Emily T Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I am trying to determine if my eight month long acne struggle is hormonal in nature, or if it is a sneaky food allergy. I am fairly certain it is hormones, but trying to rule out an allergy and I'm midway through my third whole30. My skin has been improving (no new pimples and overall so much less oily!). But I got two new pimples yesterday (day 14) and my skin felt really oily. I am sure it ranges from person to person, but how long can it take between eating a food and a breakout? It it possible for it to take 4+ days for something to show up? Edit to add a follow up question related to hormonal acne. It is my understanding that too much testosterone, particularly in women, results in an increase in production of sebum/oil and thereby causes acne. I know that women suffering from PCOS experience this. I do not have PCOS, but I do this my testosterone levels are out of whack and I am going in for testing this week. Anyone know of any resources (that explain the connection between testosterone, insulin/insulin sensitivity, cortisol, and other hormones? Everything I find is super confusing and science-y...think Hormones for Dummies. Just trying to understand the causes of hormonal acne so I can try and troubleshoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 You might need to visit with a Dermatologist for definitive answers. In layman's terms. Nuts mess with the skin and dried fruits and too much fruit. Whopping boatloads of fruit can mess with the skin. Handfuls of nuts before, during, after meals or used as meal replacements will wreck havoc with the skin. Greens and more greens in the form of roasted vege and salads are great for the skin. Drink plain water instead of sports drinks, carbonated waters, or gasp...any kind of soda pop can mess with the skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 Thanks MeadowLily. I do not eat nuts/seeds (these are food without breaks for me, so I have generally avoided on this whole30). I usually have a banana or some strawberries once a day, but nothing resembling "boatloads." I could stand to eat more greens. Anyway as I said I am quite sure this is hormonal acne. I am waiting for blood work results to find out. My question still stands. If this were a food allergy or sensitivity, would it take 4-5 days to appear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted July 2, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 2, 2015 I'm sorry, I can't definitively answer whether or not a food sensitivity would take 4-5 days to appear. It could. Our bodies are strange and can manifest dislike in so many different ways. I did want to come over and mention that you might give oil cleansing a try. There are a zillion articles and how-tos that you can google but the general idea is that if you strip your skin with harsh cleansers and medicated treatments, it produces more oil to compensate whereas if you cleanse with something that is already more balanced for your skin (like an oil), it gets the picture that it doesn't have to overproduce. Also, the idea behind oil cleansing is that like binds with like (sebum and oil and all the oily pimple causing debris in your pores) and sweeps it away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 I do use all natural skin care products mostly! I actually use raw unfiltered honey to wash my face, and I use tea tree oil to spot treat, and sometimes I use an umbrian clay mask. I exfoliate with baking soda usually once per week. At night I use a mild makeup removing cleanser and moisturize with coconut oil. This stuff is great and calming on my inflamed skin but wish I could figure out what it causing the acne! I have not tried oil pulling. It grosses me out but I am desperate! I will give it a shot for a couple weeks. Sometimes I feel like there is a pretty, happy, acne-free girl inside just waiting to bust out!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted July 2, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 2, 2015 I loved oil cleansing but I felt like it was a hassle and made a mess in the sink. Oil pulling on the other hand, I love and was like you, completely grossed out at the beginning. I cannot (CAN NOT) let the hard coconut oil melt in my mouth but if I melt it first and then throw a few drops of peppermint essential oil into it, it's not bad at all. And I only do it for 10 minutes, twice a day. Not the 20 minutes that all the sites recommend. My skin has, strangely, improved since I started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted July 2, 2015 Moderators Share Posted July 2, 2015 moisturize with coconut oil. Some people actually find that coconut oil can clog pores. I'm not saying that's what's happening for you, but it might be something to consider, if you can't figure out anything else. Some people have no problems with it, and maybe you're one of those, I'm just throwing it out there in case nothing else seems to make a difference. This article from Crunchy Betty mentions it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted July 2, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 2, 2015 Some people actually find that coconut oil can clog pores. I'm not saying that's what's happening for you, but it might be something to consider, if you can't figure out anything else. Some people have no problems with it, and maybe you're one of those, I'm just throwing it out there in case nothing else seems to make a difference. This article from Crunchy Betty mentions it. Definitely! I tried it for oil cleansing and ended up with a face that was BEET red. I found this article when I had initially looked into coconut oil being a problem for my skin. http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/coconut-oil-may-not-be-right-for-you/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted July 2, 2015 Administrators Share Posted July 2, 2015 Now you have me thinking, Shannon! I know that coconut oil is terrible for my skin and we don't eat it much anymore but I thought doing oil pulling with it was fine. Started oil pulling about a month ago and then last week ended up with four (FOUR) huge coldsores that eventually decided to become a staph infection (I know, sexy!). I wonder if it was the increased contact with coconut oil?! I haven't had a cold sore in two years....let alone four of them at the same time. When I wasn't already sick or run down. Yipes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 So as for coconut clogging pores - yes, it definitely can. For me, I use it really only on my cheeks and between my brows - that is really where my skin is dryest. My forehead and chin are what gets oily and is prone to breakouts (which signals digestion and hormones). I use a very mild gel moisturizer there. I tried oil pulling and only made it 3 minutes haha. I have peppermint oil, maybe that will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Carmosino Beougher Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 When I started oil pulling I had to build up to it. At first I could only go about three minutes. It took me about two weeks to build up to 15 minutes. I think that's probably my limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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