do spots have anything to do with diet?

DannyDan · 15 Sep 2008 at 11:29

I suffer from fairly bad acne, especially on my back, and most off-the-shelf treatments didn't really help but it's cleared up quite considerably in the last few weeks. I've been:

1. Following the regime from http://www.acne.org/. I've substituted the products they recommend with similar ones available in Boots. Also - they recommend 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, which is fine for face and neck, but I find only 5% works on my back.

2. Taking vitamin E

3. Drinking more water

bledd · 15 Sep 2008 at 11:35

MiNxYyY said:
i am on a chocolate diet and completely clear skin,havent had a spot for over 2 years.

as in you only eat chocolate, or don't each chocolate?

Russinating · 15 Sep 2008 at 12:48

Spots are the bane of my masculin form. I'm currently on tablets for it and though I don't get any side effects and they work to an extent they never seem to get rid of them all.

I don't eat any chocolate, rarely eat sweets and eat fairly healthily most of the time. I usually find my spots are worse when I'm stressed (or when I forget to take the pills!).

MooMoo444 · 15 Sep 2008 at 12:53

What is peoples opinions on spots - Pop them or leave them?

KNiVES · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:04

MooMoo444 said:
What is peoples opinions on spots - Pop them or leave them?

Leave!! Popping them makes it far far far worse. It spreads the bacteria. Even just touching your face with your own hands is a bad idea. So what if you have a bright big white zit on your cheek, put up with it for a day now, rather than two tomorrow.

Tefal · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:09

KNiVES said:
Leave!! Popping them makes it far far far worse. It spreads the bacteria. Even just touching your face with your own hands is a bad idea. So what if you have a bright big white zit on your cheek, put up with it for a day now, rather than two tomorrow.

or pop them then wash your face with anti bacterial wash etc.

maybe put a little detol in the one you popped, should clean it out nicely.

Snakedoctor · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:10

My daughter uses sudacream which seems to work for her. Clears them up in no time. You should go to the docs though as there are treatments now.

loltim · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:17

It's ok to pop whiteheads or blackheads, but spots that are under the skin will leave a nasty red mark, and probably a scar.

leaskovski · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:17

My diet isnt that bad, and I still get spots. It just happens. End of.

Oh, and if you are a cronic mazda, sometimes this can aid in getting spots.

Hlebio · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:22

MooMoo444 said:
What is peoples opinions on spots - Pop them or leave them?

Depends on the situation really, and whether or not the spot is truly ready to be popped.

I mean, you wouldn't wanna leave a big old white head on your face if you were going on a date would you?

But if you're staying in or whatever it's best to.

There's also a way to do it to ensure minimum irritation, and that's to use a sharp sterilized needle to ***** the surface, then gently applying a little pressure to opposite sides of the spot to ease out the dirt. Then apply a little tea-tree oil or something similar.

MooMoo444 · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:26

I've not had one for a while, so I do miss the enjoyment of popping them.

Is it normal though for blood to come out after all the yellowy junk comes out? lol

AtlanticP · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:31

MooMoo444 said:
What is peoples opinions on spots - Pop them or leave them?

Get rid of them as long as they are not under the skin as mentioned. I find that using Johnsons baby wipes regularly throughout the day can clean an outbreak in a day or so. Would'nt be without them now (The wipes that is).

Delvis · 15 Sep 2008 at 13:49

Snakedoctor said:
My daughter uses sudacream which seems to work for her. Clears them up in no time. You should go to the docs though as there are treatments now.

Yeah, Sudacrem worked for me for a bit...But mine decided to go hay-wire and run all over the shot!

Jambo · 15 Sep 2008 at 14:06

Energize said:
No it's nothing to do with diet, science has proven this.

What do you make of this?

So why have doctors always said it's a myth?
A:
Quite honestly, calling the diet and acne connection a myth just happened to catch on as prevailing wisdom after two studies were released in 1969 and 1971. The 1969 study was aimed at determining whether chocolate and acne are related. Two groups were given chocolate bars. One group was given chocolate bars with zero cocoa content, and the other group was given chocolate bars with a huge cocoa content. The two groups fared equally well as far as their acne was concerned. However, the chocolate bars both had sugar, milk, etc. The study was only testing cocoa in particular. The 1971 study asked college students, "What do you think causes your acne?" and the students were then given lots of that food. However, the students' baseline diets were not measured, there was no control group, the data was not analyzed, and the lesion count was not presented. No other studies comparing diet and acne have been performed since these two, until very recently. Obviously, from these two studies we cannot conclude that diet and acne are not related. We simply do not have the science until we perform more research. In my opinion, it is premature to say diet and acne are, or are not, related.

The recent study I referred to was performed in 2002. It was an epidemiological study and was published in the Archives of Dermatology. Dr. Cordain and Dr. Lindeberg studied indigenous tribes of hunter/gatherers, including 1200 Kitavan islanders off Papua New Guinea as well as a small group of Ache people in the remote jungle of Paraguay. There was zero incidence of acne in either population. Is this due to their diet? We are uncertain, but it is intriguing.

http://www.acne.org/diet-and-acne.html

Kristoph · 15 Sep 2008 at 14:23

All I know is, in my own experience - diet has naff all to do with how bad your skin is.

My skin is almost clear now, and that isnt because of diet. In fact my diet is the same as when I had spots.

I'm close to finishing a course of Roaccutane, this is seen as the final step / drug in clearing acne.

Add to that the doctors/dermatologists I've spoken to have said that diet will do very little to get rid of it.

Delvis · 15 Sep 2008 at 14:31

mp3kla said:
All I know is, in my own experience - diet has naff all to do with how bad your skin is.

My skin is almost clear now, and that isnt because of diet. In fact my diet is the same as when I had spots.

I'm close to finishing a course of Roaccutane, this is seen as the final step / drug in clearing acne.

Add to that the doctors/dermatologists I've spoken to have said that diet will do very little to get rid of it.

I see your point

I know people who eat loads of greasey stuff, and have literally no spots.

Myself however, got more when eating greasey foods I believe...although it could have been stress as I stated earlier due to certain events in my childhood? Who knows.

I can't seem to find anything on the antibiotic I'm on now either...probably spelling it wrong...But that has helped a lot in clearing my face up.

**Edit** Eh up, this is the one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetracycline

Also have some gel I can use, but I rarely do, unless another spot crops up.