Skin breaking out after dieting
VictoriaLizzy
Posts: 14 Member
Hi, everyone! I’m more than a bit disheartened that my new healthy diet is making my acne and rosacea worse. A little over 2 weeks ago (August 1st), I cut out processed sugars, gluten, and almost all dairy (there might be a little in my cereal). I’ve been eating lots of fresh veggie smoothies, a handful of berries, hazelnuts, quinoa, and fresh fish. I’m also only imbibing on water and a cup of morning coffee with dairy free creamer. While I don’t believe I’m intolerant to gluten or dairy, I thought I’d try cutting back on both to see what happens.
My diet before was atrocious. I basically lived on pasta with heavy sauces, doughnuts, cookies, soda, pizza... just about all the stuff you’re supposed to avoid. Oddly enough, thanks to what I thought was a decent skin care routine, my skin was behaving (for as much as rosacea skin can behave). I figured eating well would be the final puzzle piece. I’m so depressed to find new acne every morning in places I never had issues with before. It’s heartbreaking. I’m not overweight, but I’m not in shape. I truly hoped to become healthy, alleviate my skin woes, and get back to feeling good about myself.
I’ve slowly been getting back into Pilates and Jillian Michaels workouts (eep!) and I don’t have AC, just fans. But I always try to wash my red face as soon as possible.
Does anyone know why this is happening? I initially thought it was the high histamine spinach I was using in the smoothies, so I switched over to kale and beets —that didn’t help.
Any advice would be most welcome. x
Note: Physically and mentally, I feel amazing! So I don’t *think I’m allergic to anything I’ve been eating. (Aside from the kale, it’s stuff I had before, just not in such large quantities.)
My diet before was atrocious. I basically lived on pasta with heavy sauces, doughnuts, cookies, soda, pizza... just about all the stuff you’re supposed to avoid. Oddly enough, thanks to what I thought was a decent skin care routine, my skin was behaving (for as much as rosacea skin can behave). I figured eating well would be the final puzzle piece. I’m so depressed to find new acne every morning in places I never had issues with before. It’s heartbreaking. I’m not overweight, but I’m not in shape. I truly hoped to become healthy, alleviate my skin woes, and get back to feeling good about myself.
I’ve slowly been getting back into Pilates and Jillian Michaels workouts (eep!) and I don’t have AC, just fans. But I always try to wash my red face as soon as possible.
Does anyone know why this is happening? I initially thought it was the high histamine spinach I was using in the smoothies, so I switched over to kale and beets —that didn’t help.
Any advice would be most welcome. x
Note: Physically and mentally, I feel amazing! So I don’t *think I’m allergic to anything I’ve been eating. (Aside from the kale, it’s stuff I had before, just not in such large quantities.)
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Replies
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You've only been at this a short time. It may take time for your skin to get used to the new regime.2
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Thank you, kardsharp. I’ve read about a few other people who have experienced the same thing, but they’re few and far between. A lot of peoples’ skin seems to clear up almost immediately.
I’m really hoping this is some sort of a detox/purge that will right itself eventually.0 -
If you are gluten free you have to make sure you are getting enough protein and nutrients as many gluten free substitutes are not fortified and lack protein. When selecting carbs make sure to choose beans and quinoa over rice and other gluten free substitutes. The same thing happened to my skin but now it is much better with upping protein and nutrients.3
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I'd like to think you are having a reaction to your dietary changes. I was interested to read you have thought of histamine as a possible issue. If you are eating a wide variety of fruits and vegies salicylate sensitivity could be an underlying cause. Many fruits and veg are high in salicylate, its what they use to protect themselves from moulds and mildews. There is a site, "Food can make you ill", it covers all manor of food related natural chemicals which can in the sensitive, unable to eliminate as regular folk do, cause various issues. There are others which only cover salicylate, keep to science based rather than, a "jo blogs rant" type of thing though. I really want your situation to be one of adaptation. All the best.3
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DebTavares wrote: »If you are gluten free you have to make sure you are getting enough protein and nutrients as many gluten free substitutes are not fortified and lack protein. When selecting carbs make sure to choose beans and quinoa over rice and other gluten free substitutes. The same thing happened to my skin but now it is much better with upping protein and nutrients.
Thank you for the advice. :-) I’m eating lots of quinoa and try to have fresh fish as often as possible (I was never a big red meat eater before starting this diet). I truly think I’m doing everything right, so this is all so frustrating.
I have been tossing fresh ginger into my smoothies every morning - maybe I’ll stop doing that for a while and see what happens...
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I'd like to think you are having a reaction to your dietary changes. I was interested to read you have thought of histamine as a possible issue. If you are eating a wide variety of fruits and vegies salicylate sensitivity could be an underlying cause. Many fruits and veg are high in salicylate, its what they use to protect themselves from moulds and mildews. There is a site, "Food can make you ill", it covers all manor of food related natural chemicals which can in the sensitive, unable to eliminate as regular folk do, cause various issues. There are others which only cover salicylate, keep to science based rather than, a "jo blogs rant" type of thing though. I really want your situation to be one of adaptation. All the best.
Oh dear, now I’m even more confused. Some of the foods high in salicylate we’re the very ones that were listed as okay for low histamine. There’s practically nothing left for me to eat.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think I’m salicylate-intolerant. I’ve taken aspirin before without any issues and before starting this diet and I was a huge fan of pistachios, berries, soda, and mayo. Also my skin problems have never presented as hives or a rash.
I’m truly hoping that this is just my body’s way of trying to find its new balance - I sprung so many changes on it all at once.0 -
VictoriaLizzy wrote: »I'd like to think you are having a reaction to your dietary changes. I was interested to read you have thought of histamine as a possible issue. If you are eating a wide variety of fruits and vegies salicylate sensitivity could be an underlying cause. Many fruits and veg are high in salicylate, its what they use to protect themselves from moulds and mildews. There is a site, "Food can make you ill", it covers all manor of food related natural chemicals which can in the sensitive, unable to eliminate as regular folk do, cause various issues. There are others which only cover salicylate, keep to science based rather than, a "jo blogs rant" type of thing though. I really want your situation to be one of adaptation. All the best.
Oh dear, now I’m even more confused. Some of the foods high in salicylate we’re the very ones that were listed as okay for low histamine. There’s practically nothing left for me to eat.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think I’m salicylate-intolerant. I’ve taken aspirin before without any issues and before starting this diet and I was a huge fan of pistachios, berries, soda, and mayo. Also my skin problems have never presented as hives or a rash.
I’m truly hoping that this is just my body’s way of trying to find its new balance - I sprung so many changes on it all at once.
Stick with the same plan for two weeks. After two weeks, re-evaluate. So many changes are hard to track.
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I started on August 1st but I might give it another 2 weeks before trying to figure out an alternative. I hate to think that I’d have to go back to eating horrible food in order to have semi-decent skin. :-/0
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VictoriaLizzy wrote: »I started on August 1st but I might give it another 2 weeks before trying to figure out an alternative. I hate to think that I’d have to go back to eating horrible food in order to have semi-decent skin. :-/
You might consider looking at your skincare routine first. It's possible that your routine isn't working for your new diet and exercise regimen, especially if you are sweating more due to more exercise. Also, be sure to check your fat intakes make sure you're getting enough. It's an important macronutrient for hair, nail, and skin health.4 -
RelCanonical wrote: »VictoriaLizzy wrote: »I started on August 1st but I might give it another 2 weeks before trying to figure out an alternative. I hate to think that I’d have to go back to eating horrible food in order to have semi-decent skin. :-/
You might consider looking at your skincare routine first. It's possible that your routine isn't working for your new diet and exercise regimen, especially if you are sweating more due to more exercise. Also, be sure to check your fat intakes make sure you're getting enough. It's an important macronutrient for hair, nail, and skin health.
Thank you for the tip - I did not even think of having to alter my skincare routine (I had finally found one that was working fairly well). I’m wondering if I’m getting enough fat... I’ve been quite rigid about what foods I’m eating and maybe I need to ease up a bit.
Ugh. Who knew eating healthy could be so complicated.
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VictoriaLizzy wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »VictoriaLizzy wrote: »I started on August 1st but I might give it another 2 weeks before trying to figure out an alternative. I hate to think that I’d have to go back to eating horrible food in order to have semi-decent skin. :-/
You might consider looking at your skincare routine first. It's possible that your routine isn't working for your new diet and exercise regimen, especially if you are sweating more due to more exercise. Also, be sure to check your fat intakes make sure you're getting enough. It's an important macronutrient for hair, nail, and skin health.
Thank you for the tip - I did not even think of having to alter my skincare routine (I had finally found one that was working fairly well). I’m wondering if I’m getting enough fat... I’ve been quite rigid about what foods I’m eating and maybe I need to ease up a bit.
Ugh. Who knew eating healthy could be so complicated.
Gosh, I know, it was very annoying to have to figure out what worked again after so much trial and error the first time around. For me, I had to make sure I was moisturizing after working out and not just toweling off sweat, even if I gently patted it off. I have very dry and sensitive skin though, so it may vary depending on your skin type.0 -
I’m sure it’s different for everyone, but it took about three weeks eating well for my skin to clear up, and there was a brief time when it seemed to get worse before it got better.
One tip is when I work out (sweat) and/or wear sunscreen, rinsing my face asap really helps my skin stay clear.1 -
Could it be an issue with changing gut bacteria? Changing your diet would impact that a lot and it may affect your skin...0
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I’m sorry your suffering. Making all these great healthy changes and having skin troubles as a reward for your hard work is really frustrating! I have rosacea as well. I’m wondering if it could be a reaction from the fruit your eating? It took me awhile after going off processed sugar to realize that I get a breakout when I eat grapes or mango.
Also, are you taking any new supplements/vitamins? Myself and others with sensitive skin have had reactions to some of the ingredients or dosages.
Last thing, maybe you are dehydrated? If your excercising more and not drinking extra to compensate it can really mess with your skin.1 -
Exercise/sweat/heat are very common rosacea and acne triggers. I’d guess it has nothing to do with your diet at all, but is caused by sweating and increasing your body temp more frequently. Rosacea runs in my family, I haven’t been diagnosed but my skin is very sensitive. The first few times I tried exercising outside in the heat triggered a super nasty rash even with washing right after. Look at your skin care routine and make sure all your products are sensitive-skin friendly and maybe add in a gentle salicylic acid product. Using salicylic acid regularly makes a huge difference for me.2
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VictoriaLizzy wrote: »...I hate to think that I’d have to go back to eating horrible food in order to have semi-decent skin. :-/
It may help to re-frame your thinking about food in general. Diet is not a binary proposition where you either eat “healthy” or “horrible”. There is a vast, bountiful middle ground between the two extremes.3 -
I was in that position some time ago, trying to balance histamine and salicylate, there are many symptoms other than skin breakouts which can go with histamine and salicylate intolerance which was why I mentioned FCMYI. because it covers so very much. I know its a lot to think about. I used to be able to take aspirin and the like but eventually they brought on arthritic type problems. Thankfully we are all different.
You could try digestive microbes, we are supposed to support more of them than we have our own cells. If you were very high sugar for some time this can disrupt the natural balance along with antibiotics, and other medications which disrupt hormones. So pre and pro biotics could also help redress the balance for you. I use digestive enzymes too to reduce reactions. DAOSIN can help with histamine, my preferred product is gone from the market. Quercetin, vit c and different things can also help, if one can take them.
There are some enzyme products which help control salicylate and other phenols. There is a site by an accredited experienced international reporter called "Healing Histamine". Histamine intolerance being an issue of decaying foods, trouble is at its worst the food from local stores can be more fresh than found in supermarkets and its still not "good" enough for some with severe histamine intolerance. IBS is being considered as histamine related for many. Its so complicated and an issue of the 21st century because we eat fewer strains of veg than our ancestors thanks to increased agriculture and the need to replicate these product.
I would not wish any form of dietary issue on anyone, I'm pleased those who, woo me, have not come to the experiences I have and I hope they never do. I'll have even more woo's after these comments above.1 -
I’m sorry your suffering. Making all these great healthy changes and having skin troubles as a reward for your hard work is really frustrating! I have rosacea as well. I’m wondering if it could be a reaction from the fruit your eating? It took me awhile after going off processed sugar to realize that I get a breakout when I eat grapes or mango.
Also, are you taking any new supplements/vitamins? Myself and others with sensitive skin have had reactions to some of the ingredients or dosages.
Last thing, maybe you are dehydrated? If your excercising more and not drinking extra to compensate it can really mess with your skin.
I’m trying to cut back on fruit, the first week I enjoyed a lot of berries but I worried that I was perhaps eating too much in order to sate my craving for pastries. Now I’m eating veggies and only a handful of berries in my cereal. I’m also taking an omega 3 because I read it can help with skin issues.
All I’m drinking is water - the required eight 8oz glasses (possibly more). Someone on Reddit’s rosacea forum suggested I take an iodine supplement because I might need to replace salt and electrolytes... that confused me even further because I always thought salt was the enemy.
If you can think of other supplements, please let me know. x0 -
I was in that position some time ago, trying to balance histamine and salicylate, there are many symptoms other than skin breakouts which can go with histamine and salicylate intolerance which was why I mentioned FCMYI. because it covers so very much. I know its a lot to think about. I used to be able to take aspirin and the like but eventually they brought on arthritic type problems. Thankfully we are all different.
You could try digestive microbes, we are supposed to support more of them than we have our own cells. If you were very high sugar for some time this can disrupt the natural balance along with antibiotics, and other medications which disrupt hormones. So pre and pro biotics could also help redress the balance for you. I use digestive enzymes too to reduce reactions. DAOSIN can help with histamine, my preferred product is gone from the market. Quercetin, vit c and different things can also help, if one can take them.
There are some enzyme products which help control salicylate and other phenols. There is a site by an accredited experienced international reporter called "Healing Histamine". Histamine intolerance being an issue of decaying foods, trouble is at its worst the food from local stores can be more fresh than found in supermarkets and its still not "good" enough for some with severe histamine intolerance. IBS is being considered as histamine related for many. Its so complicated and an issue of the 21st century because we eat fewer strains of veg than our ancestors thanks to increased agriculture and the need to replicate these product.
I would not wish any form of dietary issue on anyone, I'm pleased those who, woo me, have not come to the experiences I have and I hope they never do. I'll have even more woo's after these comments above.
Thank you for all the advice and information. I was about to rule out a histamine intolerance because there was no difference after I stopped drinking spinach smoothies (I now alternate between kale + pear, and carrot + ginger). I think what I’ve been eating for the past week or so is relatively low salicylate. I’ve also started to steam my veggies because I read they’re easier to digest - especially if you’re using in daily smoothies.
I’m going to try what I’ve been doing for a few more weeks and hope this is just a “worse before it gets better” thing. Someone on another forum mentioned that the skin can take up to six weeks to adjust to new products, diets, regimes etc..
*fingers crossed*
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happytree923 wrote: »Exercise/sweat/heat are very common rosacea and acne triggers. I’d guess it has nothing to do with your diet at all, but is caused by sweating and increasing your body temp more frequently. Rosacea runs in my family, I haven’t been diagnosed but my skin is very sensitive. The first few times I tried exercising outside in the heat triggered a super nasty rash even with washing right after. Look at your skin care routine and make sure all your products are sensitive-skin friendly and maybe add in a gentle salicylic acid product. Using salicylic acid regularly makes a huge difference for me.
Thanks for the tips. I’ve always turned beet red after exercising - even before I had roseaca and when I was in great shape (I blush too easily, too). Looking back, I wonder if these were harbingers of what was to come.
Thankfully my skincare routine is already gentle - I use a lot of Avene products + Finacea. If my skin responded well to this diet, I was hoping I could tiptoe into retinols (maybe later). I tried Paula’s Choice 2% BHA last year (it contains salicylic acid) and it made my skin even redder. However, I may have overdone it. I was still new to rosacea and desperate to try anything so I used it alongside some Drunk Elephant products. I think I overdid the acids/chemical exfoliants. 😬
Re exercising: Do you know if it’s okay to wash your face while it’s still flushed and red? I usually wait a bit because it seems super-sensitive when it’s like this.
Thanks x
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I’m glad your getting in the eight glasses of water, that’s difficult sometimes. The basic water recommendation is for a basic day. Since your working out more intensely and it’s the hottest part of the summer, def increase or double. I agree with another poster who mentions working out in the heat causing skin problems, that could be playing into it as well.
I’m sorry about giving up the fruit. I’ve done elimination diets for allergies/skin where I go without a fruit or other food for a few weeks or month and then add back in to see if there’s a reaction. Maybe something like that might help, so you don’t have to exclude a whole category.
I’m not familiar with iodine. Was thinking maybe a supplement you already began taking could be causing a reaction. For example, when I started taking biotin at 5000mg I broke out right away. Changed brands and lowered dose and it stopped.
I would check in with a doctor about this. Especially to test for allergy and find out what type of acne your experiencing. There’s a difference between the rosacea pustule acne, allergy/hive acne and hormonal cystic acne etc. Definitely keep logging your foods, exercise and skin symptoms to bring to your appointment so they can see any possible patterns.
Sorry for the long post. Skin problems can be really stressful, try not to let it derail the good progress your making! Everything will be ok;)1 -
VictoriaLizzy wrote: »happytree923 wrote: »Exercise/sweat/heat are very common rosacea and acne triggers. I’d guess it has nothing to do with your diet at all, but is caused by sweating and increasing your body temp more frequently. Rosacea runs in my family, I haven’t been diagnosed but my skin is very sensitive. The first few times I tried exercising outside in the heat triggered a super nasty rash even with washing right after. Look at your skin care routine and make sure all your products are sensitive-skin friendly and maybe add in a gentle salicylic acid product. Using salicylic acid regularly makes a huge difference for me.
Thanks for the tips. I’ve always turned beet red after exercising - even before I had roseaca and when I was in great shape (I blush too easily, too). Looking back, I wonder if these were harbingers of what was to come.
Thankfully my skincare routine is already gentle - I use a lot of Avene products + Finacea. If my skin responded well to this diet, I was hoping I could tiptoe into retinols (maybe later). I tried Paula’s Choice 2% BHA last year (it contains salicylic acid) and it made my skin even redder. However, I may have overdone it. I was still new to rosacea and desperate to try anything so I used it alongside some Drunk Elephant products. I think I overdid the acids/chemical exfoliants. 😬
Re exercising: Do you know if it’s okay to wash your face while it’s still flushed and red? I usually wait a bit because it seems super-sensitive when it’s like this.
Thanks x
I use the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA gel and it is more gentle than the liquid version. Paula’s Choice also makes a lotion formula, a 1% lotion formula for sensitive skin and a liquid with anti-redness ingredients. Salicylic acid is supposed to help with redness over time but ymmv of course. You might just have a sensitivity to BHA even with slowly building up use.
I wash my face after exercising but I use an oil cleanser. I can’t use any kind of foam or even most cleansing creams or my skin gets pissed off. Not sure how it would respond to washing with foam after exercise.1 -
I know all the books say salicylate is safe but for some of us it is downright dangerous. Please if you try any product please try a small amount first. I was advised to use a standard gel for my arthritis even though I voiced my concerns, I did a sample test and found myself bedbound using more! Most frightening.
Take care, Keep Safe. Thankfully we are all different.1
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