I'm a 20 year old female who is pimple free, but this wasn't always so. I remember back when my skin was at its worst I scoured the internet for relief, and frequented these boards in particular for tips. Now that I finally found a regime that keeps my skin clear, I thought I'd share my story & system with the forum that had helped me so much.
First, some background:
I started getting pimples when I was around 12, and this developed into serious cystic acne by the time I was 13. On my face it broke out wherever, whenever, but my cheeks, jawline, nose & hairline consistently got the worst of it. My back also suffered from acne. Other skin problems included redness of my upper arms, increased sensitivity (particular under my arms/on my legs from shaving), and eczema that popped up every other summer.
I was prescribed multiple medications and lotions by a dermatologist over the span of my adolescence. Since it was so long ago, and since my memory is iffy, I can't remember the exact names of what I'd been prescribed. However, I know they were the commonplace ones that are prescribed to almost everyone suffering skin problems. I never received any relief from these. In fact, instead of making my skin better, the medications did nothing and the creams dried out my skin something fierce. My skin would usually become so dry that it'd be shiny red, flaky, and sore to the touch.
When I turned 16 I was being pushed to give Accutane a go, but I'd heard dreadful things about its emotional side effects and didn't want to suffer through it. At this time, I had a friend who also suffered from cystic acne who'd went on it. She was on it for a year and a half and her skin didn't improve.
Between the ages 16-17 I started looking things up online and came across this site. I didn't want to deal with more meds/creams so I looked into holistic approaches to skincare and stumbled across a dairy-free thread.
Now, I've always had issues with dairy. As a child I loathed the smell of milk and would freak if I so much as spilled some on me, and I absolutely REFUSED to eat dairy products like yogurt or cheese... until I turned 12. After that, I ate it like a fiend. Coincidently, this was the exact age when I started developing skin problems.
At 16-17, I had a pretty dairy-heavy diet. A typical day for me was 2 bowls of cereal with skim milk for breakfast, chocolate milk and a white bagel with lots of butter for lunch, a carton of yogurt for a snack, and cheese laden white pasta for dinner. I also ate a lot of sweets and had a fondness for dairy-filled treats like chocolates and cookies.
I cut out dairy the summer I turned 17. I replaced milk with almond milk and stopped eating all cheese/yogurt/ice cream/etc. After a month my skin wasn't terrific but I didn't get any new pimples. I continued to health-ify my diet by switching to whole grains, lean meats, and eating fruit instead of dessert and cutting out processed and fast food. While I continued using anti-acne face wash (usually Clearasil or Neutrogena) I stopped putting on overnight spot treatments. I also started regularly exercising.
Each month my skin got a little better. My overall health also improved without the dairy and with the introduction of a healthier diet and lifestyle. I used to get terribly sick every other week (everything from the flu to strep throat to severe stomach pains) but now it was only every few months. I also lost weight and my hair and nails--which were always brittle--became healthier.
After 1 year of this I had no more cystic acne, only acne scars and the occasional pimple. I continued to work on my diet: I started eating primarily vegan, stopped eating white carbs, and increased my healthy fat intake. I also started exercising for 1/2 hour to an hour 5-6 times a week. My skincare system was simplified. I started exclusively using Vichy rosewater facial scrub, which so far is the only face wash that doesn't dry out my skin. I never used a wash cloth because it agitated my skin; gentle scrubbing with my fingers for 30 seconds worked a treat.
2 years after my acne scars were almost faded completely. They'd been deep before but were now surface, and were easily covered with makeup, whereas before no matter how much I applied you could always see the spots/dents beneath. Diet changes included the addition of soy products (which I'd previously been allergic to when I ate dairy, but was fine with after I cut it out) and cutting out beer and sugary alcoholic drinks. I can drink things like shots of vodka or tequila fine, but if I had any of the aforementioned alcoholic beverages I'd wake up with pimples on my face. Facial care changes included the addition of coconut oil, which I applied to dry spots. I also started using Pur brand all-natural mineral powder foundation, which doesn't clog my pores.
3 years later and my skin is completely clear of acne and pimples. My scars have completely faded and my skin tone no longer experiences any redness. My pores have gotten smaller. I also no longer experience skin agitations when I shave. I suffered from terrible acne--my dermatologist said I had some of the worst skin he'd ever seen--and now I get constant compliments on my "glowing" skin.
My overall health also improved. I'm in the best shape I've ever been, I never get sick, and my hair is growing faster & thicker. I was recently diagnosed with a milk protein allergy. In addition to causing cystic acne, I also discovered that dairy was the reason behind many of my weight and health issues, both of which also cleared up with the removal of dairy from my diet.
In summary:
FACIAL & MAKEUP
Face wash: Vichy foaming facial cleanser with rosewater extract (once in the morning, once at night)
Dry skin remedy: extra virgin coconut oil (only when needed)
Makeup remover: Johnson's baby shampoo
Cover-up: Pur mineral foundation
DIET
I eat a primarily vegan diet (on occasion I eat fish and eggs). My diet primarily consists of whole grains (quinoa, oatmeal, brown rice), vegetables and fruits of all kinds, lentils and beans, soy products (tofu and tempeh), nuts and nut butters, and healthy oils (canola, extra virgin olive, sesame).
I eat NO dairy, fast food, beer, sugary alcoholic drinks, red meat, poultry, pasta, white carbs or processed food.
I limit bread (I try to eat only sprouted grain but will eat whole wheat or very occasionally white when I'm eating out), fake meats, sugar and alcohol.
My diet probably sounds boring and almost unbearably healthy, but it makes me feel great and it makes my skin radiant. I used to be a processed food queen but once I started eating healthy I LOVED it. I'll also admit that while I do my best to eat as healthy and clean as possible, I still do "cheat" and eat desserts or have a mug of beer. I usually get a pimple or two when I do this, but they're not cystic, heal up quickly, and leave no mark as long as I go right back to eating healthy.
One thing I never cheat with is dairy, because it causes cysts. Sometimes when I'm at a restaurant I'll accidentally eat something with dairy (it's inevitable) and I'll get a painful cyst on my face or back, which take approx 2 weeks to go away and leave a mark that takes a few months to fade. So while sugar and alcohol is fine in moderation, I avoid dairy at all costs.
This skin care system has worked for me like no other medication or prescribed cream ever could, and I think it could work for other people too.
If I make any other changes, or if I ever have any other skin issues, I'll report back.
That is fantastic! I'm so happy you found something that worked for you. I also cut out milk from my diet entirely...originally I switched to organic, thinking the hormones in traditional milk were causing my cystic acne, but even organic milk made me break out, so I stopped drinking milk entirely. I now drink almond milk when I want it, but I still eat cheese and the occasional ice cream/yogurt/product with sour cream. I can't seem to commit myself to go vegan, but I've toyed with the thought of going vegetarian.
I'm also curious about your scars. They were the pockmark kind? That's what I suffer from.
Again, I'm thrilled for your success! 
Thanks! I hope that you guys find something that works for you too.
Props Jabberwocky (excellent username btw) on cutting out the milk. While I'm sensitive to all dairy, milk was far by the worst and made my skin react the worst. Almond milk is my top milk replacement; the unsweetened kind by Silk is particularly good. In regards to veganism/vegetarianism, I personally don't believe that my cutting out meat contributed to the improvement of my skin. I do, however, think that eating a plant based diet did. This is because I increased my intake of healthy fats like avocado, nuts, coconut, etc., which do amazing things for skin. I think they really helped speed up the healing process of my scars.
Yes, my scars were the pockmark kind. I suffered from cystic acne and as a frustrated teenager was prone to picking at my skin, leaving deep "indents" in my face. It was emphasized by enlarged pores, which have since become miniscule. As I mentioned above my scars were the last to go, disappearing two years after my acne stopped. My timeline of scars is roughly this:
2010 - Pimples are gone but scars remain. They resemble pockmarks and are noticeable even with cover-up on. They are discoloured.
2011 - Scars are no longer "indented". They are level with the rest of my skin and are more easily hidden by makeup. They are still discoloured, but not as noticeably.
2012 - Scars are gone completely.
The difference in scarring between 2011/2012 was crazy. It was like they disappeared in a matter of months! As I mentioned above, I think this was because the dairy was finally all out of my system and because I increased my intake of planted-based fats. Other things that helped were coconut oil (which I apply to skin discolourations leftover by a rogue pimple) and non-agitating face wash.
Even after my acne cleared up I was terrified of the scars never going away, but they do eventually! I wish you the best of luck with your own skin.
. Lee1234 - I cook it either with some almond milk, if I want it to be a bit richer, or in water. I always use old fashioned rolled oats over the stove top, never instant or from packets. To keep the oatmeal from being bland, I usually add fruit, seeds, flax or hemp, nuts, etc. ... I sometimes even stir in a spoonful of nut butter. Water actually isn't bad! I prefer it to cooking it in almond milk. My favourite combination at the moment is oatmeal cooked with water with some hemp seed and chopped pecans thrown in.
While I don't really like creamy oatmeal, I do love creamy rice pudding, which is another good dairy-free breakfast option. I make my own by cooking some brown basmati rice with full-fat coconut milk, and add some vanilla extract, spices, and golden raisins.
DIET & SKIN CARE UPDATE
As of a few days ago I switched my facial cleanser to LUSH Ultrabland. It has also replaced my make up remover. I can't say enough good things about this stuff. It makes my skin incredibly soft, doesn't irritate in the least (even when I remove my eye makeup and get it in my eyes!), and after only a handful of uses I've seen a great improvement. I've been bad lately, eating out a lot and drinking too much, and my skin reflected that: my cheeks were red and I had some blackheads. Within one day of using Ultrabland, but skin evened out and all the blackheads disappeared.
I've also started using face masks 3-4 times a week. I either make my own, or use LUSH Oatifix or regular 'ol calamine lotion. Don't knock it till you try it!
There have also been some changes in my diet. I've upped my intake of salmon, coconut, and avocado. Not only have I seen a boost in energy, but my hair and skin have improved as well. I've also started eating goat milk yogurt, which doesn't irritate my stomach or skin like cow's milk did. I only eat it once or twice a week and it hasn't caused any acne. I'm interested in trying some goat cheese next... how wonderful it'd be if I was able to order pizza again!
Another thing I started having more of is water. I've always struggled with drinking enough glasses per day and finally found the solution. I stupidly bought a 5 pound bag of limes at Costco, and in an effort to use them up have been slicing them and putting them in ice cold water. I drink this with a straw, which for some reason is the magic touch. I've been drinking 8 glasses and over every day now, making my skin super hydrated.
In addition to my other diet changes, I also discovered a beer that DOESN'T make me break out: Bud Light. Weird, but it's the only brand that doesn't make me wake up with whiteheads the next day. Bud Light Lime is a real treat. 
Something I did discover that caused acne, however, was soy protein isolate. I indulged in some Gardein beefless tips last night (I'm not usually one for fake meat products) and within 2 hours had four pimples, three on my cheek and one by my nose. I remember having a similar reaction a few months ago when I ate a Lunabar. Bad me, I popped the pimples, but afterwards put calamine lotion all over my face and took a bath with oatmeal, sea salt, and a LUSH bath bomb in it. Afterwards I washed my face with some LUSH Ultrabland. This morning the blemishes are already fading.
