The following is an interview with reader Lilla!
This is one in a series of short interviews with peeps who have cleared their skin naturally & holistically to find out what worked for them and what didn’t.
These are posted every other week, and if you have cleared your skin naturally and want to fill out your own interview to be featured on The Love Vitamin, then just click here!
What was your experience with acne? How many years did you have it and how did it make you feel?
It started when I was around 11 or 12, which was normal for puberty I guess, but when I turned 16 my face was completely covered in zits and my skin was super oily.
It was more than just teenage acne, but it was still a few more years until I finally learned that I have PCOS.
I struggled a lot, from the time I was 15 till 19, those were absolutely the worst years. I had extremely low self-esteem and I just wanted to hide. For a while I couldn’t go out without makeup, even though I knew it wasn’t good for me.
It was like a vicious cycle.
What kinds of things did you try prior to holistic healing that didn’t work?
I was willing to try ANYTHING, whatever it took to get rid of my acne… and that’s how I ended up taking Roaccutane and birth control pills (Diane), on and off, sometimes together and sometimes separate, for about 6 years.
And of course, I was also washing my face with super harsh chemicals. I was addicted to my facial wash and would panic if I ran out of it or had to leave it behind while traveling.
How did you discover that acne could be treated holistically?
First I decided to quite Diane. I had been feeling chest pain for a couple of weeks and that really scared me. Also, I was really depressed at the time.
After I quite the pills I almost immediately felt better mentally.
I think I discovered natural alternatives through this website (thank you Tracy!). In the autumn of 2013 I finally dumped my expensive, super-drying face wash and started using jojoba oil.
It wasn’t easy during the first month, but I was so fed up with everything that I just developed this “whatever” attitude- which was probably good for my skin in the end!
What were the specific things that made the biggest difference to your skin? What worked for you?
I eliminated milk, cheese, anything with white flour, and sugar from my diet. Those are still the main things I avoid. Generally, I just eat more fruits and vegetables and cook everything fresh if I can.
Exercise has been great help as well.
I should also mention that, since I have PCOS, I started looking for supplements that could help with that. I’ve tried saw palmetto, inositol, vitex and DIM.
The ones that have really worked for me are inositol and DIM. I also take magnesium, zinc and MSM, with a bit less consistency, but I think they do help.
Were there any obstacles? Things you found difficult about the whole process?
Letting go was the most challenging part I would say. When you realize that taking birth control pills and/or Roaccutane are just temporary solutions, it’s hard to accept that at some point you will have to go without.
For me, since I travel a lot, something that I still struggle with is keeping healthy habits and a healthy diet; it’s not always possible to eat my own fresh, healthy, home made meals.
How did you feel once your skin cleared up?
After 8 months of taking the holistic path my skin improved quite a lot, and now it’s been 2 years and I feel so free and confident.
I don’t have perfect skin – once in a while my pores get a bit too clogged or I get a small pimple on my chin or forehead, but that’s nothing compared to how it was 8 years ago.
Having to go through this journey has made me stronger, more empathetic, and now I know my body very well.
Bio: Lilla has been living abroad for about 5 years, recently moving to Germany, where she studies a masters in conservation biology. She’s an introvert who loves nature, music, swimming & painting 🙂
9 Responses
Would you mind sharing the doses on the 4 vitamins you took?
Hello Trish! Yes, here it goes:
-Magnesium: 400mg 1xday
-Zinc: 22mg 1Xday (I take chelated zinc, it’s supposed to be more easily absorbed)
-MSM: I have it in powder form, not capsules, I take about a tea spoon per day when I remember!
-Inositol: 750mg 3xday
I take inositol and magnesium every day almost without fail, but the zinc and MSM, well, sometimes I forget about ^^
Another supplement I like is brewer’s yeast (I think that’s what it’s called in English) which is a good source of different B vitamins.
There are so many different vitamins/minerals/supplements one could try out, but finding out which ones work is not an easy process! Also in my experience, I got to the point where I was taking so many things at once… I feel like it’s better to keep it simple.
I took Diane too, so I know what you mean!
Are you taking the cod liver oil too?
Hmm, not exactly- the brand of the capsules I take only says “fish oil”, so my guess is that they are not from cod liver. But I remember when I bought them, I was looking for cod liver oil… couldn’t find it! I’ve heard they are very good, and for many things, too. Is it working for you?
Hi Lilla,
Yes, I do. I started about 3 weeks ago, using the brand Tracy recommends (Green Pastures) and it seems to be working. My skin is not perfect all over, I have little red patches around my jawline and little bumps but no more big red pimples that hurt. I’m also taking supplements (a blend of vitex and milk thistle and other things too) and I drink herbal tea to detoxify my liver. I also take probiotics.
At first my skin got worse, but now it’s improving and I think that using the Manuka honey mixed with a little bit of tea tree oil is really very effective. Then, I moisturize with jojoba oil (a few drops)
I had been taking the birth control pill “Diane 35” (I took it for 20 years!) and I stopped after having problems with my blood pressure (suddenly much too high) and my heart rate (suddenly much too fast), as well as chest pains. Like you, I got scared and quit hormones. Of course, I had huge breakouts after that but now (almost a year after), I’m almost clear again, and this is thanks to Tracy and her good advice! 🙂
So I’m not really sure what element is making a difference but I DO see a difference! I was already eating well and exercising, sleeping well, so it’s not my lifestyle that has changed, it’s really the supplements and the skin care. Oh, and I also quit sugar and dairy products (except goat’s milk cheese and yogurts). After quitting dairy I noticed a difference within a week!
Hello!
I need to take birth control pills as a birth control method, and my doctor recomended me Diane. Does it help clear up the skin?
Dear Claudia,
I have taken the Diane pill for 20 years and YES, it is very effective. The only times I had breakout during those 20 years was when I was off the pill to try to have babies, and during my two pregnancies.
HOWEVER it has side effects: it’s very bad if you smoke (I don’t) and it can lead to high blood pressure and other heart related problems. I never had any problems… until last January when I thought I was having a heart attack. My blood pressure got extremely high and my heart rate up to 140. It was very scary. I had to go on sick leave from work for 6 weeks at that time…
The cardiologist told me to stop the pill IMMEDIATELY. And of course, when I stopped, I got breakouts again… I am never taking hormones again.
The problem is when you mess with your hormones, it leads to problems when you stop. So yes, it works really well, BUT I would strongly recommend Tracy’s methods to cure your acne and you can also see a naturopath to help you.
I quit dairy and sugar and the results were visible within a week. I wish I had known this before and not taken the pill for so long…
I found a video that explains things pretty well, maybe it will help you too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0qkUEjewBM
(the music is a bit weird and stressful, you can turn it off; it turns into happy music at the end, though!)
I hope this helps. It really helped me; I’m almost clear now!
And as birth control, you can use an IUD (Tracey made a video about that) but of course, your doctor will tell you what is best for you if you don’t want hormones.
If you DO take diane, it takes a few months to clear you up, and the day you decide to stop, you have to detox your liver at the same time. (I didn’t know this at the time…)
She should be eating fruit if she has pcos. It still spikes insulin and keeps you insulin resistant. Vegetables need to be eaten raw or steamed as well with pcos or they turn into a starchy carb. Go keto!