Acne and Diet

Options
Grimmerick
Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
edited April 2015 in Food and Nutrition
I am wondering what I have done to help my hormonal jawline acne to clear up. Has anyone noticed a change in their skin after cleaning up their diet? I have always eaten a pretty healthy diet but not paid attention to RDA's, sugar, coffee etc. In the last few weeks I have made sure to stay within my sugar goal, Made sure I reached 100% on vitamins and minerals daily, and limited myself to 3 cups of coffee a day. After a few weeks I noticed the acne i had under my right jawline and some at the right side of my chin has cleared up almost completely. Now I'm wondering what the heck it was, was it all of them, some of them or none of them. I have had this acne for years now after stopping BC. Can anyone help me figure this out, cause I'm loving it! Oh and I have not drank( is it drank, hmm just doesn't sound right out loud lol) any more water than I usually do so I know it isn't that.
«1

Replies

  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    Options
    i have the same problem, unfortunately. the only thing that has worked for me so far is to keep on top of my skincare.. i have a facial once a month and i have also done a series of chemical peels. the sun/tanning beds also help so my skin is the worst in the winter as i am not a fan of tanning beds although i have used a bed specifically for the face in desperate measures. my gyno insists that the only solution is to go back on BC, but i refuse to do that.
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,151 Member
    Options
    Same results when I cut sugar, but I also added cod liver oil. Doing both seem to be the magic for me. I don't even really care which it is because I'm willing to stick to it! Lovin' the clear skin!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    Nope. But then again my acne is/was always mechanical due to irritation and in some cases ingredients, although based on my current skincare usage I'd guess that it's primarily mechanical/irritation.

    Fwiw I cleared up my acne by discontinuing the use of all skincare products. I'd rinse maybe 2-3x a week or less, and for a while I didn't really rinse at all. I needed this to help my skin adjust and "heal" from having been exfoliated pretty well every day for years, which left my skin thin, irritated, and dehydrated + oily and tight. Switching to only water left my skin much thicker after a while, and less dehydrated and tight, and pretty much eliminated my oiliness. After my skin cleared up and my red marks faded a bit I started wearing makeup again, so I had to start using oil to remove it, which only worked so-so... using washcloths is a total no-no for me, and even cotton pads are irritating and exfoliate too much. My skin has gotten thinner and more dehydrated and flakes now, and breaking out a bit, but never got as bad as it was a few years ago when at its worst I had like ~50 active zits on my face on top of clusters of red marks and rolling + ice pick scars (still have some of the former). About a week ago I stopped using cotton pads for oil cleansing (and I cannot use cleansing oils with emulsifiers, they dry my skin out) and instead just massage it in, emulsify the oil with wet hands for a while (getting new water throughout the process), then rinse a few times. Removes all my makeup, cotton pads have come back clean when I've tried this. My skin has already calmed down and looks smoother, better hydrated, and my breakouts are clearing up. I use the oil to moisturize as well, usually mixing with some water. I've used apricot kernel, avocado, and almond oil successfully for months as well, but I'm out of those ones right now (and in the past, almond oil DID break me out, but my skin was also reaally really irritated and I was using other skincare products as well).

    eta I used to post on acne.org forums a lot, stopped years ago. But I made logs and a gallery there, so if you're interested in seeing the progress: acne.org/messageboard/blog/5437-how-i-cleared-up-my-acne/
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Options
    I personally, as well as some of my friends, and lots of people online that I've read about, have made a connection between eating "cleaner" (ie less processed) foods and their acne clearing up. The only time I start to notice it is around time of month and that's probably because I reach for more chocolate and processed foods then....
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    I've noticed if I have more fast food or pizza (anything with a little bit more grease that what I'm used to) my skin flares up. When I really reign in my diet and keep to my macros, my skin clears up. Also- when I am actually getting enough water and am actually well hydrated, my face doesn't look as red. My face has never been 100% clear though.

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
    Options
    esjones12 wrote: »
    I personally, as well as some of my friends, and lots of people online that I've read about, have made a connection between eating "cleaner" (ie less processed) foods and their acne clearing up. The only time I start to notice it is around time of month and that's probably because I reach for more chocolate and processed foods then....

    I ate "clean" for 4 years, and I developed severe acne during that time as well. So just saying that "eating clean," which is a ridiculously arbitrary term, isn't some magic pill for ANY problem.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
    Options
    ana3067 wrote: »
    Nope. But then again my acne is/was always mechanical due to irritation and in some cases ingredients, although based on my current skincare usage I'd guess that it's primarily mechanical/irritation.

    Fwiw I cleared up my acne by discontinuing the use of all skincare products. I'd rinse maybe 2-3x a week or less, and for a while I didn't really rinse at all. I needed this to help my skin adjust and "heal" from having been exfoliated pretty well every day for years, which left my skin thin, irritated, and dehydrated + oily and tight. Switching to only water left my skin much thicker after a while, and less dehydrated and tight, and pretty much eliminated my oiliness. After my skin cleared up and my red marks faded a bit I started wearing makeup again, so I had to start using oil to remove it, which only worked so-so... using washcloths is a total no-no for me, and even cotton pads are irritating and exfoliate too much. My skin has gotten thinner and more dehydrated and flakes now, and breaking out a bit, but never got as bad as it was a few years ago when at its worst I had like ~50 active zits on my face on top of clusters of red marks and rolling + ice pick scars (still have some of the former). About a week ago I stopped using cotton pads for oil cleansing (and I cannot use cleansing oils with emulsifiers, they dry my skin out) and instead just massage it in, emulsify the oil with wet hands for a while (getting new water throughout the process), then rinse a few times. Removes all my makeup, cotton pads have come back clean when I've tried this. My skin has already calmed down and looks smoother, better hydrated, and my breakouts are clearing up. I use the oil to moisturize as well, usually mixing with some water. I've used apricot kernel, avocado, and almond oil successfully for months as well, but I'm out of those ones right now (and in the past, almond oil DID break me out, but my skin was also reaally really irritated and I was using other skincare products as well).

    eta I used to post on acne.org forums a lot, stopped years ago. But I made logs and a gallery there, so if you're interested in seeing the progress: acne.org/messageboard/blog/5437-how-i-cleared-up-my-acne/

    Thanks! very informative. I used the OCM method for a while, I liked the way it made my skin feel afterward, I have oily t-zone, dryish cheeks, and rosacea (basically screwed skinwise). So I really liked OCM and will probably go back to it. It didn't work for my hormonal acne but I didn't really expect it to since my acne stemmed from a more internal issue. I think I'll go back to OCM I stopped because I was afraid it would aggravate my hormonal acne.

  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    Options
    My hormonal acne isnt touched by changes in anything..but hormones. So my doctor put me on spironolactone to address the excess testosterone. Worked like a charm. Hardly any perceptible side effects. Cannot use if pregnant or may become pregnant.
  • tshuk00
    tshuk00 Posts: 17 Member
    Options
    esjones12 wrote: »
    I personally, as well as some of my friends, and lots of people online that I've read about, have made a connection between eating "cleaner" (ie less processed) foods and their acne clearing up. The only time I start to notice it is around time of month and that's probably because I reach for more chocolate and processed foods then....

    No, it's not the chocolate and processed foods, it's your hormone cycles. It's called hormonal acne for a reason.
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    Options
    tshuk00 wrote: »
    esjones12 wrote: »
    I personally, as well as some of my friends, and lots of people online that I've read about, have made a connection between eating "cleaner" (ie less processed) foods and their acne clearing up. The only time I start to notice it is around time of month and that's probably because I reach for more chocolate and processed foods then....

    No, it's not the chocolate and processed foods, it's your hormone cycles. It's called hormonal acne for a reason.

    True that. When it "clears up all of a sudden" its because you've moved to a diff phase in your cycle...
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
    Options
    HardcoreP0rk wrote: »
    My hormonal acne isnt touched by changes in anything..but hormones. So my doctor put me on spironolactone to address the excess testosterone. Worked like a charm. Hardly any perceptible side effects. Cannot use if pregnant or may become pregnant.

    Yeah I am wondering if my hormones were a bit imbalanced and something I did helped balance them back out. I don't even get a pimple near that time of the month anymore. I figured they would fix themselves after a while off of going off of BC but it's been like 3 or 4 years.

  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    ana3067 wrote: »
    esjones12 wrote: »
    I personally, as well as some of my friends, and lots of people online that I've read about, have made a connection between eating "cleaner" (ie less processed) foods and their acne clearing up. The only time I start to notice it is around time of month and that's probably because I reach for more chocolate and processed foods then....

    I ate "clean" for 4 years, and I developed severe acne during that time as well. So just saying that "eating clean," which is a ridiculously arbitrary term, isn't some magic pill for ANY problem.

    Your personal experience outweighs my personal experience? Sorry your acne wasn't cleared up by eating less processed food, but mine was.....everyone's body is different and I was merely saying eating less junk helped my acne. I didn't claim it as a magic pill for anything....
  • killerqueen21
    killerqueen21 Posts: 157 Member
    Options
    Nothing helped my acne except for Accutane. But I would NOT recommend that stuff; it's only for severe, chronic acne that never gets any better. The only reason why I even mention is to just reiterate the fact that it doesn't matter what you eat; it's going to flare regardless, especially if your hormones are all crae crae.
  • mumblemagic
    mumblemagic Posts: 1,090 Member
    Options
    All my skin goes really dry when I diet. So my legs start flaking but my spots go away on my face!
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    killerqueen21 wrote: »
    Nothing helped my acne except for Accutane. But I would NOT recommend that stuff; it's only for severe, chronic acne that never gets any better. The only reason why I even mention is to just reiterate the fact that it doesn't matter what you eat; it's going to flare regardless, especially if your hormones are all crae crae.

    I think it would depend on the type of acne and what was causing it wouldn't it? Hormonal acne as I understand it can be caused by an imbalance and some of the foods you eat supposedly can affect your hormones. This is just how I understood it when I did some research....and really the only thing that has changed for me is those little changes I made to what I eat.

  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    Options
    killerqueen21 wrote: »
    Nothing helped my acne except for Accutane. But I would NOT recommend that stuff; it's only for severe, chronic acne that never gets any better. The only reason why I even mention is to just reiterate the fact that it doesn't matter what you eat; it's going to flare regardless, especially if your hormones are all crae crae.

    heard the same from someone else recently.. she said that she was miserable while on it, but her skin looks great now!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
    Options
    emmydoodles83 wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    Nope. But then again my acne is/was always mechanical due to irritation and in some cases ingredients, although based on my current skincare usage I'd guess that it's primarily mechanical/irritation.

    Fwiw I cleared up my acne by discontinuing the use of all skincare products. I'd rinse maybe 2-3x a week or less, and for a while I didn't really rinse at all. I needed this to help my skin adjust and "heal" from having been exfoliated pretty well every day for years, which left my skin thin, irritated, and dehydrated + oily and tight. Switching to only water left my skin much thicker after a while, and less dehydrated and tight, and pretty much eliminated my oiliness. After my skin cleared up and my red marks faded a bit I started wearing makeup again, so I had to start using oil to remove it, which only worked so-so... using washcloths is a total no-no for me, and even cotton pads are irritating and exfoliate too much. My skin has gotten thinner and more dehydrated and flakes now, and breaking out a bit, but never got as bad as it was a few years ago when at its worst I had like ~50 active zits on my face on top of clusters of red marks and rolling + ice pick scars (still have some of the former). About a week ago I stopped using cotton pads for oil cleansing (and I cannot use cleansing oils with emulsifiers, they dry my skin out) and instead just massage it in, emulsify the oil with wet hands for a while (getting new water throughout the process), then rinse a few times. Removes all my makeup, cotton pads have come back clean when I've tried this. My skin has already calmed down and looks smoother, better hydrated, and my breakouts are clearing up. I use the oil to moisturize as well, usually mixing with some water. I've used apricot kernel, avocado, and almond oil successfully for months as well, but I'm out of those ones right now (and in the past, almond oil DID break me out, but my skin was also reaally really irritated and I was using other skincare products as well).

    eta I used to post on acne.org forums a lot, stopped years ago. But I made logs and a gallery there, so if you're interested in seeing the progress: acne.org/messageboard/blog/5437-how-i-cleared-up-my-acne/

    Thanks! very informative. I used the OCM method for a while, I liked the way it made my skin feel afterward, I have oily t-zone, dryish cheeks, and rosacea (basically screwed skinwise). So I really liked OCM and will probably go back to it. It didn't work for my hormonal acne but I didn't really expect it to since my acne stemmed from a more internal issue. I think I'll go back to OCM I stopped because I was afraid it would aggravate my hormonal acne.

    OCM in the "traditional" way aggravated my non-hormonal acne so if your skin is sensitive to exfoliation then it could cause issues.

    I used to post on makeupalley a lot, some women there recommended a supplement for it... starts with a V, I can't remember what it's called now. Something that people would use as an alternative to using birth control (obviously not for birth control effects lol).
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
    Options
    bellaa_x0 wrote: »
    killerqueen21 wrote: »
    Nothing helped my acne except for Accutane. But I would NOT recommend that stuff; it's only for severe, chronic acne that never gets any better. The only reason why I even mention is to just reiterate the fact that it doesn't matter what you eat; it's going to flare regardless, especially if your hormones are all crae crae.

    heard the same from someone else recently.. she said that she was miserable while on it, but her skin looks great now!

    It should only be a last resort because of all the potential negative side effects. It also only has an 80% success rate apparently, and plenty of people need to go on multiple courses. So unless you've tried EVERYTHING, it's 100% a last resort. If a dermatologist recommends this first without recommending anything else or asking what else you've tried and then recommending something else, find another dermatologist.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
    Options
    Skin is still looking good!! even close to TOM. will be interesting to see if I make it through with no new ones popping up. Certainly hasn't happened for me yet.
  • sweetteadrinker2
    sweetteadrinker2 Posts: 1,026 Member
    Options
    I've noticed my skin becoming clearer as well, but attribute it less to what I do/don't eat and more to the fact that I've lost body fat which is part of the hormone regulatory system. I also decided to do a whole life change when I started dieting again. I exfoliate 3x week with a sugar scrub, moisturize 1x day, use tea tree oil 2x daily, don't wear makeup(don't feel that I need it anymore for everyday), and went on a long acting birth control to make my hormones more consistent vs having the monthly flare(I'm losing weight even on depo).

Categories