AHHHH now my skin!

[snoopcat]

Hi guys, I'm really discouraged because since becoming vegan I feel like I have not only gained weight, but my skin is also going crazy! I hardly ever break out, and it feels like I've been getting a pimple/day now. Is this common? What is going on???

[Stitches]

Your body's probably de-toxifying itself and pushing out all the nasty stuff introduced to it by meat and dairy. I've got a friend who has similar problems whenever she goes without smoking for more than a day or two.

Relax...it'll be over soon enough. If symptoms persist, consult a doctor. A food allergy might also be the culprit.

[zatoichi]

i've got sisters who are twins. one is vegan and one isn't (although she seems to be transitioning into vegetarianism). the one who is vegan breaks out a lot more than the non-vegan. i've been wondering if there's some nutrient or something that she isn't receiving that might cause this. also, my other vegan sister, who's twenty, has been breaking out like crazy lately for some reason. she's been vegan for several years though. doctors believe it's from unbalanced hormones. is there anything a vegan might be missing or eating too much of that might cause this? soy products?

[kkohne]

Give it time. Your body is going through some significant changes adjusting to your new life. Focus on drinking plenty of water, getting adequate rest & moderate excercise, and eating plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. You'll probably be better in no time. Failing that, see a dermatologist.

[9nines]

Originally Posted by snoopcat Hi guys, I'm really discouraged because since becoming vegan I feel like I have not only gained weight, but my skin is also going crazy! I hardly ever break out, and it feels like I've been getting a pimple/day now. Is this common? What is going on???

Same thing happened to me. I have never had acne problems and I had a few breakouts but they cleared, after a week or so and now my skin seems better than ever. I believe it is caused by what others posted - your skin is detoxifying. So, it is a good thing.

[herbi]

It could also be stress (nobody said going vegan was emotionally easy - are friends & family giving you a really hard time? how are you feeling?), or a reaction to different soaps/cosmetics if you switched your routine there as well as diet (new cruelty-free shower supplies, etc). I guess I did have a couple of really bad breakouts after going vegan, but I never associated the two because 1) my skin's never been flawless anyway, and 2) they occurred during what was (aside from the positive change of veganism and meeting my Dandelion) the worst most stressful depressing time in my life. I find that the best thing I can do for breakouts as a vegan is the same thing one would do as an omni:
1) de-stress as much as possible
2) drink LOTS of water
3) take your vitamins religiously (you really COULD be missing some trace element if you're not thoroughly confident in your nutritional planning abilities, and that goes for omnis as well as veg*ns. Plus, EXTRA vit. C seems to help me. Just be careful not to OD on things like Iron.)
4) keep your face clean but not overly dried-out. Mild soaps, witch-hazel, aloe-vera are all good, and there's a Queen Helene peppermint & green clay vegan mask that's sometimes at least fun to put on and walk around scaring people with, if not actually helpful with sucking up oil. Hot water & scrubbing are bad, so are oily lotions and virtually any kind of makeup (for me at least).
5) clean pillowcases! no need to smush your face into the same ol' junk forever...
6) avoid allergens. Much as I love animals, dog-slobber makes me "break out" into an itchy hivey rash if not rinsed off fairly promptly, and that can easily lead to another kind of breakout. I might have food triggers as well, but haven't identified them yet..... Thinking reasonably, though, anything irritating and likely to inflame skin &/or clog pores is best avoided. (Cigarette smoke's a biggie.)

Hope that helps, snoopcat!

[JasperKat]

Also, don't touch your face! The more you touch, the more oil and gunk you're rubbing into your skin. Are you breaking out on your chin and the sides of your face? Take a cottonball dipped in witch hazel and wipe the receiver of your phone down really well. It's disgusting what builds up on there, especially if you work in an office or somewhere that lots of people are pressing their greasy faces on the phone.

-JK

[snoopcat]

You guys are so great, thanks for all of ur responses. I've pretty much had perfect skin (not to brag) up until now. This is why I'm kind of freaking out, in addition to the fact that I know vegans with skin problems. It could just be a product of stress. I've been depressed (this is my first year of college), and I am a giant stress case in general. I could also have hormone problems, because I just plain don't get my period. I'm in the process of getting the hormones checked out.

I'm cutting out soy for a while, and upping the vitamin C (lots of oranges) as herbi suggested. And I'll be sure to be diligent about my vitamins (multi and B 12---do i need anything else??). Be ready for my whining if things don't get better, and thanks for listening

[snoopcat]

Oh, and I'll be sure to clean my pillow cases when I come home this weekend, and I'm never around animals (allergic, unfortunateley, cuz I love em). And your right about the dirty phone, I always see my mom whiping ours off. I don't have to worry about phones living in a dorm--but probably just about everything else. Seriously you guys, there are so many people that the air feels oily. I can skip a shower at home and feel completely clean; if I did that here I would feel like a giant ball of grease.

[snoopcat]

ORrrrrrrr it could be all the hookah-smoking I've been doing recently...hmm. OK, I'm starting to feel better now that there are some possible causes besides my diet...

[herbi]

Originally Posted by snoopcat (this is my first year of college)

I think that's reason enough right there! Who DOESN'T have something happen first year college? Be it acne, the "freshman fifteen" (or twenty...), mono, you name it...

Also:

there are so many people that the air feels oily

OK, first of all, that's really gross!

Secondly, being suddenly plopped into a huge community of people (virtually all of them still adolescents, to boot) is a great way to get crazy new things going on in your body, whether you're aware of it or not. Pheromones and whatnot-- not consciously detectable or controllable, but highly sensitive to different social situations. Plus, you'll be swapping skin flora (bacteria, etc) with a wide range of people from many different places-- maybe some new strain of staph is battling it out with your own homegrown brand? (I remain convinced that this is one reason why our previously trusty deodorants failed when I moved in with Dandelion-- our skin bacteria were having parties (or fights?) in the middle of the night while we were sleeping, and joined together to create Super Smelly bacteria that neither of us could've produced on our own... ) Eventually, they'll work it out amongst themselves and your skin will balance itself back out. Won't be fun in the meantime, but... *shrug*

Also, if you've recently moved out of your family home and into a dorm, there may be differences in the water chemistry or any number of other things! (How much old student dust is kicked up from the carpets...?) The stress of going to college plus living in the oh-so-hygienic dorms is enough to make anyone break out...

[zatoichi]

i feel like i need a shower.

[Nanashi]

I had the same experience. I wasn't completely acne free before going vegan though. I went cold tofurkey, maybe if you gradually cut animal products out you have a smoother transition. But that wasn't really an option, I was willing to put up with the acne, I thought it was a small price to pay.

Mine lasted about 6 months. Also the stress factor could have applied to me as well so it could be a unique combination of factors.

Don't get too discouraged if you try something and it doesn't work. Eventually you'll find equilibrium.

[bird]

Blackheads, which I never used to get, seem to have moved in on my nose. What do you guys like to use to get rid of them? I heard that pore strips were a scam.

[grog]

Originally Posted by bird Blackheads, which I never used to get, seem to have moved in on my nose. What do you guys like to use to get rid of them? I heard that pore strips were a scam.

i use hungry tiny spiders