HELP! Skin reacting to dietary changes

apriljackss
apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
in Food and Nutrition
OK, pals - It's been a long time since I've posted anything but I'm hoping some of you might read this and have some feedback for me.

In January this year I decided to take my health into my own hands (for real this time) and get my weight and my PCOS in check. I started religiously taking a couple different supplements recommended by many of the PCOS forums I've read and independent research that I have done. I also knew that dietary changes were needed but I was a bit slower to adopt those.

About two weeks ago I decided to go for it and have since completely given up gluten and dairy products as there is a lot of research that suggests that women with PCOS are sensitive at best and completely intolerant at worst to these two types of foods. Astonishingly, the weight is just falling off of me. I started off in January hovering between 140-143 lbs and now, just two weeks into my new dietary change, I'm closer to 131-134.

HOWEVER, my skin on my face has never looked so bad. Even with all of the fresh veggies and fruits and omega 3s I've been ingesting, my skin is just looking worse and worse. I've read about "detox" reactions on the skin, but each time I think it's clearing up, several more spots appear. It is primarily around my mouth, chin, and nose area and I don't know what to do. I do take hormonal birth control (and have been for a couple years now) so that hasn't changed. I've also been having severe dry spots between my nose and mouth and corners of my mouth. The spots appear as red bumps then progress to hard little nodules that eventually form a head (sorry if this grosses anyone out). Has anyone experienced these types of symptoms after changing to a "healthier" lifestyle? If so, did it eventually work itself out, or did you have to go to a dermatologist?

I should also note that I do not use harsh cleansers on my face as I have always had a tendency for dry skin and I try to use natural moisturizers. I only wash my face at night to remove my makeup and just rinse with cool water in the morning.


DISCLAIMER: I am not recommending going gluten free and dairy free for weight loss. It seems to be working for me but I have PCOS and medical research suggests women with my condition typically can not tolerate these two things. I do realize that most people can eat both of these things with out incident, and I would totally eat some grilled cheeses, etc. if I could do so and stay healthy.

Any helpful suggestion is appreciated! Thank you!

Replies

  • apriljackss
    apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
    Bump! I know it's long, but someone, please?
  • youngmommy2
    youngmommy2 Posts: 71 Member
    I'm definitely no expert and not familiar with PCOS but when i started eating healthier My face went crazy. It never looked so bad. Dairy has always bothered me but I just couldn't give up ice cream and yogurt. I went dairy free except Greek yogurt, (for some reason that doesn't bother me) and not completely gluten free but replaced most with eating more veggies like spaghetti squash mixed with spaghetti. just an overall heathier diet.

    I too have always had really dry skin and use gentle cleansers and moisturizers. The simple brand has really been good to me and I also use Josie Maran argon oil (a drop or two with my moisturizer.)

    My face eventually cleared up (about 6 weeks) and has never looked better. Ive also read that breaking out in the chin area signals a hormonal problem. My advice is that if it doesn't get better to see a doctor.

    Good Luck :-)
  • apriljackss
    apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
    Thanks for your reply!

    It's always nice to know that other people know what you're going through. I guess misery does love company! But I'm glad that your skin cleared up! I wonder if it's the probiotics in the yogurt helping also? I might have to check that out.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
    I just started reducing carbs and upping protein, and my face is breaking out.

    HOWEVER, I also just got off the birth control pill, so I am assuming it has WAY more to do with that since it's my first cycle in years without added hormones...
  • michellewelch2010
    michellewelch2010 Posts: 147 Member
    Omega 3's make me look like a teenager... Can't take them unless I want to hide my face all day.
  • apriljackss
    apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
    I find it interesting that Omega 3s have that side effect, since one of the things they are supposed to support is a healthy complexion. However, I have recently upped my dose based on some new information. I wonder....
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
    I have PCOS and my face definitely broke out a ton when I first cut out processed carbs. I am not glutton free or dairy free, but do not eat simple sugars or any processed carbs. Eventually it did even out for me and now I will get the occasional blemish, but that is all. One thing I found that made it significantly worse was soy, in any form. I had to completely cut it out of my diet to get my face to clear up. I do know that soy is not good for women with PCOS because of the way it affects our hormones, so if you eat it or use it in any products you put on your skin, it could possibly add to the issue. Who knows, it did for me. But, we are all different.
  • michellewelch2010
    michellewelch2010 Posts: 147 Member
    I find it interesting that Omega 3s have that side effect, since one of the things they are supposed to support is a healthy complexion. However, I have recently upped my dose based on some new information. I wonder....

    Ya, both my friend and I tried omega 3's... we both had the same reaction and had to stop.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    1. SUGAR and PIMPLES: People in my family with pimples normally ate a lot of sugar. When they stopped their skin cleared up.

    2. SUGAR AND POCS/Impaired metabolism/PRE DIABETES: The less sugar, the less the aforementioned impacts my body. I also was much less hungry.
  • wannaBrunnner81
    wannaBrunnner81 Posts: 107 Member
    For what its worth i have noticed recently that certain glutten free breads and wraps make me break out in a rash or hives on my arms, arm pits and in the inner elbow crease. No where else, and the only times this has happened the only thing that was different about my diet or my daily life was eating Rudi's glutten free foods.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    i attribute some of my breakouts (which are very few) to the sweating ive been doing at the gym.
  • MattHarwoodUK
    MattHarwoodUK Posts: 7 Member
    Don't forget - spots are the body getting rid of poisons - they are (biologically!) the skin doing a great job at finding and getting rid of them. Suppressing them is like people that try and stop mucus with a cold - yes, it feels yucky, but it's your (working!) defense mechanism.

    Spots are common when, for example, you starting using a face wash that really works - it's unclogging your pores so the crap can come out for good.

    In other words, give it a little while for the skin to do it's job :)
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    O3 makes me break out. I don't take them anymore as a result.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    Don't forget - spots are the body getting rid of poisons - they are (biologically!) the skin doing a great job at finding and getting rid of them. Suppressing them is like people that try and stop mucus with a cold - yes, it feels yucky, but it's your (working!) defense mechanism.

    Spots are common when, for example, you starting using a face wash that really works - it's unclogging your pores so the crap can come out for good.

    In other words, give it a little while for the skin to do it's job :)
    Yeah no. That's not what's happening at all.

    In regards to your cold analogy, that's also wrong. Colds are an **overreaction** by your body's immune system. Cold viruses aren't actually harmful.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    ooooooo I know.. I know..



    Go and see your DR..
  • GuyIncognito123
    GuyIncognito123 Posts: 263 Member
    Rash or pimples? Soy protein caused my entire body to break out (I was on Medifast at the time).
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
    I started religiously taking a couple different supplements recommended by many of the PCOS forums I've read and independent research that I have done.

    Perhaps these are the culprit? Other than Omega-3, what other supplements are you taking? Try Googling to see if the supplements you are taking are known for causing skin reactions in people with sensitive skin.
  • apriljackss
    apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
    Thanks for the input! I don't do soy, I actually made that change some time ago, so I didn't think about mentioning it. Additionally, I've cut out most processed (packaged, made in a factory) foods and try to eat things with out added sugars, although I'm certainly not perfect. I've been taking inositol, a women's multi vitamin, magnesium, and the omega-3s. I've been taking these for a little over 2 months now consistently but have taken them on and off over the past year.

    You're also right about seeing a doctor, I am just relatively new to the Houston area and don't have any go-to doctors yet. The few I've been to were less than helpful.
  • Fitiny
    Fitiny Posts: 24 Member
    I used to have a flawless skin! I even had some kind of glow! Not anymore! I really can't tell why! I am not on the pill. I don't take any supplement, or viatamis. I have a mainly clean diet. Lately no matter what I do, they just don't go away! I'm glad I'm not the only one! I might have to go see a doctor too.
  • Ryhenblue
    Ryhenblue Posts: 390 Member
    When I went vegan my face broke out worse than ever it almost made me stop eating vegan. I looked into it and its a normal reaction to dietary changes and it does go away after a bit. I ended up going vegetarian so now my face breaks out if I eat too much dairy.

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