Forehead Acne

[Zigzag]

I've always had some issues with whiteheads, but lately it's gotten to the point my forehead looks like a battleground. I've upped my carbs intake, It's around 250-300g I guess, mainly from various types of rice and groats, protein from chicken breasts is around 160g (I workout), fat - as low PUFA as it's possible, mainly butter. Obviously reading about in the Internet leads me to "no sleep or insulin resistance". I don't sleep super well, 6-7h, but that hasn't changed for years and back in the days I didn't have that much problem with forehead.
I've been using minoxidil for like half a year already so I doubt it causes this issue (I clean my face with soap whenever it drips from hair), also Retin-A daily. Should I add oral vit A supplement or more liver in my diet (even though retin-a should be enough I think)?

Please help. I'm 26 with forehead acne....something's not right.

 

[milk_lover]

Have you eaten eggs or supplemented vitamin D lately? Both can break my acnes

 

[Zigzag]

I havent eaten eggs in months, vit D pills last time like in march.

 

[Forsythia]

Are the whiteheads small and all the same size? Do they come and go quickly (sometimes you have none and the next time you look you have many)? Is your forehead itchy?

 

[Zigzag]

I popped them all, so can't tell exactly, but they differ in size. They definitely come quickly, overnight. Not sure about going away, because if they stay for couple of days I use this pimple popping thingy. My forehead isn't itchy at all.

 

[Korven]

Could be a case of malassezia folliculitis, aka "fungal acne", which usually shows up on the forehead and is resistant to standard acne treatments e.g retin-a.

If you're using the cream version of retin-a that could potentially aggravate any fungal infection as it contains food grade fatty acids for malassezia and it occludes the skin which is a favourable condition for fungal overgrowth. You could try switching to the gel instead, or ideally wean yourself off it. Personally retin-a only made my skin so much worse and I still have scars from it + absorbing synthetic retinoic acid through the skin can't be good for you.

Also cleaning your face with soap containing surfactants can dehydrate your skin and damage skin barrier function. I'd recommend ditching the soap and/or use honey instead.

 

[ExCarniv]

Your diet is not low in PUFAs, 500g of chicken breast is like 5g, and Oats are high in them plus phytic acid.

I'd drop the oats and chicken and switch for other carbs and protein.

 

[boris]

I've spent 6 months elimination diet to find the cause for my acne. No matter the other factors that are at play, in the end it was purely psychological stress which triggers them for me.

Also groats daily is not a good idea. Increased endotoxin (+workout depending on intensity = double whammy) sub zero nutritional value thanks to anti nutrients, high PUFA and extremely irritating for the gut. 100g has easily 5g of PUFA combined with the chicken it seems that your fat intake is more PUFA than SAF. And even with additional SAF it wouldn't be enough to balance it.

@Zigzag

I saw in your older Posts you had problems with dark circles and white tounge? Did you resolve that?

I had the same problem from bad tooth fillings (mercury). And resulting candida. Dark circles are better since peating, but white tounge comes from time to time. I heard from Peat "flowers of sulfur" helps for candida. I want to try it soon.

 

[Tristan Loscha]

yes,no phytic -acid containing foodstuff,no cereals.training intensity and hormonal balance also,
gets it worse in the summer?sweat?

 

[mbachiu]

Mine was due to severe blood sugar disregulation. I was borderline diabetic when starting refeeding. I have always had poor skin quality, which has always reflected things I was ignoring about my health.

B vitamins seemed to have helped with this, but also consistent & persistent refeeding to ensure I’m getting adequate energy. I still get a decent amount of acne, but the fungal acne has now gone away.

 

[Zigzag]

I saw in your older Posts you had problems with dark circles and white tounge? Did you resolve that?

Dark circles are still there, but I'm 99% sure it's from bone deficiency. White tongue is gone.

Mine was due to severe blood sugar disregulation. I was borderline diabetic when starting refeeding. I have always had poor skin quality, which has always reflected things I was ignoring about my health.

B vitamins seemed to have helped with this, but also consistent & persistent refeeding to ensure I’m getting adequate energy. I still get a decent amount of acne, but the fungal acne has now gone away.

I'm going to start taking B complex. You saying that you had it from blood sugar issues, makes me almost certain I have the same problem. I used to do IF/low carb for 2 years. Currently I'm eating on a deficit as I'm dropping excess fat. What else do you suggest?

 

[Zigzag]

yes,no phytic -acid containing foodstuff,no cereals.training intensity and hormonal balance also,
gets it worse in the summer?sweat?

To be honest it's been getting worse every consecutive month. I workout 3 times a week, I don't think I have any hormonal imbalance atm.

 

[boris]

Eating PUFA + caloric deficit will cause hormonal imbalance one way or the other.

 

[mbachiu]

I'm going to start taking B complex. You saying that you had it from blood sugar issues, makes me almost certain I have the same problem. I used to do IF/low carb for 2 years. Currently I'm eating on a deficit as I'm dropping excess fat. What else do you suggest?[/QUOTE]

Just be careful about what is in the B complex. A lot of them have some very poor ingredients, so sometimes it’s better & safer to supplement with single Bs. Charlie has written a lot about this & Haidut has a good B complex called energin.

I am of the belief that caloric restriction as a way to heal isn’t necessarily the right way to go. So, I’m not sure I believe you can do that & heal the fungal infection as the same time. It might be worth waiting for someone else who knows more to weigh in on that, however.

 

[Zigzag]

I'm going to start taking B complex. You saying that you had it from blood sugar issues, makes me almost certain I have the same problem. I used to do IF/low carb for 2 years. Currently I'm eating on a deficit as I'm dropping excess fat. What else do you suggest?

Just be careful about what is in the B complex. A lot of them have some very poor ingredients, so sometimes it’s better & safer to supplement with single Bs. Charlie has written a lot about this & Haidut has a good B complex called energin.

I am of the belief that caloric restriction as a way to heal isn’t necessarily the right way to go. So, I’m not sure I believe you can do that & heal the fungal infection as the same time. It might be worth waiting for someone else who knows more to weigh in on that, however.

Have you stabilized your blood sugar?

 

[mbachiu]

Have you stabilized your blood sugar?

Hey again! It’s a process! I was coming from years & years of restriction (while Peating), & from pretty extreme over exercising. Even though I knew it wasn’t what I should be doing, I was crossfitting. I had changed the last year into Olympic weightlifting, but I think i was so depleted, that it was still too much. Before I started this resting phase, I was having to eat every 1/2 hour to keep my blood sugar regulated. Now, I’m able to go 2-3 hours & I am able to (mostly) get through the night within extreme spikes in cortisol. But, I’m still in recovery & I would say that I am still working on blood sugar regulation. I think I’m one of those people who could take up to 2 years to truly recover.

I also think that reframing how we think about blood sugar is helpful. I was having bouts of hypoglycaemia & I think those are much more harmful overall than higher blood sugar. But, again, that’s my opinion. I’m not an expert & I know there are many who would disagree with that statement.

 

[Tristan Loscha]

oral zincsulphate,bisglycinate or l-optizinc 10mg 3 times a day,vitamin d 3000-7000 IU,no milk protein,
and low dose 2-3mg coppersulphate ,also retinol,

 

[Tristan Loscha]

Hey again! It’s a process! I was coming from years & years of restriction (while Peating), & from pretty extreme over exercising. Even though I knew it wasn’t what I should be doing, I was crossfitting. I had changed the last year into Olympic weightlifting, but I think i was so depleted, that it was still too much. Before I started this resting phase, I was having to eat every 1/2 hour to keep my blood sugar regulated. Now, I’m able to go 2-3 hours & I am able to (mostly) get through the night within extreme spikes in cortisol. But, I’m still in recovery & I would say that I am still working on blood sugar regulation. I think I’m one of those people who could take up to 2 years to truly recover.

I also think that reframing how we think about blood sugar is helpful. I was having bouts of hypoglycaemia & I think those are much more harmful overall than higher blood sugar. But, again, that’s my opinion. I’m not an expert & I know there are many who would disagree with that statement.

yes,overtraining.the thing is for maximum stimulus of a musclegroup, only 2 bouts are necessary,even one set gains
70percent of the 2set-stimulus.benefit:maximum regeneration. would reduce volume if you have any other symptoms
in accordance to stress syndrome,over exercising.

 

[Iceman2016]

Minoxidil definitely causes an enlargement and clogging of facial pores over time. This is a well known side effect of minoxidil usage that some people end up experiencing. Many people even stop using it for this reason.

Excessive sex or masturbation also causes forehead acne in some people. If you're ejaculating every day, try to cut it down to as rarely as possible. You may see a difference.

 

[Mad]

Acne around the chin/mouth area was always my biggest issue, but I would occasionally deal with some forehead acne. Taking some oral vitamin A always nipped that in that bud for me.