Diet and acne

[elizabethlear]

As a teenager I didn't have much trouble with acne, maybe a couple pimples here and there. Then after high school it went away pretty much completely. Now, three years later, I have been struggling with acne for about a year. It's not absolutely terrible, I've definitely seen worse on other people, but my skin used to be so clear. I've tried washing my face twice a day, washing it once a day, and not using soap on it at all, but it remains pretty consistent no matter what method I use and what wash I use.

My chin is the worst area.It is usually cystic. I also struggle with blackheads mostly on my nose, which I use pore strips for removal every once in a while.

I'm pretty sure that it is my diet, or maybe some hormonal thing (but everything else that has to do with hormones is normal)? But I'm willing to bet on it being my diet. What are some specific foods that I can maybe take turns cutting down on or completely cutting out to isolate the cause? Of course greasy foods and fast food are not a good idea but I can go a week or more without eating one greasy thing and there is really no change. It seems like on the most unexpected days I will wake up and it will be starting to clear up, only to flare up again a few days later before it clears up all the way.

I drink lots of water, usually about 60 ounces a day, and I don't wear makeup. So those two things are out.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

youre probably onto somethin....

but i have no idea lol

maybe.... try to drop anything fried or with oil for a 2 week period

see if it makes a difference


maybe get new pillows (not just cases but actual pillows)

annnd

maybe try REALLY hard not to touch your own face?

 

[elizabethlear]

youre probably onto somethin....

but i have no idea lol

maybe.... try to drop anything fried or with oil for a 2 week period

see if it makes a difference


maybe get new pillows (not just cases but actual pillows)

annnd

maybe try REALLY hard not to touch your own face?

I do have issues with touching my face lol, the worse it is the more I touch my face and probably just make it even worse.

I will try the pillow thing. I don't get it much on the sides of my face though where my face would be touching the pillow, but it's worth a shot!

 

[NoNameMcgee]

i work with metal and oils and stuff....

if i touch my face its a wrap

ill break out within a couple hours

(when im at work)

 

[TemporaryCircumstances]

Foods to try to stay away from:

• pasta
• white rice
• white bread
• sugar
• high-glycemic carbohydrates
• dairy
• saturated fats
• trans fats

Foods that help:

• whole grains
• legumes
• unprocessed fruits and vegetables

• the mineral zinc
• vitamins A and E
• chemicals called antioxidants
• yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apricots, and sweet potatoes
• spinach and other dark green and leafy vegetables
• tomatoes
• blueberries
• whole-wheat bread
• brown rice
• quinoa
• turkey
• pumpkin seeds
• beans, peas, and lentils
• salmon, mackerel, and other kinds of fatty fish
• nuts

(Source is healthline)


Also, do you wear makeup?

 

[TemporaryCircumstances]

Oh wait, I see you said you dont. That's good. I still recommend using moisturizer, sunscreen, and an astringent

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Foods to try to stay away from:

• pasta
• white rice
• white bread
• sugar
• high-glycemic carbohydrates
• dairy
• saturated fats
• trans fats

Foods that help:

• whole grains
• legumes
• unprocessed fruits and vegetables

• the mineral zinc
• vitamins A and E
• chemicals called antioxidants
• yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apricots, and sweet potatoes
• spinach and other dark green and leafy vegetables
• tomatoes
• blueberries
• whole-wheat bread
• brown rice
• quinoa
• turkey
• pumpkin seeds
• beans, peas (EW), and lentils
• salmon, mackerel, and other kinds of fatty fish
• nuts

(Source is healthline)


Also, do you wear makeup?

 

[wwjd_kilden]

I suspect sugar is the main culprit, but I like TC's list, it seems to make sense

PS: If you wash much, don't use soap (or use a very mild one), if your skin gets dry and you start scratching, it's not going to help.

 

[TemporaryCircumstances]

Peas are good

 

[oldethennew]

diet, diet, diet!!! cut-out the junk, their the pits...

 

[TemporaryCircumstances]

Don't diet. Make a lifestyle change.

 

[Galatea]

Most of the time, acne is genetic. Don't fret too much about it being your fault. What happens is, you have an excess of sebum (oil) on your skin and it gets trapped in your pores and infected. Like McGee said, try not to touch your face too much. Makeup can actually HELP acne if it is noncomedegenic, like Neutrogena. I used Covergirl when I was a teen and it actually helped to clear mine up, for the most part. Since yours is cystic, you might want to go to a dermatologist and get a prescription. My youngest sister had cystic acne and she had to use prescription acne medication. The good thing was, she did not pick it, so she never had scars.

I just looked it up, and it seems the culprit is sugar, so stay away from foods with sugar. They think it may be linked to dairy, too. While it is genetic, certain foods may make it worse.

You're already drinking water, so that's good.

 

[TemporaryCircumstances]

There is this acne medicine called curology, I've been wanting to try it but I haven't. I've read reviews on about 5 different sources and the only bad review they've gotten was someone who was allergic to it...

 

[elizabethlear]

Thank you for the advice everyone!

 

[GraceRevelation]

If your taking medication, on birth control etc that definitely can contribute to acne. Also, besides the known chocolate and fried food problem, milk products are no good especially skim milk. Don't drink special protein powders or whey protein supplements. No smoking, vaping etc...

Tell your acne to go away in Jesus name! That it doesn't belong on your face! Say that every morning in the mirror, believe it and receive your healing.

Dr. Axe has good treatments and advice as well

https://draxe.com/natural-acne-treatment/

 

[elizabethlear]

A couple of you have mentioned dairy, and I've been suspicious of that. I just love my ice cream and cheese though! I've never thought of refined sugars such as pastas and certain breads as being acne-causing but I will have to experiment.

I have a friend who eats at fast food restaurants several times a week and gets zero acne. So I can definitely see how genetics has a lot to do with it.

I guess I partially see the acne as a health concern. Clearly my body doesn't like something that I'm putting in it or doing. If a certain food group is affecting my skin in this way, I wouldn't want it to be negatively affecting something INSIDE my body.

 

[Google]

Lot's of people have adult acne completely resolve after going on the ketogenic diet. Many people have similar results with paleo, but keto really seems to be where the money is. I've been off and on keto (going paleo for athletic performance) for about 15 years and I've struggled with adult acne. On keto, I don't have any breakouts and an occasional pimple here and there on paleo. But when I go back to eating garbage for anymore than a meal *boom*, severe breakout.