Acne/Dairy Connection?

[CrunchyKnitter]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, but I'm at a total loss here and need some opinions, support, advice from those who have been there, etc.

Long story short - my skin is horrible and always has been. I'd say moderate, but persistent (often painful/cystic or white heads) acne. And everything sticks around forever and leaves red scares.

Anyway, I've tried just about everything there is out there (all natural remedies, everything at the derm short of Acutane, etc) and finally found a few years ago that eliminating dairy from my diet (even though I never really ate that much to begin with, I'm not a milk drinker) made the most improvement, but it was hard to stick with.

Flash forward to getting pregnant and having a baby last August and my skin has been a MESS. Worse than usual. I have PCOS so that doesn't help and recently I was diagnosed with an auto immune disorder (ITP) and put on steroids (Prednisone). Been on them since early February and found that my skin became perfectly clear!

While, I am (thankfully otherwise) being weaned off them (started at 60 mg and am down to 20 this week and will be down to 10 byt he end of the week) but since I went down to 20 mg my skin has flared up like crazy again.

I've already gone Gluten Free to help with ITP (it seems as though reducing inflammation in the body can help with that) and now I am thinking of doing dairy free again.

I'm just at a loss about my skin. I wish that wasn't the cause, but I just don't know what to do anymore.

Has anyone else had a similar situation? Does anyone else avoid dairy because of something like this? I hate feeling so restricted (I don't do soy products so that limits me even more).

Thoughts? About acne in general?

[Aka mommy]

Me! I avoid dairy, but it's near impossible when I'm pregnant because i CRAVE cheese like nothing else. So my face errupts and i'm miserable. I have done everything, including Accutane back in my early 20's.

Recently i tried the Acne Free system (bought it at target) and while my skin isn't where i would love it to be, it is helping a lot along with cutting out dairy.

I'm sorry, it really is a miserable thing. Nobody wants to walk around with loads of break outs (mine are cystic no less). I hope cutting out dairy can help! It's worth a shot to try the Acne Free for sensitive skin, it only cost me $20.

[CrunchyKnitter]

Thanks, sorry you are going through it, too.
I did the same thing when I was pregnant last year "I'm pregnant, I deserve cheese, ice cream, etc". I had to have it and my face paid for it and my hormones are so wacky now that there's been no turning back.

Unfortunately I have tried that system with no luck. I don't like putting the harsh chemicals on my face (but probably would if they even worked) and I've found that my skin can't tolerate benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which are the two "acne fighters" in all those types of products.

Right now I am using Earth Science/Earth Essentials cleanser and moisturizer and it's hard to say how it works because it was fine for my skin on the high dose of steroids and now of course my skin is all messed up again...which makes me think it's all INTERNAL and maybe what I put on it topically really makes no difference.

[Aka mommy]

Yeah i have always had really bad reactions to benzoyl and the salicylic acid too. I modified the system for myself because i was peeling and red as a beet! I only wash in the morning with the face wash, then at night i apply the astringent and the 4th step. Then every few days i'll throw the 3rd step in for the mornings. But i still have to be uber careful.

I really want my face the way it was after a year of Accutane lol. Sadly, my pregnancies have ruined it all! Though i dont seem to get like this when im not pregnant or breast feeding. I'm sorry. It really does suck. Do you make sure that all your products are sulfa free?

I totally agree that it's internal. Related to hormones. The topical stuff is great to try and speed up the clearing and healing. But the breaks outs are going to continue until you can get to the bottom of what is causing it. You know? Do you think it could be related to high estrogen? Isn't that common with PCOS? I wonder if the steriod relates to testosterone levels?

What about dandelion root? I know that when i'm on it, my face does better. Though i was slacking and just started it these last few weeks of this pregnant (hmmm maybe thats why my skin has been clearing and not the acne free afterall).

[CrunchyKnitter]

I know how you feel...I was given spironolactone a few years ago for my skin and that helped as well, but I don't feel comfortable being on drugs anymore for it. Esp because I feel like that's just masking the problem, now seeing what the steroids did to help, I can see that it's definitely internal/hormonal (yeah, def. relates to PCOS) and I would love to get to the bottom of it, possibly by doing an anti-inflammatory diet (mainly going gluten and dairy free). It's so hard to eliminate it all though...I want someone to tell me "yes, that is what's wrong and that will fix it, it will be worth it!" lol

[Aka mommy]

Originally Posted by CrunchyKnitter

I know how you feel...I was given spironolactone a few years ago for my skin and that helped as well, but I don't feel comfortable being on drugs anymore for it. Esp because I feel like that's just masking the problem, now seeing what the steroids did to help, I can see that it's definitely internal/hormonal (yeah, def. relates to PCOS) and I would love to get to the bottom of it, possibly by doing an anti-inflammatory diet (mainly going gluten and dairy free). It's so hard to eliminate it all though...I want someone to tell me "yes, that is what's wrong and that will fix it, it will be worth it!" lol

I totally understand. It's how i feel about my back labors lol! I hope you're able to find something! Let me know how your anti-imflammatory diet goes, i was dx'ed with PCOS when i was 21. But i never believed it was a correct dx.

[Boobs]

subbing

[deditus]

I am gluten, soy, dairy, and egg free. That pretty much cleared up my acne, but I also take some supplements that I think have helped: B Complex, extra biotin, extra B5, fish oil, clo, milk thistle. I think acne is closely associated with liver stress - the liver can't handle everything it needs to detox and thus your skin is carrying some load. The liver stress can come from eating foods you are sensitive to.

[CrunchyKnitter]

Originally Posted by deditus

I am gluten, soy, dairy, and egg free. That pretty much cleared up my acne, but I also take some supplements that I think have helped: B Complex, extra biotin, extra B5, fish oil, clo, milk thistle. I think acne is closely associated with liver stress - the liver can't handle everything it needs to detox and thus your skin is carrying some load. The liver stress can come from eating foods you are sensitive to.

It's interesting you mentioned the liver because I think that as well! I am making a Whole Foods trip today and might pick up some of these supplements.... what is "clo"? Thanks
ETA: Nevermind, I googled it! cod liver oil