Eating for Acne page

[Primalsaber]

I know there may be threads like this, but here I go anyways. I'm 16 and have (almost certainly) hormonal acne. If anything, it's become worse since going primal (testosterone increase both from puberty and eating T-promoting food?). Does anyone have any foods they eat, products they use or rituals they follow that have helped with clearing their skin? It's just red spots (not cystic) on my cheeks and chin, but it is very annoying and I'm worried it could stay there for a very long time. I DO currently use some (gentler) chemical solutions on my face, but that's in lieu of anything else that manages to surpress my flares. Any help would be VERY appreciated!

[tradawg]

What has worked for me is avoiding all processed foods, including dairy. I wash my face with raw honey, using only cold water...never never never wash your face with hot water.....and I moisturize with jojoba oil. If I get a flare-up, which is rare, I mix a little tea tree oil in. Stay away from any harsh products/chemicals....stick to natural products and don't over wash.

[WeldingHank]

are you eating ANY dairy? check labels on things, casein slips in, in the weirdest places. dairy for me and my sister brings CRAZY bouts of acne. I never knew it, and wish I did when I was your age. I used to drink a half to almost full gallon of milk daily, and never knew it was causing the crazy acne I had up untill 2 years ago! (28 now, had crazy acne from 14-26)

[Damiana]

Nightshades (mostly peppers) caused me to break out. Not processed foods, not dairy, not sweets, just a high correlation of chili and pepper consumption and pimples. It's a shame, because I love spicy foods.

What worked for me during my worst outbreak was a 20% salicylic acid gel peel that I got on Amazon. It stings and will dry out your face, but it works. If you want to go on medication, like Accutane, DON'T. I've heard so many horror stories about teenagers and stunted growth.

[Primalsaber]

I actually consume a decent bit of dairy, so I may reconsider my consumption now.... Ironically I got into Primal looking to help my acne after watching a pro-paleo video on lactoferrin promoting acne (all of that whey protein I was having!). I try to consume a lot of food high in antioxidants and it does help a bit. Also, me and my Mother decided together that I was NOT going to take medication for it anymore. I was taking Doxycycline for about a month and even though I was consuming probiotics, that really doesn't make up for the damage. I'm now just using a face topical, but I may try the Tea Tree Oil and Honey today.
Thank you for the suggestions.

[healthy11]

You will get a lot of different answers because it's going to be different for everyone. For me... dairy has no effect, but everyone wants to say it's dairy! For me, it was just patience with the primal diet. I have been primal for 2 years now and it took a good year for my acne to clear up, but now I don't have it. I think it just takes time for the body to heal fro a SAD diet and part the body's process of getting rid of the toxins from a SAD diet is in the form of acne (elimination). Fermented foods are supposed to help and Chris Kresser did a whole series on skin. I work in a dermatology office and used to use all the acne products to help, but they are just too harsh for the skin... you want to be gentle with your skin. I use all CeraVe products now.

http://chriskresser.com/nutrition-fo...hy-skin-part-1

Google 'Chris Kresser Skin' for the other parts and also a post about the gut/skin connection.

[solstice]

I wish I had your insight when I was 16 with acne! Definitely drop the dairy and also maybe consider some probiotics...get the good guys back in your gut. Highly recommend Kyodophilus and/or Threelac.