Why am I suddenly getting acne?

[Emily_35 10]

I am about 8 weeks post op and maybe 2-3 weeks ago I started getting zits or white heads is on my chest and shoulders. In the past I might have one or two every now and then, but right now my chest is all broken out. Since I've started loosing I've tried to be more vigilant about moisturizing my face, neck, and chest. I thought this could be the reason, so I stopped applying it to my chest. Then a day or two later I broke out pretty bad (for me). Broke out all over my face and chest. Any suggestions or explanation as to why. I've read when breaking down fat our hormones breakdown as well and I may get little surges of it causing something like this.

[Elode 8,093]

Your hormones are going nuts.

[her1981 448]

I'm 12 weeks post and having the same problem. I swear I didn't have this many pimples in puberty!

[OKCPirate 5,323]

You ought to see some of the weepy guy comments from the hormone surges (you have my permission to peak in the guys room). I couldn't watch chick flicks for 4 months post surgery because I'd actually get into them

[Elode 8,093]

@@OKCPirate No!! That's a horrible suggestion! I pranced around the coveted "men's room" once and almost got burned at the stake. DO NOT go in there unless you want to read about how the penis looks bigger now......so maybe I peeped a few weeks ago but it was enough to make me not want to go back! It's like when someone tells you you're forbidden to do something almost like medusa in this case though, I promise you don't want to see it!!! -

[OKCPirate 5,323]

@@Emily_35, Elode may be right, enter at your own risk

[OKCPirate 5,323]

@@Emily_35 - OK, don't poke around the whole guys room, just go here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/343777-guys-room-is-everyone-else-overly-emotional-or-am-i-just-an-ae/

Very good summary of all the extra hormones that get suddenly dumped into the blood stream. Can make even tough guys get weepy.

[cuchas 51]

I was wondering the SAME thing!!!! My face has always been clear, but bam!- out of no where, acne monsters came to terrorize one whole side of my face.

I've been using moisturizer though and it's almost gone. I just need to keep using it everyday.. but yeah.. nice to know I'm not the only one. I was so depressed lol

Edited September 13, 2015 by cuchas

[ylluz 151]

Omg my face is bad too and my back ughhh

[cherisenoir8 1]

I've read that B-12 can sometimes be the culprit of acne even though it's supposed to help clear the skin. It doesn't react the same way to everyone. I noticed the few times I quit taking the B-12 tabs for a period of time that my skin actually cleared up.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Here's my recent acne experience ...

At age 69, I recently had acne show up for the first time in forever!

A few weeks prior to the spots appearing my bariatric P.A. had prescribed B12 for me. I don't have a B12 shortage (my blood tests came back great), but she told me that the latest bariatric research suggests a B12 shortage can be a big enough problem for enough WLS patients that prescribing 500 mg B12 daily or 1,000 mb 2X a week has become a standard prophylactic dose.

I went online and discovered the B-12 / acne connection (I had never heard of that before). I immediately taking the B12, and a week later the acne is gone.

I'll stay off of it another week, then try taking it just a few times a week and see if the acne / spots return.

WLS is a continuing science experiment with a single human test subject -- me.

[shellyd67 198]

Omg my face is bad too and my back ughhh

My face and back are horrible !! And I have a stupid rash on my stomach ... I went to the Dr. Yesterday and have a topical cream and have to follow up on Thursday. My skin is crazy right now lol

[Eleanora 11]

I second the warning about B-12. I had a horrific cystic acne breakout last Christmas (before the sleeve) and was dumbfounded as to the cause. I realized that the only change was in taking a Vitamin that had a lot of B-12, B6 and Biotin. I saw my dermatologist. You need the B Vitamins, but taking too much can wreak havoc on your skin.

[HeidiA 31]

It's the body eliminating all of the fat and impurities that have been stored up in the fat cells. It eliminates it any way it can - through urine, bad breath, sweat glands, through the skin - in any manner possible. One friend of mi e who was sleeved felt greasy for the first 3-4 months - wiping her arms and coming away with fat that had come through the pores in the skin! All sweat and secretions are a bit more offensive because they're old fat and old impurities. Consider the zits a win! I keep towelettes at hand to wipe my face, underarms and other places to ward off the sweat; maybe alcohol pads or make-up remover pads would help the zits. Drink more water; that's the best think for you.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

It's the body eliminating all of the fat and impurities that have been stored up in the fat cells. It eliminates it any way it can - through urine, bad breath, sweat glands, through the skin - in any manner possible. One friend of mi e who was sleeved felt greasy for the first 3-4 months - wiping her arms and coming away with fat that had come through the pores in the skin! All sweat and secretions are a bit more offensive because they're old fat and old impurities. Consider the zits a win! I keep towelettes at hand to wipe my face, underarms and other places to ward off the sweat; maybe alcohol pads or make-up remover pads would help the zits. Drink more water; that's the best think for you.

Charming. Except that's not how fat is actually broken down and excreted from obese bodies. It doesn't leak through our pores.