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MyFitnessPal Community

Considering going 90% vegan for better skin?

peachvine29

I am 26 years old. I experimented with a vegan diet in high school and remember having excellent skin and vibrant energy. I got up to 200 lbs. and in February last year started counting calories, and am now 130 lbs. I did this through a high protein diet, not restricting carbs or anything, just eating meat with every meal, cottage cheese, and also some fruits and veggies.

I am still trying to lose about five more pounds or so at this point, I definitely have a very soft midsection. I am getting much happier with my body, however, I do have stretch marks (they are kind of hard to notice), my skin feels a looser but not usually noticeable unless it is tugged on, and I don't like the condition of my skin. I have been wearing sunscreen every day. But my skin I feel is not smoothly colored, it also has an inflamed, reddish look. I am still eating in a deficit and high protein, but next time I grocery shop I am considering trying to do every meal except dinner vegan. Can my skin improve? As I get older I feel I am losing hope, I have major regrets about being overweight but what can you do.

Replies

deputy_randolph

I'm not sure if anyone suggested seeing an Allergist. If you eliminated foods in your teen years (by being vegan) and your skin improved, it's possible that your current redness/irritation/inflamation is food allergy related.

My daughter (as a baby) had eczema; her skin was very red and irritated. Through testing, it waa determined she was allergic to nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, coconut. I eliminated those and her sking improved dramatically.

There are other good suggestions here: switching to mineral based sunblock made a difference for all of us. The chemical based was causing redness and stinging.

I found that I "overwashed" my face. In my early 30s, my skin started becoming drier. I switched to Cetaphil to cleanse my face at night, moisturize at night, and only splash water on my face in the AM. No breakouts and my skin isn't nearly as dry as when I was washing with soap twice a day.

ETA: someone suggested the use of too many products. I also did this. I've found 1 soap (very mild) and 1 line of moisturizing product. Reducing the amt of product I use seems to help reduce the "stress" on my skin. Also, coconut oil kills my face! My body is fine with it though.

unicorngems

peachvine29 wrote: »

TrishSeren wrote: »

Unless you are getting your skin products from a certified dermatologist or a skin spa then they aren't doing anything. Supermarket, drugstore, Sephora etc, all of those products are pretty much useless because they don't have enough of the vital ingredients to have any effect on your skin.

Retinol is a perfect example, used incorrectly it can burn the skin. There are plenty of low dose retinol products you can buy off a shelf but they wouldn't do anything because you need a higher dose for it actually work. However, for a dose that's high enough to work, it needs to be a professional product which you can only buy from a skin spa or dermatologist as they have to advise the usage.

I spend $100s on my skincare but it's a pretty simple routine, cleanse, eye cream, serum, moisturiser and sunscreen. Retinol added in at night only. Once a week I exfoliate with an acid peel. I get asked all the time what I use and have referred so many people to my skin specialist because what the sell and recommend actually works.

If you can't afford quality skincare then here are some basic tips from my skin specialist.
- use a clean face cloth every day
- don't ever exfoliate with beads or gritty exfoliators, these are too rough for your face skin and cause damage
- take fish oil (if you don't eat heaps of fish)
- sunscreen every day

Thank you for the tips!! Great ones . I have been switching a couple things to natural products, there is a booth at my local farmer's market where the products are very simple yet effective, she researches all ingredients. https://mrsbsoap.com/ I use her sensitive skin soap and facial serum.

If anyone is interested, or wants to audit my routine...:

- I shower every morning with luke warm to cool water, but only use soap everywhere every other day (other days are rinsing), except I always wash between my legs and armpits
- The body soap I use Ingredients: Saponified Coconut & Organic Olive Oil • Vitamin E
- I put on organic coconut oil after my shower to lock in moisture on my body
- I use a super natural face serum from my local farmer's market (Ingredients: Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Essential Oil, Vitamin E)
- I use Neutrogena daily SPF moisturizer for my face
- Banana boat sport 50 SPF for my body (probably needs to be changed)
- At night I use Aveeno gentle foaming cleanser and Neutrogena deep moisture night cream

Hello, I hope you don't mind me offering a bit of advice. I'm not a dermatologist, or claim to know everything about skin. But I was trained by one and have 8 years working in the cosmetics industry.

A very very small percentage of what you eat (vitamins and mineral wise) actually benefits the skin. All the major organs in our body first feel benefits of the added nutrients. Last a very small remaining percentage goes towards our skin. I have seen extremely obese women with the most beautiful skin and I have seen yoga fanatics, people on plant based diets and even nutritionists with acne or rosacea.

The food you put into your mouth only has an effect once it's been metabolized. Lastly it is delivered to the skin. The way it is metabolized is also why eating certain foods, though beneficial to both the skin and body, may not affect the complexion directly. The body breaks down what we eat into tiny particles of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates they are then transported to the organs that need them. Eventually nutrients get to the skin too. Skin doesn't take precedence in the body.

So it's not realistic to imagine that eating an avocado or a piece of salmon will deliver healthy fatty acids straight to your skin. That being said, it's a good idea to incorporate skin-healthy foods into your diet, especially olive oil, avocados, salmon, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, broccoli, and leafy greens.

Through what I have learnt over the years is that while research suggests that some vitamins might play a key role in skin health. In many cases, these vitamins are most effective when a person applies them directly to the skin. Following a healthy, balanced diet that is free of vitamin and nutrient deficiencies MAY improve skin health eventually.

My advice is apply your vitamins directly to your skin (in the form of creams and what not) and honestly what you spend is what you get! Ever wonder why that off the shelf Nivea is only a few pounds and the Origins Vitamin C moisturizer is near on £30.
It isn't a fad or a con...look on the label. You have a high concentrate of active and natural ingredients. You are paying for the quality, the concentrate and the effectiveness of the ingredients in those products. You also pay for testing in the lab that they perform on the ingredients and measurement of results.

A simple cleanser from a reputable brand with organic or vitamin rich ingredients would be best.
Paired with a day cream (SPF is a must) the same for a night time moisturizer without SPF.

That's all you need

Oh and 100% opt for oil free if you have combination or oily skin.

The only other things to mention are, allergies/intolerance (of course these can effect your skin).

And genetics! A lot of it stems from our genetic makeup in terms of coloring and condition of our skin.

kshama2001

Re: too many products - my skin care routine consists mainly of:

Shampoo hair.
Wash face with sudsy hands.

I don't shampoo every day, and if, and only if, my face feels greasy in between, I wash it with liquid soap, which used to also be the same brand of shampoo that I had in a pump bottle on my sink. But my sister made me some liquid soap and now I make it myself too.

Here's the recipe: https://bodyunburdened.com/diy-all-natural-rich-creamy-moisturizing-hand-soap/
I used rose castille soap and rose massage oil. Didn't need any essential oils. I didn't have guar gum and xanthum gum worked fine. Best liquid soap ever!

My skin rarely gets dry, and if, and only if, it really needs moisturizer will I apply a brand that the EWG database doesn't freak out about. What's helps me from getting dry skin in the winter is keeping the heat low. I think oily foods like fatty fish and fish oil supplements help as well.

I have fair Irish skin and burn easily. My sunscreen routine is:

Stay out of sun
Wear a hat when being in the sun is unavoidable
Wear mineral-based sunscreen when swimming in the pond

I do get some sun on my arms when gardening, but this time of year I wait until late afternoon to work outside.

earlnabby

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Coconut oil makes my skin break out. Last winter it got very cold and my skin felt dry. I used coconut oil because I thought it would help and my face was all splotchy colored for a few days, not to mention acne (the kind you get from clogged pores). Your skin can react to anything, even if it's natural, so look into your skin care routine using an elimination process and don't ignore any natural products in your investigation.

Coconut oil is actually bad for oil prone skin. It has a comedogenic rating of 4 (on a scale of 5).

concordancia

Here is another vote for figuring out what your triggers are.

I can't use aloe vera, mineral sunscreens sting more than chemical ones on my skin. I prefer sunshirts and hats.

I am a minimalist when it comes to skin care. I use plain water every morning and right after a sweaty workout. Unless my face looks or feels dirty, I only use a liquid soap in the shower and usually only a couple of times a week. My husband is still acne prone in his 30s and has found an improvement using less, as well. Despite all this anecdotal evidence, I doubt it would work for everyone. Just pick something new and give it a try for awhile.before changing something else.

amusedmonkey

earlnabby wrote: »

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Coconut oil makes my skin break out. Last winter it got very cold and my skin felt dry. I used coconut oil because I thought it would help and my face was all splotchy colored for a few days, not to mention acne (the kind you get from clogged pores). Your skin can react to anything, even if it's natural, so look into your skin care routine using an elimination process and don't ignore any natural products in your investigation.

Coconut oil is actually bad for oil prone skin. It has a comedogenic rating of 4 (on a scale of 5).

I didn't know that at the time and had to learn the hard way. I don't really know much about skin care. My skin care routine is minimal: 1. wash face with plain water in the morning 2. wear sunscreen if outside for more than 10 minutes because any longer than that and I get sunburns 3. wash sunscreen off because I don't like the feeling of products on my skin.

AnnPT77

unicorngems wrote: »

<snip to reduce reply length>
So it's not realistic to imagine that eating an avocado or a piece of salmon will deliver healthy fatty acids straight to your skin. That being said, it's a good idea to incorporate skin-healthy foods into your diet, especially olive oil, avocados, salmon, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, broccoli, and leafy greens.
<snip>

Not disputing anything in the quoted post, but please don't use a "more is better" rule with brazil nuts and eat an ounce daily.

They're such an excellent source of selenium that 5-6 nuts daily could exceed recommended safe upper limits.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/

I love brazil nuts: It made me sad to learn this.

unicorngems

I never knew Brazil nuts came with a health warning. I've never seen a recommended daily allowance on a packet....but I suppose you learn something new everyday!

earlnabby

AnnPT77 wrote: »

unicorngems wrote: »

<snip to reduce reply length>
So it's not realistic to imagine that eating an avocado or a piece of salmon will deliver healthy fatty acids straight to your skin. That being said, it's a good idea to incorporate skin-healthy foods into your diet, especially olive oil, avocados, salmon, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, broccoli, and leafy greens.
<snip>

Not disputing anything in the quoted post, but please don't use a "more is better" rule with brazil nuts and eat an ounce daily.

They're such an excellent source of selenium that 5-6 nuts daily could exceed recommended safe upper limits.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/

I love brazil nuts: It made me sad to learn this.

The only time i get Brazil nuts is when I buy a bag of mixed nuts in the shell for winter. Takes so long to crack those shells eating too many is not an issue (the filberts in the bag on the other hand . . . )

apullum

AnnPT77 wrote: »

unicorngems wrote: »

<snip to reduce reply length>
So it's not realistic to imagine that eating an avocado or a piece of salmon will deliver healthy fatty acids straight to your skin. That being said, it's a good idea to incorporate skin-healthy foods into your diet, especially olive oil, avocados, salmon, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, broccoli, and leafy greens.
<snip>

Not disputing anything in the quoted post, but please don't use a "more is better" rule with brazil nuts and eat an ounce daily.

They're such an excellent source of selenium that 5-6 nuts daily could exceed recommended safe upper limits.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/

I love brazil nuts: It made me sad to learn this.

I had no idea. It’s learning important stuff like this that makes the forums worthwhile.

teeenabeana

When my friend stopped eating dairy, her skin cleared up big time. We all noticed! It's different for everyone, but I don't think it hurts to give it a try!

Anabirgite

I am allergic to tree nuts and have reactions to many organic, natural, plant based etc...skin products, sadly the more chemical the better for my face. I do have a dermotologist and she has commented this is actually not uncommon and many individuals not allergic to tree nuts also react. IDK ...But finding skin care products that work for you is trial and error journey-and what works for you at one time may not work at another and/or does not work for your friend. As your skin ages it will react differently (before pregnancy, pregnancy, post pregnancy, premenopausal, postmenopausal). I have had different challenges living in different climates and aging has not been kind. As they said when my husband was with the Marines -Semper Gumby- just be- Always Flexible.

lalalacroix

earlnabby wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

unicorngems wrote: »

<snip to reduce reply length>
So it's not realistic to imagine that eating an avocado or a piece of salmon will deliver healthy fatty acids straight to your skin. That being said, it's a good idea to incorporate skin-healthy foods into your diet, especially olive oil, avocados, salmon, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, broccoli, and leafy greens.
<snip>

Not disputing anything in the quoted post, but please don't use a "more is better" rule with brazil nuts and eat an ounce daily.

They're such an excellent source of selenium that 5-6 nuts daily could exceed recommended safe upper limits.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/

I love brazil nuts: It made me sad to learn this.

The only time i get Brazil nuts is when I buy a bag of mixed nuts in the shell for winter. Takes so long to crack those shells eating too many is not an issue (the filberts in the bag on the other hand . . . )

I was thinking the same thing when I heard some other people talking about the benefits of Brazil nuts. It seems like the only time I ever see them is during the winter holiday season and then it takes forever to get them out of the shell.

GrizzledSquirrel

EmBeatie wrote: »

Why would an ethical vegan want to discourage other people from going vegan? That's a first.

Not every ethical belief comes with the built-in requirement to persuade others to your cause. Maybe the person posting respects others ability to come to their own decisions and doesn’t feel the need to impose their own set of morals on others, particularly when it isn’t relevant to the question asked.

The OP’s issue she wanted resolving had nothing to do with ethics. It was a question relating to her skin. Given this, I find it comforting that the poster providing their response did so directly and objectively, despite its relevance to a strongly-held ethical belief of theirs.

tequila5000

I think there is no harm in experimenting with eating differently, or trying different skin cae products. Each of us is different, and each of us will react (or not react) to different foods or skin care ingredients.

I grew up in a 4-food groups family. Eat dairy products because it is healthy! When I was a kid, my mom wouldn’t let me eat pudding or ice cream in the evening because then would be coughing in the night and I needed a lot of cough syrup. Nobody ever considered that maybe I was sensitive to something in the dairy. I would get bronchitis a few times a year, requiring antibiotics.

Fast forward to high school, I had terrible acne, and my mom took me to the dermatologist, who declared that nothing in my diet could possibly cause acne. I was prescribed a very intense drug regimen which did in fact improve the acne. But it was so much medicine every day.

Fast forward to my early twenties and I started reading about diet and nutrition. I decided to try no dairy and my skin improved. I became very diligent about no dairy and guess what...the coughing and phlegm when away. I can go years now in between a case of bronchitis.

And when I get less diligent and enjoy some regular pizza or some delicious regular ice cream, I notice my skin can get red and inflamed. So I’m convinced I am sensitive to something in the dairy.

Would this work for everybody? Maybe not. But it won’t hurt a person to try it fora month or so and see if they notice a difference.

I also agree with the idea of using extremely gentle skin care products and mineral sunscreens rather than chemical.

DaddieCat

GrizzledSquirrel wrote: »

EmBeatie wrote: »

Why would an ethical vegan want to discourage other people from going vegan? That's a first.

Not every ethical belief comes with the built-in requirement to persuade others to your cause. Maybe the person posting respects others ability to come to their own decisions and doesn’t feel the need to impose their own set of morals on others, particularly when it isn’t relevant to the question asked.

The OP’s issue she wanted resolving had nothing to do with ethics. It was a question relating to her skin. Given this, I find it comforting that the poster providing their response did so directly and objectively, despite its relevance to a strongly-held ethical belief of theirs.

This person gets it.

Sakura_Tree

Have you tried cutting out processed foods. and sugar?

pinaycoco

peachvine29 wrote: »

I am 26 years old. I experimented with a vegan diet in high school and remember having excellent skin and vibrant energy. I got up to 200 lbs. and in February last year started counting calories, and am now 130 lbs. I did this through a high protein diet, not restricting carbs or anything, just eating meat with every meal, cottage cheese, and also some fruits and veggies.

I am still trying to lose about five more pounds or so at this point, I definitely have a very soft midsection. I am getting much happier with my body, however, I do have stretch marks (they are kind of hard to notice), my skin feels a looser but not usually noticeable unless it is tugged on, and I don't like the condition of my skin. I have been wearing sunscreen every day. But my skin I feel is not smoothly colored, it also has an inflamed, reddish look. I am still eating in a deficit and high protein, but next time I grocery shop I am considering trying to do every meal except dinner vegan. Can my skin improve? As I get older I feel I am losing hope, I have major regrets about being overweight but what can you do.

Hello! I have been vegan since I was a child and the only two times during my adult life my skin became really bad was when I ate dairy (it gave me horrible cystic acne) as well during a short stint eating fish and eggs (it made me puffy and, looking back at pictures from that time, a lot older). So being vegan has worked for me. I have Hashimoto's so I'm here to keep my weight stable and exercise daily not so much to lose it. It should be pretty easy for you to lose weight on a vegan diet. Just watch your refined carbs and sugar intake - and exercise every day. However, I would highly recommend you get some labs done and speak to a doctor. Good luck!