3 minutes ago, NeverGiveUp34 said:

Thanks for your feedback! Yeah...that makes sense. I actually have a bit of rosacea so the idea of putting such a potentacid on my face and poking my skin doesn't sound ideal.

Its A HUGE risk !!!

Don't take it ! Its your skin.....if you damage it again maybe it will never heal.

Some people say they aged and had orange skin peel due to fractional.

1 minute ago, fasthealing said:

Its A HUGE risk !!!

Don't take it ! Its your skin.....if you damage it again maybe it will never heal.

Some people say they aged and had orange skin peel due to fractional.

You're right. The "after" pictures are just so...ahhh. It's risky though because not everyone's skin is the same.

Anyway, let's focus on healing and treating our skin ever so gently to make up for all the aggressive/abusive topicals and treatments we put on it.

1 minute ago, NeverGiveUp34 said:

You're right. The "after" pictures are just so...ahhh. It's risky though because not everyone's skin is the same.

Anyway, let's focus on healing and treating our skin ever so gently to make up for all the aggressive/abusive topicals and treatments we put on it.

Yes we cannot play with our skin right now!

How many years you have this problem?

Just now, fasthealing said:

Yes we cannot play with our skin right now!

How many years you have this problem?

I think more than 10 years...it was a bit better before but you know, tanning without sunscreen and applying all sorts of topicals didn't do any good. I know people say "Oh, if you've had this for so long it won't get better" but I'm still optimistic. Like I wrote to you once, little progress is better than no progress. If people's wounds' heal, what makes this any different?

2 hours ago, NeverGiveUp34 said:

I think more than 10 years...it was a bit better before but you know, tanning without sunscreen and applying all sorts of topicals didn't do any good. I know people say "Oh, if you've had this for so long it won't get better" but I'm still optimistic. Like I wrote to you once, little progress is better than no progress. If people's wounds' heal, what makes this any different?

am like this for almost 6 years!

Not to say that others problems and your are not serious...they are super serious !

But i have suffered SO MUCH...my skin was literally in non stop 24/7 pain for years...Not exactly pain but i had non stop this inflamed feeling like its was "beating". And i cannot described how thin it became, with wrinkles while i was super young back then. And my skin became worse than a 50 years old women. And it was always like i had just burned EXTREMELY BAD ! Even from the first sunburn it looked TOO BAD...not like just a normal sunburn....but way worse. Imagine how many sunburns i had suffered till then. COUNTLESS !

And i believed that i would never be like before again. i am still nothing like before cause my skin was perfection before this doctor ruined my life.

But i am wayyyyy better. So if my body had the ability to reverse such a damage while it does not make me like before now that i am way better???

I really wonder why! I really hope for all of us to become like before. I really feel your pain.

@fasthealing

I guess we're our own worst critics! I haven't seen your skin but from what you've been saying, your situation sounds better! You don't seem to havehuge pores or orange peel texture...as soon as you said "sunburn", I immediately thought "Cicaplast" and "tepezcohuite". Take a look at some before and after pictures of people who have used cicaplast. So many of them had red, inflamed skin either due to topicals or sunburn and cicaplast worked wonders. You should try that and let us know! Then you can also try tepezcohuite. I'm also going to try it.

4 hours ago, NeverGiveUp34 said:

@fasthealing

I guess we're our own worst critics! I haven't seen your skin but from what you've been saying, your situation sounds better! You don't seem to havehuge pores or orange peel texture...as soon as you said "sunburn", I immediately thought "Cicaplast" and "tepezcohuite". Take a look at some before and after pictures of people who have used cicaplast. So many of them had red, inflamed skin either due to topicals or sunburn and cicaplast worked wonders. You should try that and let us know! Then you can also try tepezcohuite. I'm also going to try it.

I totally understand you, but photosensitivity is a health issue, while orange peel skin is super serious too but it only affects your appearence, not your health or your everyday life.For 6 years now i am burning not matter which or how much sunscreen i use!

I have to get burned for 3 years cause i wear A FACE MASK....like i am gonna rob a bank. I don't feel good if people from my uni see me with this in order to not make fun of me and gossip me. I don't search for friends or bf cause i know i cannot go out with them. I can only go out at night.

I don't have huge bores but i had like i said in the past. My skin before this damage was perfect (i only had acne but NOT even one pore), so i guess it is just my skin quality that is good even though my skin suffered so much.

Thank you very much for your suggestions.

But if feel thatno matter what i will use the sunburn is established. I have used and other products which are supposed to help in sunburns but did nothing. All this cream, oils etc help only if you use them IMMEDIATELY !!! Someone from where i bought an oil clearly told me what it works wonders but only if use itas soon as possible, and everyone who says the opposite lies.

I don't know how skin works but right now it looks like a sunburn plus bad quality skin (at least for my age and my genetics) but it is not healing like a sunburn ! Sunburn is healing in only 1 week.

So i guesstepezcohuite might be amazing for healing burns but i don't think that anyone treated a burn that was 6 years old. They should have for sure used it immediately.

I never treated my skin immediately NOONE gave me something, this AWFUL doctor when he saw me burned he just said that retinoid do this and he was not looking at my eyes.... he was looking away to not see what he have done to me !

And he did not even gave me something for the burns. I believe that if i have treated them faster maybe i would have become good now.

If i will usetepezcohuite i will let you know. I should order it from US and i am in Europe so it will take forever to come here.

23 hours ago, NeverGiveUp34 said:

I think more than 10 years...it was a bit better before but you know, tanning without sunscreen and applying all sorts of topicals didn't do any good. I know people say "Oh, if you've had this for so long it won't get better" but I'm still optimistic. Like I wrote to you once, little progress is better than no progress. If people's wounds' heal, what makes this any different?

This frightens me a bit that its been over 10 years. I'm about 3 years in. Would you be able to give some details on the percentage of improvement your skin is at (like how closeis it to being back to normal?)? And maybe a general timeline of the improvement?

Quote

I totally understand you, but photosensitivity is a health issue, while orange peel skin is super serious too but it only affects your appearence, not your health or your everyday life.

@fasthealingI'm not sure if there's a misunderstanding but you said that your issue is a "health issue" and If your skin doesn't look bad/like a bumpy, textured orange, what are your symptoms? Does your face hurt? Is it red? Maybe you could try applying purealoe. Be careful with oils. Some are actually drying or just "sit" on top of your skin without hydrating it.

@jackson1234

Oh, please don't be scared! We're all in different situations because of different reasons and our skin types are different. I have rosacea and dehydrated skin. I used to apply layers and layers of acids (glycolic, benzoic, salicylic, retinol, etc.), sunbathe without suncreen and use St Ives Apricot Scrub like no tomorrow!!! I didn't know any better and dermatologists kept on giving me all those aggressive topicals because of my acne...

I haven't take pictures of my skin throughout the years so I can't really answer that. To be honest I never really focused on the pores/orange peel texture (because I was so happy I had finally gotten rid of the acne) until friends started pointing it out. About eight years ago, one "friend" said, "Have you ever tried foundation or pore minimizers?" but I didn't really think anything, and about two/three years ago, a girl said "I would hide if I had those pores". That's when I started becoming self-conscious and a bit insecure. I've tried dermarolling but it just makes my skin look way more inflamed and pores looked worse. One tip I can give you (if you have the same skin type of course) is to not wash the orange peel textured area. I noticed my skin looks worse when it's dry. I stopped washing it about a year ago. The texture definitely looks better when it's hydrated but since my skin is so sensitive, I have to avoid many ingredients. So far chamomile water and I'm From Mugwort Essence are soothing my skin. 

What does your skin look like? Does it look like the lady's skin, in the post I shared yesterday?

@fasthealing and @jackson123 and everybody: it's never too late. Like I said, taking baby steps is still progress! Let's focus on pampering and healing our skin and avoiding further damage. I think an anti-inflammatory diet is also beneficial. Sleeping well too. 

55 minutes ago, NeverGiveUp34 said:

 

What does your skin look like? Does it look like the lady's skin, in the post I shared yesterday?

 

@fasthealing and @jackson123 and everybody: it's never too late. Like I said, taking baby steps is still progress! Let's focus on pampering and healing our skin and avoiding further damage. I think an anti-inflammatory diet is also beneficial. Sleeping well too.

Hey thanks for your kind words and the reply. I'd say my situation is similar but different. I wrecked by skin barrier using retinoids (adaphalene forte, It was not from sunburn) and acid exfoliants, then made it worse by flipping between different sunscreens and moisturisers that burnt my skin. This went on for about 6 months, where I was damaging my skin with products and then swapping to new products. I don't believe I have rosacea but I have a similar orange peel skin texture that fluctuates in appearance depending on hydration levels. The most annoying symptom is the dryness, flakinessand tightness of the skin, which is very distracting.At the moment I currently only use suncreen when needed and wash with water a few nights a week. I have days where its really bothersome and days where its close to normal. The good news is my skin no longer burns or is inflamed and the texture/hydration is slowly healing. The rate of healing is only noticeable at 3-6 month increments. I believe it will take many skin cycles to get back to normality. My skin used to be quite oily but very resilient. I really just want to get back to a place where my skin is resilient, the pores don't bother me so much as I've always genetically had larger pores.

I agree, sleep and diet help tremendously.

You're welcome. If you experience dryness, flakiness and tightness means that your barrier is compromised. However, the fact that there are days when your skin is almost normal and that you're noticing improvements every 3 - 6 months, is great!

I keep on reading that red led light (they sell thesedevices on amazon, etc.) heals wounds and scars,stimulates collagen, repairs damage and is anti-inflammatory....I'm wondering why no one here ever speaks about it though? It does sound promising.

On 1/20/2022 at 7:01 PM, NeverGiveUp34 said:

You're welcome. If you experience dryness, flakiness and tightness means that your barrier is compromised. However, the fact that there are days when your skin is almost normal and that you're noticing improvements every 3 - 6 months, is great!

I keep on reading that red led light (they sell thesedevices on amazon, etc.) heals wounds and scars,stimulates collagen, repairs damage and is anti-inflammatory....I'm wondering why no one here ever speaks about it though? It does sound promising.

I was also thinking about it ! But i don't know why i stopped researching about it, i wonder if it has any risks.

Hi everyone,

I bumped into one of my friends the other day and I noticed that her skin looked flawless and way smoother than usual. She said that it's due to the 8%glycolic acid productshe's being using. Gahh, I'm so tempted! I did some research and it looks like glycolic acid is good for dry/dehydrated skin. I remember trying 30% glycolic acid years ago (as well as a million other acids/products) which obviously just irritated my skin, but now I'm wondering if I should try a lower percentage? I mean, glycolic acid reverses the aging process and increases collagen synthesis and isn't that what we need?What do you guys think?

5 hours ago, NeverGiveUp34 said:

Hi everyone,

I bumped into one of my friends the other day and I noticed that her skin looked flawless and way smoother than usual. She said that it's due to the 8%glycolic acid productshe's being using. Gahh, I'm so tempted! I did some research and it looks like glycolic acid is good for dry/dehydrated skin. I remember trying 30% glycolic acid years ago (as well as a million other acids/products) which obviously just irritated my skin, but now I'm wondering if I should try a lower percentage? I mean, glycolic acid reverses the aging process and increases collagen synthesis and isn't that what we need?What do you guys think?

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely do not use ANYTHING that will exfoliate your skin. Her skin is normal, our skin is damaged, you cannot compare the two. Our skin reacts horribly to exfoliants like retinol, thats why we are wherewe are today. While others have been using retinol for decades. On top of that, our skin is damaged, DO NOT put that on your skin. But thats my advice, do as you wish.

You guys wanna heal your skin? Ive probably spend $5,000-$6000trying to heal my skin. Did 7 sessions Infini RF, at $500 a piece. Countless Serums and growth factors. Wasted a lot of money. And my damage is probably worse than anyone here.

Lately Ive been water fasting. And it has been magical. Drink 1 to 1 and a half bottles of water ONLY for 4 days, and get back to me. In fact start small, do it for just 2 days. And see the changes it makes to your skin. I suggest you do research on water fasting before you tell me that its unhealthy.

@Phuong NguyenThank you for your feedback. I was even considering a *very* gentle/weak retinol product (I know, shocking) because I literally don't know what to think anymore! I do know we have to baby our skin to heal it but at the same time I feel we need that extra "oomph" to get the cells to turnover. I have a mild form of rosacea and some people say the skin is "thickened", which is what causes the orange peel texture. Plus, don't pores need to be cleaned otherwise they'll get clogged?How are you all keeping your pores clean?

2 hours ago, Phuong Nguyen said:

Lately Ive been water fasting. And it has been magical. Drink 1 to 1 and a half bottles of water ONLY for 4 days, and get back to me. In fact start small, do it for just 2 days. And see the changes it makes to your skin. I suggest you do research on water fasting before you tell me that its unhealthy.

Is that your picture? Not sure if it's the lighting or disrance but your skin looks good.

I would like to try water fasting but I tried skipping two meals and fainted in the past so I don't think I could do it for 4 days...I was thinking of intermittent fasting but not sure if it's the same. How often do you water fast? Do you notice a difference in your skin's texture after water fasting and how long does the effect last?

I have been reading about this topic all day and going through hundreds of posts on this website, on reddit as well as Realself. I cannot say I am completely certain, and I could be way off, but it seems to be that the issue you are all facing is a compromised/chronically dehydrated moisture barrier and skin acid mantle. I think many of you are underestimating how serious this is, but you all seem to have ended up in the same place despite your unique circumstances. Some people damaged their skin barrier from energy devices such as IPL, CO2, FRAXEL. Others damaged it through harsh topicals such as TRETINOIN, RETIN-A, ADAPALENE. I have even read a few cases of people developing this through ACCUTANE and BENZOYL PEROXIDE usage. Then there is that other lady who mentioned she got this through a bad sunburn.

I came across a few reports of people who have managed to bounce back from this condition by pampering and rehydrating their skin over the course of several months. The common theme about these people who seem to have healed from this condition is that they have all shared a keen focus on hydration and understanding the distinction between moisturization and hydration. There is a vast lack of misunderstanding when it comes to what exactly 'hydration' means when it comes to skincare.Dehydrated skin is one of the more difficult conditions to diagnose because it is frequently invisible.Dehydratedskin usually looks dry, scaly, or flaky, and feels "tight" (such as after using a harsh cleanser). When pulled very gently,it can appear to crinkle(not to be confused with crepey skin, such as the skin appearance around joints), and can even look like it has a very thin layer of skin sitting atop the upper most layer of skin. In some people, it feels itchy. It is usually most evident on the forehead or nose. It can also look lackluster, dull, and lack "bounce" and suppleness. In some, it can take the form of crinkly but very shiny skin, usually due to abuse of skin remodelers like AHAs or BHAs. I have read about a lot of people who have noticed the pores becoming enlarged and lines forming between the pores, connecting them together and forming a really strange tethered orange peel texture.

Both dry and oily skin types can be dehydrated - dry skin because it struggles to hold onto moisture and oily because sufferers frequently use harsh cleansers or astringents to gain relief. According to Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary, "When oily skin becomes dehydrated, the surface layers of cells harden ... and block oil secretion. The result is an entrapment of the oils under the stratum corneum layer. This is particularly detrimental in the case of someone with acne because it also results in the entrapment of the infection.

The most important thing when solving dehydrated skin is consideration of the products you use as well as your environment. This means paying special attention to the ingredients label when shopping, being cautious about what is applied to the skin, and what your home environment is like (and potentially limiting outside exposure to harsh wind and sun).

Moisturizers are also a cornerstone in treating dehydrated skin. Humectants are especially important. Some humectants to look for:

• Glycerin- A well-established humectant, it is a clear, thick liquid that is usually sticky on it's own. It is derived from combining water and fat, usually vegetable oil. It is not typically irritating, but it can be to some people in high concentrations.

• Hyaluronic Acid (HA)- A component of glycosaminoglycan, it occurs naturally in the dermis of the skin and is thought to play a very important role in skin function. It is advertised frequently as holding up to "1000" times it's weight in water (citation needed). When applied, "hyaluronic acid forms a viscoelastic film in a manner similar to the way it holds water in the intercellular matrix of dermal connective tissue." It needs application regularly to be effective, frequently breaking down in skin 24-48 hours after application (note: this is not the case with HA injections). It is best applied to damp skin, straight out of the shower.

• Urea- While it is frequently considered more of a moisturizer or keratolytic (able to break down bonds on dead skin) ingredient, urea has humectant properties and can attract and hold moisture in the SC.

Humectants and essences must also be applied on damp skin and spritzed with water overtop, especially if they contain hyaluronic acid as a primary ingredient. If water is not added ontop of hyaluronic acid, it will draw moisture out of the skin and cause the problem to deteriorate further. Water is an essential element to improving skin hydration levels.

A key that many people are probably overlooking is intradermal injection of hyaluronic acid which can potentially fix the issue because the hyaluronic acid when injected into the skin lasts much longer. This is also known as mesotherapy. Sheet masking is another way to force moisture into the skin. You should also stop using all harsh products (no cleansers, especially none that contain acids or any active ingredients). Slugging is another technique used by layering an occlusive ontop of the layer of humectants and moisturizers to prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

The main point I want to get across to you is that there is a lack of hydration (water) inside your skin, and we need to keep the water inside and stop it from escaping. This chonic dehydration must be fixed, and I think there are many solutions to solving this issue. Another key factor might be incorporating red photobiomodulation therapy as this can accelerate cell turnover and the rate of healing as well as calm inflammation and post inflammatory erythema/contact dermatitis. I have also heard of people using humidifiers to put more moisture into the air, especially while you are sleeping. On top of doing all this, we must drink a lot of water and keep the skin constantly moisturized at all times. I was just imagining if it would be helpful for someone to stay submerged in some kind of fluid such as amniotic fluid for an extended period of time and whether or not this may help them. I heard that fetuses have the smoothest skin and they always heal perfectly without any scar tissue because they are submerged in this amniotic fluid and perfectly hydrated and moisturized at all time. Curious and strange.

Links to some recently unpinned threads Add your story!

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

First: Don't Panic

It's not as difficult as it looks. Everything is inter-related and the same basic diet and lifestyle habits are repeated over and over. Because they are good for everything and how humans should eat and live. So, take a deep breath... and read: Good things for Acne

(For when you only have time for the answers, but with links to more info. And see also this thread for more details on the Ultimate Question on Acne, Diet, Health and Everything!, a collection of links to numerous of the most valuable discussion threads ever. Including the best of SweetJade, the fairy Godmother of this forum. Click on it!)

Covering all these interrelated things:

-Stable Blood Sugar/Insulin/good Glucose Metabolism (no link because it's below in this post)

-Anti-Inflammatory diet and lifestyle

-Hormone Balance

-Healthy Liver Function

-Healthy Adrenal Function

-Good, Complete Digestion/Healthy Digestive Tract

-Allergies and food intolerances

-Reducing Hyperkeratinization/Hyperproliferation - Stage 1 in the formation of acne.

-Good Sleep/Light exposure/Circadian cycle.

-Nutrition

-Hyper/Hypothyroid - lowers SHBG levels, increases inflammation

-Stress

-Immune system

-Topical treatment - care from the outside.

-Exercise - The right kind. Affects nearly everything, like blood sugar, sleep, stress, mood...

-Body Fat - affects inflammation and hormone levels

-Brain health, Stress, Mood, Willpower, Depression, etc Because your diet can't clear if you stress out over everything.

-PCOS

-Oily skin, fat metabolism and Sebum quality

-Your Health - Numbers to know and monitor, home tests

-Anti-Aging - because someone asked and the same diet and lifestyle habits help that too.

All this may seem overwhelming, but it's really not. Notice how inter-related most of these things are and how the same nutrients and habits appear over and over because they help so many issues. Also, most things listed here are just plain good for you period. Things everyone should do regardless of acne. Good for whatever ails you. For anti-aging, disease prevention, wellness, happiness... What you want is a healthy lifestyle with natural circadian cycle, stress management, physical activity and a nutrient dense, anti-inflammatory blood sugar stabilizing diet habits that don't include anything you have an intolerance for.

More on WHAT TO DO.If you just want to be told what to do, skip to here. Other great threads:

-Food and Recipe thread index

-Doctors and other experts admitting to the diet and acne connection thread Members who've cleared their skin via diet and lifestyle habits

- -Why you should avoid/limit dairy, especially cow, especially unfermented, etc. -Improving fructose metabolism for those that break out from fruit -Diet and health tips and tidbits -Autogenic and Biofeedback for stress, anxiety, emotions -The Necessity And Benefits Of Sulfur -Epigenetics - what you do to yourself affects your genes -Farm subsidy and other bad things they do to our food -'Recent' Advances in Acne Pathogenesis Information -Patent request for an enzyme that works on a gene involved in acne -SHBG - Sex hormone binding globulin

-ZAG enzyme which impacts normal formation and exfoliation, possibly inhibited by lectins in grains/seeds Special Posts: Clinical studies on the connection between diet and acne The truth about Calcium and healthy bones- for those afraid to avoid or limit dairy Vitamin D Coconut Oil Omega 3s and our supposed lack of ability to convert ALA from plants to EPA and DHA Will always be in progress. I'm working on it all the time adding good things and links to sources and more info. Refer back when you need reminders of all the factors. I know I need reminders. I'm sure there's plenty I've forgotten in these lists.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Good things for Blood Sugar/Insulin/Carb Metabolism

Insulin is a master hormone that influences almost all other hormones. Elevated Insulin stimulates Androgen and IGF1 production, while simultaneously inhibiting production of the proteins that bind them--SHBG and IGFBP-3. Androgens stimulate oil production, IGF1 causes hyperkeratinization and hyperproliferation of skin cells. We become somewhat insulin resistant during puberty. It stimulates & helps utilize resources for growth.

Elevated Insulin also causes inflammation which worsens acne and scarring. Inflammation is also aging and the root cause of degenerative diseases. Causes loss of elasticity in tissues. In addition, when cells become insulin resistant leaving sugar floating around in the bloodstream, it causes glycation which also reduces elasticity in tissues.

Post filled with links to research about insulin resistance, puberty, role in acne, IGF-1, etc:

Note: This is not about avoiding carbs or eating low carb!! It's not even about never consuming sugar or having a dessert. It's about habitually avoiding High Glycemic Load meals, drinks. And about the nutrients and habits that improve the body's ability to manage blood sugar and insulin response. Just know that every time you consume more sugar than your cells can take in at that time, damage will occur. Your body can counter damage. Just not at the rate that's become normal in this soda drinking, nutritionally void refined food consuming, chronically stressful, unsleeping, sedentary society we've become.

Also, many hormones are involved in blood sugar regulation. Insulin sends blood sugar down and cortisol sends blood sugar up. And cortisol is a major culprit in metabolic syndrome. Part of the reason sleep, stress and physical activity are as big a players in the formation of diabetes and acne and related conditions.

Basics: Glycemic Index - is a measure of the effects of a food on blood sugar levels. Glycemic Load - as above but takes into account the amount of food eaten. For example, a small piece of candy can have a lower GL than a bigger amount of a lower GI food.

Simple chart of the GI and GL of some common processed and unprocessed foods. http://archderm.ama-...TABLEDOB10212T1 Nutrition Data article on GI and GL and their own Fullness Factor index Insulin Index- A measurement of blood insulin levels in response to various foods. Turns out that certain amino acids also stimulate excess insulin and so even low GI foods can be insulinemic. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-insulin Dairy is insulinemic, being high in the most insulinemic amino acids: leucine, valine, lysine, and isoleucine. Discussion: http://www.acne.org/...ex-t259695.html and website http://www.mendosa.c...sulin_index.htm

So, The Good Things for Blood Sugar/Insulin: Diet habits

-Avoiding foods and drinks that spike blood sugar like sugars, refined grains, high GI foods not eaten in combination with low GI foods, - making a high GL meal.

-Eating Fats, protein and fiber to lower the GI of a meal, doesn't mean diet needs to be high fat or high protein. And very high fiber might not be good for you either.

-Avoiding over eating. High calorie meals can also be high GL meals even when composed of fat and protein. And because cell mitochondria are capable of processing only so much glucose so consuming more than your body can handle will result in excess glucose in the blood stream causing serious health problems.

-Resistant Starches

-Consuming vinegar before carb meals - acetic acid in vinegar blocks a digestive enzyme as well as improving stomach acid PH. Have a couple spoons of ACV in glass of water or have salad with vinaigrette prior to meal.

-Intermittent fasting or calorie restriction - Skip a meal now and then. Or spend a day having minimal calories, now and then.

-Eating foods high in the nutrients listed below. Anything that improves circulation, Blood pressure, cholesterol, so: -Exercise!!! - also increases insulin activity in order to provide energy for exercise, especially beneficial is short bursts of very intensive activity like interval training such as walking combined with sprinting, stairs, or hills. Or weight/resistance training. Any short bursts of intense exercise will help blood sugar, so take the stairs!!

-Omega 3 EFAs - from fish, krill oil, flax seed, chia

-The Omega 6 EFAs: G.L.A and linolenic acid

-Anthocyanins - phytonutrients primarily in red and purple fruits and veg, strengthens capillaries.

-Capsaicin - from chili peppers

-GINKGO BILOBA - for circulation

-Ginger - for Blood Pressure

-Limiting salt - also for blood pressure

-Potassium - blood pressure - balances sodium intake

-B3/Niacin/Inositol/Niacinimide - helps improve just about all the bad things in your lipid profile as well as circulation & BP. But high doses can reduce insulin sensitivity and harm the liver.

-Chamomile tea - studies show it both improves blood sugar and complications of diabetes as well as being calming to help with stress and sleep.

-Curcumin - in the spice Tumeric, so have some curry with plenty of veggies! Or yellow mustard. Nutrients specifically involved with insulin signaling and glucose/fructose metabolism

-Chromium - essential for insulin activity

-Biotin - works with chromium?

-Cinnamon

-Fiber - slows metabolism of carbs. If you must cheat, such as to have a slice of birthday cake, you can take a supplement like psylium or Glucomannan

-Alpha lipoic acid - Insulin signaler, helps insulin transport glucose into cells

-Vanadian - same as above

-Magnesium - part of carb metabolism, helps body use carbs for energy, may stimulate release of insulin. Study finding magnesium supplementation reducing insulin resistance.

-Vitamin D - It's actually a hormone, not a vitamin. Helps maintain insulin levels. Also helps Blood Pressure, immune system...

-Zinc - involved in insulin storage and release

-CoEnzyme Q10 - carb metabolism

-B3/Niacin/Inositol/Niacinimide - also involved in the activity of in enzymes that transport and break down fats, proteins, carbohydrates. Has been shown to improve blood sugar, androgen levels, hirsutism and acne in women with PCOS . But high doses can reduce insulin sensitivity and harm the liver. -See also d-chiro-inositol from buckwheat and d-pinitol from Carob

-Taurine -Thread also has a lot of info on fructose malabsorption.

-Melatonin

-Sulforaphane- sulfur compound in Brassica veggies like broccoli, cabbage, watercress....

-Resveraterol - especially beneficial for insulin signaling in the brain. (yes the brain makes it's own insulin.) Other nutrients that have been shown via studies to play a role in lowering blood sugar/things people with insulin resistance/diabetes tend to be deficient (although we all tend to be deficient)/Things that supplementation has tended to lead to improve insulin resistance for whatever reason:

-Vitamin E

-NAC - shown to increase insulin sensitivity and lower androgen levels in women with PCOS.

- Inositol part of the B vitamin group, comes in many forms d-chiro-inositol -abundant in buckwheat and Myo-inositol also high in seeds have both been studied and found beneficial to insulin sensitivity/carb metabolism and sufferers of hormone disorders such as PCOS. They have have insulin-sensitizing capabilities. Myo-inositol is integral to properly functioning insulin-receptors and has also been linked to the activation of serotonin. Myo-inositol is a component of the phytic acid found in seeds.

-Salt

-polysaccharides in Tea- and there's more in black tea than in green, white or oolong

And lots of things that help deal with damage from and/or degree of poor glucose metabolism like C, B vitamins, E, zinc, CoEnzyme Q10. All kinds of antioxidants. Other habits/issues:

-Sleep/Circadian Rhythm- You need bright light exposure in the daytime and darkness at night and regular sleep. Affects melatonin/seratonin, insulin sensitivity, carb metabolism/insulin sensitivity, hormone production and release, stress, digestion. Researchers have begun to believe sleep plays just as big a role in the development of diabetes as obesity and exercise.

-A healthy liver - part of sugar metabolism, especially regarding fructose.

-Healthy Adrenal function - for proper cortisol levels, which is involved in glucose metabolism. Adrenals also involved in hormone production.

-Low body fat - visceral fat(around your middle) secretes hormones that impair insulin sensitivity.

-Muscle mass improves insulin sensitivity.

-No smoking - Smoking reduces insulin sensitivity.

Also, some people may suffer from Fructose Malabsorption or even be fructose intolerant and may need to take steps to improve fructose malabsorption or avoid fructose. See also Good Things for Liver, Sleep/Circadian Rhythm - adequate bright light exposure in daytime affects carb metabolism. Fructose is best absorbed when in equal amounts of glucose. See this Chart of fruits and the amounts of each type of sugar to help you avoid those fruits with excess fructose.

And There's evidence that Saturated fat lowers insulin sensitivity and low fat diets have been found to improve diabetes.

And this was posted by a member here, but I don't yet have any additional source:

Also, see this list for reasons besides acne that you should try to keep blood sugar stable: 146 reasons why sugar is destroying your health. Except that it's not just actual sugar, but refined carbs easily turned into sugar by your body, and any high glycemic or insulinemic meal.

You will be constantly going around in circles with your acne/pore/skin hydration issues until you dive deeply into this thread. It was put together by someone who in my opinion is/was the best contributor to this site. You have to....have to.....have to dig much deeper into these issues than any topical creams or peels or washes. She created this thread to help others to address their skin/acne issues in non-superficial ways. Kill it from the inside, and then heal it from the inside simultaneously. It's the only real chance anyone has at permantly eradicating their acne:

To study this thread and begin addressing every issue that can lead to acne and skin issues.

-goose

(With all credit to Alternativista)