Do vegans have clearer skin?

I've read many places that people notice their skin clears up after going vegan- is this true for any of you?

About a month ago I switched from dairy milk to soy milk and regular cheese to veggie cheese and already noticed a major change in my skin. (I used to get pimples weekly- now I only have one!)

I've only been an actual vegan for about 2 days (before I was technically ovo lacto) now but hope that my skin will clear up completely. I also wonder if this will help the "chicken skin" on my arms.

Other people have also said that they notice their eyes get brighter and whiter after going vegan too. Anyone experience this as well?

I found my face only cleared up when I switched which product I cleaned it with. Tea tree oil  > any other chemical, when it comes to my skin.

Going vegan didn't seem to change anything. My eyes look the same as they always have. 

I think a lot of people just feel better about themselves after going totally vegan or totally vegetarian. It's an accomplishment and it boosts egos. They start noticing anything good that is happening to them instead of constantly focusing on all the badness in their life. 

It's sort of like after running your ass off on the treadmill, you look in the mirror, sweaty and nasty - but the first thought is "Damn I look good. I just did 5 miles!". ;) The glow of accomplishment can change what you see in the mirror.

Or there could be a medical reason - who knows? I'm pretty sure it's all in people's heads, though. 

Not that I've noticed. I've seen some vegans and vegetarians with beautiful skin and some with not so clear skin. I eat meat and I've been complimented on my skin by a lot of people who I think eat healthier than I do. I think it really just depends on your skin type, the way you treat it, and how your body responds to what you put in it. Veganism and vegetarianism isn't for everyone, it's like exercise. You gotta find what's right for you.

Here's my two-cents: I figure that some peoples bad skin is either activated by what they eat or it comes from something natural (like hormones or genetics). So the people who's bad skin occurs when they eat say... chocolate... will likely clear up once they stop eating it once they become vegan. Then the people who naturally have pretty bad skin from hormones or genetics will see no change because it's part of their body, despite their eating habits. Thereforeee, some peoples skin changes after becoming vegan, and some peoples doesn't.

:D First time I've actually been able to explain something and make sense. ...I hope.

A friend of mine had her skin clear up after she stopped drinking milk (dairy). I believe this has something to do with the hormones that are in cow's milk.

Yeah I think it's linked to dairy and hormones. Niether of my parents ever had acne. My father wasn't ever really into cheese, yogurt or cottage cheese period. My mother didn't eat any dairy at all till she came to America and when she did it made her stomach so sick she could never eat the stuff again. I've noticed that the less dairy I eat the better my skin is! I think after a few weeks my skin will clear up completely.

 

In addition to the hormones idea, here's what I think may happen. In what I've seen, many vegans tend to eat low-fat diets because of the absence of meat, dairy, and most baked goods. You need to eat enough fat to keep your hormones up and running. Low-fat diet = low hormones, which = less zits.

I'm not speaking for all vegans, I'm just sharing what I have most often heard. :)

Original Post by muttlover:

In addition to the hormones idea, here's what I think may happen. In what I've seen, many vegans tend to eat low-fat diets because of the absence of meat, dairy, and most baked goods. You need to eat enough fat to keep your hormones up and running. Low-fat diet = low hormones, which = less zits.

I'm not speaking for all vegans, I'm just sharing what I have most often heard. :)

Actually my skin looks way better on a higher fat vegan diet than it did on a very low fat vegan diet. Typically, the very low fat vegan diets, such as recommended by Dr. McDougall tend to be very grain or starch-based, with no oils, nuts, or seeds, 10% or less of calories from fat, and a very limited amount of fruit.  Following the McDougall diet I found that much of my food was pretty colorless (think brown rice, potatoes, oatmeal, etc.), and my skin became pale, colorless, and dry as well.  Because there was so much focus on the starches as being the centerpiece of the meal,  I really wasn't emphasizing or eating enough of all those colorful fruits and vegetables, which are so essential to our health.  

After switching to Dr. Fuhrman's 'Eat to Live' diet, I started consuming more fat in the form of nuts, seeds, and avocado, and my diet became more centered around fruits and non-starchy vegetables than around colorless starches.  The difference in my skin has been quite noticeable and remarkable.  I never have problems with dry skin anymore, because having the extra fat seems to help keep it moisturized.  I never use any kinds of lotions, and I do not experience any dryness.  My coloring has also changed completely.  Instead of being pale, I now have a lot of color as a result of the carotenoids which come from eating all those colorful fruits and vegetables.  As a result, people started commenting on how healthy my skin looks, whereas I used to be told that I looked pale.  I have a lot more confidence about being to wear all sorts of colors now that would have made me looked washed out before.  This hasn't happened because I'm vegan per se, rather its because I'm a vegan who eats a whole lot of fruits and vegetables.  I know there are some meat eaters out there who eat relatively small amounts of meat, but eat lots of fruits and vegetables, just as there are some vegetarians and vegans who live on processed junk and hardly eat any fresh produce at all.  In general, I think that people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables are naturally going to have a healthier looking complexion than those who don't.    

Now, having said all this I do think Muttlover is onto something by having mentioned hormones.  It seems to me that hormones gone wild would indeed cause skin problems such as acne, which I believe is what happens with teens.  The connection with meat and dairy that people are observing is likely because these foods contain an excessive amount of hormones,  

I also don't think fat has anything to do with it either, seeing as my skin actually improved when I did the atkins diet.  I believe it's to do with the fact that most people have mild dairy allergies so consumption causes acne. I'm not vegan but I don't have dairy products and my skin is clearer for it.

I phased out meat, eggs and dairy gradually, so I'm not really sure if that was why my skin improved or not. But I have noticed that my acne is a hell of alot better than it used to be. I'm not really sure of the cause. I'd like to think it was giving up animal products, though.

I am sure that my BO is not nearly as bad as it used to be. I never really stunk THAT bad, but I have noticed that my stink is much milder. In case you wanted to know all about it...

i'm a vegetarian, never had clear skin... never drank much milk, but i don't drink any now... same for eggs... i do have cheese... the only thing that seems to have affected my skin is hormone levels and skin products.   i just tried a tea tree oil facewash and lotion for oily skin and what do you know? i'm breaking out from it! back to my other cleanser.... so i don't know, things just work differently on different people i guess.

I am a recent semi-vegan (90%, only consume trace amounts of dairy or eggs in things). My skin has cleared up significantly since I cut out dairy. A quick search on the web revealed some studies that have definitely linked dairy and acne, with hormones in mild (both natural and added) as the culprit. If only I had known earlier!

vegans can also fly if they stay dedicated to the cause for 7 years.

The only thing that changed for me was my energy ..

but then again I also ate tons of junk food back then .


:O

I had "problem skin" throughout my teens. Oily, dry, acne, you name it.  Since going vegan almost 5 years ago, I rarely get zits, and my complexion is very normal.  I do believe a lot of the problem comes from the hormones in dairy and meat.  Its also why more and more 8 and 9 year old girls are going through puberty.  Scary. 

I definitely notice something with the "chicken skin" on my arms.  When I first switched to vegan the chicken skin got better (didn't go away, I don't think it ever does since its genetic), and from what I read I think it was because I was finally getting enough vitamin A.  That has less to do with going vegan than it does with just finally eating a healthy balanced diet, but depending on how bad your diet was as a lacto/ovo, you too may notice an improvement, especially since as a vegan you will (ideally) be eating a wider variety of plant foods.  Going vegan (if done correctly) generally leads a person to getting more essential vitamins than a person gets from the average American diet (just because going vegan correctly requires you to pay more attention to your food), and can lead to a lot of improvements in skin/hair/nails.  Now, if all you eat as a vegan are Fritos and pasta, you can't expect the same wonderful results.