Blocked pores and pimples - hormones or nutrition? page

[starfruit]

Hi,

A question I could really use some help with, which has been bugging me for ages...

I've had tiny blocked pores and pimples on my nose, forehead and chin for years - since I was a teenager, so at least 15 years! I've tried loads of different products to get rid of them, but either it makes no difference or the pores just fill up again after the oil is removed. The pimples never budge.

I recently saw a facialist who said the pimples around my nose and chin were from a mild hormonal imbalance (reproductive hormones) and that raspberry leaf tea would help.

So the question is... what's the best way to figure out the cause of them? And could the blocked pores be caused by the same thing as the tiny pimples?

I've eliminated most dairy and sugar from my diet, and all grains, so suspect it isn't diet-related.

Any thoughts much appreciated!

[Meadow]

I am in the same boat as you. I removed dairy 100% about two months ago in hopes of helping my 'hormones' and my face. Result....I lost 6 lbs in my hips/bum and my hormones SEEM to be improving....yay. BUT, not much if any facial improvement....boo.

I posted that frustration in the forums, and quite a few recommended probiotics.

I added a non dairy heavy duty probiotic into the regime about 3 weeks ago, and so far I think I can report some improvement. Its too early to tell if this is just a blip or a true improvement due to probiotics...but right now it seems to be helping!

[starfruit]

I added a non dairy heavy duty probiotic into the regime about 3 weeks ago, and so far I think I can report some improvement. Its too early to tell if this is just a blip or a true improvement due to probiotics...but right now it seems to be helping!

Hey, thanks Meadow - I will give it a go, worth a shot

[Jenny]

could the blocked pores be caused by the same thing as the tiny pimples?

Presumably yes, since the blocked pores are what lead to tiny pimples...

I am sure you've tried the Biore strips. I feel like they help me a lot if I really let them dry.

Hormones and diet aside, discouraging your skin from feeling obliged to make excess sebum from the inside might help. That means moisturizing, which may seem counterintuitive when your skin seems naturally oily. Light jojoba oil has helped me. Tea tree oil does a double whammy astringent and moisturizing effect which seems to keep zits down.

Probably you've heard all this before, but hopefully some of it will help!

[Leanne]

In regard to drinking raspberry leaf tea, it apparently helps regulate hormones in the female reproductive cycle. Women experiencing menopause find a lot of relief from hot flashes etc when they use it. I have heard midwives encourage pregnant woman who are past their due date to drink it to encourage the on set of birth. For this same reason it should be avoided during the first two trimesters of pregnancy. I have no idea what the chemical make up is in raspberry tea that effects hormones this way. You might want to do a little research. It tastes good though!

I find using a good exfoliating scrub followed by a very light oil free moisturizer works best for my skin. Heavier creams tend to block my pours and I get hard little white bumps along the edges of my eye lids from the oil based lotions. You can also try balancing the sebum production of your skin by using a bit of lavender or palmrosa essential oils in a mild witch hazel based toner. This is good if your skin tends to get dry but you also get blackheads or acne at the same time which means your skin is overly dry, then producing excessive amounts of oil to counter act the dryness causing breakouts which points to hormonal imbalance. Tea Tree can sometimes be a bit strong for the facial area (and the scent is not very welcoming either, very medicinal).

[Kaeferin]

This will probably not be a popular answer around here, but...

Have you ever noticed your spots clearing up when you take antibiotics for something else? I had an ongoing problem with pimples on my face and chest - not pretty. After *years* I finally went to the doc about it. She prescribed a week of oral antibiotics, and then an antibiotic cream which I used for several weeks until they cleared up completely. Now, I don't usually take antibiotics at the drop of a hat, but after years of not getting this to clear up any other way, it seemed like it was worth a try.

Coincidently, about a month after everything finally cleared, I started PB (no grains, but I do eat dairy). I haven't had a pimple since. Well... OK... one or two but they have disappeared again of their own accord overnight.

So in my case it wasn't the hormones I'd always but it down to, it was an infection. I needed to get rid of that successfully (the antibiotics). And PB seems to be helping to keep anything from coming back.

I've also switched to a much milder cleansing routine, since stripping too much oil from your face can cause your body to work too hard to replenish it.

[thyme]

Clean & Clear persa-gel 10---a 10% benzoyl peroxide medication. I use the C&C brand because the Paula Begoun (aka, the Cosmetics Cop) said it was at the necessary Ph level, and I continue to use the C&C brand because for the first time in 23 years, save for occasional antibiotic stints for other causes, MY NOSE PORES AREN'T BLOCKED!!!! Neither is my forehead, nor most of my chin, though that's taking a bit longer. Overall, it took a couple of weeks for the benzoyl peroxide to start working, using it once a day, but I consider it my miracle gel.

[ozbuckley]

You wanna be careful with the Benzoyl Peroxide kinda stuff. ...that is truly harsh chemical at its finest... and you're putting it DIRECTLY on your face = one of,if not, your biggest organs. The body will absorb this TOXICITY and have to deal with it somehow.

See if you can experiment with other natural types of approaches. Have you tried using oil on your face?... i mean good oils like coconut, olive ...all cold pressed.

i used to use B.P too and when i hear others using it it irks me. that stuff is definitely not primal and is toxic as hell.

[Jenny]

The body will absorb this TOXICITY and have to deal with it somehow.
... is toxic as hell.

While I agree it's plenty harsh, how do you figure it's "toxic as hell"? Sure, it's dangerous at super-high industrial concentrations, but so are most things in life (including vitamins) and we certainly don't encounter anywhere near those concentrations from a film of 10% cream.

Even tea tree oil is toxic if it gets inside your body.

I tend to reserve phrases like "toxic as hell" for things that will seriously poison you at their ordinary concentration.