do a similar experiment and see what happens. I hope that nuts (cashews) are not an issue for you. I know they are a big component of many vegan type diets...but if they are an issue for you there are ways to still get needed calories and make delicious meals without them.
does it also work on existing clogged pores/blackheads? how long before they go away? is it ok to just use bp not whole regimen for this?
Yes. It should absolutely help hasten the removal of clogged pores and existing blackheads. For some people it is literally overnight that they see a change. For others it can take a few days. For super stubborn cases, it may take longer. I always suggest people follow The Regimen exactly as outlined until they are completely clear and happy with their skin. At that point you can try other stuff like only using the bp and not the whole regimen.
Also, once your skin is accustomed to bp, try adding in 10% glycolic acid in the form of either Acne.org AHA+ (highly recommended) or Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion (will also do the trick but not quite as well). These 2 glycolic acid treatments will help quicken turnover of your skin and prevent future clogs. The combo of The Regimen plus glycolic acid will have your skin looking insanely good. Try it out.
Cut out the cashews, i had nuts before and it was one of the stuff that caused me acne.
She should try avoiding them, but cashews like almonds and peanuts are not nuts and are completely unrelated things. Peanuts are a legume, almonds are the seed of a stone fruit and I'd have to look up the proper term for what a cashew is. It's an odd thing that forms on the outside of a tropical fruit. Anyway, Intolerance to one doesn't mean intolerance to the others. You should test individually.
Meats (well sourced) are safer than plant foods if you have an immunological condition (which acne is). Fish and chicken should be not only fine to eat, but also have plenty of positive effects, especially when eaten with good fats and vegetables.
That said, not everyone can fix acne with diet alone. Acne is the outcome of a dysregulated immune system. Immune responses are happening when they shouldn't. If they are happening in response to microbes on your skin, then changing your diet will not fix your acne (although it could certainly reduce inflammation and perhaps change the morphology of your acne).
My diet has been great for a long time now. I eat a ton of fruits and veggies. I avoid wheat, sugar, and animal products. I don't eat vegetable oils or any oils for that matter. I eat good fats (cashews and avocado) and some gluten free whole grains like oatmeal. My skin is still sooo clogged up and lately it has been very oily. It was like this before I eliminated meat too. I exercise, get enough sleep, my vitamin D is not low. My stress levels could be lower, but I have an anxiety disorder so it's never going to be perfect. Why is what I'm doing not good enough to have clear skin?
I recently added a couple of things to my habits and my skin has become amazingly soft & smooth. My KP has disappeared, the few blackheads I tend to have in the center of my chest have disappeared & whatever happens on my back whether it's KP or blackheads or whatever it is I can't see but keeps my back from being completely smooth. Disappeared.
I have added water kefir, chasteberry vitex. And i took DIM for the last several days prior to my last period. Because the month before had been very inconveniently irregular. Which is also why I bought the Vitex. But I've taken vitex and DIM before. In fact, I took the DIM because I had it on hand and it wasn't getting any younger.
One thing I'm wondering about is the GABA in water kefir. GABA is a neurotransmitter and one thing it does is increase both calm & focus. So it both helps you work and helps you relax & sleep. But that isn't all it does. It's in a lot of skin care topicals. So, I'm looking into what it does for skin, specifically.
GABA is produced by your body & is in some foods. But mostly it's produced by bacteria and so is in live fermented foods. Which i've always consumed regularly. But I'm making the water kefir and trying to drink it as fast as I make it as I don't have room to fill up my fridge with jars of the stuff. You ferment it at room temp for 24 hours, then flavor if you want and bottle and ferment another 24 or so in the fridge where it will become 'carbonated.' So I'm making and drinking a quart a day.
Oolong tea is another good source.
I thought this might be of interest to you for your blackheads & stress,
Same thing happened to me last year. I just cut out bad things for a year. Then I crept back into my old habits.
What I found out is that I wasn't breaking down the food properly in body and it wasn't absorbing very well.
You have to get a good B complex (high end type, not cheap drug store brands). You might need to add HCl/betaine in your diet for a bit, you can stop if you're stomach feels acidic enough. Try to pair salads with proteins and carbs such as rice. Try to cook your vegetables WITH SPICES, better for digestion too.
It didnt make any sense to me either so don't fret, but thats what I learned.
If acne is genetic, does that mean there's no cure?
There is no cure for acne period. All acne is genetic as everyone with acne has acne genes.
Some me people grow out of acne for reasons unknown while others remain prone to the condition for the rest of their lives.
Meats (well sourced) are safer than plant foods if you have an immunological condition (which acne is). Fish and chicken should be not only fine to eat, but also have plenty of positive effects, especially when eaten with good fats and vegetables.
That said, not everyone can fix acne with diet alone. Acne is the outcome of a dysregulated immune system. Immune responses are happening when they shouldn't. If they are happening in response to microbes on your skin, then changing your diet will not fix your acne (although it could certainly reduce inflammation and perhaps change the morphology of your acne).
That's your theory. However there isn't much proof to suggest acne is any type of immune system issue (autoimmune or a inappropriately strong response).
Acne is mostly the result of faulty pores and other faulty genetics at work with factors in our environment that we may never be able to control.
Acne is just a skin condition like eczema. It's really not that big of deal (where your health is concerned).
Thanks everyone for all the comments. My acne was causing me a lot of anxiety for the past few weeks so I haven't been super active. I've been getting some help for that, though, and so I'm feeling better.
I've added meat back into my diet and also because I was feeling so anxious I have been eating a lot of "junk" lately because it seems to go down easy when you have an upset stomach from anxiety. I've still been eating my green smoothies, oatmeal, fruits, and veggies, but I've been more relaxed about bread, and I've let myself go out to restaurants and have some sweets. I don't plan to keep eating junk as much as I have been because I know it's not great for me long term, but what's interesting is that even though I haven't been eating that great, my skin is actually looking better. Maybe diet doesn't play as big a role in my acne as I thought. I think a healthy diet is great, and I plan to keep my "acne diet," but I no longer think that perfecting my diet is going to get rid of the last of my acne. I'm going to be trying belara (an anti-androgen birth control pill) soon, and if that doesn't work I might go back to accutane.
I should also add that I think what I put on my face contributes to my acne way more than what I eat. Recently, I tried traditional makeup instead of my usual mineral makeup, and I got a ton of inflamed under the skin bumps which I never get. I also notice a similar phenomenon with cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreen. Right now the only cleanser which my skin seems to be ok with is Neutrogena Anti-Blemish Anti-wrinkle cleanser. I can't use moisturizers or sunscreen at all, and anything with mineral oil in it is an absolute disaster.
Thanks everyone for all the comments. My acne was causing me a lot of anxiety for the past few weeks so I haven't been super active. I've been getting some help for that, though, and so I'm feeling better.
I've added meat back into my diet and also because I was feeling so anxious I have been eating a lot of "junk" lately because it seems to go down easy when you have an upset stomach from anxiety. I've still been eating my green smoothies, oatmeal, fruits, and veggies, but I've been more relaxed about bread, and I've let myself go out to restaurants and have some sweets. I don't plan to keep eating junk as much as I have been because I know it's not great for me long term, but what's interesting is that even though I haven't been eating that great, my skin is actually looking better. Maybe diet doesn't play as big a role in my acne as I thought. I think a healthy diet is great, and I plan to keep my "acne diet," but I no longer think that perfecting my diet is going to get rid of the last of my acne. I'm going to be trying belara (an anti-androgen birth control pill) soon, and if that doesn't work I might go back to accutane.
I should also add that I think what I put on my face contributes to my acne way more than what I eat. Recently, I tried traditional makeup instead of my usual mineral makeup, and I got a ton of inflamed under the skin bumps which I never get. I also notice a similar phenomenon with cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreen. Right now the only cleanser which my skin seems to be ok with is Neutrogena Anti-Blemish Anti-wrinkle cleanser. I can't use moisturizers or sunscreen at all, and anything with mineral oil in it is an absolute disaster.
To be entirely honest using too many acne products (face washes) and makeup is rather bad for your skin. And I'm not talking acne, I'm referring to the condition and appearance of your skin. You should cease product use entirely on your face or keep in minimal in general use a gentle face wash and topical (only if it's required) and that's it.
Neutragena is a rather mediocre brand and their sunscreen burned the hell out of my face like nothing I've ever used before and I don't even have sensitive skin.
Thanks everyone for all the comments. My acne was causing me a lot of anxiety for the past few weeks so I haven't been super active. I've been getting some help for that, though, and so I'm feeling better.
I've added meat back into my diet and also because I was feeling so anxious I have been eating a lot of "junk" lately because it seems to go down easy when you have an upset stomach from anxiety. I've still been eating my green smoothies, oatmeal, fruits, and veggies, but I've been more relaxed about bread, and I've let myself go out to restaurants and have some sweets. I don't plan to keep eating junk as much as I have been because I know it's not great for me long term, but what's interesting is that even though I haven't been eating that great, my skin is actually looking better. Maybe diet doesn't play as big a role in my acne as I thought. I think a healthy diet is great, and I plan to keep my "acne diet," but I no longer think that perfecting my diet is going to get rid of the last of my acne. I'm going to be trying belara (an anti-androgen birth control pill) soon, and if that doesn't work I might go back to accutane.
I should also add that I think what I put on my face contributes to my acne way more than what I eat. Recently, I tried traditional makeup instead of my usual mineral makeup, and I got a ton of inflamed under the skin bumps which I never get. I also notice a similar phenomenon with cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreen. Right now the only cleanser which my skin seems to be ok with is Neutrogena Anti-Blemish Anti-wrinkle cleanser. I can't use moisturizers or sunscreen at all, and anything with mineral oil in it is an absolute disaster.
To be entirely honest using too many acne products (face washes) and makeup is rather bad for your skin. And I'm not talking acne, I'm referring to the condition and appearance of your skin. You should cease product use entirely on your face or keep in minimal in general use a gentle face wash and topical (only if it's required) and that's it.
Neutragena is a rather mediocre brand and their sunscreen burned the hell out of my face like nothing I've ever used before and I don't even have sensitive skin.
Oh, I do keep things minimal and have for a while. I only use mineral makeup and a cleanser. I've tried so many cleansers and they were all making my face worse except for the neutrogena anti-blemish ant-wrinkle, so I'm just going to stick with it. Other things I've tried to cleanse with in the past: oils (mineral, watermelon seed, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, passionfruit seed, hemp), soapnuts, soapwort root, yucca root, stevia powder, purpose, cetaphil, cerave, sanitas, sage facial shampoo, jan marini bioglycolic cleanser, mario badescu, DDF, simple, basis, etc. Honestly, I've tried too many cleansers to even remember them all. The neutrogena does not seem to irritate my skin. It's SLS, SLES, ALS, ALES, and glycerin free.
Thanks everyone for all the comments. My acne was causing me a lot of anxiety for the past few weeks so I haven't been super active. I've been getting some help for that, though, and so I'm feeling better.
I've added meat back into my diet and also because I was feeling so anxious I have been eating a lot of "junk" lately because it seems to go down easy when you have an upset stomach from anxiety. I've still been eating my green smoothies, oatmeal, fruits, and veggies, but I've been more relaxed about bread, and I've let myself go out to restaurants and have some sweets. I don't plan to keep eating junk as much as I have been because I know it's not great for me long term, but what's interesting is that even though I haven't been eating that great, my skin is actually looking better. Maybe diet doesn't play as big a role in my acne as I thought. I think a healthy diet is great, and I plan to keep my "acne diet," but I no longer think that perfecting my diet is going to get rid of the last of my acne. I'm going to be trying belara (an anti-androgen birth control pill) soon, and if that doesn't work I might go back to accutane.
I should also add that I think what I put on my face contributes to my acne way more than what I eat. Recently, I tried traditional makeup instead of my usual mineral makeup, and I got a ton of inflamed under the skin bumps which I never get. I also notice a similar phenomenon with cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreen. Right now the only cleanser which my skin seems to be ok with is Neutrogena Anti-Blemish Anti-wrinkle cleanser. I can't use moisturizers or sunscreen at all, and anything with mineral oil in it is an absolute disaster.
Not being so anxious about your diet probably improved your skin a great deal. You should be able to go out and cheat once in a while. Just mostly eat very well.