Adult acne is something I’ve struggled with for the past 8 years.
Throughout my teens and early 20′s I was blessed with clear skin. When I turned 24 I suddenly turned into a total pizza face. I started to get breakouts that were centered around my chin area. The bumps were large, red and painful. Around this time, I also was going through a “Quarter Life Crisis.” I’d just graduated university and was completely broke. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and was trying to navigate the world of interviews and first jobs. At a time when I really needed to feel adult and confident, my body was going through a second adolescence. I was so frustrated with my skin that some days I’d look in the mirror and just want to cry.
Salvation came one day when I was wandering around my favorite bookstore and stumbled across the book “The Clear Skin Diet” by Alan C. Logan and Valori Treloar. This book honestly changed my life. The basic premise is that most acne can be cured by changing your diet. It also shows how achieving healthy skin is as much about what you are eating as what you aren’t eating. I started following the tips in the book and I noticed a huge difference in my skin and overall, mood & health.
The Clear Skin Diet explains how foods such as sugar, dairy, saturated fats and low fibre carbohydrates increase inflammation in the skin and influence the hormones that cause acne. By subtracting these kinds of foods and adding in tasty, skin-friendly foods that are rich in vitamins and Omega 3 fatty acids, your skin will clear up.
Here are a few tips that I picked up from the book & from personal experience that might help you if you are also suffering from adult acne:
If you’re going to eat wheat, eat whole wheat: White flour converts to sugar which then increases the level of inflammation and oxidative stress on the skin. Switch your regular pasta for wholegrain pasta. Choose a bread that is whole wheat & preferably has other good stuff in it like sunflower & flax seeds which are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.
Stop eating so much dairy: Sadly, dairy products are loaded full of hormones that influence acne causing hormones in humans. Secondly, milk often contains high levels of iodine which has been linked with exacerbating acne. This is a tough one for me. I cut dairy out completely initially but have slowly reintroduced it in moderation. I try and eat as little as possible but sometimes it’s hard to resist a triple cream brie.
Eliminate foods with gluten: Gluten has also been linked to acne. I took things a step further and completely cut out wheat & all other foods containing gluten. This has made a huge difference in the color and texture of my skin. Everything is smoother and less red.
Stay away from processed foods: Most processed foods contain lots of the “bad stuff” I just listed above. They are often highly refined and loaded with salt & chemicals which can lead to inflammation & acne.
Omega 3 fatty acids are your friend: Eat them. Love them. Your skin will thank you. Foods that are rich in Omega 3′s: wild salmon, walnuts, avocados, spinach, collard greens, kale, strawberries (you can find more here). Eating lots of these foods will literally make your skin glow. One of my favorite meals that I eat when I want my skin to look extra great is grilled salmon with a side of brown rice & a spinach salad topped with chopped avocado and strawberries. Green smoothies are also a good way to get your skin-loving greens and fruits all in one glass.
Drink lots of water and Green Tea. Loaded with antioxidants, Green Tea is great for your skin however, beware of iced green tea beverages – they are often loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup!
Take Vitamins: I take Omega 3 supplements daily. I also take Zinc, a Vitamin B complex, Vitamin D (to prevent the flu!) and Cod Liver Oil. Other good skin helpers: Vitamin A, Vitamin E & Iron.
Once I started subtracting the inflammation producing “bad foods” and adding the “good foods” to my diet I noticed a huge difference in how my skin looked and felt. I also noticed an overall improvement in how I felt both mentally and physically. Looking back, when I was having a lot of acne problems I was eating a lot of TV dinners, processed foods & things of the starchy cheesy variety. It makes sense that changing my diet changed my skin.
Lastly, although all of this diet stuff definitely helps keep your skin clear, sometimes you do need to call in the “big guns”. If you are still have lingering break-outs, I would suggest visiting a dermatologist. You might need to get a prescription acne cream or anti-biotic to kill off any residual acne causing bacteria. From my experience, a prescription acne cream helped speed up the healing process. When combined with healthy eating habits I was eventually able to use the prescription cream less and less.
Questions? Need Skin care tips? Let’s Talk!
