Cystic Acne
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Natural Remedies for Cystic Acne

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Dietary Changes
Posted by Happy (Northern California) on 04/10/2016
 ★★★★★

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I had cystic acne for more than 30 years. I did not grow out of it. A medical provider that I went to wrote down the following items to not eat.

  • Wheat / Gluten
  • Whey
  • corn starch, syrup, anything with corn
  • rye
  • caisen
  • dairy (eggs ok - thank goodness)
  • oats
  • peanuts

I had been eating this and no rice or all the other products that don't have these items in them. It's a different way of eating and for some may feel like an outcast at get togethers. A bit frustrating as many people don't want to care or understand. But for me I'd rather have that than severe painful cystic acne.

After the Medical provider gave the list to me went home and that is all that was in fridge so went to the store right away to start.

I can safely say that nearly all the boxed sweets, Daiya cheese ( have to watch every product closely as they said they had an improved cheese and turns out they added corn starch.

Btw. Corn starch is in nearly everything. Before I got rid of the last bit I checked and th pharmacist worked with me to get the prescriptions with no corn starch fillers. After that life became wonderful.

This took a long time to get the poison out of my system as we are what we eat and every cell in my body had to be replaced with the non poison.

For now I haven't tried to add anything back as I prefer not to intentionally eat something just to see. Had those 30 years of acne and the reaction can be delayed. I do have this to say DON'T CHEAT. It may be difficult at first when you still have bad stuff in your system, but it will be soooooo worth it. There are so many foods to replace the old its actually incredible. $$$

Not sure if this work on everyone but other than food costs being a little more why not try it and see how things go after one month then two three etc...

I still don't know about corn fed chicken and beef.

Dietary Changes
Posted by Crankybanana (North Carolina ) on 08/07/2013
 ★★★★★

I have had cystic acne for over 15 years, always worsening right before my period. My skin was pretty clear overall except for one or two large cysts on my chin coming or going at all times. Long story short, I found that eliminating dairy has almost completely resolved the problem. I can still have small amounts, like the occasional slice of pizza, but when I let loose on a milkshake, it shows a few days later.

My esthetician told me that the acne profile of cystic zits on the chin and clear skin elsewhere is a good indication that the acne is hormonal. Not everyone has this reaction to dairy, acne can be caused by many things, but it has worked really well for me and a friend of mine. It is quite sad to have to dramatically reduce my dairy consumption, but it's worth it if it works.

Dietary Changes
Posted by Earthwoman2 (Memphis, Tn, USA) on 07/12/2013
 ★★★★★

I have suffered from Cystic acne on my chin since I was in high school (for over 10 years). Anyone who has cystic acne knows that it is painful and hard to cover up wth make up (not to mention the deep purplish colored scars that they leave behind).

I tried every natural topical treatment available and nothing helped. About 5 months ago, my mom gave me her masticating juicer to juice greens (the omega J8004) and I started juicing a few ounces a day (varying between 4-10 oz). After 2 weeks of juicing, my cystic acne, which usually just form into painful mountains on my chin without every coming to a head, starting getting filled with puss (gross, I know- just bear with me) so I popped them (thinking they'd come back in a matter of days). But they never came back! I have been free from my cystic acne for over 5 months and I owe it all to the green juice! I usually juice Kale, ginger, lemon and mix them with other stuff like apples, cucumbers, carrots, brocoli, watermelon rinds or any other veggie I have lying around. I always use organic too.

The scars are fading away too and for that I use a combination of jojoba oil and calendula balm. I know a juicer is a big investment, so maybe start with a less expensive one like this one: breville compact juicer.

I hope this helps someone out there as much as it has helped me!

Dietary Changes
Posted by Tolwich (NH) on 05/14/2013
 ★★★★★

I tried eliminating diary, sugar, and gluten with a major improvement for adult cystic acne. I then eliminated coffee which cleared the rest of the acne. I take fremented cod liver oil, probiotic, etc.

Dietary Changes
Posted by Lena (Kalamazoo, Mi) on 01/21/2013
 ★★★★★

The problem is GMOs!!! I'm 22 and I have worse acne now than I ever did as a teenager. Like, "I don't want to go out in public ever again" bad. But about 2 weeks ago I started on an organic vegan type diet and my acne disappeared within days! The ACV and vitamin c treatments helped me a little, but this diet change has been miraculous for my skin!

I've come to find out that the trigger foods for the cystic acne which is really a type of allergic reaction are US wheat, US dairy, US soy, US corn, canola oil, and really anything else that's been taken too far out of its natural state. Try eating organic just for like 4 days and I'm sure you'll see a difference!

References: Personal Experience, The Natural Independent

Dietary Changes
Posted by Juliet (Los Angeles, Ca) on 01/18/2013
 ★★★★★

Yes! Diet is definitely a HUGE factor despite the fact that medication driven dermatologists are STILL so in the dark about this! Try eliminating chocolate and dairy (esp. from a cow) completely!! Then eliminate sugar dense foods - no honey, mapyle syrup, fruit juice (stick to eating fruit! ), soda, etc. You will see such a change in your face - not to mention your weight!

Dietary Changes
Posted by Miss Lori (Charlotte, Nc) on 12/01/2012
 ★★★★★

I've recently learned that after over 20 years of experiencing acne/cystic acne breakouts that excessive consumption of milk was the culprit. I love milk and drank it with most meals and also drank it just because. My sister shared with me that when my niece stop drinking milk it helped her acne breakouts(and yes my skin sensitivites are hereditary, also somethign to consider), so I put it to a 2 month test and low and behold I only have the usual "lady time of the month" breakouts. I'm now testing drinking no more than 2 cups per week and so far so good. I'm so happy that I can stop using & taking prescription meds(Retin A Micro was the only one that worked best for me & has yet to be recalled and been using as needed since age 10). Oh.... and to add, Soy & Almond milks are nasty to me.

Cystic acne is just something trying to escape your body that not agreeing with it. I always knew this and have took this long to pinpint what exactly my body was reacting to, but better late than never! Now I just use oatmeal soap (Sappo Hill Brand from local healthfood store) to wash my face and witchhazel as an astringent and a light moisturizer when needed.

So don't believe all the hype that acne is just bacteria, it's more than that. Your body may be reacting to something that's being put into, just take the time to figure out what it is. Hopes this helps someone....

Dietary Changes
Posted by Littlewing (Boston, Ma) on 03/04/2012
 ★★★★★

I had the same result years ago when I cut refined sugar out of my diet. I had huge incredibly painful plantar warts on my feet. I gave up sugar to lose weight and realized a few weeks in that the bottom of both feet had completely cleared and the warts never came back.

Dietary Changes
Posted by Tara (Mumbai, India) on 06/19/2011
 ★★★★★

I had severe painful nodulo-cystic acne on my nose since 1998. Doctors put me on antibiotics for a long term and when that had no permanent effect, they put me on roaccutane for a year during which the acne did go away but the roaccutane left me with severe depression for which I still need to take antidepressents.

The acne came back after roaccutane and I turned to homeopathic treatment which took a long time but the acne is finally under control.

But the most amazing thing has happened in the last eight months - there has not been a recurrence of the acne - ever since I started having a high fibre diet which includes large amounts of steamed okra for lunch and dinner.

The homeopathic doctor gave me the medicines calcarea sulph and hepar sulph in various potencies which always helped to clear away the acne and gradually decreased the recurrence.

Dietary Changes
Posted by Skidaddy (Knoxville, Tn) on 05/31/2011
 ★★★★★

My cystic acne cleared completely when I went on the Atkins diet. I have since found a direct relationship between eating starchy carbs (bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, rice) and my acne flaring up... its not just chocolate and sugar like everyone says... its hard to give this stuff up, but it sure is nice to have a clear face.

Hope this helps someone...

Dietary Changes
Posted by Ashley (Boise, Idaho) on 04/14/2011
 ★★★★★

COFFEE - I've had cystic acne for six years, since I was 20 (when I started drinking coffee in college). I cut out coffee for four months this past year and stopped getting new cysts (or any acne at all) on my chin. Ended up having a mocha this week and the very next day noticed that a huge cyst had developed under the skin on the corner of my chin overnight. It's a small possibility it could be the caffeine, but I am more convinced in my case that it is the coffee. Try cutting it out for a few months and see if it helps before drastically altering your diet, lifestyle, etc. Good luck everyone.

Dietary Changes
Posted by Jgmurphy (Skokie, Il) on 04/16/2010
 ★★★★★

I believe that at least in my case, my cystic acne is related to diet. I almost always get a cyst after an over-indulgence in chocolate, ice cream or some other sweet. Basically I can keep it under control by limiting my diet in these areas. Chocolate, particularly. I have given up ice cream almost altogether.

Once when living in California I went with a friend to Solveng, a small Danish town in the Inland Empire that specializes in (you guessed it) baked goods. Of course I had a bunch of cookies....and the next day, a HUGE cyst in the middle of my cheek! Coincidence? I think not!

I now keep sugar to an absolute minimum. Honey is a safe sweetener because it is antibacterial (i.e. the bacteria that cause infections can feast on sugar but cannot digest honey as the molecules in honey are too big.)

I find that with an existing cyst I do better to leave it be than to try to bring it to a head, since doing that almost always leaves a scar. For me, prevention is better than cures.

Good luck with yours! J

Dietary Changes
Posted by Elisabeth (Belfast, Ireland) on 04/08/2009
 ★★★★★

My son's SEVERE cystic acne has improved WONDERFULLY since he eliminated DAIRY products from his diet. Previously had been on antibiotics but as soon as he stopped these, the cysts returned. PLEASE share the good news with others.

Dietary Changes
Posted by Robert (Toronto, Canada) on 12/27/2008
 ★★★★★

I think some dietary changes can positively affect for most acne sufferers, and if you have acne and consider it a problem I highly recommend you examine your diet as the likely culprit.

I had virtually all types of acne that I didn't seem to be growing out of. Was put on that awful Accutane with the requisite monthly blood tests to make sure I wasn't slowing poising myself. Long story short, the drug didn't work. At least not permanently, because I simply was not addressing the root of the problem. Found out that some of the most common allergens can cause acne. I realized that soy, gluten and eggs, through a process of elimination, were the cause of my acne. Once these we eliminated literally in a couple of days my acne disappeared. Skin was no longer oily, and I felt great. Not only was my skin clear but by eliminating the foods that my body for whatever reason cannot tolerate I was running more 'efficiently' and thus felt better!

Dietary Changes
Posted by Kelly (Toronto, Canada) on 12/14/2007
 ★★★★★

Eat lettuce! I have suffered with acne since childhood and always believed it was diet related. After many years of drugs to treat (including accutane) and experimenting with diet, I do believe it is food sensitivity. To make a long story short, corn caused my cystic acne (especially popcorn) and chocolate. I have eliminated all corn from my diet, including corn oil and have no longer get large painful boil like acne. Chocolate tends to cause the small white or blackheads. If I relapse (popcorn just smells sooo good!) it comes back immediately. My friend also stopped eating popcorn and his cystic acne was eliminated. If only I had know this 30 years ago, life would have been so much better! I guess better late than never, eh? I found eating lettuce daily will make an outbreak heal up quickly and gives a nice glow to the skin. I will add ACV and see if my complexion can even get better! PS. Also, a natural clay mask will draw toxins out of the skin. Thanks so much for this website!


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