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Acne after going vegan

13K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  katebrownell 
#1 ·
Hey :)

Thank you for taking the time to look at my post.

I am 30 years old and started suffering with oily and blemish prone skin when i was 12.

I have been vegan for 6 months and prior to that i was vegetarian for 16 months.

In the last month or 2 I have found my skin to be worse than it has ever been. I am starting to get acne bumps all up the side of my face, cheeks and along my jaw. I am also getting them on the tops of my shoulder and down the hole of my back. They are dark red/purple in colour and very sore.

The general spot and blackheads I have always had are more frequent than they have been in years, resembling the skin I had as a teen.

I eat a good varied diet almost everything cooked from scratch. I take a B12 supplement and have been gluten free for 6 years (unfortunately my gut just doesn't accept it).

Has anyone else had a similar reaction on their skin when going vegan? and been able to find out the cause?

I have read many things that can cause it but I am not having any success at reducing it, it is just getting gradually worse.

I don't ever expect to have perfect skin as i haven't had that since i was 12! But the fact that it is so much worse since going vegan is getting me down.

Any advice or self experiences would be very much appreciated.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Watch out for advices here as I doubt there are many of those who know about diet-skin relation. Anyway, I suggest you remove certain foods or a food group for a while and see whether something improves.

You didn't really tell us what you eat. My guess would be cooked oils or fats. If you are, that would be the first thing I'd want you to put aside. If you don't cook any fat, maybe it's, like I said, a specific group such as starches. I mean, can you remember what exactly you changed in your diet? What you ate more of, what less?

I would guide you to Robert Morse (robertmorsend on youtube), but he's all raw vegan and I'm assuming you don't want to look that deep and want to stay with cooking instead, so see for youself. Those who cook, they only listen to "experts" who claim that cooking is good. You always listen to what you think is right yourself. Like raw foodists prefer "raw experts" and meat eaters love Hulse. I like the romance of raw, you might not.

Anyway, keep us updated and share your diet.

By the way, your body might be trying to eliminate something. It's either trying to get rid of toxins or something, or it's allergic to something (and the reason for allergies might just be your not-raw food as it's clogged you up. A cleanse should help that.)
 
#3 ·
I had random outbreaks of acne after choosing a vegan lifestyle, too, and it definitely got worse before it got better, as did many things. I also suffered from pretty oily/combination facial skin and a fair amount of acne in the damnedest places most of my life prior to becoming vegan, as well, so i wasn't real sure if I was just stuck with it for life, or what. The docs weren't much help, either. It would sometimes show up and be incredibly painful and left the most awful scars. It had been repeatedly diagnosed as hidradenitis-suppurativa and I was repeatedly given creams, to no avail.

My previous eating habits included LOTS of dairy and eggs along with the fastest and most "convenient" highly processed standard american fare, then I switched to only locally raised animal products and produce, greatly reduced meat intake, and creating all dishes from scratch, I discovered a few minor improvements, but it would always flare back up with a vengeance.

Then I switched to whole food/plant-based vegan habits overnight, first as a result of a gall bladder scare, but will forever remain one for the animals and environment now that I've learned more, and that's where more clarity came about in being able to make the connections to all these "symptoms" that had been blamed on so many other things through the years.

While things/symptoms began to escalate at times, especially since I dove right in with no slow/rational transitional period to allow my body time to adjust and caused even more misery than I wished to feel some days, it was apparent that it was leading to a much healthier me, overall, and I had the benefit of one on one direct support from a practitioner who lives close by who'd been there, done that, who helped greatly ease my anxiety over the unknown. Without her help, I likely would have given up.

I was used to relying on my insurance coverage by running to a doctor's office to try to get an instant answer and solution so I could get back to work, just as I'd been taught to do. I'd never been taught how to healthily listen to my body or to pay closer attention to my fuel sources and environment. Severe illness was the only thing that made it acceptable to stop your flow of activity in my world, based on how I'd been raised, and you relied on people who earned various degrees of knowledge outside of themselves to tell you what what was wrong.

I also had to make time to let myself unlearn what I thought I knew in order to create more opportunities to get to more intimately and thoroughly know my innards, the long-term effects of what I choose to surround myself with and spend my time doing, and the entire processes known as self all over again, while also learning how to best harness that energy and wisely spend it.

My understanding is that my body was hard at work trying to rid of the toxins I kept piling on and those breakouts are one of many ways it occurs. I was repeatedly being given topical solutions to apply to an issue that I kept unknowingly recreating via my fork. Who knew? Having so many years of build-up to sort through means it'll be a long while getting rid of it. There is no goal line to reach, just a journey to continually embark upon and enjoy the views as best we can. It took me nearly a half-century to learn what not to do, now I'm anxious to keep putting into action all that I've learned to more healthily do as a result of the lessons from that first half-century. lol

Flare ups of the future will prove to be quite interesting, I'm sure. The painful scar-inducing bumps began to greatly ease up as I've continued on these last two years, and eventually stopped showing back up on a regular basis like they were before, so yay for that. I only experience acne now if I choose to reintroduce things I've since learned definitely don't jive well with my biology, be it internally or externally. The stress we tend toput ourselves under of being sure to choose the cleanest fuels possible can cause just as much damage if we let it take over our brain, so don't be too hard on yourself in trying to figure self out. It's quite the balancing act to pursue, that's for sure. Society doesn't do much to help us stay afloat in the giant sea of tox-sick-city.
 
#4 ·
The American Academy of Dermatology has specifically addressed the link between diet and acne. Please see this press release from them, dated Februrary 5, 2013: https://www.aad.org/media/news-rele...-suggests-possible-link-between-diet-and-acne

The American Academy of Dermatology states that:

1. There is evidence that high glycemic-index foods (white bread, chips, white potatoes, refined grain foods) contribute to acne risk / severity.

2. There is weaker evidence that dairy products contribute to acne risk / severity.

The American Academy of Dermatology hasn't made any statement linking acne with vegetarian / vegan diets, meat, or soy foods.
 
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#5 · (Edited)
There are a couple dozen peer-reviewed studies of raw vegan diets (see summary below). As is true with studies of conventional vegan diets, the results are generally positive, but with some potential pitfalls here and there.

If you are interested in a raw vegan diet, a reputable textbook is Becoming Raw, by Registered Dietitians Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTKEKGA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Here is the list of peer-reviewed studies on raw vegan diets:

1) An uncooked vegan diet shifts the profile of human fecal microflora:
computerized analysis of direct stool sample gas-liquid chromatography
profiles of bacterial cellular fatty acids., Appl Environ Microbiol 1992
Nov;58(11):3660-6

GLC profiles changed significantly in the test group after the induction and discontinuation of the vegan diet but not in the control group at any time, whereas quantitative bacterial culture did not detect any significant change in fecal bacteriology in either of the groups. The results suggest that an uncooked extreme vegan diet alters the fecal bacterial flora significantly when it is measured by direct stool sample GLC of bacterial fatty acids .

2) Antioxidant status in long-term adherents to a strict uncooked vegan
diet., Am J Clin Nutr 1995 Dec;62(6):1221-7

The present data indicate that the "living food diet" provides significantly more dietary antioxidants than does the cooked, omnivorous diet, and that the long-term adherents to this diet have a better antioxidant status than do omnivorous control subjects.

3) Antioxidants in vegan diet and rheumatic disorders., Toxicology 2000
Nov 30;155(1-3):45-53

The shift of fibromyalgic subjects to LF resulted in a decrease of their joint stiffness and pain as well as an improvement of their self-experienced health. The rheumatoid arthritis patients eating the LF diet also reported similar positive responses and the objective measures supported this finding. The improvement of rheumatoid arthritis was significantly correlated with the day-to-day fluctuation of subjective symptoms. In conclusion the rheumatoid patients subjectively benefited from the vegan diet rich in antioxidants, lactobacilli and fibre, and this was also seen in objective measures.

4) Consequences of a long-term raw food diet on body weight and menstruation: results of a questionnaire survey., Ann Nutr Metab 1999;43(2):69-79

CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of a raw food diet is associated with a high loss of body weight. Since many raw food dieters exhibited underweight and amenorrhea, a very strict raw food diet cannot be recommended on a long-term basis.

5) Coumarin 7-hydroxylation in long-term adherents of a strict uncooked
vegan diet., Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1996;50(1-2):133-7

CONCLUSION: According to the present study, the clearly different dietary patterns and nutrient intakes between the vegans and the omnivores resulted in similar extent and rate of 7-hydroxycoumarin formation, indicating only a minor effect on coumarin hydroxylase (CYP2A6) activity by the plant substances in the uncooked vegan diet.

6) Dental erosions in subjects living on a raw food diet., Caries Res
1999;33(1):74-80

Nevertheless, the results showed that a raw food diet bears an increased risk of dental erosion compared to conventional nutrition.

7) Divergent changes in serum sterols during a strict uncooked vegan diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis., Br J Nutr 2001 Feb;85(2):137-9

Our results suggest that a strict uncooked vegan diet changes the relative absorption rates of these sterols and/or their biliary clearance.

8) Effect of a strict vegan diet on energy and nutrient intakes by Finnish rheumatoid patients., Eur J Clin Nutr 1993 Oct;47(10):747-9

Shifting to the uncooked vegan diet significantly increased the intakes of energy and many nutrients. In spite of the increased energy intake, the group on the vegan diet lost 9% of their body weight during the intervention period, indicating a low availability of energy from the vegan diet.

9) Effect of a vegan diet on biomarkers of chemoprevention in females., Hum Exp Toxicol 1996 Oct;15(10):821-5

The significance of these changes as biologically relevant indicators of beneficial effects of vegan diets in humans needs to be determined in studies with a larger number of subjects.

10) Effects of a raw food diet on hypertension and obesity., South Med J 1985 Jul;78(7):841-4

After a mean duration of 6.7 months, average intake of uncooked food comprised 62% of calories ingested. Mean weight loss was 3.8 kg and mean diastolic pressure reduction 17.8 mm Hg, both statistically significant (P less than .00001). Eighty percent of those who smoked or drank alcohol abstained spontaneously.

11) Effects of eating an uncooked vegetable diet for 1 week., Appetite 1992 Dec;19(3):243-54

It is concluded that this vegetable diet may be of some benefit in the short term but any longer-term use requires evaluation.

12) Faecal microbial flora and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis during a vegan diet., Br J Rheumatol 1997 Jan;36(1):64-8

We conclude that a vegan diet changes the faecal microbial flora in RA patients, and changes in the faecal flora are associated with improvement in RA activity.

13) Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte, platelet, and serum lipids in strict vegans., Lipids 1995 Apr;30(4):365-9

The results show that, in the long term, the vegan diet has little effect on the proportions of oleic and arachidonic acids, whereas the levels of n-3 fatty acids are depressed to very low levels with prolonged consumption of the high linoleic and oleic acid components of this diet.

14) Fibromyalgia syndrome improved using a mostly raw vegetarian diet: An observational study., BMC Complement Altern Med 2001;1(1):7

CONCLUSION: This dietary intervention shows that many fibromyalgia subjects can be helped by a mostly raw vegetarian diet.

15) Metabolic vitamin B12 status on a mostly raw vegan diet with follow-up using tablets, nutritional yeast, or probiotic supplements., Ann Nutr Metab 2000;44(5-6):229-34

People following the Hallelujah diet and other raw-food vegetarian diets should regularly monitor their urinary MMA levels, consume a sublingual cobalamin supplement, or consume cobalamin in their food.

16) Raw food and immunity, Fortschr Med 1990 Jun 10;108(17):338-40

In view of this, uncooked food can be seen as a useful adjunct to drugs in the treatment of allergic, rheumatic and infectious diseases.

17) Raw Food Eaters: Health Habits and Nutrient Intake(FULL TEXT), Poster for the 16th International Congress of Nutrition, 27.7-1.8.1997, Montreal, Canada

The data show that an almost exclusive consumption of raw fruit and vegetables bear some advantages for nutrient intake but also may carry the threat of serious deficiencies. These findings need to be verified by analyses of nutrient status, a further aspect of this study which is currently under way.

18) Shifting from a conventional diet to an uncooked vegan diet reversibly alters fecal hydrolytic activities in humans., J Nutr 1992 Apr;122(4):924-30

Results suggest that this uncooked extreme vegan diet causes a decrease in bacterial enzymes and certain toxic products that have been implicated in colon cancer risk.

19) Survey of Food and Nutrient Intake of Hallelujah Vegetarians, Nutrition & Food Science 2001;31(6):293-303

What this study reveals is that intakes of most vitamins and minerals are adequate while following The Hallelujah Diet. Only vitamins B12 and D were extremely low. Hallelujah Acres recommends a vitamin B12 supplement and sunshine, the natural source of vitamin D, to make up for these low intakes.

20) Uncooked, lactobacilli-rich, vegan food and rheumatoid arthritis., Br J Rheumatol 1998 Mar;37(3):274-81

The results showed that an uncooked vegan diet, rich in lactobacilli, decreased subjective symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Large amounts of living lactobacilli consumed daily may also have positive effects on objective measures of rheumatoid arthritis.

21) Vegan diet alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms., Scand J Rheumatol 2000;29(5):308-13

It can be concluded that vegan diet had beneficial effects on fibromyalgia symptoms at least in the short run.

22) Vegan diet in physiological health promotion., Acta Physiol Hung 1999;86(3-4):171-80

The fibromyalgic subjects eating LF (living food) lost weight compared to their omnivorous controls. The results on their joint stiffness and pain (visual analogue scale), on their quality of sleep, on health assessment questionnaire and on general health questionnaire all improved. It appears that the adoption of vegan diet exemplified by the living food leads to a lessening of several health risk factors to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Rheumatoid patients subjectively benefited from the vegan diet which was also seen in serum parameters and fecal analyses.

23) Vegetarian Raw Food Dietary Regimens: Health Habits and Nutrient Intake(FULL TEXT), Presented as Poster at the Third Internatiobnal Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition, Loma Linda, California USA, March 24-26 1997

The intake of nutrients that are usually provided by foods of animal origin is insufficient. These include Vitamins B12 and D, zinc and calcium. On the other hand, the intake of certain protective nutrients, such as Vitamin C and other antioxidants, lie above the national average.

24) Vitamin B-12 status of long-term adherents of a strict uncooked
vegan diet ("living food diet" is compromised., J Nutr 1995 Oct;125(10):2511-5

The cross-sectional study revealed significantly (P < 0.001, paired t test) lower serum vitamin B-12 concentrations in the vegans (mean 193 pmol/L, range 35-408) compared with their matched omnivorous controls (311, 131-482). In the vegan group, total vitamin B-12 intake correlated significantly (r = 0.63, P < 0.01) with serum vitamin B-12 concentration. The vegans consuming Nori and/or Chlorella seaweeds (n = 16) had serum vitamin B-12 concentrations twice as high as those not using these seaweeds (n = 5) (mean 221 pmol/L, range 75-408, vs. 105, 35-252, P = 0.025). In the longitudinal study, six of nine vegans showed slow, but consistent deterioration of vitamin B-12 status over a 2-y observation period. On the basis of these results we conclude that some seaweeds consumed in large amounts can supply adequate amounts of bioavailable vitamin B-12.
 
#6 · (Edited)
MY advice on the acne problem would be go to see a dermatologist and get antibiotics - in tablet form not cream.I had this problem after my first pregnancy. I had been a vegetarian for years so nothing to do with changing diets.

David 3
Appl Environ Microbiol 1992
Nov;58(11):3660-6

The "raw vegan" diet cited in this paper is neither vegan nor completely raw it uses honey and sprouted wheat bread.
 
#7 ·
MY advice on the acne problem would be go to see a dermatologist and get antibiotics
See, you get a horrible advice - to inject drugs that mess you up and to keep eating crap, keep eating vegetarian (mind you that it still can mean eating only cow's milk products, grains, legumes, and cooked foods - stuff that your body can deal with, true, but it's having a war with it, not a smooth joyride).

All in all I'm very disappointed in this forums. I signed up for this when I started becoming vegan, and now I find no use for this at all anymore. In fact, I see only horrible advice. Why would you listen to (even) vegans who don't know about health. All they do is eliminate animal suffering, but only slightly their own by altering their species specific food beyond recognition and pushing in plants that their bodies can barely deal with. And it's so barely that in time "barely" becomes "can't", and they get sick in many forms and ways. "But simple ABC nutrition is all that matters!" they'll keep repeating...
 
#9 ·
David 3

Good on you on taking the time to look for peer reviewed published studies ;)
 
#10 ·
I also have oil and problem skin. I make skin care procesures twice a week + my dermatologist advised me to take vitamins for skin&hair. Now my skin looks much more better. I think you should consult with a dermatologist first who can prescribe you the right treament.
 
#14 ·
Actually, I had similar problems myself. But when I tried to adjust my diet a bit after a couple of week, I saw that THAT also gave me acne. In other words, I am quite sure that it was not the vegan diet. However, it was probably that the body needed to get used to a completely new diet, vitamins, etc.

If it worries you, I would suggest reading some scientific papers to see what it actually can be. Trying to solve a problem you`re not sure what is , is not exactly easy.
 
#16 ·
I am also a vegan, but I have not experienced any skin issues like acne or oily skin after becoming vegan. I take a healthy vape pen in my regular diet, it consists of B12, B6 and other ingredients which helps during my PMS syndromes also. So it may help you to cure any syndromes which are related to PMS issues. You should consult with a skin specialist to have proper medication. You should avoid oily foods.
 
#17 ·
I am also a vegan, but I have not experienced any skin issues like acne or oily skin after becoming vegan. I take a healthy vape pen (https://inhalevapes.co/collections/vape-babe) in my regular diet, it consists of B12, B6 and other ingredients that help during my PMS syndromes also. So it may help you to cure any syndromes which are related to PMS issues. You should consult with a skin specialist to have proper medication. You should avoid oily foods.
 
#18 · (Edited)
You should avoid oily foods.
The American Academy of Dermatology has specifically addressed the link between diet and acne. Please see this press release from them, dated Februrary 5, 2013: https://www.aad.org/media/news-rele...-suggests-possible-link-between-diet-and-acne

The American Academy of Dermatology states that:

1. There is evidence that high glycemic-index foods (white bread, chips, white potatoes, refined grain foods, sugary drinks, candy) contribute to acne risk / severity.

2. There is weaker evidence that dairy products contribute to acne risk / severity.

The American Academy of Dermatology hasn't made any statement linking acne with vegetarian / vegan diets, meat, oily foods, or soy foods.
 
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