How to use natural treatments to once and for all put an end to acne.
Can getting clear really be simple?
Yes, it can. And in this page I’m going to prove it to you.
I know getting clear has been a struggle for you. It was like that for me too. That’s because most information about acne, what causes it and how to get over it is incomplete.
We are going to fix that here. I’m going to show you a very simple and common sense way to get permanently clear skin. You’ll also understand why nothing has worked before, and why none of the things you tried before could even work.
Sounds good? So, let’s get to it then.
Let’s start by trying to understand why nothing you’ve tried before. By understand what really causes acne you can easily spot solutions and treatments that cannot work. This saves you time and money and helps you to get clear faster, and I think we can both agree that’s a good thing.
On the physical side research starts to point to two main causes behind acne: insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.
Insulin resistance creates problems with blood sugar regulation and as a result your blood sugar levels can swing too much. I don’t want to go into detail here, but you can check the blood sugar and acne page for more.
Inflammation is the immune system response to an injury. When you sustain an injury and it later turns red, it’s a sign of inflammation in the area. It means that the body is repairing the damage, and inflammation is the first step in the repair process. Inflammation can also be a response to an internal injury, such as: free radical damage, exposure to chemicals or damage by bacteria and virus.
Together these two are what I call The Acne Engine.
Acne Engine explains how inflammation and blood sugar problems lead to acne
Here’s the important truth number 1.
Together these cause a chain of events
that eventually leads to acne.
Insulin resistance (or blood sugar problems) leads to hormonal reaction that:
- Increases sebum production
- Causes skin cells to divide faster, so there are more dead skin cells blocking the pores
- More sebum and more dead skin cells leads to blocked pores
Chronic inflammation:
- Depressed the immune system
- Bacteria can grow in the skin pores
- Immune system attacks the bacteria and creates inflammation (redness in the pimples)
And what does that sound to you? Exactly. Acne.
Here’s the important truth number 2.
As long as the root cause for this chain of events is in place
trying to tinker with the events that happen later is useless.
That’s why none of the treatments you’ve tried before has worked. They try to ‘fix’ something in this chain without addressing the root cause. They are a bit like all those weight-loss pills and supplements. You can take as many fat blocker pills as you want, but as long as you eat more than you burn you are not going to lose weight.
Here’s the important truth number 3:
Insulin resistance and chronic inflammation
are lifestyle-related conditions.
This is where most acne victims go wrong. They keep searching for that one elusive cause for their acne. They believe that they can get clear by finding and eliminating the one thing that causes their acne.
But in most cases there is no one thing that causes acne.
The culprit behind acne is not liver congestion, it’s not Candida, it’s not clogged colon, it’s not lack of zinc, it’s not deficiency of urine on your face or any of the hundreds of crazy alternative therapies people try. Of course there are some exceptions to this rule, but they are few and far between.
Rather acne is a chronic condition. Think of it as a result of a slow wear and tear that has happened over the years.
Diet and lifestyle choices that are not suitable for your body lead to wear and tear. This wear and tear shows up as insulin resistance and chronic inflammation in your body, and ultimately as acne.
At this point someone always points to their friend who eats all the junk he wants, never exercises or does anything healthy. They say what about him? If this is true, then he should have a face full of pimples. You should see the unhealthy friend objection for more details.
How to cure acne permanently
The big picture of getting clear is really simple. It’s so simple that most people just refuse to believe it.
Here’s the important truth number 4:
Given the change your body will
reverse the damage and clear your skin.
By making correct diet and lifestyle choices your body starts reversing the damage. Over time it gets rid of insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. And this stops the chain of events that leads to acne, and you will get clear – permanently.
That’s it. It’s really that simple.
You don’t have to actually do anything to cure your acne. Your body is capable of healing almost any injury, and it certainly can clear your skin. You just have to give your body what it needs and step out of the way.
I know this sounds too simple, and too good to be true. That’s what Tracy thought at first. Here’s how drastically her skin changed in just 3.5 months.
Tracy is an example of how much your skin can change
The little-known mind-skin connection
There’s a little-known other side to acne also.
What happens in your mind can show up on your skin. Psychologists and dermatologists are beginning to understand just how much the mind affects skin diseases. There’s a subset of dermatology that studies the mind-skin interaction. It’s called psychodermatology.
We already know that stress is perhaps the most important risk-factor in acne. Stress affects your skin more than diet. Even the American Academy of Dermatology acknowledges this, from their Stress and Skin Factsheet.
When dermatologists treat both the skin and stress, the skin often clears more quickly and completely as the influences of stress are diminished.
American Academy of Dermatology
Stress and Skin: Factsheet
There is more to the mind-skin connection that just stress. But it can get a bit complicated, so I won’t cover it here.
How much your mind affects your skin changes from person to person. Acne is not the most ‘emotional’ of skin conditions. Practitioners of psychodermatology estimate that acne is 50/50 physical and emotional. For some people the influence of the mind is more important and for some people it’s less important.
As a rule of thumb, the longer you’ve suffered from acne and the less effective diet and lifestyle changes have been for you, the more likely your mind blocks your skin from healing. You should look for the influence of the mind especially if you already eat and live very healthy.
Next steps
So there you have it. The Common Sense Guide to Permanently Clear Skin.
I know this sounds too simple to be true, but that’s really all there is to getting clear. Most people make getting clear way too complicated. And those are the very same people that struggle to get clear.
So what’s next?
I recommend that you subscribe to my Clear Skin Tips newsletter. I share with you many more of these simple NON-secrets to permanently clear skin. You’ll also get some great tips you can put to action immediately.
Sounds too easy?
Well, what if it does work?
Here are my before/after photos. So it worked for me, and I’m sure this works for you too.
How applying these principles changed my life and skin
And here’s another set.
Results like this are possible when you really apply these principles
Comments on Common Sense Guide To Permanently Clear Skin
I just wanted to thank you for creating this website. I’m 30 years old and trying to put an end to this once and for all. I dramatically changed my lifestyle 4 months ago and have cut out almost ALL carbs, sugars, starches etc. I’ve also eliminated dairy over the last month. I eat nothing but fruit, vegetables and protein (except for the occasional slip up on the weekends) and although I’m used to my new diet, the stress of wondering if I’m eating the right things seems like it’s almost making things worse. LIke if I eat greasy tacos and drink beer on the weekend I stress over what I’ve just done..or I get angry sometimes that I can’t eat what I want or enjoy food and that stresses me out. It’s so frustrating. I’m also taking LOADS of digestive enzymes and probiotics along with zinc, evening primrose oil, lecethin, and B6. I’m SO tired of this and end up in tears on a regular basis now it seems like.
The cysts I was getting all the time seem to have gone away but I’m still broken out everywhere and it seems worse than before because I’m only using gentle natural stuff to wash my face and no proactive or anything similar (I use devita face wash and the sunblock and that’s it).
But the fact that I’m not getting cysts is encouraging…the only thing that’s encouraging. Anyway, I’m sorry, I”m just venting. But my POINT is that it’s helpful to see websites like this because it seems like the world would tell me I’m crazy for trying to solve the problem this way. My friends think I’m nutts and keep telling me to just take Accutane or just try this product or that product. But when I see something like this it makes me feel not so alone.
I’m considering microderm abrassion and wondered if you had any thoughts on procedures like that.
Thanks, I’ll keep reading.
-Shannon
@Shannon, glad to hear you found this website useful.
No, you are not crazy at all trying to solve acne thought diet and other natural means. Derms that say diet has no effect on acne are out of date with their research. There’s a lot of research done in the past 5 years that links diet to acne.
From your comment it seems like your problem is not diet, but stress. Stress actually affects your skin much more than diet does. If I may suggest, meditation would probably help you much more than any diet changes. Here’s a good forum discussion about meditation:
http://www.clear-for-life.com/community/index.php?/topic/40-meditation-discussion/
Microderm abrasion could help, but the result are likely to be only temporary.
Shannon,
I’ve read on numerous occasions that microdermabrasion and other similar treatments are not good for active acne as they only aggravate the condition and traumatise the already inflamed skin. It’s better to have it after the acne has cleared up to help maintain good condition of the skin. I tried it when I had active cystic acne (still have it) and it did nothing to help clear the spots up.Have you considered/tried laser?
Alex
@Alex, you are right. Microdermabrasion and similar treatments can be quite abrasive and irritate the skin. This can worsen your acne or slow healing of the skin.
I haven’t tried laser, simply because I have no need for it anymore. I’m not sure if laser would be any better than microdermabrasion treatments are. Neither of them can give you permanently clear skin as they just address the surface manifestation of acne. I see them as high-tech creams and lotions.
I have simple tried everything. I eat healthy. I don’t intake anything sugar, fatty foods, and I refuse to have facial hair (chin strap, beard, mustache, etc). Still, I have had no success long term. I will get a nice stretch of clear skin and then, it just shows up. I recently noticed, spicy foods cause break outs. I’ve given up pop ages ago dating back to high school, juice due to its high sugar contents, pizza, pastas, anything containing gluten, etc The gluten free diet is the next thing I am trying to see what changes I make. I have started using digestive enzymes, probiotics, msm, vitamins, zinc supplements, aside from a variety of other items. I eat oat meal but, I am aware many are grown around and may have gluten on them due to being grown in wheat fields. I take a natural herbal stress reliever aside from many health products. I am using apple cider vinegar, fish oils as for omega 3s, and just eating a really clean diet. I’ve given up so much. I do not have severe acne but, I am in my adult years and still, I am struggling with this acne for some time since puberty on and off. I have been prescribed oral antibiotics but, I prefer being “all natural” and living an organic life style. I meditate and do yoga occasionally. I am reading many self help books and reminding myself I have a cure and this is simple. Some days, it is very depressing and difficult. I try to hold a strong mental frame but, it is so awful unfair. I see people stuffing their face full of unhealthy foods with no exercise. I’ve seen some videos on severe acne and pics online. I am not suffering from severe acne. I will get a bad blemish occasionally and as it clears up, something new comes up. Its so frustrating and I am trying to live a healthy life without resorting to acutane but I cannot go on like this much longer. I’ve given up dates and missed out on so much cause of this and if I were to be eating terrible, I could understand it. I am not though. I workout so vigorously, I wash up but, not abrasive or rough to my skin. I’ve tried the routine from acne.org but, nothing seems to work. I got demoxcyline and other oral antibiotics I have been give. I’ve contacted my doctor and a dermatologist. I just want to get this stuff fixed. I met an awesome girl a little while ago. Had I known I was broken out, I probably would have not gone but, I was so into her and I had to get to know her. We had fun. It went well but, it still is there. I am not sure what to do but, i feel seasonally depressed at times cause of this. Being a guy and wearing cover up is fucking gay but, its horrible at times. I am hoping this new info, self help, and all the nutrition focus + positive thinking resolve this.
@Bruno, sorry to hear that acne causes so much stress on you. From what you told me the cause for your acne is probably not physical. Please check out this discussion:
Success Story… from severe to none in 6 months Work on your baggage… it’s worth it.
As you can see, she was more or less in the same place as you are now.
Do you have an actual plan that we can follow that shows you specific foods to eat, foods to avoid, how often to eat to maintain blood sugar levels. I completely agree with everything you have wrote, but feel that i need to see food lists, etc. to clarify what foods are good and what ones are not.
I agree, the article is titled “Common sense guide to clear skin” but doesn’t give any help, just explains how acne works.
This isn’t meant to be comprehensive coverage of all the details you need to do to get clear. This is meant to be an overview, so that those who still believe they can just apply some cream on their face and get clear can get up to speed so to say. I share a lot more details in my newsletters, and of course in my book Clear for Life.
Hi! This website looks great. I was about to bu some “magical” products to cure acne but this website was very helpful and thanks to this website i did not commit suck mistake. My diet consists of eating lot of rice. Is this bad for acne? My acne is not very bad but may be rice has to do with it too??
Thank you very much!
@shweta, glad that I was able to help.
Rice is generally speaking ok to eat. Not many people are allergic or sensitive to it. That said eating too many carbohydrates can cause acne, especially if you aren’t very active. That’s because it leads to higher insulin levels. That’s why I advice to shift the balance in your diet towards healthy fats and proteins.
Do you wash your face at all? Should I just use regualr soap to wash my face?
Hi! I have been having severe acne for more than 15 years. I have severe acne on my back, face, chest and scalp. Like many people I have tried many things but nothing worked. Only from last 3 years I have been looking into my diet and observing the foods that seem to cause acne. The most difficult part was to food that causes acne. I have been avoiding dairy products and peanuts for a while now and have seen very little change and there seem to be lot more things that are causing acne. Recently, I started noticing that wheat is also causing acne. It is not difficult to avoid these things for a while but since I am a vegetarian there is almost nothing that I can eat when I am travelling or go out. It is becoming very difficult to keep up with that diet, so I really don’t see that great improvement in my acne. Is there any test that can tell what foods cause acne for you? Thank you
@Lavanya, there are no tests that would tell you with 100% accuracy which foods cause acne. However there are tests for food sensitivities and allergies, and the foods you are allergic/sensitive to are also likely to cause acne. That’s because acne is linked to chronic inflammation in the body.
Wheat is a universal trigger for acne. Yes, limiting wheat makes life a bit inconvenient, but it’s worth it. It’s also not that hard once you get into it.
Insulin is another factor behind acne. Given that it makes sense to also limit your carbohydrate intake – even if you wouldn’t be sensitive to them.
@Erin, I don’t do anything special for my face. Most days I just wash it with regular soap. I have a bottle of Neutrogena in my bathroom, but I use it maybe once a week. At times I also wash my face with honey, but I’m very lazy with these things.
Those really are amazing results. I tried everthing though and I am a 40 year old female, in the end Roaccutance worked like a dream it was such a relief it is a strong drug with side effects, but well worth it if you have suffered as long as I have.
I have had acne for 20 years…. I have also been on cycles of antibiotics for approximately the same amount of time… 20 years. I am desparate to rid myself of acne. Please help.
@Gary, I’ll be happy to help you. I just need more information from you before I can do anything for you. Please post to my acne forums and we can take it from there.
I tried this guy’s low fat high carb idea and broke out like never before.
Glad I found this link,I know it help me a lot. Hope you’ll answer my question. Is taking Vitammin C everyday helps my acne gone? I’ve been in healthy diet jogging and playing basketball,I’d quit drinking of alcohol in past 4 months and taking food supplements just to sopport my daily vitamin needs and now it lessen my acne well. Thank you.
@Kate, yes.. I was a bit naive a few years ago and recommended low fat, high carb diet for everyone. It works for some people, but for others it’s a disaster.
@Rj, supplementing with vitamin C can help acne, but it’s far from being a sure thing to cure your acne. And the results vary a lot.
I was wondering if puting vitamen E on your face will help it heal at all or will it make the acne worse? i have tried it and somedays i feel like it really helps heal some of the scars and sometimes it just makes me break out even more…any idea?
Aha, that makes sense then!
@Seppo:
@Sonia, vitamin E shows good promise for acne. That said, in most cases you have to do more than just apply vitamins on your face to get over acne. They can still help, though.
hi iv also had problem wit acne for 15 yrs. im 25. my face n chest clears sometyms but mostly i feel so awful esp. when im about to have my period or afta. seriously, itz so frustrating i dnt knw wat to do .
Hey, I sweat more than usual people in most places in the body. I sweat also a lot in my buttocks region(the whole buttock region i mean). It makes me irritated and impatient. I feel like changing my underwear or wash that region with water and soap and dry it. This problem affects my personal life. Also very much worth mentioning is the boils, acne i get on the buttocks. Its been 10 years now, i m 27 now. I sweat a lot when i sit at one place for a long time or even if i take my dog just for a small walk or just go to a nearby market to get some general stuff. Now these acne keep coming and going, always there on my buttocks and also there are dark marks, blackish marks, acne scars, it looks gross. suggest me what should i do. (both for problem of sweating, acne, & also scars.)
@Arjun, I really have no idea about sweating. Maybe you just have higher than normal metabolism.
I’m a teen, and unfortunately I have acne. My mom and dad both had acne, and people tell me that because they had acne I have it too. I have used almost everything on my face from natural things like egg whites to products like Proactiv and nothing seems to be working for me! It gets really frustrating, and I have even went to my doctor. He gave me 2 types of gels and it may clear up my face a little, but i cannot seem to get a clear face. I’ve had acne since I was 10 and it’s really hard for me. I hope someday my face will clear up and I wont have to deal with it my whole life, but things aren’t looking to great. Thanks for the tips though! I will have to keep trying.
I’ve had acne since I was about 10, and since I was 13 have been eating a completely healthy, natural diet which I enjoy, and I exercise everyday. I cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day, but found that no products or lifestyle changes helped. The only thing that worked for me was taking the contraceptive pill. When I take it,my skin is perfect but if I don’t take it for a few days once again I’m covered in acne.
@Hannah:
None of the gels, etc my doctor ever prescribed me worked. Antibiotics didn’t either, only thing that did was the pill.
@Arjun:
To me that sounds like a fungal problem.
@Amanda, sorry to hear acne causes so much misery for you. But the fact that contraceptive pills help your skin shows that your acne is hormonal. So it should respond to proper diet and lifestyle changes. Have you tried lowering your carbohydrate intake?
Hi, I used to have alot of acne but its almost completely gone, but instead I have an excessive amount of oil on my face as the day progresses. I think its called blocked pores, is there anyway to decrease the amount of oil on my face and to unclog my pores naturally?
@Seppo: Dear seppo thank you for your tips. it is useful but can you please send me or wrote here list of foods that are not good for acne skin?
Hi, I went to the derm yesterday, he advised me that I go on accutane, it probably will clear up the acne but it is such a strong drug that I don’t want to go on it. I have spent so much money on acne treatments; after reading up on everything of yours. The derm told me that it is completely based on genetics; my dad had bad acne as a young adult so it makes sense that I do too. Or is he wrong and do I need to just cut down on my carb intake and up the protein? I have face acne but it is bad all down my back and arms.
Thank you so much for your time
@Megan, your derm is 90% wrong and 10% right. Acne is partially genetic, but it’s not completely based on genetics. Genes make you acne prone but they don’t prevent you from getting clear. Genes make you more sensitive to hormones that cause acne, but by taking aggressive steps to manage those hormones (along with a few other things) you should either get clear or see significant improvements on your skin.
Hi Seppo, I was wondering if you have your book on print or is it only available as an ebook?
@Chris, at the moment Clear for Life is only available as an ebook. That might change later, but I can’t say when because I’ve had a lot of difficulties in getting it to print.
@bruno: You should definitely try a gluten-free diet (and don’t eat oats until you’re sure they aren’t a problem – I react as badly to oats as wheat) as well as a dairy-free diet. I’ve had acne most of my adult life, and have only recently gotten rid of it by removing all gluten and dairy from my diet. It is such a travesty that many people ignore the role diet plays in acne and propogate information to the contrary. Good luck!
I have read your book, I think it is an awesome book with very useful information, and I know first hand that it brings results. I think I might just have the right contacts to get your book in print, I am excited to get this information out there for everyone. If you are interested in talking to me about this please don’t hesitate to email me.
chris
Hi All
I just wanted to say that I have read all of your comments and find it interesting all the back and forth for accutane, birth control and diet. First, ladies I would just like to put what I know out there for you all. My acne started when I was 18. I am now 28. I did not have acne when I went on birth control when I was 16. Only when I went off birth control it was a disaster! Western doctors have had me on birth control to keep my acne in check but then would take me off because of the side effects I was experiencing. Long story short, this yo yo (even just once on then off is enough) threw my hormones off. I believe it disrupted my natural ability to produce my own hormones and because of it my body cannot regulate it’s own hormones. With this said, hormones regulate way more than just your sex drive etc. Hormones regulate your ability to properly regulate foods in your body. I brought this up with my western doctor (I say this because I have seen naturalpaths also but they became very expensive) and she said that she could not refute what i was saying! All she said was “your right”!!!! I told her not to try and put me on any meds because I do not want anything else in my body that could potentially upset things further. CUT OUT THE REFINED SUGARS AND GLUTEN FIRST. I promise, those cystic huge triple headers that can totally ruin your life will become smaller. Then cut out the diary. Make sure you have regular bowl movements. Ground flax is fabulous in a smoothie. And to put a positive spin on things: mother nature is telling us something is wrong, we’re the first to know, who knows what is festering in everyone else’s bodies. Our skin is telling us something is wrong inside. I have found vitamin B helps a lot too. Keep on trucking people. As for me? Is my acne gone. Not quite. It was so bad for so long that if i even have just a little milk in mashed potatoes, it sets it off. Eat at home and make sure to have snacks on you at all times. I’m almost there. I’d say 80% better. I hope this helps. I can’t believe that this website didn’t try to sell me something. Absolutely fabulous!!! Thank you!
First website that I have come across,that isn’t a pharmaceutical one, that questions the snake-oil candida salesmen (Really? Just eat twigs and sand… forever… but not together… with testimonials from people who have been on this regime for 8 yrs and “somedays feel mildly better”? How do I jump this wheezing queue???), so very impressed so far.
My query is this: My skin problems have been vast and chronic.
My father has coeliac disease and I had an intestinal biopsy aged about 12/13 for the same. it must of come up negative then (medical personnel don’t really involve you in the messy problem of results/explanations at that age I find.) however my problems have persisted and to be frank have blighted my life.
The question of allergies, malabsorption and intestinal damage feels unresolved.
I would like to be comprehensively checked for allergy issues but have been stung before (I don’t wish to offend if this is seen as legit but i have held suspect ‘allergens’ while a “nutritionist” evaluated my ‘electro-responses’ on a geiger-counteresque piece of gizmo.).
So, to cut to the chase… How can we find and trust people who will comprehensively and competently test our allergic responses and indeed any deficiencies or toxicities that may need rectifying without, metaphorically, leaving our purses open at a bus-stop.
I need to trust in the answers I will be given.
I don’t know where to start (by the way, I am in England and don’t have health insurance. We DO have the NHS but I don’t know what they would cover.).
Lucy.
@Lucy, you hit the nail in the head. Natural health has lot to offer, but how do you weed out the real quacks.
First about allergy testing. There currently is not 100% reliable way to test for food allergies. Blood tests your doctor can order are the best ones. But this is something you need to talk with someone who is familiar with food sensitivities. They can recommend the right test for you. Your normal GP might not be familiar with food sensitivities. They understand food allergies, but not necessary sensitivities. Your GP might still be able to recommend something for you.
The electro-thing you did is probably not very reliable. Don’t know exactly what you used, but the ones that have you holding ‘rods’ don’t work. The reading depends on how tightly you squeeze the rods.
As far as trusting people goes, any time someone wants to put you on an extensive supplementation regimen take that as a red flag. Supplements do have some use in some cases, but in many cases they are just waste of money.
Also, please keep in mind that diet is just part of the solution. Most acne patients are way too fixated on diet.
I developed acne AND eczema on my face in my 30′s. It’s very tricky to find a skin care that doesn’t aggravate one or the other. And my skin is obviously always extremely dry and inflamed especially with breakouts on my forehead. I too have changed my diet and have gone to a naturopathic doctor for months but it seems once it starts clearing up,and it’s never completely, just over night my entire face will get inflamed all over again. The stress thing is definitely a big factor in my life too. I was wondering if you think everything you talk about to clear up acne could clear up eczema too?
@jgirl, thanks for the comment. Let me first admit that I don’t know that much about eczema. That said, research on skin conditions often mentions both acne and eczema. Both are inflammatory skin conditions, so anti-inflammatory measures should work for both. If we put topical treatments aside, everything that works for acne should help eczema also. Or at the very least there should be no harm. After all, we are primarily talking of measures that reduce inflammation and insulin levels in the body.
Topical treatments can be a different matter though. I would presume eczema require a much gentler approach than acne. I would suggest trying topical vitamin E creams. Vitamin E is main antioxidant on the skin and has been shown to reduce oxidation of sebum (and thus inflammation) and protect the skin.
I have used topical vitamin-c and topical vitamin-e for a long time with great results on eczema. When I am not using the above listed products I will break out into a huge rash of eczema on my back and arms. I also use laundry cleaner that is totally natural and completely green. I think a lot of my eczema comes from being very sensitive toxins in laundry products. Any “regular” creams make me break out too.
My name is Francisca Bannerman from Ghana. I am 26 years and i still have acne on my face. i have tried everything from expensive facials and over the counter acne medications which have not helped. i also used grind garlic on my face as a website suggested and got my face burned. A friend suggested not to use any cream on my face? what do i do.
Not using anything on your face might help. For some people creams and lotions irritate the skin and in those cases not using anything is better.
Your flyer about your book says it will answer questions like this one: “Why using many of the common acne treatments with chemicals such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and tea tree oil can actually make it harder to get clear?” But you recommend Clear Skin Max, which uses tea tree oil as one of its main ingredients. I don’t understand.
These things are not black and white. Those ingredients can make getting clear harder, can, in case your skin can’t take them. Benzoyl peroxide is the worst of them, because it depletes vitamin E levels from the skin. It all depends on how your skin reacts to the ingredients.
Hi, I am 36 yrs of age and suffer badly with cystic acne, I have a 14 moth old baby and my acne has come back , prior to falling pregnant I was vegan and gluten free and my skin was good, I am now breastfeeding and intend to continue for another year so I fear If i stop eating certain foods I will deprive my baby and she is number 1, I do avoid cheese, milk and butter and even soy products as I have been advised by many that this is not good for my breastmilk. I will again avoid gluten products. The carb issue stresses me,do i need to stop all carbs even if they dont have gluten? I have a chinese doctor who advises me to keep away from food that is heating such as chicken, beef, tropical fruits, dairy, spices and to eat cooling foods such as bananas, pairs, pepermint tea and even yoghurt, its know its dairy!!! i tried proactive for the first time and have brocken out even worse….. my major concern is breastfeeding my baby, can you advise me, i am at a point where i dont want to face the public because of the way i look.
Hi Seppo, I wonder if you can help me at all?
Basically, I had acne about 2 years ago, I eventually had a course if accutane which lasted 9 months. After finishing the treatment I was fine for around 6 months, but after that I noticed I developed an intolerance to any sort of sugar.
It has got progressively worse over time, to the point where i avoid all sugar at all costs, no sweets, no fruit juice, no cake, or anything that contains any form of sugar. I’ve changed my lifestyle over the last year to be healthier, I eat a bowl of granola every single day for breakfast, and eat at least 5 a day in bananas/apples, I try to cut out bread and oil where possible. I also run long distances daily to keep fit. Oh and i also try to drink +1 litres of water a day.
I use the clear skin max product daily (have been for about 3 months), but recently it seems like my skin is going backwards, over the past month my skin has started to get rapidly greasy as the day goes on, by the time I get home from work my skin is greasy and starting to show the usual swelled spots (they range from normal spots, spots in clusters, large spots in my hair and on my back).
I completed a marathon bike ride a few weeks back but had to consume 4 energy bars in order to keep my energy up, to my dismay I developed a horrific spot outbreak on my upper face (around 10 large swollen spots).
Any idea what is going on with my body? I feel like I’ve tried everything! My body really doesn’t appreciat any creams, gels or washes. I’ve spoken to my doctor and he basically just said “the body does things we dont understand” and then continue on to tell me I shouldn’t worry about it (I wish I could!)
Thanks, Lodo
@Lodo, I’m not a medical expert so I can’t really give much advice on your case. If I were you I would speak with specialists and try to find out why your body suddenly developed an intolerance for sugars.
Have you checked your blood sugars by the way? Maybe the sugar intolerance is just insulin resistance?
If your skin has trouble with creams and lotions it could mean you are low in vitamins and antioxidants. Without those your skin becomes very sensitive. In that case I would take a good multivitamin supplement, fish oil and also apply some cream with vitamin E and C on your skin.
Excessive sebum production can be a hormonal issue. Often it’s caused by insulin resistance, but I can’t say it’s the case with you.
It doesn’t make sense that you would breakout after 4 energy bars, especially since they are consumed during a long bike ride. You most likely burned those during the bike ride. Maybe there’s something in them you are allergic to? A sudden and painful breakout would hint to that.
Thanks Seppo, I’ve booked an appointment with an allergen nurse to have all the usual checks done, but I’m especially interested in seeing the results of the sucrose test.
If they can’t find anything immediately obvious maybe they can refer me to another derm or someone who might have some clue as to what is going on. The worst part of the whole process is that the spots are getting worse, and I know the more I worry the worse they get. The old vicious acne cycle!
It also irritates me how my GP basically implies I am over reacting, he’s not the one who has to fear eating the wrong food all the time.
I’ll post some results if anything good comes of it.
Thanks again,
Lodo
I have adult acne moderate to severe with an olive oily completion. I have tried many products. Right now I am trying exposed skin care. It took about two months for all the active breakouts to clear. I have been drinking yogi detox tea everyday and staying clear of oily fried foods and sugars. I switched from soy milk to almond milk and currently only take zinc, mulitvitamins and evening primrose. I found that the only thing that really made a huge difference with my breakouts is if I do a clay mask once a week and if I do a 35% glycolic acid treatment once every two weeks ( i bought mine on amazon and follow the directions). My face has no active breakouts right now. I also bought a lighted 3x mirror and a professional tool to extract pimples. I can now see the clogged pores before they become inflamed and major pimples. I use antibacterial gel to clean the tool each time I use it on my face.
@May, thanks for sharing. Did you want to ask something?
@Lodo, please don’t take this the wrong way. From what you told me it looks like you are on the road to eating disorder. This actually happens to quite a few acne patients when they stress too much about their diet. Diet is quite important for clear skin, but usually you don’t have to go to extremes.
When people start stressing too much about their diet it’s usually a sign of emotional issue. Basically the person feels bad or inadequate and eating then becomes a way to try to control one’s appearance and thus manage the negative emotions. Please note that you can’t fix this with fork and knife.
I also know that these emotional problems can cause real problems on the skin. To most people this sounds weird and implausible. But I know this from my own experience, from advising other acne patients and from looking at clinical research. When you feel anxious certain neurotransmitters are released (called substance P). These make their way on the skin where they have been shown to increase inflammation and sebum production.
For emotional issues, this is a good place to start:
http://www.clear-for-life.com/community/index.php?/topic/190-skindeep/
Not that this necessarily is the case with you. I just bring it up as another possibility to look into.
No my love, this website is a joke. an advertisement for BIG-pharma that has no concept of what natural is. I suggest getting a potato and a few lemons. cut a chunk of potato wipe infected area. wash. apply a piece of cut lemon. morning and night. the lemon will kill the bacteria causing you to break out. the potato cuts down on oil. I know there is a lack of real help on here and they have domonically demonized natural in the title, but keep searching honey, avacado, healthy grains, lental soup is mental fruit. find what is natural and strenghten yourself fight against this capitalistic mantality that cure comes from prescriptions. be careful what you put into your temple. you are here to love what we are given. learn what is natural. keep pushing and stengthen yourself with knowledge. I love you
@fini, I have to wonder if you are high on homeopathic magic or something. Ad for the BIG Pharma? Seriously? Demonized natural treatment? Really now. Most advice on this site pertains to diet, lifestyle and some supplements. How is that not natural? How is that ad for big pharma?
@Shannon:
You’re still breaking out, because you need to cut out fruit.
@Kate, please don’t go on making stupid suggestions to people. Fruits may not be good for you, but in moderation they are ok for most people. I can’t speak specifically about Shannon’s case, but for most people they are ok.
A Vega test conducted by a reputable Naturopath is really good for identifying food sensitivites and intolerances. I had it done and it was quite helpful.
You mentioend that you work out vigorously – That could be your problem. I used to workout hard with weights and always broke out bad the next three days. I read that working out hard releases cortisole and other stress hormones. I reduced my workout and my face looks much better (my body looks worse – but who cares). Also, try taking a B-5 vitamin (Pantothenci acid). It’s hard to find since the local drug stores don’t carry it for some reason, but GNC does. I beleive it has worked wonders for me. Also, reduce your salt intake, Iodine is known to cause zits, as is Biotin. One more thing, try washing your face with Cetaphyl. It worked for me. Good Luck. I suffer from zits too and I occasionaly have to steal some of my wife’s makeup.
@Seppo: I’m a 24 year old male whose tried everything except accutane. I’m from the UK and my GP wont allow me to see a derm or go on accutane because he says my acne isn’t too bad. Last year I tried the 3 day acne fast by chris gibson. It was challenging but i was willing to try anything to beat my acne which i have had for more than 10 years. To be honest, I stuck to the diet eating apples and drinking water, even doing an enema every night for three days. At the end of the three days, I broke my diet by having a drink with some of my friends. Yes, i know i wasn’t supposed to but i didnn’t think that such a small thing could ruin everything if it was supposed to be the real trick. Anyways, the end result was that nothing happened. All i did was lose 7 pounds (which isn’t really a good thing because I’m a pretty skinny person and a hard gainer). I was really dissapointed because i felt that I was just going to have to live with acne until it got replaced by wrinkles. I went back on minocycline as prescribed by my GP and drank water. I have the type of acne which is a everlong rash paired with one or two pimples. Anyways, something interesting happend. I was doing a university project and travelled to Sierra Leone in Africa for about a month. I forgot my medication and was thinking that I was going to suffer a serious break out. But suprisingly, even though I wasn’t taking pills or using some sort of a cleanser, my acne didn’t get particularly worse. I just had the same rash and occasional pimple. I don’t know if it was the change of diet, or type of food i was having there (i didn’t even fast), but for the first time in ten years, there was no desperate need to have acne pills or cleansers. I’ve been off any sort of remedy for about a year now but I still have a rash and pimples here and there. I don’t have any particular diet but I’m planning one. You see, i started thinking, if my face doesn’t break out particularly bad when I’m off any sort of medication. There must be some internal way of getting rid of this acne and rash permanently without using cleansers. Mind you, i’ve had the same rash for 10 years so my face has never been spotless. I read in a biography that Michael Jackson cleared his early-adult acne by going on a serious detox. The author said that it was the reason he used to be extremly thin in the thriller days. Anywayays, although the 3-day-acne diet detox didn’t do much for me. I’m considering going on it for again and sticking to some sort of a diet with little sugar. I also can’t insist that I’ll stick to a strict diet forver. Let’s be real, someone can’t stick to apples, no sugar and soda forever. I’m not saying that a regular diet won’t help, but most of my friends feast on ice-cream, sugars, meat and beers and remain practically spotless. I was wondering if the 3-day acne fast, paired with a regular diet clean of sugars and wheat is likely to help remove the root cause of my acne and clear this annoying rash once and for all. I wouldn’t mind if I had to do it like twice a year. Chris Gibson’s theory is that adult acne’s caused by candida. It makes sense that there’s some sort of feature which is higher in a person with adult acne than one without adult acne because it seems we (acne-sufferers) are very sensitve to sugary foods where as other people can live off them without getting a pimple.
Hi Seppo,
I have just briefly read over your site and found it very interesting and belieable, so much that I would like to look at following a new diet, but feel completely confused- where to begin!… All the do’s and don’ts get extremely confusing, as they are written in separate paragraphs, with massive amounts of information. Is it possible to see a simple and complete list of foods ‘to eat’ and ‘foods not to’- so that I have a shopping list to create recipes from, or even some meal suggestions so that I am not mixing the foods incorrectly?
Also, how does one go about testing for allergies, without paying a fortune? I have had a blood test for allergies once with my GP and all that showed up was an allergy to Pollen- this was not very accurate, as I am actually allergic to Peanuts and Dust.
Julia
@Jaden, you didn’t really ask anything, but I can saya a few points based on your comment.
Many possible reasons for why your skin got better while in Africa. Usually people see improvements in their skin when they get out of their usual environment. Perhaps it has to be with less stress and normal pressures of life. It could also be that you got more sunshine there. Sunshine helps with vitamin D and overall health and happiness.
The apple diet is mostly just a gimmick. It can help occasionally, but it’s not a very sustainable method. Overall clean diet is a much better option. Especially one that restricts simple sugars and carbohydrates.
@Julia, yes this website can be a bit confusing. I’ve written this over the years. And most people anyway read only 2 or 3 pages.
With regard to simple eat/not eat list. There really are no strict rules when it comes to diet. Overall healthy diet is all you need (diet wise).
In Clear for Life I show some methods for testing for food allergies at home. Just keep in mind that no method for testing for food allergies is 100% reliable.
If you need to ask more, please come to the forums and I’ll be happy to guide you further.
http://www.clear-for-life.com/community/
Hello,thank you very much for creating this wonderful website.
I wanted to ask you a few questions if possible,since u seem like an expert.
I am 17 years old,I have acne… well lets say its above severe,I could call it deadly.
I have acne all over my face,except for on my nose…when i don’t get a breakout the whole face is full of acne,and when i do get one it seems like some of them combine into huge red pimples,don’t know how to even call them.
I have tried diets,creams,i even took accutane for a year,it helped…but it did not clean my face of acne,its stayed above severe and i am feeling hopeless.
Right now im looking for pills or creams that might solve my problem,im thinking about ordering a kit in order to try something new,since i live in Israel its even harder to find anything.
This acne damages my life…its hard for me to get close to people as i should and i don’t know what to do.
What do you think should i do?
@Michael, we answered to you at the forums, please see here:
http://www.clear-for-life.com/community/index.php?/topic/277-above-severe/
I’ve had acne since I was 13, I am now 48. I have tried EVERYTHING. The best thing that helped was giving up dairy, within a week my skin was 50% better but it’s still not great. I don’t eat any wheat either as I know this affects me. I am going to the doctors again tomorrow to see what they can offer me this time, I don’t want to be a pest but after 35 years I am a bit fed up with this. The spots are joining up with the lines and it won’t be long before I’ll be able to join the dots.
hey,
i have been eating a healthy diet for about 4 years now. I am a 15 year old boy . I eat practically no sugar, no chocolate, mostly organic, and drink little amounts of goat milk instead of cow milk. I don’t worry or stress about what i eat, i love eating healthy. I have an addiction to water, so i drink at least 8 glasses a day. I have recently started exercising on a regular basis, and shower every 1-2 days. I never touch my face , only the bottom of my chin , and i touch my bangs a lot. but i get acne on my forehead, on my chin & above my lips. I don’t really stress about my acne, but i would love to get rid of it. My sleeping habbits aren’t so great, i go to bed at around 1-5 am every night.. not sure if that has an effect My sister used this organic shampoo on her face, and it cleared her acne in less than a week. But it doesn’t have the same affect on me . what can i do to clear my acne ? thanks
@Lisa, acne is a bitch like that. It can be complicated. Some common triggers for people with persistent acne are stress and emotional issues and sub-clinical food sensitivities. These sensitivities don’t cause any noticeable symptoms, so they can be a bit hard to track down. You might have to get yourself tested at a lab or use elimination diet in combination with food journal.
where can i order ur book from “clear for life”… cos am having problems with that since i live all the way in Finland. I think and hope ur book will b loads of help in helping to clear my acne…
@Shanice, Clear for Life is only available as an ebook at the moment. So it doesn’t matter where you live. You can get it from here: http://www.clear-for-life.com/getcfl/
I went to an acupuncturist for help treating my adult acne. There are some Chinese herbs that can help with it quite a bit, and the acupuncture treatments focused on balancing hormones which has a lot to do with breakouts, particularly for women. Most people don’t think about acupuncture for skin conditions but I highly recommend anyone suffering from Acne give it a try. But like Seppo says, cleaning up my diet did the most to help my skin. Now I am trying to find those last few dietary triggers to keep my skin clear, since I want to maintain my skin without the herbal supplements.
I have had acne since puberty and it went really worst in my early 20s then i started to use proactiv and i get better little but they never go away, always come back every week and stress me out. im almost 30now and still having this issue. could this be genetics? cuz my mom told me that she had the same problem untill early 30s… i m not fat, im very fit and muscular, always exercise, workout everyday… i started to or atleast tried to eat healthier few months ago. but still not much change. few things i notice… if the weather is too hot i got break outs.. like no control whatsoever untill the weather/heat go down. I used to have really white skin face and consisdered good looking but sometimes because of this acne i didnt even went to go out. i want to get rid of this once and for all >..<
Hi Seppo
I’ve been battling acne on and off for over 20 years, spent a fortune on dermatologists etc. What really helped were once monthly facials with a beautician specialised in acne treatments and NO PICKING at my face. (keeping those fingernails short to the quick) Interesting was a diagnosis I once had, doc said my pores were inverted V-shape instead of V-shape which makes them clog up more easily, hereditary. Anyway, I have tried vegetarian / no gluten / no dairy etc. lost weight and worked out a lot with the result that over the years my skin has cleared up quite well. The big surprise however was my first pregnancy, clear skin for 8 months after an intial severe outbreak before I even noticed I was pregnant. This lasted until I weaned the baby. Was it a fluke? My second pregnancy confirmed it, same effect. 15 months after giving birth and still breast feeding I just had my first break out. I don’t want to say dietary changes don’t help, but throughout both pregancies I ate a healthly but traditionally balanced diet – why did my skin get so much better? My point is, obviously for me acne has more to do with hormones than anything else. Thank you for your site.
@Sonja, thanks for sharing your experience. Obviously your acne is hormonal. That’s the case for pretty much everybody. People tend to make the mistake of assuming that just because acne is hormonal diet has nothing to do with it. Diet (and lifestyle) affect your hormone levels – mainly through blood sugar levels. Diet is not the end-all-be-all to hormones but it does affect your hormones and inflammation levels and thus indirectly acne also.
Interesting information. I have not had bad acne but there is one thing that ALWAYS gives me zits, eating too much saturated fat. If I stay away from all fried foods and other foods high in saturate fats I am fine, but whenever I make an exception zits are the result. Perhaps this fits your hypothesis somehow.
@John, thanks for sharing. Saturated fat causes insulin resistance if you eat too much of it. I know many people, especially Paleo advocates, don’t want to believe that, but there are several studies to back this up. This could explain why eating sat fat gives you acne.
Everyone is diffrent and needs to be aware of their need. For example Kat might need a more protein in her diet. She needs to find out what she needs in nutrition and balance that. Once you are aware & are balancing your diet based on your body type needs you can then see what you need to do next. Us Seppo’s guide as a general guide. Meaning once you know what is balance for you, you can then see what your progress is and take on another problem. One thing at a time is the best way. That is what Doctors mean by a practice…
@seppo, i always exposed under the sun because i’m an athlete, how can i prevent acne and remove those acne dark marks? i tried putting acne medication but i stopped because i think it makes it worst. for now i avoid eating oily food, especially fried foods. and i eat more on fruits and vegetables. can you give me some advice? thank you.
@Patrick, sure I can help you out. Would you mind posting to my forums: http://www.clear-for-life.com/community/. I need more information from you before I can say anything meaningless. The problem is that acne is very complex condition and in many cases there aren’t any simple solution that work for many people. So I need to get an idea of your diet, lifestyle, external skin care, etc before I can say anything useful.
Hey, i just wanted to say thank you for this information! I’m not an adult yet, but this will help me. I’m already doing a lot of these things. The eating fruit until noon, not eating a big dinner, and limiting pollutions and toxins are great tips for me. Thank you and God bless!
Hi Found the article interesting. I’ve just been told I’ve Adult Acne and it is really pulled th rug out from under me. I went through my teenage years with perfectly clear skin & up until 6monts ago had very little problems. The condition has only flared very badly in the last 2monhs as I have been living abroad. But the thing is I haven’t had a drastic alteration in eating habits etc.. I don’t understand where it has come from. Granted it is not as bad as some of the people on here but its heading that way. Started precription medication to control it, but will this work????
Hi,
I’m one among those having pimples all the time below my mouth. I have observed that it will get reduced for some time when i take MINOZ OD 100mg tablet for continously 3 days or so…this tablet is an antibiotic. I’m afraid to take this antibiotic continously due to side effects.so why i get pimples? what should i do to avoid this?
Thank you Seppo for your amazing contribution! Clear For Life explains acne from all angles in a way that anyone can understand. I have tried almost every possible treatment for my skin but never really understood that I might be the one holding myself back from actually healing. Thank you again! I will tell any and every acne sufferer I come in contact with to read your book!
HI. I JUST WANT TO ASK IF IS IT OKAY IF I EAT FOODS LIKE BREADS OR NOODLES EVERYDAY AS LONG AS IT IS IN A SMALL AMOUNT? WILL I GET ACNE FOR THAT?
Hi,
I have been reading about how acne can be a big bandit in causing acne. I was wondering if Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) has the same effect as milk on acne, or if it should be ok us who suffer acne? What other protein supplement would you recommend if WPI is a bad idea to take.
Thanks,
Marianne
@Marianne, whey protein increases insulin levels a lot. So it’s possible it causes acne, but there’s no research to prove or disprove this. So I can’t say for sure.
@Janielle, nobody can say that for sure. It depends on how sensitive you are to those foods.
I guess you don’t have your book available on kindle. Would be great if it is. anyways, I am willing to give this a try and since I’m already living a moderately healthy life, it wouldn’t be so difficult. Only thing is, I heard it’s nearly impossible to sleep early or sleep at all once I go to art school and I always crave sugar when I lack sleep. anyways, I’ve had acne since I was in elementary school, tried many products including acne.org regimen, and finally, at the age of 18, am convinced that acne is indeed linked with lifestyle. I’m kind of surprised at how people are despaired by their acne. I’ve had it for so long, it’s nothing more than an annoyance to me haha. still, would be better without it. Make your book available on kindle pleaseeee!
p.s. I enjoyed your dramatic appearance on the acne.org forum after everyone calling out your book as a scam.
@amanda: Amanda where to you get the pills?
I am 21 years old, when i was 16 my skin started breaking out with inflammatory acne. It really knocked my confidence, so after visiting the doctor i was put on a topical solution and on contraceptive pills to clear it. This worked amazingly and I was so happy with the results.However in the past 4 months my skin has gone back to how it was at 16, although this time much worse.
My confidence has hit rock bottom now, it is affecting all aspects of my life. I am no longer able to go out with friends or date. I find as many excuses as possible to avoid public places. Even my work is suffering, I know longer have any motivation and cant stand people looking at me. I am feeling really depressed and cannot seem to clear my skin.
I have cut out sugars and greasy foods. I eat pretty healthily and have been on different treatments. I was on Tetralysal, however it did not seem to improve my skin. I have recently been put on Eryhtomycin which has caused a few side affects, but I dont want to stop taking it if it might clear up my skin. I use benzyol peroxide wash, vichy and salcura.
I dont know what to do anymore. I am losing all hope as each day I wake up feeling lower.
@Izzy, sorry to hear that acne has been so hard on you. I can understand what you are going through. Please post to the forums, http://www.clear-for-life.com/community/, and I’ll be happy to guide your further.
@Cat, thanks for your comment. I don’t have Clear for Life available on Kindle at the moment. Amazon is mostly geared towards US based merchants and to my knowledge they don’t pay to non-US based bank accounts. And checks are next to useless in my country (went out of fashion 20 years ago). I’ll keep my eye on this and hope to some day to make my book available on Kindle. You can still read it on your Kindle as it’s a PDF file (no DRM).
I am 21years of age with pimples all over ma face. It comes on and goes but cant really tell how often it is because even right now it’s appeared all over my face but i think i can liken it to a stress factor of someone upsetting me yesterday. I’m a Nigerian,neither dark nor fair complexioned but would really wanna be encouraged on how fruits and vegetables could have a vast effect at improving the smoothness of my face. What you’d suggest i’d use and even in general,the right cosmetic both for face and body because i wouldn’t wanna use anything on my face that would be different from my body as that has been my modus operandi but would not want that anymore
I’ve had acne since i was about 12…..when it began it just seemed like the normal teenage acne….nothing serious or too overwhelming. it did cover my face but i was assured enough that it would go away. And away it went in a year. Strangely when i hit 13 and went onto 14 my acne exploded in a way that i could not manage. From the information on stress relating to acne one could say that it was connected to my home life. I was very depressed and stressed in my teen years mainly from my parents marriage(s). Without tellling my whole life story i’ll just say that i had things rough without a doubt. My family went through things that are not normal regarding drugs, alcholism, abuse, and hospitals and clinics etc. This went on until i was 18. My acne continued to be terrible. I had very painful cysts on the lower portions of my face. This finally caused my parents to notice me and get me help so i was put on accutane for 2 months i believe. And additionally i was given painful laser treatments. It didn’t worsen my acne…..but after the cysts cleared nothing really changed. I’m now just turning 21 and things are continuing as normal. I don’t have cysts thank god….but i’ve never had a clear face since i was 12. I would like to have clear skin again. I’m eating healthier and exercising. I eat more plant-based protein than red meats. So for the last 3 months i’ve been doing this, but nothing seems to affect my acne. Recently i went camping for 2 days and drank beer for the first time. I’ve had such a sudden breakout since then. I’m currently not stressed about it (cuz i’m isolating myself till it clears up) but Its all over my face now and i don’t really want to be seen. So i’m just continuing to eat healthy and wash my face with some arbonne face wash. What should i try now?
@Jonathan, thanks for sharing your story. You say that your acne is not stressing you at the moment. In this case it might be worth to think stress in a bit broader terms. I say this because you mentioned that you isolate yourself because of acne. It’s understandable, but isolation in itself is also a stress. Humans aren’t meant to be alone.
I say this from experience since I used to spend a lot of time by myself also. It’s only later that I realized how much stress and negativity that caused for me.
I have no way to back this up, but it’s my opinion that isolating yourself because of your acne is one of the worst things you can do for yourself. In most cases you think your acne is a much bigger deal than it actually is. You know your situation better than I do, but perhaps it’s better to just go out and be with your friends?
I would also suggest that you eat some fermented foods, such as homemade yogurt. Home made yogurt is one of the few dairy products that’s not linked to acne (in studies, not saying it wouldn’t cause problems for some people).
Acne is also linked to gut issues. These cause inflammation in the body that can aggravate acne. Fermented foods are one of the best ways to help your gut.
@Sarah, please post to my forums and I’ll be happy to guide your further: http://www.clear-for-life.com/community/
@Seppo: hmmm thank you very much……..fermented foods…never heard it put that way. The only terms my mind is set on lately are “organic” and “plant” haha. p.s. i’m hoping to go all out on the gerson therapy diet…..lifestyle is more correct cuz it requires you to be away from certain products and daily use items that contaminate us with every exposure. i want to expel lots of toxins that i suspect are in me. I think it should help with my acne for sure. This last week was just ridiculous cuz i’ve never broken out so severely and so quickly….it took 3-4 days for the front of my face to be just sooooooo covered in painful irritating acne even though i washed my face with cerave every night. this i hope is my last try at finding something that works for my acne…..i will see. I really appreciate you trying to give me advice regarding diet. I will welcome any suggestions as i believe it truly affects almost every aspect of our well-being, and its one of the best ways to combat syndromes and conditions with the body.
@Jonathan, there’s a good reason to suspect acne is linked to gut issues (at least for a percentage of sufferers). A couple of studies show that acne patients have much higher proportion of bacterial imbalance in the gut as compared to those with healthy skin. These gut issues can cause chronic inflammation that can, directly or indirectly, harm the skin. Again there are studies that show that acne patients have lower levels of antioxidants and higher levels of inflammatory chemicals in the blood as compared to those with healthy skin. This is not rock-solid proof of anything, but it’s a reason enough to try gut-healing remedies. And hence the suggestion of trying fermented foods.
It’s ridiculous to tell people to cut out carbs. Carbohydrates are what provide your body with energy. Sure, you may not have some acne, but you can develop ketosis and a whole boat load of other problems! Everything should be consumed in moderation. Without proper amounts of carbohydrates, you can actually experience mood swings, which can lead to more acne! That being said, you should be eating complex carbs, rather than simple (whole wheat/ whole grain instead of white breads and pastas).
Seppo, I came across your website while searching for info on the link between acne and gluten. Like many of the subscribers here, I am at my wit’s end. I am in my 30′s and my acne is worse now than it’s ever been. I had minor acne as an adolescent (surprisingly so since my mother suffered from severe cystic acne). Like most on this site I have been on every medication, tried every topical, used accutane and enjoyed the results for only about a year. My lifestyle is healthy, I cook all my food, rarely eat packaged food or takeout, run, do yoga, and have great friends. However, my skin is oilier than a greased frying pan (in addition to increased facial hair and thinning of the hair on my head). I’ve seen a naturopath for years and no labs or bloodwork screamed with an answer. My cortisol was only slightly elevated. I’m contemplating doing a gluten-free diet. But after coming across your site I’d like your advice. Where should I start? I am so tired of having to hide my face.
@Michele, thanks for your comment and sorry to hear about your troubles.
I just finished a post on hormonal acne, and I think it could help you to understand your problem better. Facial hair and thinning of hair on the head all indicate a hormonal problem. The same hormones that are implicated in acne are implicated in those conditions also.
Gluten-free diet might help, but I don’t think it’s the end-all-do-all solution to acne many websites claim it is. I did a lot of research on gluten and acne. Unfortunately we don’t have enough research data to say for sure, but it does seem like gluten causes problems for a certain percentage of acne sufferers. It’s not a problem for everybody. Still, it’s a worth to give it a shot for 3 to 4 weeks and see what happens.
I would also recommend reducing carbohydrate intake as they are the main drivers of insulin and IGF-1 hormones, which then are the main culprits behind hormonal acne. I don’t recommend low carb diets, but it’s a good idea to limit carbohydrate intake somewhat.
I hope this helps!
@jenna, I’m not sure who that comment was aimed to, but I don’t think I’ve ever recommended a full-blown low carb diet. They work for acne, but they are very impractical and hard to stick to. And you can get similar results with carbohydrate moderation.
The symptoms you described are transient and will pass after a few weeks on a low carb diet (except ketosis on extreme low carb diets). It just takes some time for your body to adjust to running primarily on fat.
@Seppo: thank you very much for your help. i will certainly read your posts on hormonal acne. and other than limiting carbohydrates, do you have any other recommendations?
@Michele N.: Stress management seems to be another important thing in keeping your skin clear. Stress hormones act directly on the skin and can cause it to overproduce sebum. Green tea cream can reduce sebum production also.
@Shannon: try aubrey organics products for acne prone skin. they worked wonders for me, and i am 32 with acne. all the products they sell are all natural. i wish you the best of luck my friend
Has anyone had any experience with Dr. Bronner’s soaps? specifically the Tea Tree. Perhaps Seppo, you have some advice. Thanks.
Julia, sorry but I have no experience with that brand.
I’ve had acne problems since I was 12, I’m twenty now and still have the same problems yet worse. I will give this a go and see how it works; hopefully now I have found a way to get rid of this once and for all!
@Seppo: To Bruno: Wow. Reading about your condition and feelings toward your acne was like looking in a mirror. I’m 45 years old & have been dealing with this crap for at least 33 years. I’ve tried nearly everything you have. I was so desperate I even gave accutane a whirl, but had to quit because of the side effects like retinopathy, and severe muscle fatigue & cramps. If you find anything that greatly works for you, please let me know!