Vitamin D3 Made the Biggest Difference So Far!

Today’s post comes from Anuja (@anujaaggarwal) who shares her story of how addressing her vitamin D deficiency is helping improve her skin by leaps and bounds. As you will see in the post, she struggled with stubborn acne and tried almost everything, with unimpressive results.

It wasn’t until the underlying vitamin D deficiency was detected and addressed that the cloud of acne started to lift. * applause *

I might have talked about my acne story so many times on this site at various places, but let me tell you the shorter version once again, so that I can proceed with the changes that made the biggest difference.

I never had acne during my school/college/work life till the time I was living in the north. Nothing reacted on my skin or caused any irritation. I could use any makeup products or creams without a worry.

Then I moved to Bangalore and suddenly all hell broke loose. I have spoken about my previous struggles in this post.

As you can see in this post, I was quite happy with the Diacneal/Keracnyl regimens. My skin was stable for a while, but not completely cleared. Somehow, I was still getting sudden acne flare-ups for no apparent reasons. And when I did get acne spots they stayed for a while and left behind really dark scars that remained for a few months.

I read on the web that skin does go on a plateau after using the same treatment for so much time. I had used Keracnyl for about a year and three tubes of Diacneal.

I was not taking any additional supplement at that time and was using the usual Sebamed foam/Lotus 3-in-1/Suncote/Keracnyl face wash.

I had also tried Baidyanath Raktashodhak tabs and Kaya pigmentation reducer gel for a while, but that made my skin worse.

As is the case with all acne sufferers, I was constantly reading about all the stuff that I can possibly do to stop my acne issues.

Just like you, I also read about all the vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can cause acne.

I had already tested all my hormone levels, so now I needed to test my other deficiencies.

I visited my dermatologist and asked her to give me a prescription of all the tests that I must get done. I had posted the results of the tests at that time.

Four things happened simultaneously after that:

1. As per my doctor’s instruction I started Lupi D3 powder once a week. This is vitamin D3. Now I have shifted to a soft-gel capsule format which is easier to take.
2. I was also contemplating taking Fish oil supplements due to its other health benefits, so I started that too – once a day. I was already taking flax seeds for a long time, so I switched to higher concentration fish oil.
3. I started with Glyco A – I read at a lot of places on the web that Glycolic acid works if applied in at least a concentration of 6-12% consistently over a period of time. Even the acne.org GA product has 10% concentration. Since I had been using 6% for over an year, I thought of giving it a try. Glyco A has 12% concentration. I apply it only on the acne prone areas (lower part of cheeks, jaw line, and forehead) every night. When I wake-up in the morning, my skin feels so soft and plump (GA also helps in retaining moisture).
4. I started using Sebamed 30 SPF sunscreen. My review of Sebamed Suncare Spray SPF 30.

With the above combination, my skin started showing a drastic improvement within a month.

It’s been approximately three months since I started and (touch wood/fingers crossed/and what not) – I have not got a single pimple since then. And even during the pre-menstrual time, I now get just one or two small bumps on the jaw line that vanish within two days. I just hope this continues.

The marks are fading slowly, but I guess they will take their time. Overall, I am very happy with this regimen as it involves fewer products.

Please note:

Glyco A is a high concentration product and please don’t start using it without advice, especially if your skin is sensitive and does not react well to lower concentration GA products like Keracnyl and Triacneal, or other exfoliating treatments.

I had used those for more than a year and also gotten high concentration chemical peels done in the past, so I guess my skin was mature enough to handle 12% GA. If you do want to try it, start gradually, keep it on your face for ten minutes and wash off, and slowly increase the duration to over-night.

Some advice:

If you have any doubts about nutritional deficiencies, then please consult your doctor and get the tests done before taking any supplements. The tests might be expensive, but they would definitely put your mind to rest and you will also know exactly what your body needs.

If this post has inspired you to share your own success story or ongoing struggle with acne, or experience with products, good and bad, send in your write-up here.