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Candida Yeast Causes Acne, the Connection
Is there a connection between candida yeast and acne? Could candida yeast cause acne? It caused my acne!
What is Candida Yeast?Candida Albicans is a type of yeast that is naturally in our bodies. Yeast does not cause issues unless an imbalance occurs which will result in yeast overgrowth. There are many causes of yeast overgrowth, such as; taking antibiotics, alcohol, stress, low immune system, etc.
Why Candida Yeast can Cause Acne:Yeast overgrowth causes havoc on the body and can cause the release of hundreds of toxins in the body. The good bacteria is limited and is overpowered by the yeast overgrowth. This causes a severe imbalance of microorganisms and overgrowth of bad bacteria.
My experience with candida yeast causing my acne
I wanted to share my experience of when I had acne which I later found out was caused by yeast. I hope this helps others with acne as some may have yeast overgrowth causing their acne. I included the rough dates to give an idea of how long it took for my skin to clear up from the candida yeast free diet.
-Several years ago I was on a low dose antibiotic for about 7 days. To give you an idea of time frame, I took the antibiotic in the beginning of January.
-After taking the antibiotic, I started eating a large amount of sugar, I was eating around 5 servings of fruit a day ( for the antioxidants). However, at the time I had no idea what was occurring.
-Around February/March I started getting tiny bumps all over my forehead (which looked like acne) and as time went on they seemed to get worse. So I started using natural treatments that are used for typical acne, but they actually made my skin worse which seemed odd.
-After researching I came across the connection of candida yeast and acne but before I started any treatments for yeast, I went to see a dermatologist just to see what he would say and of course all he said is “you have acne”. I even mentioned that I had taken antibiotics and asked if it could be related to yeast. His response was “not possible”. Of course he was wrong!
-In mid April I started the yeast free diet, ate no sugar even fruit, took a strong probiotic and supplements which help “kill” the yeast.
-In late July I started noticing my forehead improving!
-By August my forehead was completely clear!
As you can see it took about 3 months before seeing a result, I believe without a doubt that the yeast was causing my acne. At one point, after about a month of doing the diet I considered giving up because I wasn’t seeing any immediate results, but you really need at least 3 months on the diet and regimen in order to see the full effect.
If you have acne, looking into the possibility of yeast causing it would be a good avenue. Especially if you have taken any antibiotics. I don’t believe that this can cure everyone’s acne but it may help and or eliminate acne for some because there is an underlying issue with yeast.
To help determine if you think it may be causing your acne, I posted more information on the causes of yeast overgrowth, what yeast is, and how I treated it.
Also, how have you guys handled any exposure to sunlight? Or swimming in the ocean? Does it help to decrease the fungus or does it make it worse?
Hi Lori and everyone,
I am a 21 year old female, and started developing these bumps in Feb/March of this year (I was on antibiotics in January, and I noticed the bumps after a really bad rain storm when my hood was like slicked to my forehead). I’m DESPERATE to get back to normal skin (I NEED TO FOR MY MENTAL STATE). I have tried nizoral and I’m currently on an oral anti-fungal, but I’m not really seeing any difference. For those of you who are now bump/acne free on your face, are you continuously on the diet? Do you no longer eat sugar at all? Do you guys consume alcohol? Did you guys take any natural anti-fungals, and if so, which worked the best for you? Thanks everyone.
Hi Olivia, how is your skin now? I didn’t see an improvement from anti-fungals. Only going on the diet helped. Have you tried the diet?
Great information! I also dealt with issue years ago but my reaction was more sever. I had developed bumps on my forehead back and chest. In addition to the diet and supplements I figured out that Nizoral shampoo can be used as a wash and rapidly send this type of “acne” into retreat. It’s been several years since I had it happen but the reason I’m writing this now is because I just had a skin infection resulting from a severe burn. I was but on a strong antibiotic and like magic…12 days later I broke out all over again. I an confidebt that within a few days of washing with nizoral and starving the yeast I will be back to normal. Hope this is helpful to those that have struggled with this complicated issue!!
Hope it works for you!
diflucan and topical antifungals on combination with probiotics and you should be clear within a week.
if not then a trip to doctor for nystatin powder. no need to wait months
Hello. I’ve been getting the exact same bumps like you mentioned. Your story and ours is very similar. I’ve been on the diet for about 1 month, no progress so far. If anything I feel like the bumps have worsened. But I’m positive this is caused by yeast because these bumps started happening right after I took a heavy dose of antibiotics around in November last year.
Anyway, I’m taking kefir and yogurt as my probiotics as well as 4 TBSP coconut oil as my anti-fungal. Started itraconazole 2 days ago because I’m getting very impatient and would like to see some immediate results.
Will report back in a month. 🙂
Did you use any topical antifungals? What moisturizer did you use on your forehead? I find that if I use anything oily, my forehead reacts to it within 4 days and I have 10 new bumps!
I didn’t use any topical antifungals. It’s been awhile, but I think back then I was just washing my face 2 times a day with castile soap. I don’t think I used any moisturizers. Hope your skin improves really soon!
Hi Lori,
I found your website very interesting. I had a few questions in regards to the supplements. Ive battled with adult acne for several years and was on antibiotics for several years as well. Ive been off them for a long time now and just recently came off birth control 3 months ago. Beginning of March I started seeing a nutritionist and we did the ALCAT test I cut out gluten, dairy at the time and my other reactive foods, but was still having issues with digestion, fatigue, couldnt lose weight, and skin issues, which I thought was caused by my birth control or adrenal fatigue. Right now I cut out all refined sugars but eat a lot of fruit which I thought was fine, but too much fruit is probably to much sugar as well. Im almost positive I have a candida overgrowth as I notice my skin gets worse when I eat to much sugar and gets dry as well, which my skin isnt the worst but enought to bother me.
In regards to your supplments I was just wondering what dosage or if you increased slowly on the Berberine and Biotics Research ADP? and for how long? The diet part I know I will be fine with sticking to since Ive changed my diet drastically a while ago.
Yes, eating a lot of fruit is still a eating a lot of sugar (especially high sugar fruits). I now stick to low sugar fruits and eat them with fat so it doesn’t cause insulin spikes. I’m not sure where you are seeing those supplements? I don’t think I’ve ever taken those before.
Hey Lori, I’m still following the diet as per your post. It’s only been about 5 weeks so so far no major noticeable improvements. But I intend on doing the diet for 4 months like you did. When you say you ate “meat” did that include beef/red meat? I’ve been including both organic chicken and beef so I hope that’s okay. Lastly, how did you come off the diet? Did you slowly reintroduce regular foods again once your skin cleared?
I mostly ate chicken and only had red meat once a week or so. But, I don’t think the meat/chicken should affect it really. Once my skin cleared I still stuck to a low sugar diet and continued eating yeast free bread for probably a year (although I don’t think it was necessary). Even today, I still try not to have too much sugar. I eat low sugar fruits like blueberries and sometimes have oranges. I also stay clear of antibiotics.
Lori,
I too would like to know the answer to the question above. Does falling off the diet wagon one day either on purpose or by accident, will that ruin the whole process. I’ve been on the diet for two months now of strictly no sugar or yeast but once in a while I may eat something that has too many carbs, like potatoes or brown rice. I hope that doesn’t mean I have to start the 4 months all over again.
Hi Maria, I don’t think eating something with sugar once in awhile will mess it up. You won’t need to start over. I ate potatoes on the diet once a week or so..I just kept running out of things to eat. I would just be really strict about eating things with high sugar like fruits, juices etc. Also, if you do eat something with more sugar, then make sure to eat fat and protein with it to prevent blood sugar spikes (like coconut oil). This diet was the most difficult diet I ever had to do, so don’t give up, I know how frustrating it is. Diets like paleo, gluten free, and dairy free seem like a breeze to me now lol.
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Hi I just have a few questions the first is did you ever cheat at all with the diet? Like if I had something with sugar once a week or by accident will it throw the whole process off!? Thanks for sharing!
It’s impossible to avoid all sugar, so a little is ok, but I was pretty strict with eliminating all higher sugar foods and not cheating (like fruits etc.) Hope this helps 🙂
Very informative Lori! You’re the first I’ve heard to cure this type of acne condition. just wondering what you used topically before your skin healed. Did you avoid tomatoes and bell peppers? There’s so many variations of the candida diet and I’m not sure which one works best. I’ve been on it for a few days. Can you confirm that you now eat normally (fruits etc.) without a flare up?
Hi Jess, I didn’t eat any tomatoes or bell peppers on the diet. But, I don’t usually eat them anyways so I wasn’t purposefully restricting them. Yep, my skin is still clear on my forehead, no more bumps, knock on wood.
Lori, a couple more questions about the candida diet you followed. Did you avoid starches such as rice and potatoes? What exactly did you eat. This may be a tough one for me because I’m already thin and don’t want to lose a ton of weight – but I’m willing to do anything to get rid of the yeast acne. Thanks!
I did eat potatoes occasionally. I also ate yeast free bread once in a while too. I mainly avoided all sugars (even in fruit) and high carb foods. I didn’t follow the diet exactly, but I think cutting way back on the sugars/carbs is what really helped. So I mostly ate eggs, meat, lettuce etc.
Hi Lori, are you still clear of the forehead acne? I too began getting acne on my forehead after a round of antibiotics. I believe the name for this condition is malassezia folliculitis or pityrosporum folliculitis. It is a yeast type acne and supposedly “incurable”, which I don’t believe. But so far nothing I’ve tried is getting rid of it but I will try the anti-yeast diet you did. Did you take any antifugals as well? Which probiotic did you take? Please, I am desperate for a cure. Thank you!
I had acne on my forehead for 2 years , you can read my comment above to see how I got better, for now I just try to eat garlic and onions every day, also I try to follow the food combining rules, so no meat + potatoes, fruits alone etc. so I don’t feed candida and have a good digestion
Omu, I see from your last post that you still have little bumps underneath th skin. I have managed to get mine like that too but I want them 100% gone and my forehead 100% smooth. That is why I want to know of lori’s forehead is still 100% clear. I wonder if she cut out starches as well.
Hi Maria, my skin is still clear on my forehead (knock on wood). I haven’t taken antibiotics since then, so hopefully it does not come back. I didn’t take any antifungals, but I did take supplements that fight yeast, including garlic and also drak Pau’ De Arco tea (many drink it to fight candida). It was a really tough diet to follow, but I’m glad I stuck with it for the time. I don’t remember which probiotic I was taking back then (was a few years ago), probably a fairly low dose one, maybe one with 20 billion.
Ijust found this site, and wanted to respond. Have you ever heard of Borax, you can buy it in the grocery store. It is a mineral also known as boran. I am 74 and had a real problem with yueast. I came across this on the internet, and started mixing 1 tsp to 1 qt of water and drinking it through out the day. ive been doing this about 3 months and im feeling and looking much better. Borax I also used to wash clothes the mineral helps get clothes cleaner. please look it up in thesearch engine as BORAX FOR YEAST INFECTION.. Hope this helps. Can also order on line .
I was having little bumps on my forehead, and also blurry vision with one eye, after 2 years when I had a lot of apples and my blurry eye was really bad in the morning, I did some research and thought I might have candida, after 1 month of diet, and oregano oil mixed with coconut + kefir (it’s available in the store in my country), homemade sauerkraut, red wine (cabernet sauvignon, I found it was rapidly improving my blurry eye vision, so I guess it was killing candida), so after 1 month my forehead got smooth, and the blurry eye better.
Now I’m in 3rd month, if I look in the mirror while having direct light reflecting of my forehead there are still some very little dots/bumps, but I think even that is getting better, I’m still taking oregano, + the diet and sometimes Nigella Sativa oil, had some pomegranate peel tea sometimes, I do eat fruit sometimes but only on empty stomach, usually in the morning
Glad to hear you’ve seen an improvement.
Thank you so much for your posts! They are so helpful. I’ve just found your site yesterday and everything I read really applies to me and totally agree! Thank you again!!
Glad the posts are helpful. 🙂
First and foremost, if you indeed have a serious candida overgrowth, it’s a complicated issue that may require a professional’s attention and the use of anti-fungals, like nystatin, fluconazole, or anidulafungin.
Hey There Healthextremist,
Thanks for the info, I’m trying to figure this out. I have mild-very mild- acne, so after checking out and reading articles with the use of homeopathy, naturopathy, western medicince, ect, I’ve come to these possibilities of causes:
1. Hormones
2. Liver
3. Aandrogens
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for taking time to write this, i found out a year ago i have an intolerance to wheat and gluten due to the illnesses i was having, the symptoms were pointing towards mini strokes, high uk ESR levels of 135 each time i went to see a Neurologist i asked could this possibly be an intolerance to food, he said not a chance, never! then he said, i was not a well woman, er i knew that, i was in constant pain across my stomach, my stomach wow i must say one day i measured and it was 50 inches, how on earth did it get so huge, well a year on, and my stomach now measures 36 inches, still bigger than it should be, but i ordered a book and read it, and then i contacted the author, now the book is called “Food Allery and Gluten Free Weight Loss – Control your Body Chemistry, Reduce Inflammation and Improve Your Health by Nicolette M.Dumke an amazing American lady, she is a Food Microbiologist.
I ordered that book, and the reason i am telling you this, is because i was diagnosed with a rare condition that my body was out of control with Silent Inflammation, I was told it would kill me, it would shut down my organs, at that time i was also suffering from Kidney stones/Pain etc.
Since a year has been gone, i have been following the book to the letter, and my Inflammation has gone down by half, my stomach has lost 14 inches, my health is so much better, i now hardly have a cold, i have no pain, more energy, oh the energy is so much better, i use to go wake up, be awake for about 10 mins and need to go back to sleep.
So, thank you for adding this post, because at the time i also had acne but mine was on my neck and back, and since i have no spots at all, and now i refuse any kind of medication, now i only eat healthily, and i now cure my own symptoms with supplements.