I can't believe I'm finally writting this, and I'm mainly doing it in the hope to help someone in their fight against acne.
Durring my teenage years I had some pimples here and there but never nothing too bad and, for that reason, I was one of the happy lucky people who could say I was clear during my adolescence... Until I was 18. At 18 I started to get some very light, mild acne arround my forehead and my chin, nothing major. But has time went by it all got very bad. When I was 21 my face got to the worst point. It was mainly the forehead full of acne and a lot of cystic acne on the sides of my face, next to my eyes.
I tried all of the main treatments. I went to the dermotologist and I tried from antibiotics to accutane. Both of them were succefull but only for a few months. After that: it would come back.
So I started to solve things myself and tried veganism, vegetarianism and raw diet. None of them worked. I also tried a lot of suplements and probiotics, and nothing.
After a while I stumbled across low-carb diets, ketogenic diets and how a high glycemic diet full of carbs was bad for the skin.
So, I started to try it, I slowly started to lower my carb intake until I reached a ketogenic state. And slowly, as I was removing the foods forbiden by the diet, I started to see changes. My skin was clearing. I then was 3 months on a pure ketogenic diet but some of my cystic acne on the sides persisted. So, I removed the only thing the ketogenic diet allowed that could possibly be the culprid: dairy.
And that was the answer: not a single pimple for months (just the occasional ones).
My mind was blown. The problem of my acne wasn't the fat in my food but rather the amount of high glycemic food I was eating (mainly fruit juices, which are loaded with sugars and almost no fiber at all).
I was on a ketogenic diet for 8 months but I was strugling not with the acne but rather with the effort I was doing to meet my calories everyday only on fats. I'm skinny and I didn't want to lose weight. I would simply eat a lot of fatty fish (like salmon) and ask for the fattiest meats at the butcher. But that wasn't enough, I was still losing weight. The only way I found to up my weight was to, basicaly, take spoons full of coconut oil or olive oil (yeah, ew).
Beyond the weight, I had another problem: a severe case of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) probably caused by all the antibiotics I took in the past. So whenever my bowel wasn't happy, I would get a few pimples on the next days - which for a lot of people with acne is a problem: if you're tummy is not happy, your skin won't be either.
A dairy-free Ketogenic diet is awesome. At least it was for me. It cleared my acne, but was hard for people who are skinny and want to gain weight. And also, for people who have IBS, it can be problematic.
So, I wanted a diet that could make me acne-free, with a low glycemic index and good for my IBS (I wanted a happy tummy!). And I can finally say I've found the perfect diet for me. I'm now in a dairy-free, low GI (glycemic index), low FODMAP diet.
Basicaly, I follow a low FODMAP diet (which is known to be very good for people with IBS), choosing dairy-free foods and with low GI.
FODMAPs (Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols) its a collection of short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols found in foods naturally or as food additives that can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine and pass through to the large intestine, causing major problems for sensible people.
So mainly now my diet consists of:
>Only food permited by the low FODMAP diet
>Dairy-free
>Gluten-free (because it's considered a FODMAP)
>Foods with a low glycemic index
It probably sounds very complicated, but trust me, it is not. And it doesn't feel like a restrictive diet at all.
So now, I have a clear skin, a happy tummy and a diet that doesn't make me feel too restricted.
I'm sorry for the looong post. If anyone wants some help or has any question, go ahead 
This is so exciting to hear!
I basically have the same story as you, tried everything including accutane, and NOTHING WORKED.
Right now I'm trying to get on a similar diet as you, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and caffeine and alcohol free. I'm definitely seeing an improvement in my skin, but the hardest thing for me has been consistency. Every so often I'll want cheese on my sandwich or some alcohol with dinner - and I of course regret it the next day because I'll see acne pop up on my skin. Do you have any advice on how to control cravings when they pop up like that?
On 04/10/2017 at 8:57 PM, Vanessa P said:This is so exciting to hear!
I basically have the same story as you, tried everything including accutane, and NOTHING WORKED.
Right now I'm trying to get on a similar diet as you, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and caffeine and alcohol free. I'm definitely seeing an improvement in my skin, but the hardest thing for me has been consistency. Every so often I'll want cheese on my sandwich or some alcohol with dinner - and I of course regret it the next day because I'll see acne pop up on my skin. Do you have any advice on how to control cravings when they pop up like that?
Thats awesome to hear! I also have those problems. I can stay away from caffeine easily but alcohol... not so much. I sometimes have a drink when going out but I always try to choose one that follows my diet (no beer or sweet things, mainly vodka, gin or wine). I can understand your struggle with cheese. I am, myself, a big cheese lover too but I always try to think "Is it worth it?" before taking a bite. ahah
For the cravings, I try to choose foods with a low-glycemic index or load. I was able to find some good options. I usually go for fruit (a banana, some berries, grapes or orange) or if I'm really craving some carbs I go for gluten-free corn chips (amazingly, in a serving of 50g you only have a glycemic load of 11 which is considered medium-low in the glycemic scale - less than 10 is low, more than 20 is high). Rather than that, I allow some popcorn (which have a glycemic load of ONLY 7 in a 20g serving). For sweetening things (if needed) I use Maple Syrup which is considered a low-glycemic sweetener!
This harvard post might help you choose good options for snacks if you want to follow your diet and still eat low-glycemic foods:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods
And this article about maple syrup and it's glycemic index is also very helpfull:
http://www.organicauthority.com/Superfood-Sweetener-Maple-Syrup-Low-Glycemic
That's what I am doing for the most part (dairy free, no gluten, no sugar, no fruit, low carb, caffeine free, etc.) and I got clear too....
I've noticed, that gluten or sugar in very small quantities is safe. For example, 1-2 tablespoons of sugar won't break me up, or if I have a piece or two of gluten-free bread. I get acne when I have gluten and sugar in big quantities, for example when I consume a lot of fruits, or if I eat regular bread. Dairy always breaks me up, even in small quantities, like using organic half and half in my coffee and it's the worst kind of acne. A little cheese however is OK once a week in small quantities, like 2-3 small pieces.
I've noticed that the quality of my skin worsens if I don't consume 1.5L of water on daily basis after a few days. It takes a while to see the results of regular consumption of water on the skin- at least 1-2 weeks. When I drink a lot of water, the skin is not oily, the pores are less clogged, wrinkles are less visible, the tone is more even, and it just looks younger. When I haven't had water for a while, it looks more dull, kind of oily, tired and the acne scars are more visible.
Thank you so much for being so brave and sharing your story with us. Some other thoughts
An important factor to consider in regards to the foods we eat and their effect in the prevention of acne is to eat healthy food and avoiding excess sugar that leads to inflammation.
Vitamin A comes from carotenoids and found in topical creams such as Retinoids and Retinol and has been and continues to be the magic bullet in fighting acne. Vitamin A, while used in topical treatments, are also in the foods we eat. It helps stop inflammation, encourage cell turnover (for natural exfoliation) and strengthens your skins defenses against clogged pores. Vitamin A is in many healthy fruits and vegetables we eat; such as spinach, kale, and tomatoes to list just a few. Eating foods with high amounts of Vitamin A reduces inflammation in your body that would otherwise encourage clogged pore and breakouts.
Zinc is also a beneficial ingredient for your face. Zinc helps regulate sebum production, reducing excess oil and shine. By reducing and balancing overactive oil production, the regulatory factor in zinc also helps in preventing and reducing certain types of acne breakouts.
Other essential ingredients for clear, radiant skin are Omega-3s. Omega-3s are healthy oils that replenish lipids and protect the skin from becoming too dry which can also lead to breakouts.
Another ingredient that can help reduce acne breakouts are whole grains. Whole grains, when substituted for refined carbs in your diet, significantly impact the look of your skin. High- Fiber foods prevent your skin from acne by again decreasing the sugar surge that your body intakes and has to process which again leads to inflammation.
Acne Can't Be Prevented or Cured, But It Can Be Treated Effectively. ... There's no way to prevent acne, there's no cure and today's over-the-counter remedies contain the same basic ingredients as those on drugstore shelves decades ago. And acne won't just go away: Not treating it can actually make things worse.
Uhhhhgggg I've been struggling with stomach issues, and now adult acne, for what seems like years and years. It's the worst. It's hard to stay focused at work when my face is breaking out and I'm running to the bathroom at client lunches (this might be the very worst thing). I've eliminated dairy from my diet, and most recently caffeine, which seems to help, although I still have acne and IBS issues. Have you heard of epicured? It's low-fodmap and I find the food to be really delicious as well. Definitely worth checking out.
