Hello there.

I've been battling what I believe is hormonal cystic acne. It was very bad last summer but with huge lifestyle changes (primarily DIET) and gaining the right knowledge I am getting better every day.

My diet consists of all natural foods and I am vegan (on the "average" day). However, I will have one day once a week or once every 2 weeks where I'll splurge and eat pretty much anything I want. Though, this has come with some realizations.

I purposely experiment with the food. So one week on this day (what I like to call "cheat day" as bodybuilders and so on refer to it) I will have, say, food that consists of no dairy (e.g. crisps, fries, etc.) and another week I'll have maybe some cake (dairy). Sometimes I'll do more of each. Some of these days I will have products consisting of lots of soy but with no dairy. All this is to experiment and get answers as to what causes my acne... as *I KNOW!* diet plays a huge role.

I've found some strange occurences (and I'm still experimenting) as to what causes acne for me. Lots of sugar (yesterday on my "cheat day" I had nothing but soda) does not cause acne (at least, I get nothing happen the same day/next day as most people will break out the next day). Also, soy does not seem to be (at least not in small amounts) a problem. I can eat chicken with no problem. But what has been a problem from what I've noticed is two things - milk products (I broke out TERRIBLY!!! a few weeks ago when I had lots of Krispy Kreme donuts, chocolate milkshake, etc.) AND... sugar free Monster?... Firstly, about the sugar free Monster Energy drink, the last two times I've had that drink the same thing has happened--within 1-4 hours later I get oily patches and where those oily patches are cysts (not huge ones but fair and hurt a bit) will appear. Is this an allergy response? Because usually it's allergies that will make you break out pretty much straight after consuming whatever it is you're allergic too, right? I do not get this problem with any other sugar-free drink or any full-sugared drink. Monster Energy does contain the most amount of ingredients for a drink (strange thing is I do not get this effect from full-sugared Monster) so I'm guessing there's something in there that I'm allergic too. Am I correct in suggesting it is an allergic issue here? Secondly, the milk... now, what's strange about this is that I can consume a big chocolate bar and be fine. But it seems to be certain milk products or LOTS OF milk products that make me break out. AND the strangest thing of all (and this is the main reason I'm here) is that I usually breakout exactly 4-5 days afterwards... this has happened a good 2-3 times. It's usually on the 5th night afterwards. My worst breakout was the day that I said "anything goes" with the milk products and I had all the Krispy Kreme donuts, hot chocolate with cream, and a lot of other junk. That same night my forehead did get oily and I had one yellowhead spring up. I could deal with that. But between days 4-6 after eating that food I was breaknig out in cysts... what's the deal here? Also, I stopped eating yogurt because the at one point I was eating 1-2 large pots of Yeo Valley Fat Free Vanilla yogurt a week, and while usually fine, the last time I had it I broke out TERRIBLY the next day. My absolute WORST breakout of them all was a night I got drunk on vodka and cider... but I've drank cider many times after this incident (I rarely drink) and been fine, so I guessed it was the vodka. What on earth would cause such a breakout in cysts in vodka?

I know this is a huge and messy message but I know somebody kind enough out there will read and put forth some answers. I'm not going to bother proof-reading this either. I would appreciate anybody's input.

Thank you.

- Vallataa