I’m mad. Like, really f*cking mad. Ok, that’s a lie, I don’t really get mad, I just get sad. So, I’m really f*cking sad. My face was finally getting better, finally looking like something was changing and my face was starting to play nice, but NO. No, no,no. It ain’t playin’ nice no mo’. My face has freaked out. Like OMG Ihateyousomuchjuli. Iwantyoutostaysingleforever. Andidefinitelydontwantanyonetofindyouattractive. Ever.
You, my face, are a straight up b*tch.
Ugh, I’m going to get so many emails about my dirty mouth now. I’ll save you the time…please don’t send them.
Anywho, I’m having one of those days of feeling absolutely hopeless. I don’t know what to do. I clean up my diet and it gets a little bit better, then it goes back to normal. I change up my face cleansing routine and it gets a little better, then goes back to normal. I get off birth control, I stay on birth control. I take fish oil, I don’t take fish oil. I eat more fat, I eat less fat. I don’t eat dark chocolate, I do eat dark chocolate. I get facials, I don’t get facials. You get what I’m throwin’ out? I try everything, but in the end my face has full control, and I am left staring in the mirror with tears in my eyes, choking back the egg of frustration that sits in my throat.
Just today, I started taking the probiotic saccharomyce boulardii which was recommended by Liz of Cave Girl Eats. I also am getting cod liver oil soon to start trying that as well. And making sure all sugar and nuts are cut from my diet. It’s just so annoying that my mind has to be filled with thoughts of how ugly I am or how I wish I could improve my skin. That’s dumb. It should be filled with cookbook thoughts, and Christmas gift thoughts, and food thoughts. But no, the face has won.
So here’s my question out of utter frustration and anguish…do I try acutane? Do I face the fact that I may be incredibly depressed, moody, and upset for months because of the drug? Do I face the fact that I may have to take the drug even though my face and other body parts will literally dry up and peel off? Do I face the fact that it may not even work? I don’t know what to do, but I’m obviously upset enough to blab all about it and want some of your advice. So, advise me.
On a more positive note, you NEED to try these muffins. They are DELICIOUS.
Morning Glory Muffins (nut free option)
- Yield: 9 1x
Ingredients
- 1 apple, peeled and cored, shredded
- 1 large carrot, peeled
- 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter
- 1 cup pepitas
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped (optional for nut free version)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Now add your pepitas to a small saucepan over medium heat with a tablespoon of fat. I used coconut oil.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, moving around lots so they don’t burn and so they cook on all sides.
- While your pepitas are roasting, add your apple and carrot to your food processor with the shredding attachment. If you don’t have a food processor, use a grater to shred your apple and carrot.
- Add your apple and carrot to a bowl along with your sunflower seed butter and rinse out your food processor bowl.
- Then add your roasted pepitas to the food processor and puree until you get a flour/meal.
- Then add your pepita flour, eggs, coconut oil, honey, raisins, pecans, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Mix well.
- Pour your batter into 9 FULL muffin liners in your muffin tin. I lined my muffins tin with silicone muffin liners but paper would do just fine.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.
- Let cool slightly, but eat warm, because they are the best that way.
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More Nut Free Muffins:
Apple Cinnamon Muffins (nut free)
Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins (nut free)
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You had me at sunbutter. I love that stuff.
I recently started following your awesome blog. Thank you for all the great recipes. I’m new to paleo…making changes a little at a time. Your sweet potatoes brownies and TO DIE FOR:)!
About your acne…have you ever tried Lever 2000 (aloe scent)? It is the ONLY thing that helps my son and my nephew. If it’ll help you, you’ll see results in a week or less. It might be worth a try.
Oh girl I feel your pain! I’ve struggled with bad skin all my life. I have acne and eczema which means I can’t use a lot of products on my face. The thing that worked for me was a combo of birth control, oil cleansing, mild cleanser (like Neutrogena deep cleaning wash) and a Clairsonic. I use the oil cleanse in the morning and then at night I use the clairsonic and mild cleanser. After using the Clairsonic ONE time my skin was softer and smoother. My skin hasn’t completely cleared up but it’s the closest to clear that it has been in YEARS!
I suffered from hormonal acne for 20!, yep that’s right, 20 years. I have not had a single pimple on my face for over two years now, thanks to benzoyl peroxide cream. Seriously, the only other thing that *ever* cleared my skin up was pregnancy….lol. Started on 2.5% strength, and moved up gradually to 10%. Only very occasionally need to use it now, if my skin is starting to look like it wants to misbehave.
Juli,
Me, my sis, and my bro used Acutane when we were in middle school/high school age. And now we all only rarely get a pimple here and there, ever so often. Our break outs were no more!
Right now, my issue is the weather. It is really drying out my skin, even with globs of moisturizer. I just woke up one morning two weeks ago, and boom! I had a whole bunch of dry and slightly bumping sections of skin on my face. So I have been moisturizing like crazy.
Have you discussed Acutane with your derm? My derm back in my hometown before I relocated is amazing. Probably one of the top 3 derms int he country. She knew her shit. Acutane really helped me and my family, and it may help you. I would recommend talking to your derm about it.
I’ve definitely been exactly where you are. Hopeless about my face, debating Accutane, trying every medicine/eating/drinking/supplement combo I could think of…I am so sorry. I had huge cysts, bumps that spread across my face, oiliness, dryness, scaling, redness, scarring…I’d call in sick to work or class b/c I was so upset.
I know every has a personal fix, and I’ll tell you mine…
Instead of Accutane, my dermatologist got me hooked on IPL laser treatments (best decision I ever made). My first treatment I did with Levulan (a topical cream that makes the laser work ‘deeper’ b/c it makes your skin extremely reactive to light). It reduced 95% of my acne scarring within 24hrs. I now go get an IPL every 6-8 months b/c it shrinks your sebacious oil glands and promotes collagen regrowth. My dermatologist is Skin Solutions in Franklin, TN. You could glance at their website so you could compare to any IPL treatments you find in CO. They are expensive, but the best choice I ever made.
I also used minocycline to control my worst breakouts (now I can take it just around my period). I also take spirolactone daily. My dermatologist had found this medicine does well to clear up breakouts that happen along the jawline…which is where I tend to breakout now after clearing up my cysts. I also use Duac and Tazorac to topically clear up my breakouts. And I’ve found Cetaphil facial cleanser (must say the ‘facial’, my face doesn’t like the ‘body’ one) and face moisturizer work the best. I also use Equate or Dial antibacterial body wash (blue liquid) to wash my body and sometimes use it on my face if I feel the Cetaphil isn’t cleaning well. I use rubbing alcohol to clean any bumps that seem to be spreading or just not clearing up.
I know it feels hopeless. Keep your head up. I would counsel against buying expensive over the counter fixes. Proactive, expensive facial cleansers/creams, etc did nothing but frustrate me that I wasted so much money on things that made my face worse. I’m anxious to see what regime works for you. Best wishes!
I couldn’t use facial scrubbers, facial peels, or deep scrubs until I got my cysts cleared up. Now my face is healed enough to use these sparingly to clear up the small amount of clogged pores I get.
And Spirolactone is a testosterone limiting drug just so you know.
And I agree with the posts on reducing stress, keeping plenty of sleep, and relaxing as much as possible.
I total feel you with your skin. I was once in your shoes, then I was introduced to Lindy! http://www.NaturallyLindy.com She is so much more than a estetitian, she is an energy worker. Before meeting her I had cystic acne, even after working with Chek Practioners, dermatologists, GAPS protocol, you name it. Lindy’s products are gentle and if you can make it to LA, ,she only takes recommendations, I will tell her you are coming! My skin has never gone back, ever to being what it once was and that was almost 10 years ago. She is also one of the most l
Oops. I hit post—
Anyway. She is lovely and will heal your skin, no doubt. If you can’t get to her, she can do work from a distance and her products rock! Lastly, she has an intuition better than any sub clinical testing. As long as I avoid some random foods- like Spinach I don’t even have any little breakouts. She will know what to do. This is more than diet, promise. Lastly, she told me years ago while I lay there crying about my skin that one day people who never believe I had had such bad acne and would compliment my skin. I didn’t believe her. She was right, as she always is. Email me if you want more info. I have sent friends and clients to her for over 10 yeas now and she always makes a world of difference. Wishing your skin to heal : ). AT
O.M.G. I’ve been paleo for about 3 months and it’s been AMAZING. I ate pretty clean before but it definitely has cleaned up my act and I love it. BUT I have had chin acne from about week two. I started out on fish oil (paleo challenge at my gym, fish oil was suggested) and it had made me break out before so I assumed that was what did it but now I’ve been off it about a month and I STILL have the acne! Maybe I’m having the same issue as you! Hmmmm…I’ll try this probiotic you’re taking. Thanks for opening my eyes! You’re awesome and he’ll come along. I thought I’d be single forever as well and I’ve been married almost 6 years and have 2 beautiful babes 🙂
Juli,
I *SO* enjoy your website and felt I had to comment on the accutane debate. After 4+ years of struggling with terrible acne as a teenager and doing everything BUT accutane, I finally convinced my mom to let me try it when I was 16. It worked like a charm. I am now 42, have two healthy kids and don’t really remember any bad side effects other than dry skin (and it wasn’t really that dry). I remember those mornings of waking up and dreading looking in the mirror because I knew I would find more breakouts. The miracle of accutane saved my sanity esp as a teenage girl. My skin has been clear ever since and I NEVER wake up wondering if I have a breakout. You can always start a regimen and if your body doesn’t like it, you can stop. Good luck in your decision. You are fantastic and beautiful inside and out.