Sugar & Skin: all links so far

sugar & skin

• Accutane: Jennifer’s story

• Acne, medications, pregnancy—“I need your help!” (new!)

• CANKER SORES—ouch! A few go-to products to help heal these painful mouth ulcers
• Experiencing “The Sugar Blues”? Eliminate sugar to reduce migraines, allergies & more!

• Gaining control of problem skin: Your Ultimate Guide

• Giving in to Girl Scout Cookies and more: One client's sugar revelation

• Helpful hints to lessen sugar intake

• Hidden Sugar: Sugar in Unsuspected Places

• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?

• I’m sensitive to sugar—are you?

• MYTH: Chocolate makes your skin break out

• Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth—updated

• Problem skin profile: Donna—constipated with problem skin

• Sodas, sugar, your skin & breakouts (new!)

• Sugar Addicted? Try a 3-day sugar fast

• Sugar & Skin Problems

• Sugar by many other names
• Sugar Case Studies: Making the connection from break out to sugar

• Sugar case study: Jody

• Sugar in Food Q & A: a look at energy bars (new!)

• Sugar in your precious Frappuccinos!

• Sugar Quick Tips (upcoming)

• Sugar’s effect on skin: Clients with widespread breakout, scarring and menstrual issues

• Sugar, wine, and breakout (new!)  

• Why does skin break out? More contributing factors

Sugar, wine, and breakout

I understand your stance on sugar and it causing problems with people’s skin. What about wine and its sugar content? Can drinking wine cause breakout?

When grapes are picked, they contain about 24% sugar by weight. That is a lot of sugar! During the fermentation of wine, yeast eats up this sugar and expels alcohol. So the process of making wine does reduce the amount of sugar in this alcoholic beverage. During most of my adult life, I was rarely if ever affected by the sugar content in wine. I didn’t breakout from wine (that I know of) and I am one of the most sensitive people when it comes to sugar.

Sweeter wines will have a higher sugar content, drier varieties will have less sugar. Dessert wines, of course, will have the highest sugar content of all. Because grapes are some of the sweetest, most sugar-concentrated fruits, and wine is made from grapes, you will find a higher sugar content in wine than other alcoholic libations. If you are sensitive to sugar, you may break out from drinking wine—it’s not out of the question. I’ve talked a lot about my own sensitivities to sugar, and following is yet another, perhaps surprising example of how sugar, in all its many forms, can affect your body if you are sensitive to it.

A few members of my family are wine makers. They have a small vineyard on their property and make wine for their personal consumption. One of the benefits, aside from having access to wonderful wines that are home grown, is I can have them test the RS (residual sugar) in any bottle of wine. I have asked to have two different bottles of white wine tested in the past few months because I had developed canker sores in my mouth for no obvious reason. Obvious meaning I ate ice cream or had a cookie or two, which even now at 59 will cause these sores to form.

Since on these two occasions, months apart, I had really bad canker sores, I had these wines tested and sure enough: they both had a high RS. Amazing! And problem solved. Neither one of these wines tasted particularly sweet—I don’t like sweet wine—but still they both had high residual sugar and that means I simply won’t drink them. If you’ve ever had canker sores, you understand why. It’s nice to have the RS confirmed by a wine maker with all the testing tools, something that is probably not readily available to most people, but if you get blemishes or canker sores after drinking a new bottle of wine, your body’s reaction might be the only test you need.

Although I no longer get blemishes if I eat things that are sugary, I am still prone to canker sores—something I also had a lot of when I was a very young girl. Both then as a young person, well before my teenage years and now after menopause, my hormones weren’t surging and therefore I didn’t then and don’t now get blemishes. But due to my extreme sensitivity to sugar, with these high RS wines, I developed canker sores. I find this so interesting!

My experience, although just one, is an example of the power of sugar and how even though you might have grown out of skin breakouts, if you are sensitive to sugar it can and probably will still affect you throughout your life. I find this fascinating and it keeps me from eating or drinking anything that has even a modest sugar content. Except for the rare time when I just give in and let go of my normal abstinence and just live a little!

For more information, see:

• Alcohol: What drinking does to your skin
• I’m sensitive to sugar—are you?
• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?

Acne, medications, pregnancy—“I need your help!”

I have acne on my chin area and have struggled for years to address it. I don’t eat a lot of sugar and don’t eat dairy and eat very little wheat. My dermatologist has me on Oracea, which is an oral antibiotic that is 40mg doxycicline. It’s supposed to act as an anti-inflammatory and it has reduced my breakouts. He also has me using a benzoyl peroxide 4% wash once a day, and a clindamycin topical. I still always have about 2-3 breakouts on my chin at all times, and when some heal, others form. They tend to be puss-filled.

I read your book and had read many entries on your blog, and I know that all of this is contrary to what you recommend. Yesterday I got a facial and started using Yonka Gommage, which already feels great. I also use a clay mask. I plan to use the gommage and clay mask regularly. 

What I’m wondering is how I can smoothly transition away from the oral and topical antibiotics to a more natural skin regimen without creating major disruptions. I have a few events coming up this summer and I don’t want to make a radical shift that will cause my skin to get worse. Do you have suggestions for how to make this transition? For example, should I stay on the oral medication for another month while weaning off of the topical?

First, if you have a special event coming up, I recommend staying on everything you are using since it sounds like it does have a positive effect. You can always quit using it, but you might not get you skin back in control if you go off. There’s no reason to cause extra stress, wondering what your skin will do if you go off the medications before your events. You have the rest of your life to change things! Stay on the meds from your derm, and do use the gommage and mask—frequently.

With that said, the medications are probably just keeping things at bay. The real issue to me is why are you breaking out in the first place. Without finding out this crucial piece of information, you are just mopping up the mess every time something spills—but you want to find out why the spills are happening in the first place. (Is it the cat?!) Answering that question is where time and experimentation will come into play.

I agree that I don’t want to disrupt things if the meds are keeping things at bay. One thing that really concerns me is that I’d like to try to get pregnant in the next 6-12 months, so I know I need to get off the meds but don’t know how to make the transition.

Have you talked to your pediatrician? Are topical antibiotics a no-no for sure? Even tho you said you don’t eat much sugar, I’d like to know about that part of your diet. What, how much, and any other specific information you can give me.

I think topical antibiotics are okay but the oral is definitely not okay.

Opps, sorry. I misread and didn’t see one is oral. Yes—not while pregnant!

Another question in my mind is how the gommage works with the benzoyl peroxide wash. My doctor wants me to use the 4% wash once a day, but since it’s an exfoliant, can I use the gommage in addition to that? I think the BP and clindamycin are supposed to work in concert. Can I incorporate the gommage into my regimen with all of the other things I use or will my skin be confused?

I don’t eat any processed sugar but I do eat dried fruit. I eat LÄRABARs, which I think are high in sugar. I usually eat one or two apples a day as well. I sometimes eat raisins or dates or figs, but always in moderation. I wonder if that is contributing to the problem?

I looked up “a” LÄRABAR. Unfortunately they contain a whopping 23 grams of sugar, which is not only a lot, it is almost more than the recommended daily allotment of sugar. If you are sensitive to sugar, and you probably are, that alone can cause problems.

I always say anything grown and eaten as it is grown in nature is fine. Apples, even grapes, which are high in sugar, won’t be the culprit in a breakout condition. But dried fruits—not as nature really intended—are high in concentrated sugars and obviously void of water. As you might have read in this post (Sugar in your precious Frappuccinos!) although raisins are obviously not the big offender with that client in that article, they may have been contributing—well they were contributing to her daily intake of sugar.

All of this is extremely helpful and I welcome any more information you might have! Thanks again. 

If you want to see if (how) sugar is affecting your skin, stop ingesting any and all sugar for a month at least (longer would be better) and see the effects. Anything that comes in a package would be out. Dried fruit, because of the concentrated sugars, is out. Apples, or any fruit that is in its natural state is (always) fine. Without quitting sugar for a considerable time—at least a month or more—it’s hard to see the effect. But this is a huge commitment and not one I would go into when fairly soon you will be pregnant and your skin may go haywire anyway.

Probably a more relaxed approach is needed here. If you weren’t planning on having a child soon, my advice would be more proactive. But it’s almost futile to do a lot of sugar abstinence when in a few months or so you are hopefully pregnant and then your skin and how it reacts to the hormone surges is unknown.

With all changes going slowly sometimes is the best idea vs. being in a rush. Perhaps the fact you have some important events coming up will end up be a blessing in disguise. Although you will probably stay on the medications until you’re ready to try going off them (with your doctors advice, as well, of course), going off sugar or at least lessening your intake can be done now and that alone will probably help with your skin problems.

For more information, see:

• “I’m pregnant! How will my skin change?”
• Hidden Sugar: Sugar in Unsuspected Places
• Doing The Next Best Thing

Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth

I am always telling my clients who have skin issues that something is causing their skin issues—they are not “just happening,” although the cause may not be apparent right now. I encourage them as well as you to be a sleuth into your own lives and lifestyles and to try to break down the different elements  to find possible causes for your breakouts.

• If it’s a new breakout, what is new in your life? 
• Are you using new skin care products, shampoo, even laundry detergent? 
• Have you eaten new or unusual foods you don’t normally eat? 
• Have you eaten more sugar than you ordinarily eat? 
• Is it Halloween or your birthday? 
• Have the Girl Scouts been coming around? 
• Has your monthly cycle changed? 
• Are you going through puberty? 
• What about the amount of stress in your life? 

Try to break down your lifestyle habits to see if there is a correlation between something you’re doing, eating, or not doing, and how this may be affecting your skin. Breakout usually has multiple causes, but eliminating the ones you think might be contributing to your skin problems is a good start to clearer skin.

My skin has been a daily task to keep clear for the last ten years. I have a very mild acne problem, and it bothers me. I have tried everything in creation to keep my skin clear, but there always seems to be a spot or two at any given time. I have very sensitive skin that does not respond well to AHAs or other acid products, and most oils found in many products bother my skin.

I use Cetaphil to cleanse with and it works wonders (I love that product). I need an exfoliator to use before I wash with my cleanser. I have also used your gommage and was happy with the results and how it didn’t bother my skin. I appreciate any advice or comments you may have for me.

Since her breakouts are ongoing, she is definitely doing something on an ongoing basis to encourage her problem skin. Her use of the term acne may be an overstatement, but that is my own opinion. The acne I call acne is the full-blown cystic type.

AHAs and other strong acid products don’t work for many people. And if you have any sensitivities and especially if you have redness in your skin, I don’t recommend them.

Cetaphil cleanser works well for many people. It is inexpensive and easy to find. I need an exfoliator to use before I wash with my cleanser. You actually want to cleanse before you exfoliate. Cleansing first gets the debris off the surface of the skin, giving your exfoliator a better chance to do its job. The gommage is a great way to get rid of a lot of dead skin while not irritating or otherwise causing problems for sensitive skin. She could use this product several times per week.

I would advise her to really take a long, hard look at her diet and see if she has hidden or even obvious sugar that she may not be counting as contributing to her ongoing problem skin. Many people just haven’t yet come to this realization about diet (especially sugar) and how it affects skin, which is why I talk so much about it.

For more information, see:

• Gaining control of problem skin—important recommendations
• What is causing your breakouts?
• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?

Sugar in Food Q & A: a look at energy bars past & present

The following is my response to a client’s email from several years ago, so it is older information in regard to sugar content in this Odwalla Bar. I’m leaving it as is vs. updating it because there is important information to understand about ingredients and “natural” sugars and how fruit plays a roll in sugar intake. If you don’t already know, I hope you can see how important it is to be aware what you’re putting in your body—especially if you have sugar sensitivities. Later I will write about bars that are on the market and available now: to be continued.

Odwalla was purchased by Coca-Cola in 2001 and the Odwalla brand will cease to exist after August 2020. At the time of the following email, this particular Odwalla Bar had 25 grams of sugar; then it went down to 10g. Ten grams is a much more reasonable amount for one bar. The American Heart Association generally recommends 25 grams of added sugar a day for women, 37 for men. Still, to me, 10g is a lot for just eating an energy bar, however I have done just that on many hikes and biking trips, so these certainly do have a place in your diet if you can’t get a regular meal in.

I know you say refined sugars are bad for the skin, but what about natural sugars found in fruits? I found a carrot food bar from Odwalla that says “No refined sugars.” Is this going to break me out? 

I found the health food bar you were talking about. I am going to list the ingredients and break them down to give you some information.

Odwalla Carrot Bar Ingredients: Organic rolled oats, raisins, grape juice concentrate, brown rice syrup, dried organic carrots, date puree, organic oat flour, crisp rice (rice flour, rice bran, rosemary extract), vegetable glycerin, plum puree, oat bran, coconut, organic sunflower oil, organic soy butter (organic soybeans, organic soy oil, sea salt). Contains less than 2% of calcium carbonate, natural flavors, soy lecithin, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), baking soda, salt, cinnamon, citric acid, beta carotene, vitamin E (D-alpha tocopheryl acetate), folic acid.

Raisins are dried grapes. Dried fruit has a higher concentration of sugar since all the water is taken our during the drying process. Therefore raisins are high in sugar. Carrots are high in sugar. (True, it is fructose (fruit sugar), but if you are sensitive to sugars, you may have problems with carrots and carrot juice. If and when I drink carrots I’ve juiced at home, I usually have a bit of breakout. (I am sensitive to sugars—are you?) Rice syrup is like sugar. Grape juice concentrate is loaded with sugar. Prunes are high in sugar. Dates (and figs) too. All in all no “added sugar” except that many of those ingredients contain a lot of sugars on their own.

As mentioned, this is an older label

Even though almost all of the above sugar sources come from “natural” and whole foods, they are all high-sugar content foods, which probably need to be avoided or used in moderation if you are sensitive to sugar (if sugar breaks you out). The biggest telltale sign that this particular product is a no-no for those of you sensitive to sugar is listed in the nutritional facts. This bar has 25 grams of sugar! That is about all you want to get during an entire day, let alone in one snack food/meal replacement.

You have to look at several factors when determining if a food might cause or be causing your skin problems. First are the actual ingredients themselves, then it is the sugar grams listed on almost all foods that are packaged. So check your labels and if all else fails, eat the food, in this case the nutritional bar, and see if your skin breaks out. With this particular bar, I would say it would cause your skin some trouble. Try it and see for yourself.

I’m not advocating cutting these types of “health” bars from your diet. I am, however, suggesting you look at ingredients as well as sugar grams in any and all foods you eat. If it’s a manufactured product, it will have a nutrition/ingredient label. Become aware of how much sugar you are ingesting. Knowledge is power—really!

It’s good to know that change can and does happen and that many companies caught wind that people wanted foods with lower sugar counts and have abided. So, hurray for that. These types of bars can still be filled with 20 grams of sugar or more, so please look at the labels before you buy and especially before you eat so if you’re sensitive to sugar you can pass up something with lots of sugar and reach for a healthier alternative.

For more information, see:

• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?
• Hidden Sugar: Sugar in Unsuspected Places
• OMG! So much sugar! (coming soon) A new post about products available now!

Sodas, sugar, your skin & breakouts

Soda, pop, soda pop, or Coke®—no matter what you call them, these drinks are simply infusing your body with a lot of health-reducing ingredients every time you drink one.

Did you know that when you drink a 20 ounce soda, you may be getting as many as 16 teaspoons of sugar? Let me repeat that: sixteen teaspoons! Why not just take 16 teaspoons of sugar and add them to a glass of water? Of course you would never drink a glass of water with that much added sugar, yet that is exactly what you are doing when you drink sodas. Plus you get the added “benefit” of a bunch of chemicals that may or may not be carcinogenic (cancer causing).

If I drank just one soda per day, by the end of only one week I would have numerous little blemishes on my face. If I continued for one more week, those spots would become larger and more widespread. Finally, after just a few weeks of consuming only one soda per day, I would have a big skin problem on my hands. That’s because I am sensitive to sugar. Are you?

What else is in a soda? Basically water and chemicals—that’s about it. And if your sodas have sugar in them, with or without caffeine, no wonder you’re having problems with your skin! But you say you drink the sugar-free, caffeine-free kind. Still, and maybe even worse, you are getting nothing but chemicals and water. You don’t get any points for drinking sugar-free. 

Did you know that carbonated beverages can make digestion more difficult? Carbonation can neutralize the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, along with destroying enzymes, greatly inhibiting digestion—if you drink it while eating a meal. Add to that sugar, caffeine, sugar substitutes like saccharine or NutraSweet, and you would be much better off eliminating these from your diet.

I grew up on pop. As an adult, long after I had given up sodas, I came to find out that the brand I drank most often back then, Mountain Dew, has one of the highest caffeine and sugar contents, far above other brands. No wonder I was so wired as a kid! In the 60s and 70s no one gave a thought to what we were drinking. Have things really changed that much?

    

If you want to eliminate these bad boys from your life, begin drinking soda substitutes. Do this to try to end your consumption of these beverages that are ladened with sugar (or carcinogenic sugar substitutes) and caffeine. My favorite soda substitute is an ice cold Perrier (or any other bubbly mineral water) with fresh lemon or lime juice squeezed in. The citrus adds a little sweet and zesty flavor to the fizzy water. You can also purchase lemon or lime flavored fizzy water so you don’t have to have fruit on hand. Or you could drink iced tea made from non-caffeinated herbal teas—but without adding sugar to it, of course!

Watch your soda intake. These products are not good for your body and can create a dependence on caffeine and sugar (both are physically addictive substances) to say the least. Reach for a healthier alternative, and if you find it hard to cut out soda pop completely, first try cutting the number you drink in half. Once you have gotten used to that amount, try to cut the number in half again. Hopefully, then, you will be consuming one of these beverages only on occasion. Your body, and your skin specifically, will be better off for your efforts.

For some other articles about sugar and skin, see:

• Helpful hints to lessen sugar intake
• CANKER SORES—ouch! A few go-to products to help heal these painful mouth ulcers
• Sugar Case Studies: Making the connection from break out to sugar

Gaining control of problem skin: Your Ultimate Guide

In order to gain control of problem skin, there are a few important items that should not be overlooked. Although I have already mentioned some of the following problem solvers in other articles (some listed below), I am repeating them here as a consolidated body of information you can easily refer to.

If you can incorporate all of these into your day, although there are no guarantees, I would be surprised if you did not see some marked improvement in your skin. These are not in any particular order of importance, but they are all important for keeping your body—and therefore your skin—healthy, inside and out.

Water. Drinking enough water throughout the day will really help your body get rid of toxins. Water is in no way a cure-all, but without it all of your eliminating organs (including your skin) have to work harder. The goal is to make it easier for your body to eliminate toxins. Eight 8-ounce glasses a day is the minimum to maintain healthy cells and overall hydration. I don’t recommend tap water because it contains chemicals, such as chlorine. Purchase clean, filtered water or get a water filter for your tap.

No sugar (of any kind). If you follow this one piece of advice, it will go a long way to helping your skin clear up. I have seen this to be true in my own skin as well as dozens of my clients throughout the years. Sugar is a major contributor to problem skin.

Chlorophyll. For anyone experiencing breakout, I recommend supplementing with liquid chlorophyll. In short, chlorophyll acts as an internal cleanser, helping to eliminate toxins from the body. It’s a health aid in numerous ways, but I have had a lot of clients find good results by taking “nature’s green drink” to help with their problem skin. As an added benefit (and another reason why I recommend it to my clients), chlorophyll helps to relieve constipation. Constipation can be a contributing factor to problem skin.

Evening primrose oil can help to reduce the amount of oil produced by the sebaceous glands. In some cases it can help to reduce breakouts.

No sun exposure if you can help it. I’m not saying don’t go outside; I mean no direct sunlight on your face. Sometimes you can’t help getting exposure, but certainly don’t purposefully bask in the sun thinking it will clear up your problem skin. It won’t. Heat activates all glandular activity, including your oil glands. In fact, with the worst case scenario, it will increase the amount of breakout you are experiencing. If you have to be in the sun, wear protection such as a wide-brimmed hat, and as always, wear sunscreen.

Don’t wash too much. This has the potential to stimulate the sebaceous glands and create more oil. Twice a day and anytime after you have been sweating is all you need. Don’t think cleaning the surface will eliminate the problem. Try to look at the problems with your skin as stemming from an imbalance on the inside, not just breakout on the outside. And remember, no soaps; only use non-alkaline cleansers.

Don’t let sweat dry on your skin. Immediately rinse your face with water after exercising. You don’t ever want sweat to dry on the surface of your skin. Otherwise you’re just asking for trouble.

There are no guarantees that any of the suggestions here will completely or even partially clear up your problem skin. I offer them because in my experience with my clients, they have had good results incorporating some or all of these recommendations. There are many routes to healthy, clear skin. The road I prefer is getting to the cause of the problem and trying to fix it from the inside out.

If your skin gets beyond your control, and you don’t feel comfortable altering your diet and lifestyle habits, perhaps you would be a good candidate for seeking out a dermatologist’s care. He or she will be able to prescribe oral and/or topical medications that have been proven to help people with problem skin. My feeling, however, is that whichever route you choose, if you don’t alter your diet and eliminate poor-quality foods such as sugar, you are doing your skin a huge disservice.

Problem skin begs for attention. And although it takes commitment, perseverance, and patience, I know you can experience trouble-free skin if you are willing to be open to change. In life, I believe anything is possible.

For corresponding articles to some of the above problem solvers, see:

• Water—It’s Important!: all links so far
• Sugar & Skin: all links so far
• How chlorophyll can help your skin (and ease constipation)
• Evening Primrose Oil for PMS and more
• NO SWEAT: What happens when sweat dries on your skin?
• Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth 

Why does skin break out? More contributing factors

In What is causing your breakouts? (link below), I go over a checklist of possible reasons you are having issues with your skin. If you haven’t taken a look at that, do because it might open your eyes to things you weren’t looking at before. Below I’ll go over more factors that can and do contribute to breakouts. Hopefully with all of this information, you will be well on your way to clear and healthy skin.

Anything in excess can have a physical effect like breakout. This can mean too much of something in your diet, but it can also mean too much exercise, too much stress, and of course too much soda, caffeine, alcohol, or cigarettes. Just look at your day-to-day routines and see where you hit the excess meter. This way you may discover something that is contributing to your breakout in your everyday life.

As you have know or have learned (I hope), sugar and sugary foods are huge contributors to problem skin. So if you are eating excessive amounts of sugar (I consider excessive to be eating some form of sugar every day), you probably have breakout. And if you don’t, you may have regular headaches. And if you don’t have either, believe me, something is going on in your body to counteract all the toxic, sugary foods, and it’s not a positive effect. I have written several articles about sugar and skin issues, I highly recommend reading some (or all!) to help you understand the relationship between sugar sensitivity and skin issues.

Exercise as we all know is an important part of daily (or at least three times weekly) life. But like any other good thing, too much of it can turn against you. Wanting to be in shape and keeping your body fit and healthy is obviously a good thing. But I’m sure you know someone (is it you?) who just cannot get off the exercise treadmill. I mean that metaphorically, but I suppose it could be taken literally too. For some, exercise has turned into an unhealthy addiction, and unfortunately your skin may be paying the price for those extreme efforts.

You may be wondering how this affects your skin. First, if you exercise, you have to get more water than the daily recommended eight glasses a day we all grew up hearing about. Your body is throwing off sweat in order to keep your core body temperature down, since you are heating it up by increasing circulation and raising your body’s heat index. Without drinking water all throughout the day and even while exercising, your smart and creative body will simply take the water it needs from wherever it can get it—namely your organs. Your skin is an organ—the largest one—so why not take water from it?

Not drinking enough water and dehydration go hand in hand. Dehydration can take the form of dehydrated skin on the outside as well as dehydration inside your body. And you don’t want your insides to become dehydrated. That is why the eight 8-oz. glasses theory is drilled into us from such an early age. It is absolutely necessary. If you exercise regularly, think about adjusting your water intake accordingly.

By the way, I don't see dehydrated skin from a lack of ingesting water as much as many imagine. Dehydration on the outside that manifests as dry-feeling skin, is more a matter of an accumulation of dead skin buildup than a matter of not drinking enough water.

Too much coffee, sodas, iced tea, candy, sugar in your coffee, and artificial sweeteners. All of these and more can contribute to your skin problems. Do I need to go over why drinking too many sodas may be contributing to your skin care woes? (If so, then read Sodas, sugar, your skin & breakouts, link below.) If you drink regular, sugary, caffeinated sodas you are shoveling 10-15 teaspoons of sugar into your body with each and every soda pop, to say nothing of the caffeine your poor adrenal glands have to contend with. Sugar is lethal for many reasons and is a common denominator I have found to cause breakouts in a high percentage of my clients.

Even drinking fruit juice can cause some people to break out. Store-bought juice is a concentrate of sugar with some vitamins added. And although the sugar is fructose (fruit sugar), this kind of juice will have added sugar if it’s from concentrate. People down glass upon glass of juice thinking it is a healthy drink. I have many clients who come in for facials with breakout and after finding out about their diets, I discover they are drinking juice every day or on some kind of regular basis—even just a small amount. Remember, when you drink juice, you are getting a lot of carbohydrates from sugar and also a lot of calories. I heard someone say they don’t like to drink their meals—meaning they want to eat foods with high nutrient contents rather than a glass of sugary juice.

Stress plays a huge role in skin care problems. Stress breaks down your immune system, leaving your body ill-equipped to function optimally. This includes its ability to excrete toxic waste and eliminate properly. Many times when the body is under a lot of stress, one of the unfortunate symptoms is breakout. Try HEADSPACE: Get your meditation on (link below) and other articles under the stress/anti-stress category and see if they help you understand this crucial balance of stress along with anti-stress activities. 

If you have a genetic predisposition for oily, problem, or acne skin, there is little you can do to stop this driving force fueled by your ancestry. However, keeping all other areas in check (diet, stress, lifestyle habits, skin care routine) can and will contribute to keeping your skin clear and breakout-free. 

Sleeping with your makeup on is another no-no in the skin care realm. I have said this many times: If you brush your teeth at night, you certainly can wash your face. Just put cleanser on prior to brushing your teeth, brush, and simply rinse the cleanser off. This only takes a few seconds and goes a long way to help keep your skin clean. If you don’t want to “wash” your face, try a waterless cleanser. Something is better than nothing!

Birth control pills can, in many cases, cause breakouts. Some women find help with their problem skin while on the Pill; others find their skin becomes worse or starts breaking out when they didn’t have any problems prior to taking these hormones. Going off the Pill can cause problems too. While on the pill you were supplying hormones; going off, your body needs time to adjust. Hormones are what cause breakouts. Since the Pill contains hormones, it makes sense that this seemingly “harmless” form of birth control can and in many cases does cause problems with some people’s their skin.

There are many articles on this blog about how to figure out why you are breaking out along with ways to help treat the breakout. I hope you will continue to use this information to help keep your breakouts to a minimum and possibly stop any breakout from appearing in the first place.

For more information, see:

• What is causing your breakouts?
• Sodas, sugar, your skin & breakouts
• HEADSPACE: Get your meditation on  

Experiencing “The Sugar Blues”? Eliminate sugar to reduce migraines, allergies & more!

There is so much to say about the benefits of cutting back on sugar in your diet. As you will read from this client’s letter, eliminating sugar isn’t just about helping to keep breakouts to a minimum. Limiting or cutting out sugar completely has far reaching positive changes—perhaps more than you know. I received this letter from a client who I gave a recommendation to regarding a classic book on the ills of sugar. If you haven’t read this book and wonder what sugar is possibly doing to your body, skin included, I recommend reading this book now!

Dear Carolyn,

Thank you for sharing the book, Sugar Blues, by William Dufty. After reading it I decided to really limit my intake of refined sugar. In February I cut out all sweets, soft drinks, and sweetened tea. I must say I was surprised by my body’s reaction.

For the first four days after eliminating sugar I felt tense, irritable, shaky, and suffered from a constant headache. I really craved a soft drink! But I stuck to my decision, and I’m very glad I did!

Since taking sugar out of my diet I have not suffered from migraines, and that is huge. I used to take 3-4 Excedrin a week. Plus I’ve been exposed to numerous sick people and I’ve not gotten sick. I’ve always suffered from terrible allergies, and so far this spring and summer, I’ve only had one day I needed medication for hay fever symptoms.

I chose to cut out sugar from my diet as a test to see if it would really make a difference. I can honestly say yes, it has made an amazing difference in my life. I find now when I do indulge in a sweet, I feel nauseous or develop a slight headache. So I prefer to avoid it—the consequences just aren’t worth it!

Thanks again for your knowledge and for the recommendation of this great and very helpful book.

For more information on this blog about sugar consumption and your skin, see:

• Sugar & Skin Problems
• Sugar Addicted? Try a 3-day sugar fast
• Hidden Sugar: Sugar in Unsuspected Places

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comment:

1. 
   Tracy Sturdivant July 1, 2016 at 5:03 AM

   I couldn’t agree more. If you only read one book on health, this would be it. Since he wrote this book, most of what he said has been proven by science. A pediatric endocrinologist at UCSF, Dr. Lustig, wrote a book about how exactly sugar is a toxin and its effect on the body. It’s called Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar. If you don’t want to read the book, he has posted an amazing lecture online that takes only 45 minutes to listen to.

MYTH: Chocolate makes your skin break out

It’s not the cocoa in chocolate that makes your skin break out. But when you eat chocolate, it is inevitably made with sugar (like a candy bar), and it is the sugar that is most likely causing the breakout. So this myth is partially true, depending on how you are defining chocolate. Dark chocolate has less sugar in it than milk chocolate. There are even very high percentage dark chocolates with very low sugar content.

For more information, see:

• MYTH: Food doesn’t affect skin
• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?
• I’m sensitive to sugar—are you?

I’m sensitive to sugar—are you?

I have not only written a lot of articles about sugar and skin health, but I’ve also mentioned how sensitive I am to sugar and how it has affected my skin since I was in my 20s. The following is just one example of how sensitive I am to sugar.

One holiday season I was given some delectable chocolate-covered almonds. Dark chocolate, to boot—my favorite. I didn’t want to eat them because I knew I would break out. But I didn’t want to throw the gift away, so I put them in the freezer, hoping I would forget about them. Of course, the best layed plans; there I was and there they were—just waiting for me to come eat them whenever I chose to. And I did.

If you’ve read some of my previous writing about skin and sugar, you know I’ve said that to the best of my ability I don’t eat sugary foods two days in a row. But I had a deadline and was working long hours at home, and by the end of the day I just wanted a little taste of sweet—so I reached for these freezer goodies. I ate only three candied almonds each night, for three nights. By the third night I had breakout that was obvious and also a few places inside my mouth that were sensitive—just waiting to become canker sores.

I’m telling you about this in the hope of illustrating how sensitive to sugar some people can be. And if you are one of those people and you eat the equivalent of what I ate or more, then the skin problems that you are currently experiencing are very likely the product of your sugar addiction. I make no bones about it—sugar can wreak havoc with your skin.

Eating three of anything isn’t very much, but for me and my body’s sensitivity to sugar, it was enough to cause skin problems. I mention this because I have had countless clients come in saying they don’t eat that much sugar. And I’m here to say it simply doesn’t take that much—for some people.

I’m no angel. I have my moments and can be seen going down the grocery store frozen food aisle with a pint of Häagen-Dazs ice cream in my cart (Yes, I eat ice cream!) or my latest favorite: Milk Duds. But that is an exception, not the rule for me. And through years of experiencing how sugar affects my body, I know what will most likely happen when I eat that glorious ice cream. For me, eating sweets is a decision based on awareness. And that awareness has come through trial and error and eventually solid data accumulated through my own life experiences.

I will say, now that I am menopausal, sugar doesn’t make my skin break out as much as it did even just 5 years ago, but it does (still) affect my blood sugar. This fact continues to keep me watchful of how much sugar I am ingesting.

By the way, immediately after eating a sugary food, I march into my bathroom and brush my teeth. I’m sure my dentist would be proud of me! We all know from being kids that sugar causes tooth decay, which is a fact that doesn’t change when you are an adult. Once I have thoroughly brushed my teeth, I proceed to drink water. Water will help dilute the concentrated sugars, hopefully helping my body to process these toxins more easily.

Even though I may have a little breakout from eating the ice cream or other sweet delight, I want to live a well-rounded life and abstaining from everything all of the time is definitely not how I want to live. I don’t eat sugar very often, but when I do, I try to do healthy things to offset the negative effects of my activities.

HOT TIP: You don’t need sugar—you are sweet enough!

You’re right on about sugar. I’m not much of a sweet eater, but if I do indulge in something sugary, I notice the pimples in a day or two. Thank you for your help!

For more information, see:

• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?
• Helpful hints to lessen sugar intake
• CANKER SORES—ouch! A few go-to products to help heal these painful mouth ulcers

Sugar Case Studies: Making the connection from break out to sugar

Sugar takes an enormous toll on many people. And it is here in these case studies that I hope to open your eyes and help guide you through the maze of sugar addiction, and then to the freedom of clear and healthy skin. I have written several articles about the effects of sugar on your skin (and body) along with case studies from my client files. Here are two more people and their stories of how sugar is affecting their skin.

Case study: Sue

Sue came in complaining of new breakout (new within the last six weeks), concentrated mostly on her chin and around her nose. She couldn’t think of anything new she had been doing; she had no real changes in her hormones or menstrual cycle, and no unusual stress.

After I got her in the facial chair and looked at the problem at hand, I asked if she had been eating any sugar or more sugary foods than normal. “No. I don’t think so,” she insisted, “except for a new protein shake I’ve been making each morning.” She was putting soy milk, a soy protein powder called *Soy-lycious®, and a banana in her drink. This sounds pretty harmless, doesn’t it? Wrong! Soy milk, some more than others, contains quite a bit of sugar. Plus, anything that tastes ’licious is always suspect to me.

Soy milk is not just soy nuts. It is loaded with sugar!

In order for the manufacturers of these protein powders to make their product palatable, they tend to add quite a bit of sugar. And so was the case with Soy-lycious. In researching this product I found that one serving has 15 grams of sugar, which is close to the “recommended” amount (25g) for an entire day. That is a lot of sugar and too much for a protein drink that you’re drinking on a daily basis. Occasionally you could get away with it, but not every day—not if you are sugar-sensitive.

[*I don’t think this particular protein powder is still on the market. But any soy product, like soy protein powder or soy milk, could possibly have a lot of sugar grams in it. Do your research!]

If you check the labels, you can find a low- to no-sugar protein powder. In my kitchen I currently have a powder that has 8 grams of sugar, which is still high, but just over half the amount of Sue’s protein product. I also have a protein powder that has a sugar content of zero. These lower versions do exist; you just have to read the labels.

I believe the biggest contributing factor to Sue’s skin problems was sugar. Later that day Sue called me after speaking to her gynecologist. Her confirmation was complete: even the doctor, after finding out Sue was drinking soy milk, agreed it contains too much sugar.

Case study: Kim

After spending about 15 minutes on the phone with Kim, who was complaining about having breakout that wouldn’t go away, she finally told me about her huge sugar intake. Every morning she has the equivalent of two cups of coffee with two tablespoons of sugar—not teaspoons (which is bad enough), but tablespoons. That is a lot of sugar! Day in day out, it is bound to eventually cause problems. Do you put sugar in your morning coffee? Do you experience frequent breakouts? Maybe there is a connection here for you too.

Kim said the breakout started about six months ago, yet she had been drinking sugar in her coffee for longer than that—for years. My theory is that about six months ago she crossed the threshold of her body being able to tolerate excess refined sugar. This may not be the sole cause of Kim’s skin problems, but her coffee drink is probably not the sole source of her sugar intake.

This is what I instructed Kim to do—if she was willing. First she needed to understand there is a psychological (as well as physical) addiction to sugar. Kim’s coffee probably won’t taste very good if she goes cold turkey and stops adding sugar to it. So I recommended she be patient with her breakout and to slowly taper off the sugar. I told her that tomorrow she should start to put 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar into her morning coffee. It would only be a 25% reduction and probably wouldn’t affect the taste of the coffee too much. Once she was used to that less-sweet taste, then she should go to one tablespoon. Once she was used to that, cut the amount in half, and then half again. Finally, Kim could try to totally eliminate it from her coffee. In this trial period of sugar reduction, she would probably see a difference in her skin and the breakouts.

What I have found in the past is clients will speed up this elimination process because they see a positive difference in their skin. Knowledge is power, and once you know that sugar is contributing to your problem skin, you can decide to stop eating sugar, or at least you will know why you have breakout.

Note: Kim has read my book and has heard me, through several consultations over the phone, talking about sugar and skin problems for years. She just didn’t make the connection. My guess is she just didn’t want to, so the sugar snuck by her consciousness. That, by the way, is a common occurrence. You love your sugar, and you certainly don’t want me trying to take it away from you! I tell you this so you will look a little deeper at your sugar intake and maybe come up with sugar you were ignoring that is a mainstay in your diet. So be honest. You don’t have to stop eating sugar completely; I just want you to take ultimate responsibility for your clear (or problem) skin!

A sugar alternative for Kim or any of you trying to reduce sugar in your diet (coffee, tea, baking, etc.) is to use stevia, an herbal substitute for sugar. It is available in grocery stores, coffee houses, restaurants, and health food stores in either a powder or liquid form. If you have to have sweet in your coffee (or wherever), give stevia a try.

For more information, see:

• Sugar’s effect on skin: Clients with widespread breakout, scarring and menstrual issues 
• I’m sensitive to sugar—are you? 
• Sugar in your precious Frappucchinos