Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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I hate taking showers after high school track and field workouts, and my parents say this is why I get acne, but I just don't buy it. When I shower, I don't use soap on my face or neck and rarely use shampoo. My acne is directly related to what I eat. Gluten, lactose, excess omega 6, and refined sugar are my enemies. The information regarding this topic on the internet is extremely contradicting. Post if you have an answer. Thank you! :D

flag	asked Apr 27 2012 at 2:11 Soccertanker 580●2●6●14

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I don't think it's a direct cause (and neither is food). But as you sweat, dirt and other stuff are more likely to stick to moist skin which will block pores and cause inflammation. Also keep in mind that sweating is one of the ways the body gets rid of wastes. So when the sweat comes up to the surface, the toxins settle on the skin. Any reason why you don't like taking showers after workouts? Seems kind of... off-putting, to say the least. – April S.♦ Apr 27 2012 at 3:36

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I don't see why it'd be necessary to wash yourself after a workout. I don't do it either. By the way, Soccertanker, whatever I do, gluten and PUFAs do cause acne for me. I can overdose on whatever I want, it won't fight it. On the other hand, lactose and sugar do not cause problems when combined with adequate nutrition. As those two help my sleep and overall stress levels tremendously, I eat a lot of them (2 quarts of milk daily now, 2-3 ounces of pure sugar). Even eating a pint of Häagen-Dazs doesn't give me a zit. – Korion Apr 27 2012 at 7:21

Korion, how do you avoid PUFAs? and figure out they give you acne? – RR Apr 30 2012 at 3:39

korion do you kefir the milk or is it str8 – Anthony Pierre May 2 2012 at 19:13

I'm with Korion here.. I've been eating lots of cheese, drinking lots of whole milk (not even raw grass-fed!), eating tons of fruit instead of low carbing, eating fat soluble vitamins and plenty of good fat + o3 fats, etc. My skin has cleared tremendously.. A little bit to go, but strangely after allowing dairy (and going nuts with it) nothing has changed except my skin continued to get better. – Zach May 2 2012 at 21:22

Corbab · Answer 1 · 2012-04-27 03:37:14Z UTC

I find that my acne is more related to my diet and stress levels than general cleanliness. When I'm eating well and everything is going fine, my skin is perfect. If I start getting work piled on my, I start noticing the beginnings of bad skin cropping up. I've gone for fairly long periods without showering (long story) and had almost no acne during that time.

Korion · Answer 2 · 2012-04-27 07:17:39Z UTC

I love Ray Peats take on acne. He seems to look at acne as an immune system fail. Raising metabolism using milk and sugar makes your skin warmer and greasier, making it a lovely home for bacteries. When your immune system is weakened due to lack of fat-soluble vitamins or excess PUFAs and other stressors (including hard-to-digest plant stuff in veggies, grains, ...), these bacteries cause something I like to call constipation of the skin.

Sweating, in itself, makes your skin greasy (if not washed off). It would seem plausible that the layer of grease, combined with being warm after your workout, attracts bacteries. The best way to get rid of those is by supporting your body using a good, anti-stress diet with adequate nutrients. Oysters and liver are amazing at this, but you shouldn't underestimate sugar either.

I used to believe my acne was caused by mental stress, but I've noticed that my mental stress is caused by physical stress. My mother, for example, easily panics or becomes stressed for small reasons. I don't believe as mental stress as a cause of anything, I see mental stress as a symptom of a bad lifestyle (environment + diet).

Langlois · Answer 3 · 2012-05-22 02:24:39Z UTC

okay, the sweat glands [mainly on the creases and face] can lead to furuncles, furunculosis and the even worse verneuil's disease because of a bacterial problem, but not acne since this involves sebaceous glands.

A great advice for furuncle is to apply hand hygiene gel were the trouble is, especially on the bottom; plus wear cotton garments.

Jordan · Answer 4 · 2012-04-27 17:01:17Z UTC

It is mostly to do with your diet. Scientific studies and dietary trials have proved the fact that the modern westernized diet and lifestyle are behind the acne problems that so many people experience. Stress and poor sleeping habits can also contribute.

I had problems with my acne for many years, and stupidly was taken in by all the advertisements for skin care products that promise to clear your acne away quickly, but none of them ever solved my problem, and i wasted loads of money on them. It all started to change for me when I found out about the diet and lifestyle link and implemented the correct routine to solve the hormonal imbalances that were being caused by my diet. The free report at This Site is what put me on the right path to understanding and then finally beating my skin problems for good.

Does sweating cause acne?

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