Help me find a cure for my acne after 25 years. I'm so worn down.

[Anonymous]

I find it so amazing that people can just nonchalantly be like "cut out all dairy, gluten and sugar from your diet".

So basically you will be miserable but maybe your acne will get better!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD did Accutane three times. Her skin looked great for about six months after finishing each course and then it went back.

Her OB then clinically diagnosed PCOS based on the acne and infrequent periods (otherwise, she is thin) and ordered a hormonal panel test. Her testosterone level was over 100. Was put on spiro and hasn't had an outbreak since.

Strongly recommend a hormonal panel before doing Accutane. Wish this had been recommended to my DD before trying this medication. (Three times--yikes!)

What nutritional hormonal panels do you request? Daughter 15 had acne since age 12. She recently had blood test but doctor said results were “normal.” I suspect I didn’t ask clearly — don’t know details about which to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know 3 young people who got ulcerative colitis from Accutane. Definitely take probiotics with it and if you quit it take massive amounts of probiotics.

Acne is a minor inconvenience compared to ulcerative colitis.

Is doxycycline better? Daughter taking it and I worry about long term effect.

[Anonymous]

One group I am in acne keeps coming up and they keep mentioning that a Crest toothpaste can cause problems and to use plain Colgate. I have no clue if this would help. Also, I use some MUAC products and they seem to have good reviews for their acne products.
https://www.makeupartistschoice.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it so amazing that people can just nonchalantly be like "cut out all dairy, gluten and sugar from your diet".

So basically you will be miserable but maybe your acne will get better!

Eh, after you’ve gone to a client meeting, or a dinner party, or back to school night with huge embarrassing pimples enough times, you’ll be fine giving up a little ice cream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it so amazing that people can just nonchalantly be like "cut out all dairy, gluten and sugar from your diet".

So basically you will be miserable but maybe your acne will get better!

Actually, I cut dairy and gluten from my diet because I have an autoimmune condition that was crippling me and not getting any better. It wasn't just for funsies.

When I did that, my acne of 20+ years disappeared. If I "cheat" and eat even trace dairy, I usually have a cystic acne bump within 24 hours, as well as digestive issues.

So yes, you will be miserable. You will either be miserable with acne, be miserable with uncontrolled disease, or be miserable having to restrict your diet. Since I never ever thought I would feel better or ever get rid of acne on top of that, just being miserable with my diet is an improvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it so amazing that people can just nonchalantly be like "cut out all dairy, gluten and sugar from your diet".

So basically you will be miserable but maybe your acne will get better!

Actually, I cut dairy and gluten from my diet because I have an autoimmune condition that was crippling me and not getting any better. It wasn't just for funsies.

When I did that, my acne of 20+ years disappeared. If I "cheat" and eat even trace dairy, I usually have a cystic acne bump within 24 hours, as well as digestive issues.

So yes, you will be miserable. You will either be miserable with acne, be miserable with uncontrolled disease, or be miserable having to restrict your diet. Since I never ever thought I would feel better or ever get rid of acne on top of that, just being miserable with my diet is an improvement.

I'm glad you are doing better but the OP didn't mention anything about having an autoimmune disease so this is your personal experience and not relevant.

For most people giving up complete categories of foods is not easy and usually there is no real reason for it barring allergies or other reactions.

Dairy, gluten and sugar are in SO MANY THINGS. I could maybe understand giving up one but all three would be incredibly restrictive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it so amazing that people can just nonchalantly be like "cut out all dairy, gluten and sugar from your diet".

So basically you will be miserable but maybe your acne will get better!

Actually, I cut dairy and gluten from my diet because I have an autoimmune condition that was crippling me and not getting any better. It wasn't just for funsies.

When I did that, my acne of 20+ years disappeared. If I "cheat" and eat even trace dairy, I usually have a cystic acne bump within 24 hours, as well as digestive issues.

So yes, you will be miserable. You will either be miserable with acne, be miserable with uncontrolled disease, or be miserable having to restrict your diet. Since I never ever thought I would feel better or ever get rid of acne on top of that, just being miserable with my diet is an improvement.

I'm glad you are doing better but the OP didn't mention anything about having an autoimmune disease so this is your personal experience and not relevant.

For most people giving up complete categories of foods is not easy and usually there is no real reason for it barring allergies or other reactions.

Dairy, gluten and sugar are in SO MANY THINGS. I could maybe understand giving up one but all three would be incredibly restrictive.

Not PP, but most people don’t need to cut out all three of those categories. You just need to figure out what your “trigger” is. Anecdotally, most people I’ve seen who had success with this method only cut out dairy. Some only cut out added sugar. Cutting added sugar is pretty easy if you eat healthfully to begin with, and these days there are a ton of dairy alternatives out there, so it’s not quite as life-altering as it may sound.

[Anonymous]

There is a CURE for acne - accutane.

Spironolactone I wouldn't take. It modifies your hormones and isn't permanent. I'm sorry no one suggested Accutane years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know 3 young people who got ulcerative colitis from Accutane. Definitely take probiotics with it and if you quit it take massive amounts of probiotics.

Acne is a minor inconvenience compared to ulcerative colitis.

Is doxycycline better? Daughter taking it and I worry about long term effect.

Other than a sun rash, doxycycline has been on the market for 60 years and is very safe.

[Anonymous]

Accutane was the answer for me. There are doctors willing to prescribe it for even mild to moderate cases of acne that fail to respond to other medications. You may have to be persistent with them and be willing to jump through whatever hoops they ask of you beforehand, but it's not an unreasonable request.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it so amazing that people can just nonchalantly be like "cut out all dairy, gluten and sugar from your diet".

So basically you will be miserable but maybe your acne will get better!

I'm a pp who was able to control persistent mild acne with dietary changes.

Cutting out or at least minimizing added sugar is easy if you already eat healthy. Eating fruit or even drinking wine/beer (natural sugar) is not a trigger but a couple of days eating cookies/cakes/etc regularly, most definitely.

Dairy is the big trigger for me. I'm Chinese. Dairy isn't really part of my native cuisine so it's not like I'm really giving anything up, for the most part. I really only consume dairy when I eat non-Chinese foods and I can live with eating some dishes only a couple times a year.

Yesterday, I had saag paneer for the first time in 6+months. It was delicious. I woke up with 3 pimples. I can live with this.

[Anonymous]

Try to keep blood sugar level consistent. That really helps me. I don't think it is the carbs, sugar or dairy, so much as it is the big swing in blood sugar that triggers my cystic acne. Plus daily exercise and water.

[Anonymous]

Have you read about fungal acne? The regular methods don't work for it as they tend to beed yeast and target the wrong bacteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it so amazing that people can just nonchalantly be like "cut out all dairy, gluten and sugar from your diet".

So basically you will be miserable but maybe your acne will get better!

Actually, I cut dairy and gluten from my diet because I have an autoimmune condition that was crippling me and not getting any better. It wasn't just for funsies.

When I did that, my acne of 20+ years disappeared. If I "cheat" and eat even trace dairy, I usually have a cystic acne bump within 24 hours, as well as digestive issues.

So yes, you will be miserable. You will either be miserable with acne, be miserable with uncontrolled disease, or be miserable having to restrict your diet. Since I never ever thought I would feel better or ever get rid of acne on top of that, just being miserable with my diet is an improvement.

I'm glad you are doing better but the OP didn't mention anything about having an autoimmune disease so this is your personal experience and not relevant.

For most people giving up complete categories of foods is not easy and usually there is no real reason for it barring allergies or other reactions.



Dairy, gluten and sugar are in SO MANY THINGS. I could maybe understand giving up one but all three would be incredibly restrictive.

It was not easy but I gave it up to get in remission with an inflammatory bowel disease. Diarreah 10 times per day for close to a year. Prescription drugs,
don't heal the condition and the side effects were horrible. I did not want to go on the Anti TNF drugs and shut down my immune system. So yes,
it was not easy but it sure beat Diarreah 10 times per day for close to a year. I've been prescription drug free for 10 years and in remission.