Diet change = skin change?

[#1]

A couple of months ago, I started working out more often and I changed my diet to something a little more healthy. I focus most on fiber, protein and fruits and vegetables. I find that my normally low maintenance skin has changed and it's very frustrating! Before, I never got blemishes and I just washed it with my Dial soap bar. For the past couple of months, I've been getting small pimples/blackheads on my chin, around my nose and on my forehead, so basically my T zone. I have tried different face washes and moisturizers but nothing works! What should I do?

[#2]

Well, working out isn't doing much to your skin because all the sweat coming out of your body is getting rid of the Toxins. But, you do want to make sure that you clean your face immediately after your workouts so you don't break out. Eating healthy is a HUGE. Everything you eat shows on the outside of your body. Try to stay away from peanuts, chocolate, ice-cream, and SODA! Lot's of things with sugar in it will for sure give you breakouts! Also, try taking supplements (vitamins). Clear skin vitamins mainly include Vitamin A, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Vitamin A reduces the production of acne and results in a clear skin. Vitamin B5 is mostly applied in the form of lotion containing 20% pantothenic acid for a healthier skin. Vitamin B6 improves hormonal balance and Vitamin C supports the immune system and promotes skin healing. Vitamin E with its antioxidant properties protects the skin from free radicals damage and offers a clear skin. These vitamins are also known as acne skin vitamins. If you keep using different face washes your skin is probably going crazy because of all the different ingredients reacting with each other. Stay with one gentle face wash, such as Cetaphil. I hope that helped :-)

[#3]

your breakouts are probably from the sweat. When you work out, try to gently blot your face (do NOT use your hands). also, in your diet, be sure to include an even balance of vitamins. Thouroughly wash your face every day and after every workout. Use natural(optional) cleansers and scrub well or use the clairisonic to scrub (use your own cleanser with the clairisonic, not the one's provided) and also use a good moisturizer. I would recommend Dior skin perfect pore refining perfecting moisturizer even though it's a little pricy. Hope this helps!

[#4]

Many many years ago, in the early '70's, a dermatogist told me to use Dial soap on my acne and oily skin.  One of the ingredients is tricolsan, which is an anti bacterial agent  and it dries out oily skin.  I have  noticed that many products on Sephora now list not having triclosan as a positive thing, which makes me think that it has been found to be a problem for people.  You may be allergic to it.  Also, since you mention blackheads in the "t zone" it sounds like it could be a hormonal problem, which is unpredictable.  I don't think it's a diet issue, I think you need to look into some acne products, like Clinique's 3 step system which will address the acne and oily conditions.

[#5]

Diet change can indeed cause a change in skin -- but if you're breaking out more now, I suspect it's because you're working out and sweating more and need to adjust your skincare routine. That, more than a change in diet, is likely responsible for your breakouts.

Also: when you say Dial...do you mean a variety specifically for the face? If you're using one of the bars for hands and body, I would not recommend this, because facial skin is entirely different. Instead, I would definitely use a facial cleanser for the face -- there are many inexpensive varieties available; in fact, out of all the cleansers I have tried, expensive ($50+) or drugstore, I have found that my skin is happiest with my $7.99 Neutrogena cleanser.

If you can't wash your face post-workout (if you're on a lunch break, for instance, and you don't want to wash all of your eye makeup off), I highly recommend carrying facial cleansing wipes with you for an immediate post-workout wipe down. Wash your face twice a day, AM and PM -- if you're seeing many blackheads and more than 10 pimples or so at a time, you could use a salicylic acid cleanser, or one with benzoyl peroxide -- but I specified the amount of spots because if you only have a few, these cleansers can be too drying and a spot treatment would be more appropriate on the problem areas, rather than an entire acne regimen. If you change your skincare routine to adjust to your changing skin, I think you will see an improvement soon

[#6]

Hi there,

 I agree with the above poster that most likely the pimples are the result of working out more, and the oil that comes from that. If you were getting that reaction from healthy food, I'd imagine that'd be an allergy (and the first is more likely).

Using a soap, even if it worked before, isn't a great idea. It really doesn't do much to protect or restore your skin's natural balance--and when you get older, you might see the effects of that. I'd definitely suggest finding a good oil free moisturizer (some good ones I've tried have been Cliniques dramatically different moisturizing gel, and Philosophy's hope in a jar oil free-- though I don't care for the scent of that one--the regular hope in a jar is ALMOST oil free if you think you can get away with that, and smells great/is great for your skin)

Make sure if you wear any makeup on your face, like foundation, you are using oil-free makeup remover to get it off. Even if you never had problem with clogged pores before when not using this, the extra oil from work outs could be collecting with makeup and causing black heads/ pimples. You can get a cheap cleansing wipe from CVS, even.

As far as cleansers, I have tried them ALL because I have very persistent acne. Honestly, the best thing I've ever tried is Neutragena's oil-free acne cleanser. It has 2% salicylic acid (it doesn't really dry out skin though, as long as you wear a moisturizer!) and that has done a GREAT job of clearing breakouts and preventing 99% of them.

I hope this helps!

[#7]

Thanks for your help!

I used to use Dial, maybe a year ago, but not anymore. It was really all I needed and it kept my skin clean and healthy, strangely enough. I've tried the expensive cleansers, but I haven't yet tried Neutrogena. Which one would you recommend? I don't have a lot of blackheads or pimples, but I never used to have them at all, so now 4 or 5 looks like a lot to me. Silly, I know.

I'll keep the face wipe thing in mind and put some in my gym bag, thanks for the tip!  What would you recommend for a spot treatment?

[#8]

Hi again! (Re: Dial -- I see what you mean; while I wouldn't think to use it, if it worked for you, then why should it matter? I know someone who has flawless skin (she's in her 40s) who doesn't wash her face (!) that often -- and, as much as my first instinct would be to tell her that she needs to, if her skin is perfect, clearly something is working for her! But I digress...)

When I started using my Clarisonic, I switched to the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser, which is great -- it fights breakouts with willow bark and it doesn't dry your skin out at all. I think this may be a good one for you because it would help with the breakouts. Before that (and now when I'm not using my Clarisonic), I used the Visibly Even Foaming Face Wash for about 7 years. It has scrubbing particles in it, and it won't overdry your skin. A good Sephora alternative is the Kate Somerville Purifying Exfoliating Cleanser: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P232913&categoryId=B70. Be sure to exfoliate as part of your cleansing routine at least a few times a week -- getting rid of dead skin cells really helps with excess oil production and breakouts!

I don't think it's silly at all if 4-5 spots suddenly looks like a lot to you; I'm the same way. The reason I asked about the amount was in case you had the tendency -- like myself -- that when you see a few pimples, you assume that you need an anti-acne regimen overhaul NOW -- which ends up backfiring because you may really just have a breakout that needs spot treatment (an acne regimen can be really overdrying to someone who doesn't need it). A spot treatment that I love (and one of the few that has worked for me!) is Kate Somerville's EradiKate -- it's kind of odd looking -- like calamine lotion -- and you can't wear it during the day under makeup. It contains 10% sulfur, which is a higher concentration than most acne treatments that use sulfur -- and I think it's effective, which makes it worth the extra hassle it is to use it: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P232903&categoryId=B70.

If you're still seeing breakouts after switching up your cleanser and spot treatment, at that point you might want to consider a stronger face wash or oil-control regimen...but first, I would try changing the first two and see how that goes.