Bad and dry skin

[Storm]

Hi there,

I've been a vegan for five months now and before then I suffered from really bad spots on my face. Since becoming a vegan it cleared up a bit and my face became quite clear at different times of the month. However, recently it's become really horrible and spotty all the time and on the sides of my nostrils the skin has become painful and dry. Has this happened to anyone else? Could I be lacking in vitamins (I've began to take a multivitamin), if so, which? It's really getting me down

Thanks in advance

[cedarblue]

perhaps your system is having a clear out? it can take months for all the 'stuff' to work its way out of the body. if you can, give it a bit longer to see if you notice any clear up.

how old are you if you don't mind me asking?

[Tigerlily]

Maybe before assuming a vegan diet is causing this, have you tried using an acne facewash and face cream?

[baby_vicuña]

^ I agree. Try some natural cremes and stuff. As long as you eat a well-rounded diet, it shouldn't be a vitamin issue.

[Fireweed]

I agree that your body may be clearing out some toxins which were once clogging you up, so to speak. It can take months or even years for your body to detox. However, it could also be that your body did clear out some junk but is currently used to a vegan diet and is responding to the foods you are now putting into it.

Try not to get down about it, there's hope. I had bad skin for a long time while vegan even though I ate an extremely healthy diet, but then I started taking OmegaVega. It's an oil supplement with the correct ratio of omegas 3-6-9. It's got a vegan source of DHA in it---something you usually have to eat certain fish to get. My skin has gotten so soft and my face has never looked better. Also, my dry, dry feet have gotten so soft they freak me out at night when I'm sleeping because they don't even feel like my own! I've had the worst dry feet my entire life---until now!
You don't have to get OmegaVega. There's a bunch of different Omega/DHA supplements out there. The key is to find one with a good ratio of 3-6-9's and a vegan source of DHA.

Also, if your diet isn't the healthiest, look into that. Just because you're vegan doesn't mean you're necessarily eating the right way for your body. You could look at things like your soy intake, your carb intake--do you eat too much of them? How many "bad" fats do you eat? How many "good" ones? You might even be allergic to wheat or soy and don't know it. Do you eat enough greens? Fruits? Do you eat too much junk food? Experiment with your diet and take note of what gives your skin the best results. Chances are if your skin starts looking really good it's because you are getting healthier on the inside.

Good luck!