Sun and Acne *Poll*

[I am Snow 2]

Every single time I get around 30+ minutes of sun a day, my acne significantly reduces immediately, and if this continues it completely goes away. No, it does not just "hide redness" because I can run my fingers over my skin where I get/had pimples and there are no more bumps or anything and it is smooth. I realize that the sun significantly dries out pores and all this, but I get COMPLETELY clear of acne when I just get sun. Is anyone else like this?

Could I just take vitamin D supplements and get similar results? If so, how many mgs would I need to take in?

I do not recommend going outside while taking acne meds that make you photosensitive.

[Thats life 0]

I'm on antibiotics and would look like a tomato after 30 mins (they increase my sensitivity to sun, for the first in my life i got sunburn. And i never where sun cream.)

[beck444 0]

The sun makes my red marks worse and become brown spots which last a very long time. Although it can seem to help toning the skin, it's a temporary solution and once you "un-tan" the marks will come back the same, if not worse. It's happened to me many times. As for active acne, it can definitely help dry up and speed up the healing process of inflamed acne, as long as you aren't using a lot of BP or AHA/BHA products, which make you very sensitive to the sun and give you very bad sun spots. Moderate sun exposure is very healthy, just need to be careful if your skin is sensitive from using certain products. I've had sun damage before from using BP and not wearing sunscreen and it's not pretty. It took me about a year to get back to 100% and those areas of my skin are still a bit more sensitive than normal.

And about Vitamin D supplements, they may help to an extent but like all vitamins/minerals its always better to get them from a natural source rather than a pill.

[Thats life 0]

I just found this:

Antibacterial Effects of The Sun

Our ancestors spent most of the day outside and that is how they naturally got their vitamin D. They spent hours on hours in direct contact with UV rays from the sun.

There’s one thing interesting about UV rays: they have antibacterial effects.

One of the primary causes of acne is the P. acnes bacteria. Is it possible that by bathing your skin in UV rays (without getting burned of course), you could kill the P. acnes bacteria and improve your acne?

http://healthoid.com/2008/06/10/how-to-cur...ur-acne-part-9/

[I am Snow 2]

Yeah I do not take any serious acne medications . The only thing I use is these dove soap pad things and stridex pads (salicylic acid) , which I apply at night before I go to bed and I wash my face before I go out. I do not burn.

I thoroughly believe that just get regular sun can help tremendously with acne. I read that entire article written by Healthoid too, it is actually bookmarked on my computer.

I think people use acne meds that hardly help them, but they make them super photosensitive so they avoid the sun.

I believe acne is caused by balances being disrupted in your body, and the body needs sun. As time goes on, it seems people spend less and less time outside (ESPECIALLY children).

[Fiyero 0]

I just found this:

Antibacterial Effects of The Sun

Our ancestors spent most of the day outside and that is how they naturally got their vitamin D. They spent hours on hours in direct contact with UV rays from the sun.

There™s one thing interesting about UV rays: they have antibacterial effects.

One of the primary causes of acne is the P. acnes bacteria. Is it possible that by bathing your skin in UV rays (without getting burned of course), you could kill the P. acnes bacteria and improve your acne?

http://healthoid.com/2008/06/10/how-to-cur...ur-acne-part-9/

bathing in UV rays?? not a good idea.

[I am Snow 2]

I do not think you should "bathe" in UV rays, but I think it is very important to get daily amounts of sunlight, and I am not talking about walking from the coffee shop back to your desk.

[OneLoveLetsGetTogether 0]

The sun is the most amazing thing in our life. I don't care what anybody else says, there is NO point in taking a supplement for the sun because its like growing marijuana, you just can't replicate sunlight (you can't grow indoor marijuana as good as you can grow outdoor...nothing grows like the sun, its just the same with our skin). I don't care what anybody says and I have first hand experience (not just with acne). The sun makes me feel great and it makes my skin feel great and it is just great man. I feel that sunlight makes my skin look better (and it does) and it also makes me feel great to be able to let my face just bathe in sunlight (not actually sit out there and tan but just being out doors) and go outdoors. If acne has taken away my life, my happiness to some extent, and my diet, theres no fuckin way in hell its going to take away my sun.

[Glass Danse 0]

sorry but i would have to lol at anyone who picks the i would rather not get skin cancer option... the sun is amazing for multiple reasons

[Choof_Chomper 0]

how about the id rather not get crazy premature wrinkles option

[OneLoveLetsGetTogether 0]

how about the id rather not get crazy premature wrinkles option

are you joking dude?

[AltaPGT 0]

No one is taking it to extremes, just healthy doses of sun, NATURAL!.

But FYI, I would rather live 20 happy acne free years, then die of skin cancer, than live 40 miserable years with acne. Just a hypothetical. I think most people with *severe* acne would agree with me.

[Choof_Chomper 0]

how about the id rather not get crazy premature wrinkles option

are you joking dude?

why would i be joking

[I am Snow 2]

No one is taking it to extremes, just healthy doses of sun, NATURAL!.

But FYI, I would rather live 20 happy acne free years, then die of skin cancer, than live 40 miserable years with acne. Just a hypothetical. I think most people with *severe* acne would agree with me.

I have put A LOT of thought into that style of thinking. For 3 years of my life, I lived a very reclusive life because of my acne and I was just ashamed of myself no matter how much I tried to not let it bother me. Now I try to at least spend the weekend days getting 30+ mins of unprotected sun. I personally think the one year of my life that I spent keeping a tan and keeping my acne down was way better than the three years of crappy living.

The only thing that you are not really focusing on here is when you have to get skin cancer removed from you face. They have to carve your face, so then you are looking at more facial problems if you decide to spend too much time unprotected in sunlight. It is not just skin cancer, its the effects of it and how your face will look after being carved up to remove it.

Just some things to think about. I still get my sun because it is natural, makes me feel good, and makes me look good by getting rid of my acne and giving me some color.

[kc01cxt 0]

My skin breaks out after i tan it! I think i'm allergic to the sun.

[blackness 0]

I don't really get much sun, I try for 15 mins a day but I take an anti-biotic now and I burn veryyyyyyyy easy. Before this though I know sun does seem to help my skin alot.

[brandolynn 287]

I've noticed that sun exposure, for me, can result in short term clearing, followed by a pretty bad breakout about two weeks later.

[RebeccaDeWinter 1]

No one is taking it to extremes, just healthy doses of sun, NATURAL!.

But FYI, I would rather live 20 happy acne free years, then die of skin cancer, than live 40 miserable years with acne. Just a hypothetical. I think most people with *severe* acne would agree with me.

ya, why would he be joking? Thats the reason I dont tan and wear sunscreen daily. That doesnt mean I dont do outdoor activites, etc etc. I just dont intentionally lay out and tan, and I wear sunscreen.

[I am Snow 2]

30+ min in the sun has either no effect at all, or it might make my skin and acne slightly worse. When you look at sun exposure from a health perspective, 15-20 min at least 4 times per week should be enough to keep your vitamin D absorbtion adequate. Though, the darker your skin is, the more sunlight you need to keep healthy.

Our bodies weren't made to only get 15-20 minutes of sun a day.

[Short2003 0]

how about the id rather not get crazy premature wrinkles option

are you joking dude?

It's no joke.. It's proven that it causes premature aging..

[Glass Danse 0]

30+ min in the sun has either no effect at all, or it might make my skin and acne slightly worse. When you look at sun exposure from a health perspective, 15-20 min at least 4 times per week should be enough to keep your vitamin D absorbtion adequate. Though, the darker your skin is, the more sunlight you need to keep healthy.

Our bodies weren't made to only get 15-20 minutes of sun a day.

ya... 15-20 mins isnt all that much... its pretty hard nowadays but i like to get at least an hour a day

[SkinBeingaDouchebag 0]

My face looks better after I have been exposed to sunlight for a while. But of course, I dont set foot in the sun that much because of my oily complexion. =(

[I am Snow 2]

30+ min in the sun has either no effect at all, or it might make my skin and acne slightly worse. When you look at sun exposure from a health perspective, 15-20 min at least 4 times per week should be enough to keep your vitamin D absorbtion adequate. Though, the darker your skin is, the more sunlight you need to keep healthy.

Our bodies weren't made to only get 15-20 minutes of sun a day.

ya... 15-20 mins isnt all that much... its pretty hard nowadays but i like to get at least an hour a day

Yet it is possible to stay perfectly healthy with that minimum sun exposure. At least if you are fair skinned. Got dark skin, then you need a lot more time in the sun (e.g. an hour), in order to get a large enough dose of UVB-rays.

Just informing you that 15-20 min can be enough for some people. Though, you are right about getting an hour of sunshine every day is more beneficial for most people.

Emphasis on "can" and "some." If we are ONLY talking about daily doses of vitamin D, you are correct. There are other things that happen when you are in the Sun besides vitamin D production. Your skin was meant to be out in the sun, not stuck inside all day away from light rays. It is just plain not healthy. I realize prolonged exposure has its negative effects too, but I really think people would see positive results if they got reasonable daily amounts of sun.

[Choof_Chomper 0]

30+ min in the sun has either no effect at all, or it might make my skin and acne slightly worse. When you look at sun exposure from a health perspective, 15-20 min at least 4 times per week should be enough to keep your vitamin D absorbtion adequate. Though, the darker your skin is, the more sunlight you need to keep healthy.

Our bodies weren't made to only get 15-20 minutes of sun a day.

ya... 15-20 mins isnt all that much... its pretty hard nowadays but i like to get at least an hour a day

Yet it is possible to stay perfectly healthy with that minimum sun exposure. At least if you are fair skinned. Got dark skin, then you need a lot more time in the sun (e.g. an hour), in order to get a large enough dose of UVB-rays.

Just informing you that 15-20 min can be enough for some people. Though, you are right about getting an hour of sunshine every day is more beneficial for most people.

Emphasis on "can" and "some." If we are ONLY talking about daily doses of vitamin D, you are correct. There are other things that happen when you are in the Sun besides vitamin D production. Your skin was meant to be out in the sun, not stuck inside all day away from light rays. It is just plain not healthy. I realize prolonged exposure has its negative effects too, but I really think people would see positive results if they got reasonable daily amounts of sun.

If you have white skin you really werent meant to be out in the sun sorry buddy. Go to a scandinavian country for example and see how much sunlight you get year round. I have bronze skin and still avoid the sun as much as possible. The dryness you get after sunbathing is your oil glands getting raped causing you to age faster. Even in africa they avoid the sun as much as they can staying in shade much of the day

[fballer12 4]

You're body is used to being outside in the sun 8 hours a day...thats how it was for 99% of human existance...now people want to say being out longer than 15 minutes a day is bad?

GTFO

Sunscreen causes cancer...the sun doesn't