chiquen81

As I said in my title, this is a bit gross but I am going to post it anyway. I haven't had a drink in about 2 weeks and my skin is so oily and I am getting acne all over. I will get huge white zits behind my ear, on my scalp, and sometimes really big ones on my shoulder or random spots on my back. My skin is ridiculously oily and I am thinking that maybe it is the toxins coming out of my skin or maybe my liver is clearing out?

Someone told me that usually during a detox the skin is where the body can push out the toxins easily and so it can cause a breakout. Just wondering if anyone has gotten really gross, unsightly acne on terrible spots. I got one today on my back and it was just enormous.

imaquitter

Hmm, thats weird because I have had a pimple behind my ear and on my nose recently too after stopping a couple weeks ago. Maybe thats what it is. I have no idea but its probably between being hydrated, the toxic crap, etc. It's not something that will make me want to start drinking again though HAHA

abc

Did you sweat a lot during detox? I would have night sweats that were insane. I think that is what would cause the acne afterwards. Sweating like that can leave a lot of oil and bacteria on the skin.

OklaBH

Its common. Being dehydrated for so long your body overproduced oil to keep your skin alive. Because you stopped drinking doesnt mean it will stop for awhile. Summer certainly doesnt help.

BobGT

I had oily, clammy skin that lasted about a month after I quit. Even after that I would occasionally wake up with oily skin. The first week or so, my skin also smelled really bad. I assumed it was all toxins coming out of my body, so I looked at it as a good thing. I hope your skin and pimples clear up quickly, but regardless of time, they will return to normal.

pinkdog

No. I didn't have that. After about 3 months, my skin improved. No more bumps at the base of my nose that were itchy. This may have been detox. If this persists, I would suggest a dermatologist. I bet they can help! Sobriety rocks! Keep going friend.

Fandy

it sounds like adult cystic acne...I know it must feel terrible...while you are waiting for it to clear up (soon i hope), try using something like Clearasil scrub-wash on the areas....i think the salycytic acid in there will help to clear the pimples and keep your oil from reproducing at such a fast rate. it's fairly inexpensive, about $6.50 for a large tube, you can get it in any drugstore or walmart.

I never had skin problems,, but i lost 50% of my hair from poor diet and stress about 3 months before i quit....it did grow back with proper nutrition....

and drink a lot of fluids, not sugary stuff.

hope you feel better.

BigBluef250

I can remember towards the end of my drinking that I always thought I stunk. I could just take a shower and then an hour later I felt funky again. I would always ask my friends if I stank (I have brutally honest friends) and they would always say "a little, but you are working hard man, no one cares."

Since I quit drinking, I did develop a little acne, mainly on my back. That lasted prob about a year or so. I feel like in the past few months it is gone though. It was never so bad to where I wouldnt take off my shirt, but I was a bit self-conscious about it.

I have also noticed that being out in the sun really helps.


BB

SoberAddict

Im 9 months sober. My skin turned to poo as soon as I stopped drinking ( I had always had perfect skin) now, 9 months on, it is still poo. Everyone told me it was my body detoxing. No matter which face scrub I use, still oily and spotty. Its on my back and chest also. Hate it. Almost ready to go to a specialist. Doesnt make you feel good about yourself. Hope yours clears up soon

checkmate1

In my heavy drinking days I would have these massive pimples on my back. There was no puss in them and when I tried to sqeeze them a clear liquid came out totally gross. You name it on my shoulders too. I once had a massive one in my ear that popped 6 times in a row (what a relief) lol. It cleared up when sober. I think its the toxins from alcohol getting out of the body in anyway it can. I also found taking baths made them look (the pimples) a little less angry

sugarbear1

I took about 3 showers a day for several months. Mine did clear up, thankfully.

SoberAddict, can you see a skin specialist? Maybe your drinking was covering up a problem? I know I had all kinds of things (aches, pains, just physical stuff) happen until about 12 months of sobriety. We're all different.

Stay strong and stay stopped! Keep moving forward!

Huey

Ethyl Alcohol acts like an industrial astringent, it literally drives natural oils and sebum out through your pores. On one particularly vicious detox a few years ago my pores enlarged to a point that oily pus wept from areas of my face and neck, a vein erupted on my cheek and acted like a pus drain, and my scalp oozed yellow stinking muck, It looked like my face was collapsing. But after vitamin injections, total rehydration, 14 nights of hospitalisation, and intensive treatment from a dermatologist and trichologist. I was eventually returned to my former glorious handsome self :rotfxko

drunkfunk

Alcohol suppress your serum testosterone level, whether you're male or female. Most likely you're having a rebound effect that will moderate in time.

I've had adult cystic acne - it sucked. Thank God for Accutane.

chiquen81

Huey .... That sounds so horrible but just the way you wrote it made me laugh....also I am glad you are handsome again. Today my skin literally feels like I could wipe the oil off... And I woke up with a huge white zit on my temple! It just popped up over the course of sleeping for 8 hours out of nowhere

SoberAddict

Thanks Sugarbear1.

I may need to do that. At the moment Im trying cutting out sugar and chocolate,only having one coffee a day (EEEEeeeEEKKkkKk !!!! ) and trying to drink lots of water.

Will give myself till the 12 month mark then look at skin specialist I think.

Just so oily, usually in the past I would wash with soap which dries my skin out....this just makes it worse!!!

Could be worse, I could still be drinking


Love and light

Change4good

I also found this very funny and very foul. Glad you are back to your glorious self huey!!