Acne has been the bane of my existence for most of my life. Since my teenage years, I’ve had to deal with the waxing and waning of some pretty severe acne. I’ve been on strong prescription topical treatments as well as antibiotics over the years. I almost went on Accutane at one point. What I’ve learned is that acne will most likely never go away completely. I have to keep it under control by keeping my skin clean and treated on a consistent basis, by eating a diet that provides the nutrients my body needs so that my skin stays clear, taking supplements for nutrients that can’t be gotten as easily through diet, staying away from foods that cause reactions, and using clean towels, sheets, and pillowcases. Being mindful of certain medication doses is also important. Genetics may also play a role and can motivate me to stay consistent with what I need to do to keep clear skin.
One huge cause of my acne is food reactions. My skin cleared significantly after going gluten-free, but then my acne came back with a vengeance due to continued exposure through cross-contamination. Working on all the sources of cross-contamination over the years helped clear my acne. Also, taking antihistamines soon after a reaction helps keep acne in check. Other foods that have caused reactions and contributed to acne are flaxseed (which caused a high eosinophil reaction), guar gum, and acesulfame potassium. Ironically enough, foods that are major sources of acne for many people, dairy and sugar, don’t seem to have any kind of negative impact on me. I try not to eat either in significant amounts, but they are a part of my diet. I’ve never noticed any negative skin issues from consuming either of these foods and don’t plan on cutting them unless other circumstances dictate that I do so.
Another huge cause of my acne is nutrient deficiencies and/or imbalances. Balancing copper and zinc in my diet as well as vitamin E and iron and vitamin A with my vitamin D supplement helped me to get and keep clear skin for several months. Later, a deficiency in folate and possibly other B vitamins caused my acne to worsen. At this time, I’m trying to figure out what and how I need to supplement with regards to the B vitamins. I’ve not been able to stick with the same supplement for any longer than a few weeks; however, I have noticed a difference with what I’ve tried so far. My skin is pretty clear currently. Hopefully things will continue to improve as I figure out the correct supplementation for me. Also, when my dermatologist suggested I take 5,000 mcg of biotin to help with nail problems I had mentioned, I decided to try a lower dose, 1,000 mcg. I took it for around two weeks and noticed my acne getting worse. I had to eliminate the supplement in order to clear my skin. Taking an excessive amount of a nutrient can also cause breakouts.
Not using skin products properly and not consistently using clean sheets, towels, and pillowcases were also huge contributors to my acne. Several years ago, my acne had gotten really bad. My dermatologist had decided to try me on a different antibiotic. I was using Bactrim DS, which had been really effective, but my dermatologist wanted to try something different. My acne came back much, much worse as a result. It had gotten so bad that he wanted me to think strongly about trying Accutane. In the meantime, he put me back on the Bactrim. I took some literature home and began reading information online. That was when I discovered tips about using clean sheets and towels, among other things that I’d not heard previously. It’s amazing I’d not thought about things that should be so obvious on my own. I started reading the instructions that came with my prescription topicals so I could be sure I was using them properly and began to be much more diligent about using clean towels, pillowcases, and sheets. My skin began to clear significantly. My doctor didn’t say anything else about putting me on Accutane.
There are also various other, more minor things I’ve noticed over the years that have caused issues with my acne. I’ve noticed in the past when being on the wrong dosage of thyroid medication, levothyroxine in my case, my acne would get worse. I could be on too high or too low of a dosage; either could cause breakouts. Using certain shampoos and conditioners also caused breakouts. I used Pantene hair products for a long time, but when I switched from those to another brand, my skin seemed to clear quite a bit. I now use Prell, and it causes no problems with my skin. I’ve been using it for several years. During my teen years, I would use hair spray on my bangs, and it would end up sticking to my forehead, causing breakouts there. Using too high of a percentage of benzoyl peroxide cream on my face in more than just spots caused my skin to become dry and irritated, which in turn caused an increase in acne.
Genetics may also be a reason my skin is so acne-prone. I found out through 23andMe testing that I have at least two SNPs with alleles that increase my risk for severe acne, rs7531806(A;A) and rs747650(A;G). Knowing that my genetic makeup may be a reason I’ve had such trouble with acne over the years is enough for me to stay diligent with a good skin care regimen. Things that may not cause an issue with others’ skin could easily cause issues with mine because of genetics.
Over the years, I’ve used many prescription topical and oral medications for my acne, but I’ve recently begun using a regimen of only over-the-counter products. I use a face wash with salicylic acid twice a day. I use a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide cream on my face in the morning and a retinol cream on my face at night. I use a 10% benzoyl peroxide cream as a spot treatment when needed. I also use moisturizer on my face twice a day. So far, along with my other changes, these have helped keep my skin clear. As another bonus, I don’t suffer from the eye irritation that I’ve had from other products I’ve used in the past.
While my skin is pretty clear now, I know there will never be a point where my skin will just be clear and I’ll never get acne again. It’ll never be cured; I can only control it. With all the factors in my life that can cause acne, acne is pretty much inevitable. My hope is that by sticking to a diet that is healthy for my body (and taking supplements as necessary), keeping up with a good skin care regimen, avoiding reactive foods, avoiding products that irritate my skin, and using clean sheets, towels, and pillowcases against my skin, I’ll be able to keep my skin clear for the most part and keep any severe acne breakouts at bay.
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