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Acne - please help!

Hi Wray

I have written to you before and my mum also writes to you quite a lot as we both use the cream.

I am suffering with Acne and have done for years. I am 20 years old and have been using progesterone for 6 months now - it clears up and comes back again and is now getting me down.

I use a heaped half a tablespoon every night and a normal half a teaspoon in the morning, smothering it all over my face, chest and tummy. I find my spots get either really bad then all go and I have the nicest clearest skin.

I would like to change my diet, or find out where I am going wrong. My daily food intake is eggs in the morning or yogurt and oats, salad/sandwich for lunch and meat and veg for dinner. Throughout the day I drink lots of water and a couple of cups of white tea.

What foods should I be avoiding? It is worth cutting out Dairy and Carbs as I have read that that causes Acne for some people? I know Soya is a no go.

I also bleed every 8-10 for around 3 days. Is this my hormones trying to get back to normal?

I look forward to hearing from you - thank you for your ongoing help.

Charlotte Gardner

Comments for Acne - please help!

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Aug 30, 2013
 Mistakes in my comment!
by: Charlotte Gardner

Hi Wray

Apologies - just before you reply I have made a couple of mistakes!

I use half of a teaspoon not tablespoon!

And I bleed every 8-10 days.

I smother the cream all over, if I feel stressed or have more spots I put another blob on but still feeling very stressed, paranoid and hot flushy.

Is there anything more I should be taking? Udos do probiotics - I already take Vitamin D3 everyday too!

Thanks

Cahrotte
Aug 30, 2013
 Acne - please help!
by: Carol K

Hi there

I am sure that Wray can help with advice about hormones and diet but I would like to add that my teenage son's skin has improved HUGELY by taking a big spoon of coconut oil twice a day and a Zinc supplement. I think those things are essential. You should always keep your sugar down to a minimum anyway but your diet sounds quite healthy :).

I hope this helps.
Regards
Carol
Sep 02, 2013
 Acne - please help!
by: Wray

Hi Charlotte Food does play a huge role in Acne. High testosterone initiates acne, see here. If bound to SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) testosterone becomes inactive, progesterone raises levels of SHBG, see here, so preventing the rise of free testosterone. SHBG drops if sugars are eaten, even those found in all grains, legumes, processed milk and sweet starchy fruits and vegetables. Fructose, sucrose and glucose, reduce SHBG by 80, 50 and 40% respectively, see here. Thereby allowing testosterone to rise. It's best to avoid all the foods and sugars mentioned. Low SHBG is a marker for Insulin Resistance. Wine and beers contain carbs, so it's best to avoid those too. Plus alcohol affects hormone levels in women, see here and here. It decreases progesterone levels and increases androgen levels, both the total testosterone and free testosterone become higher. Sugars and large meals also drop progesterone levels, see here. Plus insulin drops levels too, see here. This means SHBG also drops, testosterone rises, severe PMS or acne can occur, another vicious cycle. The fact your acne comes and goes shows it could be hormone related. Or you increased your intake of sweet, starchy carbs. I don't think you need to use more progesterone if using Natpro, if another brand you might have to. I did hope it was only a tsp you were referring to! Acne and bleeding every 8-10 days strikes me you might have PCOS, has anyone checked? There's a link on the acne page to several sites about nutrition. Loren Cordain of the Paleo Diet has studied acne at length. Another you could try is the Ketogenic Diet. It's similar to the paleo, but with more fat, which I feel is important. Just as Carol has pointed out, and coconut oil is one of the best. I go into the zinc she also mentions on the acne page. Take care Wray

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