Skin super bad after weight loss, anyone else?

katiepaff
katiepaff Posts: 33 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I've lost 10lbs in the last month and since then my skin has been terrible...I haven't had acne this bad since high school, and I graduated 10 years ago! Could this be a side effect of losing weight? I have PCOS, not sure if it's anything to do with that. It's really depressing me though, I'm using tons of acne products and nothing seems to help :(((

Replies

  • The_Invisible_Boy
    The_Invisible_Boy Posts: 568 Member
    If you have changed your diet drastically it could affect it. Especially if you were eating a lot of crap food and are now eating much cleaner. It could be your body expelling toxins.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    From what I understand, acne is tied to pcos--hormonal wackiness. Can you talk to your doctor?

    For adult acne, I make sure I don't dry out my skin. And I like products with sulfur. More targeted. I like Kate Sommerville's EradiKate.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    My skin got pretty bad as I lost weight - I don't have PCOS, but acne can be triggered by hormones. It's not much of a stretch to figure losing weight throws hormones out of wack and could be contributing.

    I stopped losing 3-4 months ago and my skin is finally getting back to its normal self now.

    Don't use a zillion products - that may actually make your skin worse. Drink plenty of water and stick to your usual routine for now. And as @Psychgrrl recommended, talk to your doctor.

    ~Lyssa
  • michelle7673
    michelle7673 Posts: 370 Member
    My question would be -- what did you do to lose the 10# in a month? Not that such a loss is extreme, but it might be aggressive if you are relatively near a healthy BMI. My most rapid weight loss phase (post breakup) ended up with my skin looking bad (mostly just lifeless) so if at an extreme deficit or stressed -- could be it. Could be related to hormonal shift or exercise or exercising in makeup/sunscreen. Hard to say.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    Yes, I absolutely have! It's just what happens with weight loss. I've gone to my dietician and several doctors who specialize in Bariatrics, and what happens is when you gain weight a lot of your hormones are stored in those fat cells. When you lose the cells, those hormones are then released into your body and can very often cause some pretty unique symptoms. Many people experience menopausal symptoms and/or acne. Just a lot of general hormonal wackiness while losing weight. It's totally normal and will go away when you start maintaining your weight as opposed to losing it
  • michelle7673
    michelle7673 Posts: 370 Member
    happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »
    Yes, I absolutely have! It's just what happens with weight loss. I've gone to my dietician and several doctors who specialize in Bariatrics, and what happens is when you gain weight a lot of your hormones are stored in those fat cells. When you lose the cells, those hormones are then released into your body and can very often cause some pretty unique symptoms. Many people experience menopausal symptoms and/or acne. Just a lot of general hormonal wackiness while losing weight. It's totally normal and will go away when you start maintaining your weight as opposed to losing it

    Oh this is really interesting. That makes sense.
  • katiepaff
    katiepaff Posts: 33 Member
    The thing is, I've had PCOS since I was 20 (well that's when I was diagnosed) and this skin flare up has only been in the last few weeks. Before that, it was nowhere near this bad since high school.

    To lose the 10lbs, I simply started eating about 1500 calories a day, and I just started working out the last few days honestly. I started at 195 and am now 185, and I'm 5'4", so my bmi was obese to start. I've cut out most sugar and alcohol, and have been trying to eat much less fast food and processed food. Nothing but healthy changes. Losing weight is supposed to help PCOS symptoms, so I'm baffled as to why my skin has gotten so bad...
  • katiepaff
    katiepaff Posts: 33 Member
    @happyfeetrebel1 wait, should I expect my skin to be this bad till I'm done losing weight? I have 50lbs left to go!!!
  • MTmimi
    MTmimi Posts: 38 Member
    I have noticed that my rosascea got worse too. I am treating it with a topical anti- bacterial cream which I cover with moisturizer, and a yellow pro-biotic powder that masks the redness. I am also taking vitamin A for my skin. My skin condition is probably aggravated by the exercise I am doing (anything that flushes my face).
  • katiepaff
    katiepaff Posts: 33 Member
    The only other thing I can think that had changed is I started Prozac about a month ago. Could that cause acne?
  • ALMOSTkickedpcos
    ALMOSTkickedpcos Posts: 35 Member
    hi. I am a victim of PCOS too and almost getting rid of it. Yeah during my weight loss, I noticed the changes in my skin too. Like t became all dried and cracked , would go a bit batter when a really high quality moisturizer was applied. It went wrinkled too. And I would lose it more often. I started to lose form 165lbs and now I am 127lbs.

    But hey check this out! You might find this helpful during your weight loss :blush:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10264570/ones-fighting-pcos#latest
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    It's the hormones reeking havoc.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    Yea you can have PCOS and not have problems with acne and then all of a sudden acne. I find that when my cysts were really large, that's when I had the acne. Maybe a nice checkup with the doc will help get your skin back on track.
  • Obnoxa
    Obnoxa Posts: 187 Member
    I have pcos and would get some acne right before my cycle started. When I started losing weight I had more acne, but it was probably only about four or six weeks and then it really eased up.
    Last month I didn't even get it when I normally would, so I wouldn't sweat it too much.
  • katiepaff
    katiepaff Posts: 33 Member
    @Obnoxa why do you think you got more acne when you started losing weight?
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    I can't offer much but I do suggest using a moisturizing, non-medicated system. I had dried out, acne prone skin, then I started using an "organic" non-medicated face wash (avalon-organics) and california baby lotion. It works great.
  • Obnoxa
    Obnoxa Posts: 187 Member
    katiepaff wrote: »
    @Obnoxa why do you think you got more acne when you started losing weight?

    Honestly, I'm not too sure. If I had to guess I'd say detoxing, I cleaned up my eating and since I don't eat mammal to begin with when I eat clean its really clean.
    But its just an assumption to be honest, I just know it did taper off and now my skin looks great!
  • afatpersonwholikesfood
    afatpersonwholikesfood Posts: 577 Member
    I know I'm about to be THAT person, but my skin has been awesome. I also get monthly breakouts, but they have greatly improved. I was at the point where I really needed to see a dermatologist before, but I knew all the treatments would just break me out even worse and take months to show results. No PCOS. I get 1 or 2 pimples thanks to being a woman, and that's it. I've never had it this good.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I would totally guess hormones, but I don't know. There is no way we can know. If you really, really want an answer, ask the doctor.
  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
    edited October 2015
    katiepaff wrote: »
    I've lost 10lbs in the last month and since then my skin has been terrible...I haven't had acne this bad since high school, and I graduated 10 years ago! Could this be a side effect of losing weight? I have PCOS, not sure if it's anything to do with that. It's really depressing me though, I'm using tons of acne products and nothing seems to help :(((

    It could be many things. First I would say that using tons of acne products is not going to help, dont overload on those.. Stick to one at a time. Also I agree with what others have said it could be the toxins coming out or your hormones trying to balance themselves out. For these you should give it some time, they will evntually go away and relax, stressing it will only make it worse. Lastly what happens to me always is whenever I start exercising I start breaking out because of the sweat during workouts clogging my skin, I guess my skin is sensitive to that. Its seems strange but overtime i figured out that is my trigger, maybe it is yours too. I make sure to wash my face with a light cleanser immediately after working out and i dont wear any makeup to the gym. Dont forget to wash makeup brushes often.

    Also im not a fan of using heavy acne washes or washes with a lot of salicylic in them. They make my skin so dry and irritated and pimples seem worse.
  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
    Another thing, are you taking any supplements? I know fish oil makes me break out in cysts.
    I am a pcoser also, i dont think losing weight would cause long term worsening of symptoms so I am sure it will subside eventually. Dont stress over it when i had my skin issues i think the stress of it made it even worse.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    katiepaff wrote: »
    I've lost 10lbs in the last month and since then my skin has been terrible...I haven't had acne this bad since high school, and I graduated 10 years ago! Could this be a side effect of losing weight? I have PCOS, not sure if it's anything to do with that. It's really depressing me though, I'm using tons of acne products and nothing seems to help :(((

    None of the supermarket acne products will work, in case that's what you're using.

    You need something with Benzoyl peroxide.

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