 | I’ve been thinking for a while about whether or not to write about this. I’m by no means a nutritionist/dermatologist or any kind of expert in the field of acne, and I know this blog is reserved for all things make-up and beauty - but I thought that maybe someone can benefit from reading this - I wish I'd tried it earlier that's for sure! |
I got through my teens unscathed – I was clear skinned and busy being a total science nerd. But when I got to university something strange happened. All over my cheeks I suddenly developed these seemingly random pimples. It wasn’t hormonal, there were no changes I could pinpoint, they were just suddenly there. And they weren’t going away! I tried all the prescription creams and lotions, until I was finally and inevitably put on Roaccutane – the pharmaceutical world’s acne-miracle-cure. And it worked! My skin cleared up. I had the usual side-effects too, very dry skin, dry lips, and I had to check my liver function ever 4 weeks, but the spots were gone! I stayed on it for about 4 months and when I came off it thought I had closed the book on that chapter of my life.
I was wrong. I moved to Dubai shortly after graduating and the acne returned. With a vengeance! Back to the doctors I went and back on Roaccutane too. The doctor noticed a slight change in enzyme levels in my liver so said he would have to monitor it. It felt like the balance between health and beauty was off – I didn’t want to damage a vital organ to clear my skin! So I came off the drug after just 2 months, resigned to have acne forever.
Years later, still getting pimples on my cheeks and now my neck, my sister Dee and I had launched Make-up by Dee & Dal. Dee has always been into saving the environment and rescuing stray animals, and all things that made me call her a ‘hippy’ for a long time. She stopped eating meat and eventually stopped eating, wearing or using any product/food that had any animal product or by product or was tested on animals. I won’t bore you with my dairy farm and meat farm research – but sufficed to say, I decided to take the vegan route myself, about a year later for health and ethical reasons. Then I noticed something strange was happening. My skin was clearing. Slowly but surely, the spots were disappearing and, more importantly, no new ones were appearing. I didn’t have that ‘itchy’ feeling on my cheeks after I used to eat dairy items – specifically cheese. I didn’t feel like my face was over-producing oil after I had dinner, the way it used to after eating meat or food with animal fat in. 8 months in to my lifestyle change, and I haven’t had a single pimple since the day I ‘went vegan’.
It got me wondering – how many acne sufferers could actually be antagonising their skin problem by eating things they didn’t know they shouldn’t. I’ll admit it – the doctor always used to say ‘avoid cheese and chocolate’ as they have been proven to make acne worse in some people. But could it be that animal/dairy products as a whole are not good for acne sufferers? Maybe my skin would have cleared on it's own some day. I really don't know. All I know is that this change in diet and products has changed my skin for the better, forever :)
Dal xx
I was wrong. I moved to Dubai shortly after graduating and the acne returned. With a vengeance! Back to the doctors I went and back on Roaccutane too. The doctor noticed a slight change in enzyme levels in my liver so said he would have to monitor it. It felt like the balance between health and beauty was off – I didn’t want to damage a vital organ to clear my skin! So I came off the drug after just 2 months, resigned to have acne forever.
Years later, still getting pimples on my cheeks and now my neck, my sister Dee and I had launched Make-up by Dee & Dal. Dee has always been into saving the environment and rescuing stray animals, and all things that made me call her a ‘hippy’ for a long time. She stopped eating meat and eventually stopped eating, wearing or using any product/food that had any animal product or by product or was tested on animals. I won’t bore you with my dairy farm and meat farm research – but sufficed to say, I decided to take the vegan route myself, about a year later for health and ethical reasons. Then I noticed something strange was happening. My skin was clearing. Slowly but surely, the spots were disappearing and, more importantly, no new ones were appearing. I didn’t have that ‘itchy’ feeling on my cheeks after I used to eat dairy items – specifically cheese. I didn’t feel like my face was over-producing oil after I had dinner, the way it used to after eating meat or food with animal fat in. 8 months in to my lifestyle change, and I haven’t had a single pimple since the day I ‘went vegan’.
It got me wondering – how many acne sufferers could actually be antagonising their skin problem by eating things they didn’t know they shouldn’t. I’ll admit it – the doctor always used to say ‘avoid cheese and chocolate’ as they have been proven to make acne worse in some people. But could it be that animal/dairy products as a whole are not good for acne sufferers? Maybe my skin would have cleared on it's own some day. I really don't know. All I know is that this change in diet and products has changed my skin for the better, forever :)
Dal xx
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