Q? for Shelshel

[Alba]

Hi shelshel
I just have a small question
you said somewhere on this site that you used to have really bad acne before raw, and after going raw it good worse...- and now it's getting better?
I just wondered how long it took before you saw improvement, as I am getting desperate here
love alba

[ShelShel]

Alba,
Hello. Yes, I have always struggled with acne...I'm 34 years old and my skin looks more like I'm 16 on most days before raw. However...the good news is...I believe when your body is clean, the acne will go away.
I think everyone is different on how long this will take based on what you've fed yourself over the previous years. ;) So, it could be longer or short...depending.
I started out with huge pimples around my period every month before raw. They would just start clearing...the week before it would come again. Horrible.
After starting raw...they cleared almost immediately...for about 2 weeks..then what came next...I wasn't prepared for. Holy cow! Little tiny bumps and large pimples everywhere. I was so embarrassed. I just wanted to hide. I know...vanity is horrible...but you tend to feel like a bit of a monster when it gets this bad.
I started going high raw in Feb of this year and by June went on my 100% raw challenge. I succeeded and after that went 100% raw Mon-Sat and splurged on Sunday afternoon with the family at a cooked meal. After a while your body refuses to do this...and now, I'm 100% raw...forever.
Around 3 months into it...the acne turned into just the little bumps. Sort of like...if you saw me from a distance...you wouldn't know I had any acne. It was when up close you looked across my skin...especially my forhead. Bumps!
As of the middle of October...I am almost acne free! Even some of the scarring is starting to heal. So...it took like 8 months. I wish I had a better time frame to tell you. You know, like, "oh it will take two weeks tops!" but I don't. What ever you did to yourself has to be corrected before your skin will stop flaring up.
I'm sorry you are dealing with this right now. It's pretty horrible. My thoughts are with you, but remember the longer raw...the better it becomes. You will get through it and on the other side...wow.
My brother said to me just the other day, "Wow, Shel, your skin looks good." I smiled and replied, "I'm not wearing any foundation either!" His mouth dropped open...no way! Yup...no foundation since October...even during the latest drama group performance I was in. I was the only person not wearing foundation to even my skin tone.
Raw works...stick it out and know..it's just a season of your life...not forever!
Hope this helps some. Raw (((HUGS)))

[vgloveforlife]

Alba,
I'm not shelshel but I just wanted to chime in on this thread. When I became a vegan I got the worst pimples EVER! It was probably detox from dairy. They lasted for over a year They never fully went away, my skin did clear up eventually but I had to work to mantain it when prior I didn't. Now on a high raw diet my skin has never been so clear. I started eating lots of cooked beans for a week and I got a huge pimple on my cheek and some on my forehead. I agree with Shelshel, just stay raw.
Probiotics and grape seed fruit extract help too.

[Alba]

Aaaw - that actually helped - thank you sooo much...!!
You know what, it is not so much the time-frame that bothers me, since I can feel that I'm doing the right thing! It's just nice to know that there are others out there who's skin got worse before it got better...!
I'm vain too - vanity is human and ok (I keep telling myself that :) )
Well, anyways - I am very happy to hear that both of you are feeling so great about yous skin...
I have been a meat-eater all of my life - eating a LOT of protein the last 2-3 years (was on the paleo-diet) - so that might take some time - and oh yeah, before paleo i'd eat like 1 ltr. youghurt a day - I know, insane but I was addicted to the aspartame in it!!
God I hope I clear up soon,,..
Love alba
ps. thanks again for the quick and thorough replies!

[Juicyfruit]

Hey Alba, I sent you an email! :)