Acne
Okay, I just want to know what other vegans/vegetarians have to say about this topic. I had normal skin before I become a vegetarian (I was a vegetarian before vegan) and then it went down the drain. I started breaking out and then it got worse. I got pimples on my cheeks which I have NEVER had in my life before. I just got taken off my parents insurance because I'm 19 now so, I can't go to a dermatologist (they'd just give me something chemical based and gross anyways), I've tried soo many products (both vegan, organic, and not), I am very good about what I eat also. I am at the point that I don't know what it could be. I have seen some other vegans/vegetarians who seem to get the same break outs as me. I'm not sure if its associated with the diet or what. Someone please help!
Are you vegan or vegetarian? If it's the latter, you may have (like I did) increased the amount of dairy that you're eating. Dairy's bad for your skin, and you may be sensitive to it. I found this list of foods to eat and foods to avoid for acne improvement: http://www.wikihealth.com/Diet_and_acne
No, actually I always tried to avoid dairy cause I thought it was gross, haha. I know that in meat there is a lot of zinc which can help with acne maybe that is why I never had it? But, I was taking a zinc supplement which really didn't help but I heard that can lead to copper deficiency. I also was going to take a multi vitamin but they have a lot of iodine in them and I've heard thats horrible for acne. AHH! so many things.
I've always had pretty oily skin and not much acne but I've found that since I've been making for vegan choices my skin looks better overall. I thought I would break out from the change in diet but it's had the opposite effect. I guess it can go both ways. I also noticed my BO is milder and my breath is fresher. My two cents... :-\
a friend of mine always had terrible skin and it ended up being due to undiagnosed (though a mild cause) celiac's disease. so maybe an allergy? maybe not wheat, but it could be something along those lines. she adjusted her diet and now her skin is clearing up!
I've been a few break outs in the last two weeks. I'm not sure what caused them either. ??? No changes in the diet and not anything I ever experienced as a teenager. This is probably bad but I used rubbing alcohol to dry them out.
Eat less dairy. You may be sensitive, as a surprising number of people are.
One thing I have noticed, is that in the heat of summer I get pimples. I believe it is all the sweating and then wiping off my face that may clog my pores. I dont really know how to fix that except to avoid going out when its hot or carry a clean cloth or rice paper to dab at my face only when absolutely needed.
Good luck!
I eat A LOT of fruit and I was reading somewhere and it said fruit can cause acne. fruits like apples, oranges, grapefruit, anything acidic I guess. I love fruit and I don't know which ones I should still eat. Does anyone know which ones are SAFE?
Consider going to your general practitioner/health stop/whatever and consulting them. They should be able to tell you whether you need a dermatologist after all.
Drink lots of water, as it helps cleanse your system. Do not use acids (such as fruit acids) on your skin because stripping the healthy bacteria lets the bad ones get a toehold. This could be due to a skin Ph level change (due to new choices in soap/skin care) rather than due to your dietary changes... since veganism affects the whole lifestyle.
I was/am having the same problem. Good skin until about 3 weeks into veganism. Then all hell broke loose.
I'm putting my faith in it being a combination of:
a) change in diet/detox
b) summer heat/ickiness
c) anxiety about moving and the upcoming school year (I've heard grad school is a bitch).
Good luck, ride it out!
Stress and/or humid weather equals acne for me.
About the zinc, it has a history of being used for acne, but I don't think any doctor would tell you to take it. It takes a pretty large amount to help, and for me it took about a month to really kick in, at which point it really did do wonders, but after taking it for a year I always have to stop because I start feeling bad (I don't know if that' because of copper or something else, but I usually quit for a couple of months, I'm not taking any right now either).
Everyone is different but to become copper deficient you have to take a large amount for some time, but once you do get copper deficient, it's not walk in the park. There are stories of people who have gone to the hospital in really bad condition because they completely overloaded on zinc to cure their acne.
I took anything from 50mg to 150mg when I was self medicating with zinc. It's a cheap way to circumvent the expensive medical system if you don't have insurance, but be aware that it's risky because of copper deficiency, and some people's stomach can be upset by zinc supplements. Stick to lower doses, but keep at it for a while (using common sense of course) if you do try it.
i just got my liscense in esthiology (skin care, basically) and there are tons of things that can make your skin break out: diet, weather, hormones, products you're using, the environment... it could go on forever. just remember that if you switch what you're doing over and over again, that can cause problems too. try to find a good product that does not contain mineral oil, alcohol, castor oil, or lanolin. also, wash your face twice a day if you're not already. and stick to a program...if it's a good product, most of the time, your skin will get worse before it gets better! just hang in there!!! hope some of this helps...if not, you can ask and i'll see what i can do to help!!!
p.s. a dermatologist wouldn't be the first step i would take. you should try going to a day spa or a medi spa first.
I have occasionally heard that sometimes when people start doing what is healthy for them whether it be through foods or herbs that there can be a detoxification process. The skin as well as the colon are our primary means of detoxification. I would definitely increase the amount of greens in your diet and think about adding something like chlorella- which is good for alkalinizing the body and ridding toxins. Cleansing the colon can also aid with skin issues. I would also take a balanced essential fat complex as having a hormonal balance can also precipitate breakouts (3:1 Omega 3's to 6's). Essential fats (such as omega 3's and 6's) are needed for proper hormone production- not to mention a list of other things. And as someone already mentioned, food allergies could also play a role. Make sure you are getting a variety of grains and protein sources in your diet. If you are a blood type O you will need more protein so go heavy on the nuts and beans- O's protein requirements are much higher than the other blood types (as much as I hate to admit it, there is something to this blood type diet thing). Also, I found that when I was drinking lots of soy milk and eating soy products that it really messed with my hormones and did strange things to my cycle. So, I always warn people about eating too much soy- especially if it's a sudden addition or increase.
Oh, and don't skip the multi vitamin! It's too important for your overall health.
Does anyone have a good solution for getting rid of blackheads? i have gotten a lot lately, particularly on the sides of my nose, upper cheeks, and forehead. I drink a lot of water and eat pretty well. Ideas?
Does anyone have a good solution for getting rid of blackheads? i have gotten a lot lately, particularly on the sides of my nose, upper cheeks, and forehead. I drink a lot of water and eat pretty well. Ideas?
I think blackheads are partially caused by a buildup of dead skin cells in pores. Perhaps try an exfoliant? A cheap one is just to make a thick paste with baking soda and water--rub gently, though, because this stuff has some major scrubbing power! There are also a number of "scrubs" out there--I have one by Burt's Bees that is called Willowbark something and it's pretty good and smells great ( and it's vegan, although many BBs products are not).
How it All Vegan suggests a raw garlic paste directly on the pimples - I know it's not diet related, but could be a more immediate thing to try. I would definitely rinse thoroughly unless your friends enjoy the scent of garlic ;D
My advice - don't skip your vitamins, but maybe look for one without added iodine. I'm not sure but I think when I switched from a vitamin with iodine to one without was when I finally began noticing some improvement. (I read an article about how iodine can worsen acne).
Most salt is iodized, so I don't think you need to worry about deficiency.