Previous history : I have had acne off and on since I was in high school. In high school it didn't really bother me and when I did break out, it cleared up quick. After my senior year summer, I had a terrible breakout. I used antibiotics and BP, but it would not clear. That fall I found out what I was doing wrong with my regimen and was put on doxycyline and epiduo. I also incorporated going in the sauna and working out 3 times a week. This resulted in me becoming completely clear for over a year.
Leading up to holistic route : Then my acne came back slowly. I megadosed on b5 and that clear me up for that summer, but it hurt me in the long run. My skin became too dry the following winter causing the epiduo to cause irritation. Now I was breaking out again, but these breakouts were something I wasn't used to before. They became deep and scared easily. I was in college and tried every quick fix - duac, more antibiotics ect. Nothing worked and it has been over a year struggling.
For 5 months I put all my faith that retin a thinking it was going to be my new quick fix. Obviously that did not work. It caused more irritation then I could handle.
Holistic Route : I decided to start a heathy alternative and was influenced by some of the following sources (thelovevittamin, the holistic forums here, marks daily apple ect.)
- I wash my face morning and night with only cetaphil
- I eat gluten free, dairy free, zero sugar
- Supplements/Nutrition : Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Flax Borage and Primrose Oil, Chai Seeds, Coconut Oil, proteins : all organic eggs chicken and fish, lots of greens as well as a green superfood supplement, olive oil extract, apple cider vinegar, probiotics : sauerkraut, probiotic supplement, kombucha
- Fitness : Lift 3 days a week with sauna after, walk my dog daily
After 3 months I am experiencing one of my worst breakouts. It may look like I am overdoing it, but I make sure I only take the recommended amount each day. I have not cheated once. Should I keep going or is diet not my problem?
Going the holistic route is a mixed bag. You could literally go years and years and never find what your body needs to over come acne. I think if in 3 months you haven't seen ANY improvement, its time to reevaluate. Have you tried The Regimen from this site? Have you looked into accutane (it should be a lst resort but if you've tried everything else......). Because you are male, hormonal treatments are not that available to you so i can't recommend anything in that arena. Hang strong. As much as i believe holistic is best, it is unfortunately not helpful to those of use with moderate and above grade acne.
The holistic route is good for everything to do with your health, so it should never be abandoned.
You should consider if you have added something you have an intolerance for. What's this new acne like?
Is your skin still easily irritated? Have you tried not using any cleanser? Or if you must, then restore ph with some diluted ACV. very diluted since your skin is sensitive. Dilute with brewed green tea. Also, consider oil cleansing or moisturizing with a high linoleic acid containing oil like safflower, but make sure it's not rancid. Fresh, dark bottle, properly stored, etc. See this thread:
You didn't mention sleep or stress management. How do you feel? Do you have any digestion issues? Fatigue? Allergies?
The holistic route is good for everything to do with your health, so it should never be abandoned.
You should consider if you have added something you have an intolerance for. What's this new acne like?
Is your skin still easily irritated? Have you tried not using any cleanser? Or if you must, then restore ph with some diluted ACV. very diluted since your skin is sensitive. Dilute with brewed green tea. Also, consider oil cleansing or moisturizing with a high linoleic acid containing oil like safflower, but make sure it's not rancid. Fresh, dark bottle, properly stored, etc. See this thread:
You didn't mention sleep or stress management. How do you feel? Do you have any digestion issues? Fatigue? Allergies?
Going the holistic route is a mixed bag. You could literally go years and years and never find what your body needs to over come acne. I think if in 3 months you haven't seen ANY improvement, its time to reevaluate. Have you tried The Regimen from this site? Have you looked into accutane (it should be a lst resort but if you've tried everything else......). Because you are male, hormonal treatments are not that available to you so i can't recommend anything in that arena. Hang strong. As much as i believe holistic is best, it is unfortunately not helpful to those of use with moderate and above grade acne.
Alternativista,
Your past posts have been very helpful My skin is now less irritated partly because of ditching the products and the humidity of the summer. I try not to be stressed but sometime it's tough with a face full of acne.. The new acne is a mixed. I would say its more than I had with retin a but less painful (probably due to the omega 3s). I don't think I have food intolerances since when I was clear I could eat almost anything except a lot of sugar... Kind of at loss for options other than accutane, which is something is am pretty reluctant to try, but it beats dealing with an acne problem each day.
Sasch83,
Yes I have tried the products and regimen on this site. It was was too much for my sensitive skin.
Good on you for trying different things out, and looking at the holistic approach.
Alternativista mentioned stress reduction - have you looked any techniques for doing that? Things like EFT really helped me. I know The Love Vitamin has great articles on it, and I'm posting some on my blog as well.
I noticed that my acne flared up alot when big life changes happened, like moving, getting a new job, and new life choices. You mentioned you had a serious breakout after in your senior year summer - were there any big life changes happening that could have been challenging?
Good on you for trying different things out, and looking at the holistic approach.
Alternativista mentioned stress reduction - have you looked any techniques for doing that? Things like EFT really helped me. I know The Love Vitamin has great articles on it, and I'm posting some on my blog as well.
I noticed that my acne flared up alot when big life changes happened, like moving, getting a new job, and new life choices. You mentioned you had a serious breakout after in your senior year summer - were there any big life changes happening that could have been challenging?
I think you are right, there have been some major changes in my life when I have had these breakouts. Brothers sudden passing, switching colleges, and now breakup with my girlfriend. I just downloaded your PDF and will give it a try. Thanks!
Previous history : I have had acne off and on since I was in high school. In high school it didn't really bother me and when I did break out, it cleared up quick. After my senior year summer, I had a terrible breakout. I used antibiotics and BP, but it would not clear. That fall I found out what I was doing wrong with my regimen and was put on doxycyline and epiduo. I also incorporated going in the sauna and working out 3 times a week. This resulted in me becoming completely clear for over a year.
Leading up to holistic route : Then my acne came back slowly. I megadosed on b5 and that clear me up for that summer, but it hurt me in the long run. My skin became too dry the following winter causing the epiduo to cause irritation. Now I was breaking out again, but these breakouts were something I wasn't used to before. They became deep and scared easily. I was in college and tried every quick fix - duac, more antibiotics ect. Nothing worked and it has been over a year struggling.
For 5 months I put all my faith that retin a thinking it was going to be my new quick fix. Obviously that did not work. It caused more irritation then I could handle.
Holistic Route : I decided to start a heathy alternative and was influenced by some of the following sources (thelovevittamin, the holistic forums here, marks daily apple ect.)
- I wash my face morning and night with only cetaphil
- I eat gluten free, dairy free, zero sugar
- Supplements/Nutrition : Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Flax Borage and Primrose Oil, Chai Seeds, Coconut Oil, proteins : all organic eggs chicken and fish, lots of greens as well as a green superfood supplement, olive oil extract, apple cider vinegar, probiotics : sauerkraut, probiotic supplement, kombucha
- Fitness : Lift 3 days a week with sauna after, walk my dog daily
After 3 months I am experiencing one of my worst breakouts. It may look like I am overdoing it, but I make sure I only take the recommended amount each day. I have not cheated once. Should I keep going or is diet not my problem?
Everyone gave you useful advice. I do think you might be overdoing it. I was the same way at first - I would try to do too many things at once and that was probably overloading my body. First of all, cetaphil can irritate sensitive skin - you're better off washing your face with just water or a very mild, PH neutral (5.5) cleanser with no SLS or parabens (or anything else you might be sensitive to, like glycolic acid).
Secondly, all of the supplements you are taking have been known to help people, but not all at once! Some people, including myself, react negatively to apple cider vinegar because it's too acidic for some people to digest. Flax has been known to break people out too. Evening primrose is better suited for women. First you need to figure out what you think is the internal issue - hormones/ digestion/ allergies/ other - and then find the right supplements to tackle it. Right now it seems that you don't know what your issue is and you are just doing things that helped others.
If you suspect you have leaky gut and/or candida, it is best to stay away from fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha when you are starting a new diet, trust me they won't do you any favors. You would be better off with a good quality probiotic, depending on what your digestive issues are. Why not just take some vitamin C to boost your immune system (preferably non citrus)? It's the simplest supplement you can take to help your body heal from within.
Try to cut all common allergens
Absolutely keep up this diet. It is amazing for you and will not contribute to bad skin in any way. A standard American diet WILL. You could also be detoxing because you are eating so well right now. One time I went on a wheatgrass kick, and started breaking out simply because I was doing too much. My body was purging (not a bad thing), but once I eased up on the wheatgrass my skin got better. Just make sure you're getting some diversity in your diet and mixing it up in healthy ways. Don't forget to focus on stress reduction, plenty of sleep, and maintaining a positive attitude as these are all part of the holistic route as well. Good luck!
