Acne

[Lotus97]

I have a specific problem with acne, but I thought I'd keep the title open-ended so anyone can post their own questions about acne to keep this thread applicable to more people.

I've had small acne marks dispersed more or less evenly around my face for my whole adult life. For the past few months at least if not longer I've had one large patch of acne only on the left side of my face. I've had 2 crashes in the past 6 months. I can think of more information later, but I'm wondering if anyone knows what could cause it. I almost positive I have Lyme. I've also considered possible mercury exposure due to a cracked tooth with an amalgam, but I'm much less certain about this.

 

[WillowJ]

I've had acne all my adult life, too (as well as during my teen years, but it's more expected then). On my trunk as well as my face. My sister says there is some autoimmune disease that causes acne-like spots, and we wonder about that. I have not looked it up.

Mine is worse by my hairline or where my hair falls on my face when I cannot wash my hair at least every second day (which is often at present). It is also worse if I do not change my pillow case often (I try to change it at least twice a week, but if I let it go all week, my face gets worse).

I use a separate cloth for my face than for my hands (and try to change it often, too, like every second day if I can remember), and a separate bar of soap (or I buy a face wash - sensitive skin not an acne wash - but those are a bit more expensive).

 

[Emootje]

Insulin/IGF-1/FoxO signaling and acne
"Acne is epidemic in adolescents of Western life style and absent in populations consuming a Paleolithic diet excluding sugar, grains and dairy like the Kitava islanders who exhibit low basal insulin levels compared with age-matched Europeans. Accumulating evidence supports the view that consumption of hyperglycemic carbohydrates and insulinotropic dairy are the driving force of the acne epidemic in Western countries. IGF-1 is a strong stimulator of sebaceous lipogenesis and acne pathogenesis has been linked to elevated IIS with consecutive nuclear FoxO deficiency. Moreover, IGF-1 stimulates androgen receptor signaling by increasing adrenal and gonadal androgen synthesis as well as androgen receptor transactivation by nuclear extrusion of the androgen receptor cosuppressor FoxO1. Thus, acne can be considered as a visible model disease of exaggerated IIS during puberty aggravated by Western diet, just the opposite of deficient IIS in untreated Laron subjects who do not develop acne. On the other hand, seborrhea, acne, T2D and cancer are frequently observed in acromegaly with increased GH/IGF-1 signaling in comparison to healthy controls.
Intriguingly, an association between the prevalence of severe tetracycline-treated acne and increased risk of prostate cancer later in life has been observed"

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/pdf/1743-7075-8-41.pdf

 

[adreno]

Zinc and Olive Leaf Extract has cleared up my acne problems.

 

[Rand56]

Zinc works very well on my acne too. Staying more hydrated and washing my face "less" helps too.

 

[Seven7]

I get acne because of b12 no matter the form (mb12,ab12,cb12...)

 

[Junto]

Here is a very well researched and referenced paper on the subject, hope it helps. I've also read there is a gut health component to this.

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2013/02/what-causes-acne-an-overview/

 

[Lotus97]

Zinc and Olive Leaf Extract has cleared up my acne problems.

Do do you know why the olive leaf extract helps? Could it be from killing some sort of pathogen? For example, I read about someone who found that treating candida cleared up their acne. Although that article Junto mentions says it could be from inflammation and olive leaf extract is also anti-inflammatory.

 

[adreno]

Do do you know why the olive leaf extract helps? Could it be from killing some sort of pathogen? For example, I read about someone who found that treating candida cleared up their acne. Although that article Junto mentions says it could be from inflammation and olive leaf extract is also anti-inflammatory.

That could be why yes, I really do not know.

 

[GCheung]

Adreno, how much Olive leaf extracts and zinc did you take to clear up your acne? I am also trying the olive leaf extracts ( almost 2 weeks) and haven't seen any improvement yet. Thanks!

 

[adreno]

Adreno, how much Olive leaf extracts and zinc did you take to clear up your acne? I am also trying the olive leaf extracts ( almost 2 weeks) and haven't seen any improvement yet. Thanks!

60 mg zinc and 3 x 500 mg OLE.

 

[GCheung]

60 mg zinc and 3 x 500 mg OLE.[/quot

Thank you, Adreno, for your fast response! How long did you start to see some improvement? Did you get worse before it gets better? Did you experience any die-off reaction? Thanks!

 

[adreno]

It got better within a few days.

 

[Dufresne]

I recently discovered the cause of the pimples on my back that I never used to have: a low-carb, high-fat diet. Apparently vitamin B5 can be helpful with this but it hasn’t done much for me yet.

 

[jamesrobert]

Olive Leaf Extract works well for my acne problem. Also i have heard that applying ice on the acne helps to reduce it.

 

[Tally]

I've had very mild acne, almost non-existent when I was a teenager but since I got ME it's been getting worse. I seriously doubt it has anything to do with what I eat because I eat Mediterranean diet, and I've also been on a low GI diet since I was 12.

Now my face is a mine field. And I also have a patch on the right side of my chin that is maybe 2 inches in diameter that is riddled with acne.

This all has been followed with increased hairiness on my face, thighs and even neck. I wonder if it could be hormones?

I tried glycolic acid, salicylic acid, as well as benzoyl peroxide for many months but it had no effect.

 

[Tally]

Oh and I forgot to mention they get worse with PMS, but they are on my face all month long.

 

[Leopardtail]

I tend to get the black-head/white-head type Acne during recovery my suspicion is that it's caused by sudden recovery of the lymphatic system and elimination of waste material via the skin. This would not likely cause the yellow-head type Acne though.

 

[pattismith]

I do have the same problem all my adult life long (face and also scalp in the worst days)
The surges are concomittant with my hormonal cycles

the only think that worked, and that i still use is Mustard powder + water (or with free soap gel).
Apply, then wait 1 or 2 minutes, then remove; Morning and evening. Be carefull with eyes and ears.

It's my only shampoo for several years.

Crotamiton cream works fine also when I have a baddly inflammed spot, morning and evening after the mustard powder.

These two products (Mustard and Crotamiton) are active against mites, and specially Demodex mites that live in our skin.
It may help for Rosacea as well!