Acne worse while losing weight?
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All_The_Bacon
Posts: 26 Member
I asked Google but couldn't find much, so I thought I would post this here and see if anyone had any advice. I've been on a weight loss diet since January. Very successful so far, with about 40lbs lost. I have been buying good, whole food and cooking it myself. Lots of fish, lean protein, fresh vegetables cooked simply in olive oil. Few carbs and little refined sugar. I feel great.
However, since I changed my diet and started getting healthier, I have had constant breakouts of deep cystic acne. I have always dealt with a few bumps here and there, mostly at my TOM as expected with hormonal fluctuations, but it seems like this diet is causing me to break out in areas of my face where I have never had acne before. It's constant and very troubling.
Has anyone else had this experience while losing weight? Is there something I should be eating or not eating to control the breakouts?
However, since I changed my diet and started getting healthier, I have had constant breakouts of deep cystic acne. I have always dealt with a few bumps here and there, mostly at my TOM as expected with hormonal fluctuations, but it seems like this diet is causing me to break out in areas of my face where I have never had acne before. It's constant and very troubling.
Has anyone else had this experience while losing weight? Is there something I should be eating or not eating to control the breakouts?
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Replies
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Do you eat a lot of dairy products? I have generally found that my skin is a lot better when I'm eating whole foods, but I do find that if I am consuming a lot of dairy products, my cystic acne will really flare up terribly. And the worst part about the cysts, beyond that they're painful and impossible to cover, is how long they hang around.
I'm sure other people might have some ideas, but that's really the only thing that will really consistently effect my skin, for me.4 -
Oh my gosh I have the same issue and it's driving me insane. Never had much acne as a teen but my skin is AWFUL lately. I'm dairy free and eating much better (as in, cut the greasy fast foods and that kind of stuff but still eat sometimes freezer meals, etc.). It's been terrible.2
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I have heard that when people make dramatic changes in their diet their acne will go crazy. Unfortunately for women we will most likely have to deal with it all of our lives because it is directly related to hormones.
I would recommend seeing a dermatologist. If it is worth it for you they can prescribe you a topical treatment or a medicine that can help with your flare ups.4 -
Changing your diet may have affected your hormones which in turn has triggered the acne.
I had an Indian cream which I initially got in packs to keep sandflies at bay when i worked in the Middle East but it was also great for helping a few friends who had bad acne, it's called vicco it's basically a Turmeric ointment, it's available fairly cheap online. https://www.amazon.com/Vicco-Turmeric-Cream-30g/product-reviews/B000HLH79E4 -
Was literally thinking of posting about the same thing! I'm similar to you, still get the occasional pimple here and there and usually right before TOM. Are you also exercising more? Because I've kind of chalked it up to that, with the thought that even as women, out testosterone levels still increase some. And my boyfriend also said it happens to him when he first starts working out again after a break.
Could be completely making that up as I haven't found any "evidence" of this being true, other than what makes sense in my head haha2 -
jordyngiulio wrote: »Do you eat a lot of dairy products? I have generally found that my skin is a lot better when I'm eating whole foods, but I do find that if I am consuming a lot of dairy products, my cystic acne will really flare up terribly.
That's a really interesting idea! I hadn't considered it, since I'm not really eating more dairy than I was before, but now with reduced calories I guess it makes up a larger share of total calories. I'll experiment with excluding it from my diet and see if that helps. Thanks!2 -
tinkerbellang83 wrote: »I had an Indian cream which I initially got in packs to keep sandflies at bay when i worked in the Middle East but it was also great for helping a few friends who had bad acne, it's called vicco it's basically a Turmeric ointment, it's available fairly cheap online. https://www.amazon.com/Vicco-Turmeric-Cream-30g/product-reviews/B000HLH79E
Thanks! I've heard that turmeric has all kind of benefits for our bodies, so I'll check it out!1 -
This might sound totally dumb, but are you working out more and therefore sweating more - and with that, what's your body and facewashing regimen? I totally recommend tea tree oil based face washes- I've been breaking out more too and that helped immensely.8
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I personally have noticed periods of worse acne but also periods of significantly improved acne. Wish I could pinpoint why but I appreciate the clearing up times!1
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fitdaisygrrl wrote: »I totally recommend tea tree oil based face washes- I've been breaking out more too and that helped immensely.
Thanks! I haven't tried tea tree oil before. Sounds like it's worth a shot!0 -
fitdaisygrrl wrote: »This might sound totally dumb, but are you working out more and therefore sweating more
I was going to say this. I work out more now, and if I don't wash right after a workout, my skin will break out almost immediately.
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Yes! I am almost 40 and have more acne now than as a teenager0
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fitdaisygrrl wrote: »This might sound totally dumb, but are you working out more and therefore sweating more
I was going to say this. I work out more now, and if I don't wash right after a workout, my skin will break out almost immediately.
This. I wash my face immediately after working out. I've also found that using acne washes was making it worse. I wash my hands after working out (to clean them off any dirt and/or sweat) and then wash my face with plain water and pat it dry.
Skin has been completely clear since I started doing that.1 -
fitdaisygrrl wrote: »This might sound totally dumb, but are you working out more and therefore sweating more
I was going to say this. I work out more now, and if I don't wash right after a workout, my skin will break out almost immediately.
This. I wash my face immediately after working out. I've also found that using acne washes was making it worse. I wash my hands after working out (to clean them off any dirt and/or sweat) and then wash my face with plain water and pat it dry.
Skin has been completely clear since I started doing that.
Preach. Acne washes are definitely counter-productive for me.
I don't have bad acne but am prone to break outs (yes, even at almost 55) if I don't change my pillow cases frequently enough, if I wash my skin with anything too harsh (read r/skincareaddiction for some pointers, though I use the oil cleansing method and use very emollient oils), and if I don't moisturize (I use just argan oil for this).4 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »fitdaisygrrl wrote: »This might sound totally dumb, but are you working out more and therefore sweating more
I was going to say this. I work out more now, and if I don't wash right after a workout, my skin will break out almost immediately.
This. I wash my face immediately after working out. I've also found that using acne washes was making it worse. I wash my hands after working out (to clean them off any dirt and/or sweat) and then wash my face with plain water and pat it dry.
Skin has been completely clear since I started doing that.
Preach. Acne washes are definitely counter-productive for me.
I don't have bad acne but am prone to break outs (yes, even at almost 55) if I don't change my pillow cases frequently enough, if I wash my skin with anything too harsh (read r/skincareaddiction for some pointers, though I use the oil cleansing method and use very emollient oils), and if I don't moisturize (I use just argan oil for this).
Pillow cases must be washed/changed very often. Yes.
Sleeping on hands-for me personally. Yes.
But in regards to making a lifestyle change recently I have also noticed cystic breakouts when before they were just "normal" breakouts. These things get large and linger for WEEKS beneath the surface long after the "angriness" of them is gone.
I dont know why there would be a correlation to my diet when its become far improved...but I dunno.
Not washing my face after sweating/working out. Yes.
Not drinking enough water. Yes.
Not to mention simply because of the start of "summer" in Houston its inevitable.1 -
I noticed around 30lbs lost that my hormonal, cystic acne returned with a vengeance! I think it might have to do with such a drastic change in diet and my body re-balancing itself. Definitely hormones for my cystic acne - ZERO OTC acne remedies (tea tree oil, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide) work. And I know refined sugar is my regular acne trigger as a packet of Skittles will bring 1-2 whiteheads to surface within 24 hrs.
I've been seeing a dermatologist since March and was not having any success with the creams and lotions she was prescribing, so I finally asked her to give me a prescription for spironolactone. It's not for everyone and I've only been on it for 10 days, but only had 1 new hormonal pimple (1 non-hormonal) since then and they are quicker-healing than cysts pre-spiro (1-2 days instead of 1-3 weeks).1 -
I was on spiro a few years ago since I've have hormone triggered acne as well, unrelated to weight loss. Anything you notice after 10 days is probably in your head since it takes a good couple months to take effect. After 3 months for me, I stopped getting break outs ALL TOGETHER. That is until I got pregnant shortly after and had to stop taking it. I've thought about going back on it, but since I still get the occasional breakout now (especially leading up to TOM) I realize it's not a forever fix.2
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Amandrew412 wrote: »I was on spiro a few years ago since I've have hormone triggered acne as well, unrelated to weight loss. Anything you notice after 10 days is probably in your head since it takes a good couple months to take effect. After 3 months for me, I stopped getting break outs ALL TOGETHER. That is until I got pregnant shortly after and had to stop taking it. I've thought about going back on it, but since I still get the occasional breakout now (especially leading up to TOM) I realize it's not a forever fix.
It's not in my head, lol. I usually get 2-3 new cysts per week. Only 1 new cyst in 10 days since February isn't a coincidence.
Edit: I will add, I did my research and am fully aware there could be a purge in my future that could make things as bad if not worse. In the meantime I will relish my relatively-clear skin.1 -
I normally avoid the anti acne washes, too because they make me breakout. I typically only use gentle Clinique cleansers, but found that there's a Biore Baking Soda Face wash (and available scrub) that's both cheap and awesome for getting all the sweat and grossness off without further irritation.1
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How's your acne looking? I just started changing my diet and exercising 2 weeks ago, I am breaking out a lot more. I have a bit of acne anyways, but I have noticed it getting worse.0
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