Dairy=bad skin....?

S

Skyeblu

Cathlete
Hi all, does anyone have this problem?
Over the years I have always been a clean eater which normally did not include dairy especially in my competitive days, its was a no-no, becasue of the sugar, bloating, etc. I have in the past couple years added it back in as I enjoy milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc... In the past 6 months or so I have added a lot, lot more because a) all the studies find how good it is for you and b) its so much more convenient to grab a yogurt/cottage cheese pack with some fruit and run out the door than a piece of grilled chicken and a potato for example, especially since my days are hectic, and you can buy a yogurt at any convenience store should you need a quick snack. In this past 6 months that I have been eating a ton more I have just realized this may be the connection to my skin being more prone to breaking out which was never an issue. I have always had clear skin, even as a teen. I usually have it in my oatmeal, with a shake if I have one, a yogurt or cottage cheese, etc all in one day sometimes. I was at the Derm today and she said it was highly likey that that was the problem since it effects women's skin more than men. Guess I'll back off for a couple weeks and see what happens.
Please tell me of your experiences with this.....
Thanks a bunch!
Skye
 
I have no experience, but if you tell me that your skin clears up when you stop eating dairy, then I'm right there with you!

Keep me posted:)
 
Shelley, I will start on Mon and keep you posted on my progress at the end of each week! I will most likely go dairy crazy :9 this weekend so I am so sick of it I won't miss it! LOL }(
 
Oh Skye! Thank you!

It never even occurred to me that my skin problems are caused by diary. Like you, I've had good skin all my life and lately it's red and blotchy and I'm breaking out a bit. I thought it was my new make-up, but that doesn't seem to be it. I used to eat salads for lunch, but lately have taken to buying containers of low-fat cottage cheese instead. Could that be the culprit? I didn't even know there was a connection!

-Nancy
 
God Bless your heart for bringing this up. I to have always had nice skin up until about a month ago. I also just recepntly started eatting cottage cheese even though I have been avoiding dairy in general for many years. When eating clean or trying to cut, it's a way for me to stay on my diet to have CC blended with flavored protein powder or SF Pud Mix. I was just thinking about the dairy in my diet this morning noting that although my waist is getting smaller since sticking to my diet, my face looks really puffy. And my "T" zones have been out of control and breaking out! I almost always scar to when I break out too! Thats it, the CC is soo out of here!
 
Lookin' like a teenager as we speak! I had dairy over the weekend and my skin is majorly broken out! I haven't had any dairy since Monday morning so hopefully no new zits to curse at! So, yes...I have seen a connection between dairy consumption and yucky, dull skin that breaks out! I'm too old for zit cream!

Oh, thanks to dairy, I have figured out that if I dab a bit of toothpaste on the pimple overnight, it helps dry it out!
 
Well, I don't know if I'm an oddity or not, but I've always eaten lots of dairy. If fact, all of my life I have. My skin has always been very nice. In fact, people are always telling me how nice my skin is.

Could you all have an allergy to it possibly?

Margaret
 
I have a neighbor who claims dairy makes you break out. It doesn't bother me as long as it has no sugar in it (the flavored yogurt for example). Sugar makes me break out bad, as does breakfast cereal. I would conduct your experiment! I am sure it is an individual thing. Diet modifications have cleared up my skin dramatically. And the drs still tell you food has no impact on acne/skin. Puh-leez!

Jen
 
Please keep us all posted. I have more break outs as an adult as I did when I was a teenager. I haven't been able to find a connection with anything, but now that you mention, dairy might have something to do.
 
Thanks everyone for your input, looks like I may not be alone. But glad to hear some people don't have this problem (if in fact this is it). I will start eliminating diary on Mon and see if I look better each week. I'll give a report each fri. If anyone decides to do it too, please let me know if you get results. In a way I pray its not the cause but at least I'll know why. My Derm said a little, little bit is okay but I know I am overdoing it. I know at the very least I'll de-bloat a bit, I know it holds water especially in my body. Isn't it ironic though how they say that dairy aids in weight loss??? Go figure since it bloats me and holds water in your body. Besides, if in fact dairy helps you lose weight but causes breakouts what good is that, sure my thighs will look great but doesn't help if my face is tore up, LOL. I can cover my thighs.....but not my face.;(
Thanks again,
Skye
 
I saw a blurb in Allure magazine last night that also connected dairy to breaking out. I forget the exact details, but it's in the latest issue.

From my own personal experience, I recently went on a cleanse for a month and my skin cleared up and never looked better. Not even the usual monthly breakout. And I had some itchy patches of skin that went away too. Problem is, I don't know what specifically was responsible for this since there were a lot of things I couldn't eat. I had no dairy, no sugar, no wheat, no bread, no white rice, no pasta, no alcohol... It was pretty strict. Now that I've gotten off the cleanse and added a few of the no-no's back into my diet, my face is breaking out again. I'm afraid it might be the dark chocolate though or maybe the wine. Haven't had that much dairy except for cheese.

So, I highly believe that what you eat does affect your skin, just like food affects the rest of your body. I'd try eliminating dairy and see if it works. I wonder if whey would also cause breakouts? I hope not. Anyhow, good luck and let us know what you discover!

Melissa
 
Skye, please let us know how it goes. I am not ready to give up my milk, my cottage cheese or even my ice cream unless absolutely necessary. So I'll be waiting to hear how you do. PLEASE let us know!!!

Editing to say thanks again so much for sharing this. I'd never heard of it before.
 
To me, it makes 100% sense that certain foods affect your skin. Breakouts and hormones are linked and foods we eat have varying effects on our hormones. It also makes sense that dairy would cause "Linda" to break out but make "Amy" look better than ever since our hormonal levels are not identical to one another, therefore having a different effect on the skin.

For the record, it has been 4 days since my last dairy indulgence and no new break outs to report. Still trying to get the last break out to heal...running out of tooth paste!:p
 
LOL, I've done the toothpaste thing too, it does dry it out thats for sure.
I will definitely let you all know, I'll put "No Dairy Check-In" in the subject head so you know what to look for. I am sooo not looking forward to this.x( My saving grace is that the hazelnut creamer I use in my coffee (which I have grown unnaturally attached to) is non-dairy, Phew!

Anyone ever read any of Dr. Perricones books? i have the first one from years ago, he definitely shuns dairy.
 
Karen, I don't know exactly what hyaluronic acid is, but I know that Whole Foods carries it in the skin care section. I am using it in serum form but have not noticed any skin changes yet. Hopefully you have a Whole Foods near you!

Randi
 
Skye, I just want to add that I always have a cup of skim milk in my morning oatmeal, and always eat lots of ice cream. It was only when I added daily cottage cheese to the list that I started to have skin problems, so perhaps the culprit is just excess dairy, and perhaps you don't have to cut down to nothing.

I also want to add that my skin problems are mostly dry, red, irritated blotches more than zits. I don't even mind the occasion zit, as I can use a little oil in my skin. But the dry red patches are painful and look awful. Wondering if anyone else gets these?
 
Skye,

I'm not sure if you already do this, but try switching to organic milk, or at least the kind that contains no rBST hormones. This is a hormone farmers give to their cows to make them produce more milk, which obviously gets into the milk you drink. This might be causing your skin problems. Organic milk also will contain no other antibiotics or hormones.

Hope it helps,
Elaine

PS Another thing about rBST. I've seen what happens to cows who are given this hormone. It makes them so sick they are emaciated, and it gives them infections in their udders, where the milk comes own of. So when they are milked, bacteria can get into the milk. Then farmers need to add antiobiotics and ultra pasteurize the milk. Disgusting.
 
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