Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Acne Breakouts On My Face And Back.

Dman

By Dman
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

Dman Newbie
Dman
Posted

I'm a 31-year-old male and was diagnosed with celiac disease the first week of January this year. Since then I have followed a strict gluten-free diet. After about a month of being on this diet, I noticed I'd get an occasional pimple on my back or shoulders. Then I'd have two or three. For the last month I've just been getting new pimples on my face and back on almost a daily or every other day basis. I've NEVER had an acne problem in my life. Of course I'd get the occasional pimple, but it was nothing like I have now. I guess I've been one of the lucky ones and just always had clean, clear skin, but what I'm going through now is really bothering me.

Has anyone else experienced this? How do you treat it? I'm reluctant to assume that this is all a coincidence because my lifestyle has not changed. I still swim regularly at the gym. My soaps and laundry detergent has not changed. Only my diet has changed and it was a drastic change because breads were part of my daily diet up until I was diagnosed.

If anyone can offer some advise, I'd sincerely appreciate it.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Mango04 Enthusiast
Mango04
Posted

Wow that's interesting. My first thought was maybe your body is detoxing. But I wonder....what have you added to your diet in place of all the bread? Have you added large amounts of any replacement foods? Do any of your replacement foods happen to contain soy...or any other ingredient that is new to you?

alamaz Collaborator
alamaz
Posted

Are you eating soy? Soy makes me break out really bad. I can tolerate small amount of soy lecithin spaced out but any soy product causes me to have bad breakouts. You have to look for soy in vitamins, flours, margarines, candy bars and the obvious soy milk, tofu etc. I'd try eliminating soy first for about a month and see how it goes.

Dman Newbie
Dman
Posted
  • Author

I am consuming more soy products now, but soy is certainly not new to me (I work for a soybean roasting company)! I have replaced breads with corn and rice products such as corn bread, corn tortillas, rice cakes, rice flour, etc. I still consume the same amount of lean red meats each week (my favorite) and vegetables. I eat between one and three apples or other piece of fruit each day. I drink a lot of bottled water each day and perhaps five 32oz gatorades per week. In doing research online for acne treatment, I've seen several sites that make statements that a diet rich in fibers and whole grains is essential to healthy skin (or words to that affect) so it just makes me wonder if not getting all the grains that my body used to get may be causing this. I know it might not make sense, but I'm just stumped over this. This is what I should have gone through about 15 years ago!

Mango04 Enthusiast
Mango04
Posted
I am consuming more soy products now, but soy is certainly not new to me (I work for a soybean roasting company)! I have replaced breads with corn and rice products such as corn bread, corn tortillas, rice cakes, rice flour, etc. I still consume the same amount of lean red meats each week (my favorite) and vegetables. I eat between one and three apples or other piece of fruit each day. I drink a lot of bottled water each day and perhaps five 32oz gatorades per week. In doing research online for acne treatment, I've seen several sites that make statements that a diet rich in fibers and whole grains is essential to healthy skin (or words to that affect) so it just makes me wonder if not getting all the grains that my body used to get may be causing this. I know it might not make sense, but I'm just stumped over this. This is what I should have gone through about 15 years ago!

Well you can get plenty of fiber on a gluten-free diet, and it sounds like you are, so that shouldn't be a problem. I wonder if your body is reacting to the soy differently now that your diet has changed, especially if you're around soy all day. I'm not an expert (though I've dealt extensively with cystic acne)...but if it were me in this situation I would completely cut out the soy and the gatorade if you can...and try to eat less starch. If you've added significant amounts of corn to your diet that can certainly be having an impact as well. Here's some info that discusses grains, acne and insulin. I don't believe everything that Mercola says but some of it is good info:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Dman Newbie
Dman
Posted
  • Author

That's very helpful information. I'll put it to use. Thanks a bunch.

imsohungry Collaborator
imsohungry
Posted

Hi there!

Like you, I started getting acne past the "typical" puberty age of onset.

Two things were causing mine: Medication and hormones

Well, they fixed the hormone problem with birth control pills (obviously not an option for you) ;)

But earlier that year, I had also started taking a new Rx medication....we found that to be the root of the problem breakouts.

Just thought I'd offer that idea. Have you started any new meds. recently?

Best of luck. -Julie

P.S. I use Proactiv now; it IS gluten free, and they have body wash for troubling areas like the back, etc.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

One more thing, have you checked your shampoos and soaps for gluten?

munchkinette Collaborator
munchkinette
Posted
One more thing, have you checked your shampoos and soaps for gluten?

To add to this question, do you have a significant other who may have changed products? I break out really bad sometimes because of my SO. He had to check all his products for wheat. I make him brush his teeth every time he eats wheat if we're spending time together.

Anna Isabel Rookie
Anna Isabel
Posted

Hello!

The regimen described on this site really works for acne. It is quite amazing--I have always been prone to acne, and when I moved to New York I started to break out a lot(maybe because of all the dirt/pollutants?) and I found this website. Seems simple, but I really never break out anymore.

Open Original Shared Link

Annie

ant-hill Newbie
ant-hill
Posted

hey, I noticed you added more corn to your diet... that is a pretty common thing to have an allergy to, you may want to get tested for food allergies, or at least try dropping the corn from your diet for a couple weeks...

  • 3 weeks later...
Dman Newbie
Dman
Posted
  • Author

This is a follow-up to let everyone know that I stopped consuming soy and the breakouts have stopped. I don't know what it is about soy that caused it. Perhaps I was consuming too much. Typically I'd have chocolate soy milk mixed with soy protein isolate that I'd drink after swimming for a protein-rich shake.

Mango04 Enthusiast
Mango04
Posted
This is a follow-up to let everyone know that I stopped consuming soy and the breakouts have stopped. I don't know what it is about soy that caused it. Perhaps I was consuming too much. Typically I'd have chocolate soy milk mixed with soy protein isolate that I'd drink after swimming for a protein-rich shake.

Wow - I'm glad you figured it out.

Nancym Enthusiast
Nancym
Posted
Open Original Shared Link might might be of interest. Its about acne and dairy products.
alamaz Collaborator
alamaz
Posted

some people say that soy acts like the hormone estrogen (it's recommended to women to relieve symptoms of menopause) and also i've read that pretty much the entire soy crop in the US is genetically modified. Glad you were able to figure out what was causing your breakouts!

Nancym Enthusiast
Nancym
Posted

Do you use dairy products?

Open Original Shared Link

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable. The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body. So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days. Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte...
    2. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine?
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine. Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine. Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats. Meat, especially organ...
    4. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc. Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food....
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,871
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Koyanna
    Newest Member
    Koyanna
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable.  The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body.  So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days.  Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test.  But even that test has been questioned as to accuracy.  It is expensive and takes time to do.   Because of the discrepancies with thiamine tests and urgency with correcting thiamine deficiency, the World Health Organization recommends giving thiamine for several weeks and looking for health improvement.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Many doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition and deficiency symptoms, and may not be familiar with how often they occur in Celiac disease.  B12 and Vitamin D can be stored for as long as a year in the liver, so not having deficiencies in these two vitamins is not a good indicator of the status of the other seven water soluble B vitamins.  It is possible to have deficiency symptoms BEFORE there's changes in the blood levels.   Ask your doctor about Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine that is better absorbed than Thiamine Mononitrate.  Thiamine Mononitrate is used in many vitamins because it is shelf-stable, a form of thiamine that won't break down sitting around on a store shelf.  This form is difficult for the body to turn into a usable form.  Only thirty percent is absorbed in the intestine, and less is actually used.   Thiamine interacts with all of the other B vitamins, so they should all be supplemented together.  Magnesium is needed to make life sustaining enzymes with thiamine, so a magnesium supplement should be added if magnesium levels are low.   Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  There's no harm in trying.
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.