So it’s been passed one year since I finally got some control over my acne! It’s been a slow process, but the result is significantly better than what it was a year ago, or even two! From trying out the Korean skincare routine, using face masks regularly, and getting treatments, I now understand why people used to say that consistency is key when it comes to skincare. Without continued use, I may not have got the results I do now.
I’m excited to share with you my complete process, in this update I’ve included pictures way back from the beginning of 2013 when I started documenting my acne journey, which I hope won’t gross you out too much. I’ve learned much through my acne and skin problems to say that I AM NOT MY SKIN, and therefore I share these pictures with ease and no shame. I hope it inspires and gives someone out there hope that there’s a natural way to treat acne, and that it can be controlled without spending lots of money on expensive treatments, regimes and medication with severe side effects.
Read Part 1 if you’ve missed it!
That was me just two years ago, in the beginning of my green beauty journey. Just before this in 2012, I went on roaccutan and antibiotics for a third time in my life, but the acne just wouldn’t quit, and it got more aggressive. Matters got worse when I got struck by chronic dizziness and ringing in the ears which practically happened over night that autumn. After three months of doctor appointments and tests, they couldn’t find any cause for it, and I was faced with the thought that it would always be like this for now. This was heartbreaking for me to comprehend, it was like my life was over – actually, getting a cancer sentence at the time sounded better than for the rest of my life not being able to do simple tasks without getting a headache.
The stress over what was happening to my body made my skin even worse, I hated not having control over my body, and the more I worried the worse I felt. My worry was making me even sicker.
I couldn’t control my dizziness, there wasn’t any information on how to reverse it or treat it, it was simply to just “live with it”. I resented the fact that there was a chance I would never be normal again, so I decided to switch my focus on what I could try to cure–my acne. Because I couldn’t be actively focused, a simple thing like reading was very hard for me, I spent most days in front of YouTube researching beauty tips on how to cure acne naturally.
I quickly learned that vitamins are important, but I didn’t see the logic in spending money on expensive supplements to take for the rest of my life to control my acne, there has to be a better and cheaper option. Why not just get my vitamins through food? I thought. And one day I came across one video that would change the way I live my life. In many ways, my mission to heal myself from acne is what also cured me from my chronic dizziness, helped me back to a vibrant state of being and brought me into the perfect health I am in now.
So thank you Acne! ;)
2013
These pictures were taken in conjunction to my new regime of Dermalogica Medibac Clearing-line of products, Clarisonic, Pai Rosehip Oil and Caudalie Vinoperfect Radience Serum… Which I never bothered to review because I had conflicting opinions about it and I later realized Pai’s rosehip oil was actually doing all the work. I also started taking B5 with L-Cysteine, hence why my acne doesn’t look too severe, it actually looks like it’s winding down. I basically started documenting my face when I had the brilliant idea of sharing my experience of B5. Before this, my face was looking pretty severe thanks to REN ClearCalm3 regime…
Around May, I found out about the Raw Food diet and wanted to try something more sustainable than popping 10 pills a day for the rest of my life. I dropped B5 + L-Cysteine, and as expected, my acne came back.
That summer wasn’t too good to my face, a mix of detox and I don’t know. I thought it would get better so I waited months to take a picture, until November when I realized it’s not getting better, it’s actually getting way worse! As you can see on the two last pictures, my skin had just turned smooth with no breakouts to turn all bumpy and aggravated again after I’ve gone off B5 and switched to a pretty strict HCLF raw food diet.
2014 – Present
At the end of 2013, I started to turn to alternative methods again. I had tried everything diet wise I could think of at the time: no dairy, no gluten, vegan, plantbased, low fat, high fat, eating fermented foods, juice cleanse to monomeal cleanse, together with yoga and distressing tools, but I wasn’t seeing the result I wanted. It started to get cystic and itchy again. One thing I hadn’t tried was an Ayurvedic eating and thinking, and quickly jumped on that. I knew that many mix raw food with the teachings of Ayurveda with good results. I took it a step further and looked into different herbs for detoxing and skin problems, as well as incorporated the methods into my skincare. I started caring for my face as it was sensitive and reactive, not just acne-prone. I switched to milk and cream cleansers, and only used oils on my face. This helped a lot, and after a month or two of taking the herbal supplementation some acne started to resolve, but it wasn’t significantly better. Yep, I’m high demanding, but for good reason! I didn’t want to turn to pills again, but after starting to dabble with it again I felt less conflicting to try more alternatives.
Also, the Ayurvedic way of eating wasn’t for me, eating according to Pitta-dosha didn’t help my skin at all.
And when you’ve found something you feel comfortable with you kind of stick to it, so I went back to my 801010/Beauty Detox Solution-inspired way of eating. I started rereading Kimberly Snyder’s book, and Probiotics kept popping up everywhere in my research. So finally I decided to do her diet strictly all over again and this time do it properly. I ordered two bottles of Probiotics and this has been the on going result of that. :)
*Majority of pictures are taken with flash and on the more severe side, my left side.
What Happened to my Acne after I stopped taking Probiotics?
I was on the Probiotics for two months, and after I stopped taking them my cystic acne resolved and my skin problem continued–but slowly–getting better and better. With better I mean:
- Less eruptions – As there was fewer eruptions there weren’t any new scars developing, so the existing scars could finally heal with visible result. My defining of “eruption” is either a pimple/cyst or blood filled bump that cracks open itself without any picking or squeezing… or the help with that. The last time a blood filled bump erupted was in November, since then my skin has been rarely problematic or has created new dark-spots for me.
- No cystic acne and less pimples that hurt/itch – Within the two months and after, I’ve felt a lesser need to squeeze or pick a pimple which has helped keep the skin calm and avoiding aggravation. Because there’s never any sqeeze-me-whispering-bumps anymore, I’m less prone to picking. Though, I do sometimes, after some steaming, pinch out black heads now and then, but they’ve become less and less.
- No PMS/hormone-driven acne – Before my acne was very much hormone driven, I’d get cysts before and on my period, and just when they were about to heal, my next period came with vengeance. So my face never seemed to have the opportunity to heal, it became a build up of pimples over time. Wind forward, today I haven’t had the need to worry over my face during my period, I’ve actually experienced my face becoming more calm during that phase, and a bit agitated around ovulation instead, but it’s far from calling it acne.
- Scars being able to fade – Every 30 days you could see a difference in my skin, from being covered with red dark-spots to them slowly fading and revealing a more even skin tone. Most of my red-spots has gone, what I’m left with is a few ice-pick scars that seems to be fading with time. I’ll be on the look out for some serums or laser treatment for that – I’m open to any suggestions! I’ve gone through two recoveries from severe acne in the past, so I have the confidence to say that with the right tools ice-pick scars can be minimized to almost non-existent.
- Acne isn’t as much aggravated by food anymore – I wouldn’t go to the extent to say I now can eat whatever I want without getting acne, because I did end up with a total avoidance of any type of food that’s been processed made of 50% fat/50% carbs from my diet to keep my skin clear and calm. But my digestion is now much better and so I can get away with meals that aren’t typically properly food combined.
All of these things has gotten better and better with time, that today I can almost say that my skin isn’t an issue for me. But I’ve had some minor non-face related skin issues, and I’m still waiting for my skin to become Impeccable.
Still some issues…
During this year, my face has been in a grand scale “cleared” with some occasional unexplainable exceptions that has cleared itself wonderfully, but my throat/neck and décolletage has been bothered by small lymph-bumps that just hasn’t given in. You can’t squeeze them (not that I’ve tried…), they’re deep under, and when one goes away (after several weeks) another one has formed on a different spot. They sometimes hurt as cysts and can itch, get blood filled and then develop into real cysts that can potentially explode on its own, but usually they’re just sticking out and are bothersome. I don’t know what to do, I’ve tried everything from massage to lymph drainage to you name it diet-wise. I thought it would be fixed with probiotics, but it hasn’t come to that. And sometimes I have periods where they will just disappear… If anyone has any idea of what to do or what could be causing it, I’m all ears and happy to discuss this further!
Side Note: Around January I decided to take Probiotics again, and to keep it as a tradition of a yearly maintenance. Kimberly Snyder, one of many diet gurus, swears by and takes probiotics daily, but for me, that would be too expensive. So I figured a cure of two months a year would be just about right as a maintenance. It’s also very good to take to boost immune system around the seasons of disease and when traveling to a foreign country to avoid food poising.
What Happened To My Bodily changes After I stopped taking Probiotics?
As you may recall, I gained some weight/fluid last time I took the probiotics. While I didn’t get to keep my fuller chest–buhu–I had some problem losing the weight gained for a while. Since changing my diet my weight has fluctuated a lot that it’s been a hard time adjusting and a resentment to buy new pants has grown… Well, the weird thing is that I haven’t experienced any extreme body changes with the current probiotic cure I’m on, but maybe that has to do with my hormones being balanced out since last time?
Other than going to to the bathroom a bit more than usual the first week, every thing’s been utterly normal with my body.
How about your periods, did they get better?
Well… They kept on being regular, shorter and less painful… until October last year. Suddenly my period started getting very late, irregular and back to being giving-birth-painful. This kept on until around when I started taking probiotics again in February. Though it didn’t stabilize completely as last time, but I wouldn’t say that it was thanks to the probiotics. I have another theory in mind that’s been revealed here.
End Questions
What do I do for scar healing?
You can always check this page to see my current beauty routine.
2016 EDIT: I’m doing a TCA chemical peel together with DermaStamp to reduce my acne scars.
My left side that got attacked the most–which is also my best side… sad lol–has been left with a lot of rolled and box scars.
A few months ago I added Pai’s rosehip oil back to my routine and it has been the best product I’ve ever used for healing and fading scars and evening out the face tone. I can’t praise this oil enough! It has a way of transforming ones skin and you’ll see a difference in skin texture within three days! But then, it’s the only thing I do for my scars… that is, together with turmeric masks and fresh aloe vera.
I’d love to try Yüli’s PM Perfecto, but it’s over my budget. From the reviews I’ve read, everyone says it needs time to work, and so does Rosehip oil – even though you will notice dramatic difference in skin tone and texture within days, scars just needs more time. And to be honest, I do feel that Pai’s rosehip oil, is working even better than Living Libations Dew Dab serum for treating scars and preventing formation of new pimples… Hmm, but how would them together work? With the enormous love I have for the rosehip oil by Pai I should get paid to say this, but no, I just want others to know there’s a skin-transformation tonic for just under £25. I will stick to this one forever.
If you got any other tips on scar healing remedies, other than the ones mentioned, I’d love to know!
For brands: Do you have a natural product for treating acne scars and looking for a candidate to try your product? My face is available for testing! Just shoot me a message and I’ll get back to you! :)
What Kind of Probiotics do you recommend?
If you’re a fellow Scandinavian, I highly recommend Holistic LactoVitalis, containing 6 Billion Active Probiotic Cells and 10 Beneficial Strains, which is the one I’ve been taking over a two month period once a year. They not only contain good bacteria but also vitamin C and Zink (haven’t seen that in other brands) which are two nutrients known to improve skin, help with scar healing and immunity.
EDIT: Holistic LactoVitalis has been replaced by LactoVitalis Pro, now containing vitamin B2 instead of Zinc and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Same price.
For people living in the states, you can try Kimberly Snyder’s own 29 strain, high quality Soil Based Organism-Probiotics. Though, two more international, vegan and trusted one’s of SBO-probiotics are: Prescript-Assist Probiotics and GHC Latero-Flora or FloraTrex.
Otherwise, Kimberly used to take and recommend Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics Original Formula, which I was going to try before I found some good ones produced in Sweden.
Reviews.com has also conducted a list where the Garden of Life Whole Food Probiotics Colon Care came at first place, and MegaFood MegaFlora running second. Renew Life Ultimate Flora was also shown to be particularly good as an immune-booster; Which is also the #1 probiotic to top Labdoor’s list for best quality! Runner’s up includes Life & Food Ultra Probiotic-50 and Nutrition Now PB8 for best value for the money according to Labdoor that updates their list yearly.
Other probiotics I’ve personally taken in consideration are: Garden of Life HSO Probiotic Formula and Innate Response Flora 50-14. I am, however, currently taking Now Foods 50/25 Billion as a maintenance.
Buy your probiotics on iHerb and get $5 off your first order!
What to look for when choosing a Probiotic Supplement?
Yes, quality plays a huge importance on how well the supplements will work! You’d be amazed at how two different brands with the same exact ingredients can differ in quality. In many ways I can’t tell you which one’s the best probiotic, sometimes you will have to try a couple of different ones.
But here’s three main things to think of when choosing a probiotic supplement:
- A well-known and trusted brand.
- Many different strains of bacteria, preferably 10 or above that go well together.
- Acid and bile resistant to ensure optimal survival.
Super helpful post. Rosehip oil is so fantastic for all kinds of skin issues. I’ll be trying the Pai one next when my current oil runs out.
Hope you like it, I really feel as if it’s more potent then other rosehip oils :)
I’m sure it is. I’ve been researching rosehip oils and the deeper the colour the more potent it is. I’m currently using Akin which is very orange and I’m loving – the Pai is made from the seed as well as the fruit so should be even more power packed.
Such a beautiful post. I’m a bit confused why your headings say “stopped” and then you mention improvements…?
Hi Jodie, and glad you find my post helpful! ?
I’m not sure what you’re confused about, but I’ll try to explain.
I took probiotics for two months (February-March 2014), and I kept on seeing improvements from having taken probiotics even after I stopped taking them.
What I wanted to say with this article was that there’s no need to supplement with probiotics forever or until your skin is perfect. After you’ve taken them for about 2-3 months, the acne will NOT come back after you’ve stopped like with other prescription drugs and vitamin supplements for treating acne. I’ve gone through Accutane, Antibiotics, B5, B5 with L-Cysteine, Murad skin supplements, Vitamin Mixed supplements (Zinc, E-Vitamin, A-Vitamin, B-Vitamins, Folic Acid) for long periods of time and with all these treatments the acne would come back as soon or a year later after I’ve stopped the treatment. This does not happen with probiotics, you only need to take them for a few months. As soon as your gut is in balance, the body will keep on making improvements and will not be put off balance unless you jump on unhealthy eating habits or take antibiotics. ?
I hope this explanation helped ☺️ and feel free to ask more!
xx
so as of now you are still vegan and saying that probiotics helped a lot, but that your diet as 80 10 10 is whats keeping you clear or what? I am a bit confused sorry! haha.
What was the reason for your acne getting worse in the photo 15/11/2013 –> did you stop taking probiotics then or eat poorly ?
Your skin is looking amazing as of lately :) sorry that I am confused but would love clarification as I have VERY similar skin..IF NOT WORSE!
xx
No worries, I can understand it’s quite confusing, I did experiment A LOT during this time which was left out in the post. :)
I didn’t try antibiotics until February 2014.
The picture of 15/11/2013 I had stopped taking B5+L-Cysteine and started eating plant based á la 801010-diet style (as of May that year – my diet has never been as clean as it was during that time when the picture was taken!), but could be due to stress from getting a new job at the time. Though, to this day I can’t really say exactly why my skin went bad (I did so much changes at the same time), but the main reason that I do know of must have been gut problems and low gut bacteria count from taking antibiotics and roaccutan 1-2 years before the outbreak + crappy diet. When your gut is fucked from medicine, diet alone can’t help fully.
Why I’m saying my new diet is what’s keeping it clear and balanced is because I did experiment with food after taking the probiotics and found that processed (even if vegan) food, dairy, spicy food and foods like cake and ice cream that’s 50% fat and 50% sugar does have a negative effect on my gut and skin. As for nice cream (frozen banana ice cream), I do not have any problems with. I also still eat gluten with no difference in my skin at all, whereas this is very individual and something every person must play with to see what foods triggers poor digestion which = acne for them. From my own experience and research, almost all severe acne cases is a symptom of poor digestion or bad reaction to a certain food, very few has to do with what is put on the face. Also, the diet I’m eating now is full of prebiotics, food for the micro
bacteria in the gut, which help in keeping everything balanced.
So after taking probiotics you’re still not 100% ensured to have great skin, unless you’re actually eating and treating your body well and especially if not treating your gut right. What you do get is a great canvas for starting over and making better choices and forming better habits. For some, taking digestive enzymes in the beginning can also help in restoring balance.
You didn’t ask for this but I want to add it in: I can’t say how much my clean beauty routine has on my face because I never dared to go back to conventional beauty products. But I still want to emphasize using products that’s kind to the skin, doesn’t have too much ingredients and not switching it up too often helps the skin.
I still can get minor outbreaks, and it’s usually from trying a new product, eating something that does not digest well for me, or being stressed which affects the gut turning into poor digestion that affects my skin!
I also stopped wearing foundation since it looked its worse 2013 which made my skin feel a lot better. Embracing your skin as it wasn’t a problem, helps a lot in terms of healing and placebo which we all know is very powerful :)
I hope this resolved much of your confusion.
Thank you for commenting!
xx
I’m so happy I decided not to do my homework and browse through the internet and found this blog!! I’ve been taking antibiotics for acne and decided to stop, and noticed that my face is always breaking out now during midway during my menstrual cycle (when before that never happened!) and i get painful cystic acne all over my face now!
I have read a lot about how antibiotics kill the good bacteria in your gut, and that taking probiotic pills is what would help restore the good bacteria, but I still had dome doubts (like, should I take them for the rest of my life??). However, after reading this, I will give it a try for 2 months and see what will happen *crossing fingers*! I’m also almost vegan, so I expect change in my skin.
I’m happy you found a cure for your acne! hope your skin heals more and more as days go by, and thank you for sharing your experience with us!
Happy you found this helpful! ? Crossing my fingers that you’ll experience the same results or even better ?
I originaly planned on going three months, so just feel it out, it’s not expected to see drastic results within the first month or two.
I now just boost my immune system with probiotics during winter ?
Wishing you good luck! ?
Thanks for your post..regardless of your skin, you’re a beautiful girl, I don’t mean that in a creepy way..just honest..anyway, I have a similar problem, but mine came from antibio’s that I was taking in the hospital for a bone infection..the IV was not the problem..the oral pills killed all the good bacteria and after a few days my skin erupted with acne..my face, neck, chest, back..UGH. NO ONE said anything about the side affects of antibiotics..the MD’s and nurses were CLUELESS and are not trained to help when this happens..worse, is that a long bout of AB’s can cause far worse diseases..and as Hippocrates said..all diseases begin in the gut..Even cancer chances are higher if you are a person who eats a ton of processed foods/sugars..raising the PH in the blood can trigger cancer cell growth or even diabetes problems..BTW..Cancer IS a fungus..and the “standard” treatments are a profit juggernaut and a JOKE..B17, Cider vinegar and even baking soda(Itraconozole) have been far more effective at preventing and CURING..cancer..Sorry..about that..OK, so after taking Garden of Life high strength PB’s, with over 30 strains..It destroyed MOST of my acne after 4 weeks..BUT..I still have to avoid YEAST and food that contains yeast..pizza, bread, etc..Yeast is the fungus that causes the acne bacteria..gluten, wheat..create the sebum..like the earwax but it’s hard and clogs your pores..I will also try Clearbiotic, a PB acne pill made for such problems..For treating topically I use ONLY foods/homeopathic treatments..and they really work..I use a mix of cider vinegar, Braggs ONLY..witchhazel and clean water, equal parts..you can add lime or lemon, rose water..I use this as a cleanser after washing with lavender or aloe vera soap..It helps lighten the skin and KILLS that acne bacteria..after that, I use aloe vera gel..it’s great stuff, won’t dry out your skin and cause oily areas..I eat everything by the way..bacon, butter, fats..they don’t cause acne, but bread will..and the yeast of course..also, I drink 2 tbsp of Braggs Cider vinegar, 3 times a week..I’ve lost 15 pounds in 1 month..from a 33 to 31 waist..and it’s not coming back..Bread is also the worst for belly/butt etc..fat..so as much as I miss sourdough..I look better and feel better..pizza though..damn..OK..so I also use a mix of baking soda, honey, lemon, cider vinegar..about 3 tsp of soda, 1 tps honey, lemon, CV..mix until it’s a thin paste..like pancake batter..and I use that on my face to get rid of acne blemishes and scars..Seriously..my forehead was FULL of blems..and now it’s nearly all gone..my crazy shit works!!!..You are a young woman and I hope you can solve your problem soon..I’m 40 and never had an acne problem until now..but try NOT eating yeast foods and see it helps..Great luck to you..IF you have found a magic formula..let me know..peace to you.
Thank you for your comment!
As of this article I’ve been pretty much acne-free, sometimes blemishes pop up, but nothing severe. I think it’s normal though, still healing from conventional medicine.
Glad you’ve found some natural methods that work for you! My skin personally don’t like ACV, honey or lemon on it.
I treat my skin very kindly, you can read about all the products I’m using right now and skin care routine here.
I still can eat gluten and bread, but I try to keep it minimal because of the yeast and other reasons. I love bread, it’s addicting, and hard to stop with -.-
Fats can be a culprit for many, eg. twins Nina & Randa got rid of their severe acne with keeping fats low: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qdwn2itsgg
Meat can absolutely cause acne because of the antibiotics they give the animals! Watch this lecture and get educated on the matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4HJcq8qHAY
I wish you good luck! xx
Wow that’s really amazing. Skin has a lot to be related with the yeast in our body and so does Probiotics helps a lot..Just a little secret I wanna share, do a liver and gall bladder flush and your acne reduces to 90% in the next day. It did helped me to completely cure acne from the root… Other than that U look really Pretty even those acne cannot hide it..Live happy! Be happy!!
Wow that’s really amazing. Skin has a lot to be related with the yeast in our body and so does Probiotics helps a lot..Just a little secret I wanna share, do a liver and gall bladder flush and your acne reduces to 90% in the next day. It did helped me to completely cure acne from the root… Other than that U look really Pretty even those acne cannot hide it..Live happy! Be happy!!
Thanks! :)
My face is pretty much calmed down nowadays (update will be up within on my 2 year mark!), but I’m interested to know what kind of liver and gall bladder flush you’re talking about? I’ve done some researching into it, because well at one time I really thought I needed to detox that way, but there’s so many different ones out there… I’m still unsure if I need one now, but I’ve been reading about parasites lately hah but at the same time I believe the body is self healing.
I saw your blog post a while back and tried a very high dose of Probiotics to cure my acne. I took Renew Life brand (I think 50 billion) but it didn’t do anything for skin. Through my teens and twenties I battled problematic skin – I had breakouts on my face ALL the time. After a naturpath visit I thought perhaps it was food allergies. I do think gluten and dairy are somehow related in causing my skin to worsen. Anyway about 6 weeks ago I started taking Estrosmart supplements with borage seed oil (Lorna vanderhaeghe) and my skin is miraculously clear. Hormone tests done by my MD and naturopath doctor showed my levels as normal. I think my body was producing too much estrogren causing painful acne on my cheeks. Now my cheeks are clear but here and there I’ll get a small pimple on my forehead or jawline (mostly due to lack of water!). Just wanted to share my story – look into it if you’re still having issues with skin.
No, thank you so much for sharing your story! :)
It may help someone else who’s trying probiotics and not seeing results. Never meant this article to be “the answer” but during my extensive research, probiotics is at the top of natural acne cures. I’m also for any cures that you only need to take a certain time, and not forever, for the acne to not come back.
My acne was also hormonal, but maybe it was the other way around, I had a build up of it, and my liver wasn’t supported enough to get rid of it, and so the probiotics helped me a lot!
I now have really good skin (will make an update on it soon), I sometimes get cysts, but I’ve found out it has to do with low vitamin D which goes hand in hand with other hormones. It gets fixed by taking a vitamin D supplement during the winter :)
Thanks again for adding your experience! Glad you found the cause, luckily the addition of probiotics never hurt :)
Probiotics aren’t a quick fix. I’m not sure how long you took them for, but it takes months to start to see noticeable and consistent results. Moreover, you need to make sure that you are buying them from a place that refrigerates them. Many online dealers sell probiotics that aren’t active because they’ve been out of the refrigerator for days — yet the claim they’re active because the online probiotic business would die. Treat it like milk. Buy it at the store, and get it home within 45 minutes. If you pick a high quality/active probiotic, you’ll definitely see the difference, eventually. It just takes time and patience.
Probiotics aren’t a quick fix. I’m not sure how long you took them for, but it takes months to start to see noticeable and consistent results. Moreover, you need to make sure that you are buying them from a place that refrigerates them. Many online dealers sell probiotics that aren’t active because they’ve been out of the refrigerator for days — yet the claim they’re active because the online probiotic business would die. Treat it like milk. Buy it at the store, and get it home within 45 minutes. If you pick a high quality/active probiotic, you’ll definitely see the difference, eventually. It just takes time and patience.
thankyou for letting me know ,its been 2 yrs since you replied and um glad that my skin problem are fading due to changed routine ? thanks anyway isabel
hi I am only 15 yr old and started having some reddness wid acne, so do u think I shud gove it a try cz um freaking out to clear up my skin!plz lemme knw thanks :)
Hi Kim!
It’s hard to say. Have you taken any antibiotics/medicine lately? Then probiotics are a must. Even though probiotics is an important part of ones overall health, taking them doesn’t automatically make you acne-free per say. Taking and testing them out won’t hurt though, but realize that you’ll have to find out the underlying cause of your issues. Like cutting out dairy, maybe even gluten from your diet, or finding other trigger foods. Are you using any new skincare? Too much make up and daily? Are you on birth control? It’s really hard to tell :/ But I’d start with a healthy anti-inflammatory diet with the addition of taking probiotics, so that you at least have set a good foundation, then start looking at the products you’re using and so forth.
Mind that I still can get occasional breakouts when I’m stressed or eating “crappy”, however, probiotics support a faster recovery and making me less acne-prone.
In my experience, letting your skin be (meaning: no make up, minimal skincare routine) can relieve and calm the skin down a lot.
Good luck! xx
Hello i am confused…so the first time you toom probitoics for two months they caused cystic acne? The second time they helped a little and the third time they helped tremendously? Which probiotic did you use the last time that helped clear your skin?
Hi Amber, I changed some bits, so it may look less confusing :)
But reading Part 1 would’ve been best to understand.
First time, I took probiotics for two whole months and it resolved my cystic acne, even months after I stopped taking them.
I’ve then taken probiotics once a year as a maintenance. I covered which probiotics I used under “End Questions”, but simply, any probiotics should do with a count higher than 15 billion. :)
I recently got probiotics from Now Foods.
One thing that I’ve realized is that not all the probiotic out there has live culture in them. You guys, I heard about Plexus Probio5 that’s making a riot, the Plexus Biocleanse there’s a Plexus body cream as well, that work wonders on your face. Go check some of the pics out on Pinterest. I’m not a representative, but I’m going to try it in a few days. My face broke out badly in almost 2 months. My face never broke out like this but I know it is the Antibiotics that did it. So I know either way, the probiotic is going to work. Probiotics is the way to go, but not all are created equal.
You’re right about probiotics, not everyone is potent enough, and majority needs refrigeration etc.
The ones I’ve tried so far has still been very good. I’m now using Now Foods probiotics with good results! :)
That’s a really good transformation. I’ve been using a lot of other products and nothing really seemed to work. Probiotics are organic and more believable as I’ve been reading a lot about them lately. Really curious about Dr. Ohhira Probiotics – http://pronutrics.net/reviews/dr-ohhira-probiotics/
Still haven’t tried the probiotics from Dr Ohhira. REcently I’ve been taking the Now Foods probiotics. At first the 50 billion, and now I take 25 billion as maintenance. However, if it’s very strongly linked to hormones, then probiotics will only help half way. They are though good to take for overall health and digestion :)
Try a urea cream on the neck/throat area breakouts. It might help. I had the same thing going on and it is the only thing that works. It’s not perfect, but helps. I would recommend not using this on the face…it might be drying.
Hi and thanks for your tip!
I’m still suspecting it could be something hormonal still. Even though my breakouts has generally become much less in the face and cheeks, they are still bugging me around the jaw and neck :/ So I’m going to do a Hormone Analysis to get to the bottom of these stubborn cysts; as they haven’t gone away now in three years since I managed to clear away most of my acne with probiotics. I’m still taking care of myself and taking probiotics occasionally, but the pimples around my neck and throat still persists.
Acne is caused firstly by the human Demodex mites. They borough in the pores and feed on our sebum and dead skin cells, and their waste causes bacteria to grow causing infection. No amount of internal work alone will get rid of them.
* Keep mite infestation under control by always washing bedding with very hot water and oxyclean type powders to kill the mites. Change pillowcases often. Use clean pillows or waterproof pillow covers.
Wash your face, entire head, neck, ears and upper torso with a mixture of baking soda, sea salt, peroxide and apple cider vinegar. Rinse very well. Best done in shower. I have a little container in the shower to mix my ingredients.
I had acne for twenty years and tried every thing: laser, diet, internal cleansing and nothing fully worked until I found this solution. You have to go natural and you need to mean business. Yes peroxide is natural, it is found in thr body.
Brush your teeth with peroxide mixed with baking soda too to kill cavity causing bacteria. Put peroxide in your ears in the shower a few times a week. Bacteria lives hiding in our ears. Do it epecially if you ever get a cold.
Also wipe and scruff a bit with peroxide on organic cotton pads a few times a day then cool water rinse.
Hold the cotton pad with peroxide on any big zits, keep doing it when you feel like until you feel a pin prick burning feeling and the zit will come up to the surface to pop out.
I used to have very sensitive delicate skin but now it is resilient.
Best toner is that fermented tea called Kombucha on cotton. Let it soak in on cotton for a skin treat.
Acne is caused firstly by human Demodex mites. They borough in the pores and feed on our sebum and dead skin cells, and their waste causes bacteria to grow causing infection. No amount of internal work alone will get rid of them.
* Keep mite infestation under control by always washing bedding with very hot water and oxyclean type powders to kill the mites. Change pillowcases often. Use clean pillows or waterproof pillow covers.
* Wipe phone with peroxide every day.
* Don’t share your bed with animals and get your lover to wash with this too if they have zits because the demodex mites can migrate to others.
* Wash your face, entire head, neck, ears and upper torso with a mixture of baking soda, sea salt, peroxide and apple cider vinegar. Rinse very well. Best done in shower. I have a little container in the shower to mix my ingredients.
I had acne for twenty years and tried every thing: laser, diet, internal cleansing and nothing fully worked until I found this solution. You have to go natural and you need to mean business. Yes peroxide is natural, it is found in the body.
* Brush your teeth with peroxide mixed with baking soda too to kill cavity causing bacteria which can infect gums and irritate the skin.
* Put peroxide in your ears in the shower a few times a week and feel the bubbles killing bacteria then rinse. Bacteria loves hiding in our ears. Do it epecially if you ever get a cold as that is where it hides amd gives us that head cold swollen feeling.
* Also whenever skin feels greasy unclean itchy or crawling wipe and scruff with peroxide on organic cotton pads a few times a day then cool water rinse. Have an attitude where you are in charge of your skin from now on, not the bugs.
* Hold a cotton pad with peroxide on any big zits or if you feel a zit coming, keep doing it when you feel like until you feel a little pin prick burn and the zit will come up to the surface to pop out.
I used to have very sensitive delicate skin but now it is resilient and strong. I have absolutely no skin drama anymore and my skin glows. I use this head to toe and use a rough cloth on my body and my skin in unreal smooth and clear all over. Once you clear the demodex you can enjoy the beautifying effects of a clean diet.
* Best digest cleanse I did was Dr Natura. Shat out three huge gross globs that were stuck to my intestines.
* Best toner is that fermented tea called Kombucha on cotton. Let it soak in on cotton for a skin treat.
Hey Stacey, thanks for sharing your experience and tips!
I hope you won’t mind, but I did some editing in your text and put all your comments into one.
While I’ve heard of these so called skin mites, I can’t scientifically agree that most acne is caused by them, when acne usually is something that comes up in puberty, and is then clearly majorly a hormonal issue. But mites can always make things worse.
Hydrogen Peroxide is known to cause free radical damage. Free radicals cause cellular damage. It also causes sun sensitivity, which will increase your likelihood of getting skin cancer and ageing. So I would not advice to use it regularly on the face, and always use sunscreen if do!
I also can’t agree that probiotics do not help, as you can see by my pictures that it clearly resolved any gut-related acne that I had. And I’ve been in contact with many others whos acne gotten much better with the use of probiotics!
I’d love to drink Kombucha, but it isn’t readily available everywhere, and as in my case: I can only get buy it in the big city and it’s very expensive. Probiotics help much better. Yes you can make your own, but you need to have space for big jars and take care of the scoby. It’s very time consuming in the end.
I guess when it comes to water, it depends on where you live… Our water here is the cleanest in the world. I’ve drank from filters but haven’t noticed any difference.
I totally agree with you about the zinc pills! :) I myself eat pumpkin seeds daily and seen an improvement in my acne and healing capacity. Not only do they contain zinc but also vitamin A and other minerals that’s good for your skin health.
Everyone is different and I shared what got rid of my acne on my cheeks. I wash pillow covers and towels weekly and I’m very careful of what I use on my face and so on. But I still got hormonal imbalances that shows up on my face. I’m very sure it’s not a mite issue, or my boyfriend would have troubled skin too, which he has the total opposite of! I also let my cat sleep next to me lol But I can have periods of calm skin, and then when something hormonal happens in my body I get a pimple or a few. So my issue is balancing off my hormones once and for all.
And nevermind those stupid pro-biotics. They are useless. Just drink kombucha and avoid any drinks made with tap water unless the water was filtered with a top notch water filter. Tap water will kill your good bacteria. Drink spring water like evian or another good feeling water
Nevermind stupid zinc pills. Eat soaked pumpkin seeds. Eat hemp seeds too. Have them in musli. Silica is important, read and find out your favorite sources. Raw soaked oats is good.
And for sure dont eat sugar. Eat unpasturized honey and molasses etc. You can also use that kind of honey for skin care. Mix it with the baking soda and sea salt to wash. Honey releases peroxide too.
Hi
I was wondering which probiotics you reccomend:
– Now foods – 50 Billion
– Prescript-Assit
-Kimberly Snyder (I believe they have the same igredients as prescript-assist)
I am new to probiotics and have never taken them. Can probiotics make your acne worse?
Thanks!
Hi Lia,
I have yet not tried the SBO probiotics, but nonetheless I still hear great things about them! Some new brands have popped up, like Kiki Health Bio Biotics. It has a little less than the other two you mentioned.
I’ve tried the Now foods 50 billion, and felt like they did something for my digestion and skin. Also tried their 25 billion, but didn’t feel any effect. However this could be due to me already taking probiotics, as I’ve seen others starting with the 25 billion and seen steadily results. Remember, that it does take a few months before noticing a difference.
There’s really no one brand I recommend. If your gut is in seriously bad health, then almost any probiotic should help and bring it back to balance. But from experience, good quality do cost a little more. For eg, the Swedish ones I started off taking, do have a low billion count, but were just as effective (if not more) as the Now Foods with a high billion count. In other words, many strains and billion counts does not matter if they don’t survive the passage. High quality can have a lower count and still deliver the bacteria. Best thing is to read some reviews and go with your gut :)
If you’re getting really pulled towards one specific supplement, then that’s probably the one you need to take! I do believe our bodies try to communicate with us.
For some it can make acne worse, but it should only be right in the beginning as your body adjusts. It’s normal to get for example diarrhea/go to the bathroom more often the first few days of taking probiotics. This is though a good sign that something is switching in your gut, and that your body is expelling the bad bacteria. It should only last the first week.
PS Note that probiotics will help with gut-related acne (cheeks/face). But if you also have hormonal acne (around the jaw and neck) probiotics might help some, but not completely. I still recommend taking probiotics for overall health, but if it’s hormonal, for that you need to check out hormone balancing supplements: Vitex/Progesterone Cream, DIM/EstroBlock, Vitamin E, Zinc, DHA.
So I have been taking the Now Foods – 50 Billion for 3 days and noticed my stomach hurting this morning. It’s like a dull ache. No diarrhea or throwing up. Maybe my stomach is adjusting or do think this probiotics is too strong for me? Maybe the 25 billion would be a better option…not sure?
Let me know your thoughts please.
Thanks!
Hey Lia,
I’m no doctor, if it hurts you then you should definitelly stop or go down in dosage.
But just to be sure, let’s ask some questions first:
How did you take the probiotics, on an empty stomach or with food? Are you taking it twice daily or just once? Sometimes you have to experiment in how and when to take it.
I took it after a meal and only once a day. I believe my stomach might have been adjusting to the probiotics. I have been taking it every other day and it’s fine so far. I will try again taking it everyday and see what happens.
Hmm, sound very strange. But it does sound like your body is adjusting, and was really out of balance. Before I took probiotics I could not consume fermented foods. Which I later found out was because of my imbalance. Definitely try taking it slow.
You can also try different combinations. I know most probiotics says to take them 20 min before any food consumed; Some with the first bite; Others say to take it first in the morning. I usually take it first thing in the morning as I feel it seems more effective for me.
If the stomach pain comes back, you should take a break and then maybe introduce a lesser count. 50 billion is quite strong.
xx
This article and feed is so helpful.
If you’re experiencing breakouts, try eliminating one or two foods at a time (eliminate dairy for one week, greasy foods the next etc) to see if removing these foods helps to keep your skin clear.
1. Chocolate
2. Spicy Foods
3. Cheese
4. Nuts
5. Peanut Butter
6. Sushi
7. Pizza
8. French Fries
9. Potato Chips
Have you heard of thyroid issues being a possible cause of acne?
Hi Annie,
Thanks for your tips! Yes, I’ve read some on thyroid issues and acne, but I personally think most people’s acne are either gut-/hormone related.
I could not find the article you mentioned and so I’ve removed the link as it seems spammy.
VH prebiotic probiotic with cranberry has made all the difference for more cystic acne. I took it initially for the chronic minor cervical inflammation my ID was causing. With in three days the large cysts under my skin went away. I thought maybe it was just a hormone fluctuation but now it has been a solid month and the cysts have not come back. No even when I had my period. My face has always been a disaster right before my period. Painful cysts that felt like bruises. Not a one now. I also get pain on one ovary or another at ovulation. No pain this month. Cervix is doing awesome and no middle month spotting
Is it better to take probiotics in the morning with food or empty stomach at night before you goto sleep?
Hi,
Usually it says on the bottle of the probiotics when it’s best to take them. But you can always test what works for you.
Many says to take them in the morning 20 minutes before your first meal. You can also take another caps before going to bed.
I personally took it the first thing in the morning to right before my first meal. xx
Dermalmd acne serum has helped my cystic acne and roseacea more than anything else I’ve tried. eventually dries your skin a bit but that’s fine. If you haven’t tried it…go for it.
How long did you take probiotics to see results?
Hi,
In my part one I listed how long and how much I took. I took probiotics for 60 days, then I didn’t take it for a year and kept on seeing results. You might also be interested in reading part three? xx
Oh i see, i didn’t notice there was a part one and part 3. I read your blog on part 2 and i bought probiotics myself. I really hope it works tho. I am 19 and I have been struggling with acne for 2-3 years and it’s been getting worse this year. It’s been making my self esteem drop. My acne is focused on my cheeks(horribly) and just some on my forehead and chin. I tried everything natural that can be found online and went to bought some supplements like EPO because i think my acne is due to my hormones. My period is irregular sometimes. I’ve been taking it for a month now and it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I had Helicobacter pylori like 2-3 years back but i couldn’t remember if my acne was because of it or not since it’s a stomach issue. I’ve never been to a dermatologist because i’m scared it costs a bunch but i’m thinking of going to one IF every thing i tried doesn’t help.
I highly recommend skipping the dermatologist and going straight to se a naturopath or someone who specialises in hormonal health and who can check to see if you got any underlying deficiencies or food sensitivities. You need to treat the underlying issue, not the skin problem itself.
Probiotics are great and can balance out hormones, but there’s things like vitamin D, fatty acids and other minerals and vitamins that’s needed for hormonal balance and skin health.
Having acne on the cheeks and irregular period is already a sign that something is off hormonally. So I can’t stress enough that you should find someone who can treat the cause and rebalance your body, it will also help you with long term results! You shouldn’t also take supplements if you don’t really need them, it can screw with your body even further.
I could list you the things I take, but everyone is different, you might be more testosterone dominant, etc.
I wish you good luck, and definitely look into seeing a holistic doctor before a dermatologist. xx
You look beautiful! Im also battling cystic acne (not as serious but still). Thank you for the information :)
Thank you and good luck on your journey! xx
Actually I do have those lymph bumps you talked about. Did u manage to clear them in the end? I have them all over my neck – its so annoying :( but at least its not cystic acne.
Yes and no.
Last year I visited a Kinesiologist and she claimed it to be hormonal as well as gut-related and set me on a parasite cleanse and vitamin E. After a month or two the bumps disappeared, but then to return about 5 months later.
Vitamin E and evening primrose oil helps for me, but I’ve been taking another course of parasite cleanse and that seemed to have somewhat more powerful effect. But really, I still don’t know what it can be. But I definitely would recommend you to go to a holistic practitioner that could asses with you more individually before taking any supplements. As, like I said, I’m not 100% sure what exactly helps as these bumps seems to always appear around springtime and decrease around fall and winter so it may not matter what supplements I’m taking :/
I’ll probably know if I’m doing something right when spring comes again xx