Sunday, September 20, 2015

Acne and Diet


32 years old and now acne free. Read below to see my acne journey.

Like most people I started getting acne at puberty.  I always thought I would grow out of it and that it was just a bad case of hormones going wild.  Little did I know that it was an issue that I was going to have to deal with well off in to my adult years.  

Like most people who have acne I tried everything.  I thought my face had to have been dirty for me to get so many breakouts, so I washed my face constantly.  I used every over the counter acne product on the market.  Nothing seemed to work.  I then discovered the power of benzyl peroxide and used a popular acne system, Proactive for years.  For the most part it cleared my acne, however it was harsh on my skin.  My skin was always very dry, red, and peeling due to the strong  chemicals found in the product.  

Bride to be getting ready for my big day.  You can see some of my cystic pimples on my cheek.



While using proactive I started getting cystic pimples.  I realized the Proactive was no longer working and so I stopped using it.  Well that caused a huge side effect.  You see benzyl peroxide works by killing the bacteria on your face.  When you no longer use it, the bacteria gets excited and trys to make up for lost time.  So the end result meant I had a worse breakout then when I started.  I believe this is how they keep you hooked on their products.  They know that when you stop your face will break out, which means you have to return to the product.  Well,  I said enough was enough.  I stayed tough through the process of my skin adjusting to not using the proactive. 

 Eventually the breakouts was not as serious, but I of course still had the acne.  I decided to go the natural route.  I tried several natural face products hoping that maybe going back to nature would fix my problem.  The natural products were not as harsh as the benzyl peroxide, so I didn't have as much dry skin, inflammation, or flaking.  However it didn't cure my acne.

I then decided to see an expert.  So I made an appointment with the dermatologist.  She prescribed antibiotics and a special face cream.  The antibiotics worked great.  However after using them constantly I was getting concerned about  getting immune to it.  I asked the dermatologist for another option.  She prescribed birth control to help balance my hormones.  That didn't work so next she prescribed a retinol cream.  It too helped eliminate my acne.  however it was very harsh on my skin and I was still having cystic pimples.  My skin was becoming inflamed from putting so many different things on my face.  I went to the dermatologist the last time and wanted a solution to my acne.  She said I was a candidate for Accutane,  a serious treatment with a high dose of vitamin A.  She said I would have to use birth control because it can cause serious birth defects.  That scared me.  So I decided to do some research before making such a drastic decision.  Side effects of Accutane include dry skin, itchy rash, dry mouth and eyes, and hair loss,  WHAT!!  Hair loss!  That was a deal breaker for me.  i did not want to take my chances with my hair falling out so I said no thank you and decided to look for a solution  on my own.

I did much research and I found that diet is  one of the biggest culprits to acne.   I did some reflection on my own diet.  I didn't really have a bad diet.  I ate whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, so I wasn't sure if what I was reading was true.  Well I decided it never hurts to try.  So I tried changing my diet by removing certain food items from my diet to see how my skin reacted.  Some of the food items that I found made me breakout were food items that has been considered "healthy" foods, but for some reason, my body does not do well with them and so caused my breakouts.  The change didn't happen overnight and it took a few weeks to actually to start seeing a change.  It took some time to determine which foods caused my acne.  But once I found the food items I cured my acne completely.  I no longer have cystic acne, pimples, or black heads.  I do not use any medications.  the face products I use on my face ore basic face soaps with no added ingredients for acne.  

My family and friends are shocked at my transformation.  I struggled with acne for over 20 years, with the last few years being the worst with the cystic acne.  And I was able to cure my acne with just changing my diet.  

If you have acne, you too can cure your acne.  I am available to help you with your journey.  It is a complicated road and a puzzle determining which foods cause your acne.  But I assure you it is a road that can be conquered if you are determined.  If you would like me to help you, please visit my website at www.stacieellisrdn.com.  No one should have to live with acne.  And you can get pass this, one bite at a time.


Stacie with no make up on. I no longer have any cystic pimples.  My only breakouts now are by choice, because I know what foods cause my breakouts.  I am now control of my acne, instead of acne being control of me.




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