I was at a work conference yesterday and was reading the eBook ‘Acne Free in 3 Days’ while I was hiding in the audience. While I was reading through the book, I had one of those ‘ah-ha!’ moments that makes you want to slap yourself and wonder why you didn’t think of it before.
You see, I’ve read so much in forums and even received emails from readers about the relationship between candida and acne, but I’ve never considered just how strong the relationship between the two actually is. In fact, your acne may be caused by candida alone. Which means, if you clear up your candida you clear up your acne.
What is Candida and why does it cause acne?
Candida albicans is a fungus that is normally found on the skin and mucous membranes in the mouth, rectum, or vagina. It may also travel through the blood stream and affect various parts of the body. If the fungus is not controlled, problems may occur. Basically, the Candida Albicans is a negative yeast infection that begins in the digestive system and as time goes by it spreads to the other parts of the body. It acts as an invading parasite that attaches to the intestinal wall and makes home of your internal organs, which makes the body react and create the many symptoms.
Source: The Candida Blog
Not everyone who has a Candida problem will suffer from acne, acne is just one of many possible side effects. I had a problem with Candida once in my lifetime which was caused by a reaction to the contraceptive pill. My main symptom was chronic thrush which lasted for about a year, I had a couple of spots but generally my skin was fine.
There are cases however where acne has become severe from the Candida Albicans alone.
The symptoms associated with Candida are quite broad so instead of self diagnosing, you’re better of visiting a medical professional like a doctor or natural therapist to get properly diagnosed.
How do you get Candida?
How do you get Candida Albicans is kind of like asking how do you get acne. Just like acne, you can get Candida Albicans from the food you eat, medications you take, stress, lifestyle, allergies etc. There is no one root cause.
The reason why I had such an ‘Ah-ha!’ moment when I read the Acne Free in 3 Days eBook, was because I’d always thought the book was a load of bollocks, I mean c’mon – acne free in only 3 days? You’ve got to be kidding me. But then everything just clicked into place and it made perfect sense to me. The author of the book suffered from severe acne when he was a teenager (I’m guessing from hormones). He then treated his severe acne through a lot of antibiotics and a course of accutane. One of the possible side effects of antibiotics is Candida Albicans. So when the author had grown out of his hormonal acne, he then got chronic acne again from the Candida. Once he cured his Candida through mainly a heavy detox and diet (all in his book), his acne so quickly and easily just went away.
The more I read the more I’ve come to have the opinion that acne from Candida Albicans is perhaps not the easiest to get rid of, but certainly the fastest. As soon as you kill the excess fungus in your system, the acne simply just goes away, fast.
If you do have Candida Albicans, the condition can be controlled by diet, probiotic supplements and if you’re game like the author of acne free in 3 days – a detox.
To fix my Candida problem I visited a doctor (who was also a natural therapist). They told me to stop taking the pill, recommended supplements, wrote a prescription and put me on a strict no sugar, yeast and alcohol diet for one month. This cleared up my condition, and to my surprise gave me flawless skin. I was very disciplined with my sugar intake though. I didn’t even eat sugar substitutes and I wasn’t a big fruit eater then so I pretty much stayed away from the ’sweet’ flavors for that month.
If you think you have candida, please visit your doctor or natural therapist to discuss your treatment options.
To find out more about the eBook – Acne Free in 3 Days, click here.
Fran
59 responses ↓
Hello Fran,
I found you on youtube today and I found your information really helpful.Acne is so irritating to the fullest degree.I have recently been diagnosed with Candida and have started on a probiotic supplement called threelac.I have heard good things so im hoping it will help.I feel I have had candida for years.So I am so eager to get healthy, its not even funny.I would love your input.
So, my skin is horrible right now.It has not been this bad for qutie awhile.I have sistic breakouts along my jawline and really want to go the natural way to rid it.
I would love your input and advice.I really look forward to any advice you have and am also interested in some more info on chinese and indian medicines.
Thanks so much,Rita!
Hi Rita,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had the Candida problem for years, it can be very annoying and have a lot of side effects.
Have you seen a natural therapist? They should be able to help you a lot. The no sugar/alcohol/yeast diet for me worked really well, but they may be able to suggest something a better. I think the probiotics are a good start.
If your acne is caused by candida alone (and it may or may not be) then a strict diet will be extremely beneficial to you. You need to do everything that you can to get rid of that Candida overgrowth.
Chris from ‘acne free in 3 days’ is such a good example. The reason why he completely cured his acne so quickly is because his skin condition was caused by candida alone. His methods of removing the bacteria are quite harsh though – an apple only detox and enemas or colonic irrigation which I don’t think I could handle! I’m sure there are much gentler ways to get rid of the bacteria, just perhaps not as quickly
Good luck with it, visit a natural therapist if you can and let me know how it goes. The Chinese and Indian medicine is helpful for acne but you may want to try and get rid of your Candida first to see if that clears it up. The mistake I made was to do too much at once …so just stick with one thing and see if it works before you move onto the next.
Hell Fran,
Yeah! I was so glad to see you responded. I wanted to ask you one more thing, are you still using evoo to wash your face with?If so hows it going for you?I tried it last night and it really surprised me how good it made my skin feel.I really want to get some coconut oil soon.Thanks for putting all your trial and errors on the web for people like me to get useful information.
Thanks,Rita~~~
Hi Rita,
Actually I’ve stopped using it for now. It made my skin SO much better for almost 2 months, the best my skin has been in a very long time. However, I had a really bad reaction to something. Until I sort out what that was I’m being very gentle with my skin and going back to products that I used for years without breakouts.
Careful with the coconut oil, some people swear by it but there are a few of us that have a reaction to it.
I was wondering, what kind of acne did you get as a result of candida? I have tiny bumps all over my face which over time have errupted into acne. I was on antibiotics off and on for years for my acne. I went to the doctor about four months ago because my then-flawless skin had developed what I thought was a rash, hundreds of tiny bumps all over my face. The doctor put me on more antibiotics and my condition became severe. Also, I developed a sensitivity to wheat and if I eat sugar or a wheat product, I can bank on having a breakout the next day. I’m going on Accutane two weeks from today because I cannot emotionally take this any more. However, I am pretty sure candida is the root of my problem and will continue treating it (diet and whatnot) during my accutane course. Do you suggest colon flushes/enemas? I’m not too keen on performing these, but if it will clear up my skin, I’m sold.
Hi Kay,
I had those tiny bumps too – little whiteheads – SO annoying. And I have no idea where they came from. It’s taken me 6 weeks to get rid of them (and I still have a couple). I hate them so much because you know that some will turn into pimples.
If you can afford it, please go and visit a naturopath and explain your situation. They will be able to help you determine if you do have candida and how you can get rid of it.
A doctor may help too. Just say you’re worried you have candida and ask if there is a test for it. I found out I had it when I had my pap smear. The lab test came back as positive.
I don’t think there is a particular ‘type’ of acne that is caused by candida, I think it’s just acne in general.
I didn’t have to do colon flushes for mine but my candida was not in my bowel. Again, the naturopath will be able to help you with advising you on the best treatments. I don’t blame you though, i wouldn’t be too keen on it either! But if it cleared up my skin 100% then I’d do it too.
I always think professional advice is much better than self diagnosing, that way you prevent a lot of pain and money from trying something that may not work. I’ll be so happy for you if it is candida, because once you get rid of the overgrowth your skin will be all clear
Keep me posted on your progress, I’d love to hear back from you.
Fran
hi Fran
i watch your video on youtube and i am currently on accutane right now . But i could not handle the depression that accutane gave so i have to stop it. Also after your Acne free in 3 days video i purchase the Ebook and i think i have a candida cause i was on antibiotic twice before. Then i did some reseach on google about candida and found out i have all the symptom of candida such as itchy skin , anxiety , white tounge, …. so im about to start the 3 days detox according to the ebook . Also i order 2 pack of Threelac in order to completely get rid of this candida . Wish me luck . i have suffered from severe acne for 8 years. hopefully this time i’ll be clear or as least not as bad as it always is. Im desperate . wish me luck . Also im a fan of your video on youtube. i learn a lot from it. I like the idea treating acne in natural way of yours. thanks
Hi Nicolas, good luck! Write another comment on a forum message after you’ve done the detox to let us all know how it goes
ok Fran, i just got what i need for the fast juice yesterday. So….. today is my first day on the diet. im now 110 pound. lets see how it goes after 3 days lol.
i give up on the fast . like i say im only 110 pound and this is the end of day 2 . i body is just cant handle it . i guess i have to choose another method which threelac program. im starving now gotta have some food . im sick of apple already.
hi, i also have candida and im wondering if you have to stay on this strict diet, or once the symptoms are gone you can begin to eat sugar again. If u have to stay on the diet, when you eat sugar will the candida return?
Hi Nick,
It depends on how you got your Candida in the first place. If you got it from a really bad diet then if you go back to exactly how you were eating before, it may come back.
Just refined sugar alone will not bring back your Candida, however, refined sugar is one of the worst foods that we can eat that can lead to a whole range of health concerns, so if you’re going to eat it, only eat a very small amount
so how will you know if your acne is caused by candida? are there any signs i guess??
Hi vicky,
I’ve actually just come across some new information about candida, fungus and mold. And sadly about 80% of the population has some sort of fungus or candida related overgrowth in the body, and we could even have had it since birth.
I’m going to be talking a lot about it in my blog soon because it’s such a huge topic.
I’d now say that most acne prone skin is caused by a fungus or candida overgrowth in the body, because it’s just so common.
My son who is 14 eats a lot of fast food and drinks a lot of coke and eats and lot of sweets, I know this is not good and now his scalp and head has broken out in an acne like rash which is very distressing for him, my daughter has also got a rash on her scalp too. They have both had biopsies on their scalps which produced an acne result but the Dermatologists does not know what the underlying cause is. I am starting to get my suspicions it could be candida . I am now going to take my kids to the homeopath/naturopath to have their opinion
While breastfeeding my daughter developed thrush, which is a yeast infection in the mouth caused by this candida alicans yada yada…anyway…the infection spread to me and we both battled it for a good month. It was extremely painful and interfered with feeding. The meds the doctor prescribed were so sweet that it only made it worse. So I tried grapefruit seed extract as a last resort. It worked instantaniously! Her thrush cleared up in 2 days and mine in a week. I got to reading about acne and thought I would try some of the gse on my face. It worked!!! My face looks better today than it ever has. I used the same mixture as I did on my infant. 20 drops per ounce used as an astringent.
Hey all, I think this may be my problem as well – candida making my skin bumpy. I have taken probiotics, but I will now start regularly. Something that I have found really great for acne prone skin is called Skin Aid, I found it online and have used it for a while. But, I also have their anti-fungus product for my husband’s fungus issues (he only needs occasionally in hot weather). It is safe to use anywhere on the body, so I am going to try this for my face and see how it goes. You can find info on it at the skinremedy website. I don’t work for them, I promise. I just thought I might give it a shot.
About a 7 months ago I was treated with a shot for my warts that contained candida. The warts disappeared but soon afterwards I developed bad acne, whereas before I had clear skin or only a few zits once in a while. Do you think that perhaps my bad acne is caused by this candida shot?
Madeline I’m confused. The shot contained Candida, so there was Candida in it???
Hey Fran!
I know you mentioned a couple of times that using coconut oil topically may be irritating for problem skin but I’m reading ALL over the place that drinking coconut oil is EXCELLENT for fighting excessive candida. 3 tlbspn of virgin coconut oil a day. Or using it to cook, coconut water and milk, etc.
I have discovered that i have a candida problem for sure.
i have a lot of symtoms
Including symtoms that effect my mental and physical state, not only my skin.
I was so concerned about breaking out, i didn’t concider that the problem, what ever it may be, was efecting me so badly in so many ways.
Thank you soo much Fran for the inspiration.
I’m POSITIVE my acne is form candida overgrowth and i can’t wait to get healthy.
much love
~Amy
P.S.
i visit your site “High On Health” pretty much every day.
I really do love it. I’m not only going to clear my skin… but i am going to clear my body of infection and give my self an emotional and spiritual detox as well.. and you have really inspired me and provided so much useful information.
Thank again!
<3
amy- yes that’s right, coconut oil is fantastic taken internally! It’s also the one of the best oils to use for cooking.
And thanks for your lovely comments
I’m excited for you too, I’m sure you’ll clear your skin!
, hi fran ,
i am 19 years old , and i have had acne since i was about 14 .Anyway i used all types of differnt antibiotics the past few years and most have worked well for a resonable amount fo time before not working again, anyway i recentley stopped using minocycline and my skin has got worse again, but i also have stomach cramps, headaches and feel tired all the time, it seems i crave for beer and sugary foods now , do u think i have candida or is it my hormones causing acne and could just be a virus because i have a weak immune system . or combination of both , my doctor just tells me i prob have a minor stomach bug it should get better but it dosent, and i dont know i i should move onto accutane or another antibiotc for my skin , or if this will make things worse, and i dont know how i can find out if i have candida whithout having to pay to see a natural therapist , a would be very thankfull for a reply
JJJiimmmyyyy!!!! i have candida educed acne. (and cosmetic acne,woops)please don’t take another antibiotic.
Your symptoms are telling me you have candida, i am not a doctor but it can’t hurt to be on a strict diet. i have bad acne too and i’ve tried a lot i’ve been dieting and trying not to stress at all and IT’S WORKINGG!! so i’m inspired to detox and watch my skin clear up. use a gentle face wash/body wash. and get some probiotic supplements perhaps.. but you should really try a candida fighting diet.
thanks for the advice amy i also have dry skin and slightley red on cheeks , i went to italy and greece during the summer , i was on minocycline then and it caused my skin to burn more than usual, i didnt realise u were not supose b in sun on these antibiotics, and well its sitll slightley red now and dry , which is very strange for me, as i usally have tanned skin naturally, as i am half italian , so i dnt know how to solve this problem and maybe also why my acne is even worse along with candida , do u know what sort of face wash to use if i have sun damaged dry skin . anyway thanks for replying to my comment its nice to know some people have same problems as myself , x
Jimmy, that’s terrible your doctor didn’t tell you to stay out of the sun! I’m in Rome at the moment and it’s rainy and cold a lot
The best thing to heal sun damaged skin is aloe vera. If you can grow an aloe vera plant at home, that’s the best. You just pull a stem off, put it in the freezer, and when it’s nice and cold spread the gel onto your skin. If you can’t get a plant, you can buy aloe vera gel from most health stores. Go for the purest brand possible. You can mix it into your moisturizer too.
Can acne gels with antibiotic topicals (like duac with clindamycin 1%) give me a candida overgrowth? If so, will eating kefir/yogurt with probiotics help to restore the good bacteria without aggravating acne even though they’re dairy products?
thankyou, fran , ill try ur advice, and have a good time in rome , even in the rain and cold
Allie- I’m not sure but candida fungus can grow on the skin. If you get very dry and sometimes white skin on your toes, often this is Candida. Eating kefir and/or yogurt with probiotics is always a good thing, Candida or not
And in my opinion more beneficial for the body and skin than leaving it out of the diet. Unless you have a very bad allergy to dairy.
That makes sense, thank you Fran! :]
i just wanna know , a smple few things, how do u get carbs ona candida diet , fat , so i can do boxing and have weight still and not loose weight ,
Jimmy, it depends on what diet you choose. Look into the Body Ecology Diet, or do a Google search.
I had cystic acne that appeared around my neck and jawline. The derm recently put me on Doxycycline and thankfully things have cleared up. I do, however, note that I have some symptoms of Candida (acne currently not included thank goodness), but my question is, if I remain on the doxycycline am I putting myself at risk and can you take doxycylcine with something like threelac? Or is that counterproductive?
Hi Heather, yes the antibiotic is increasing your chances of a Candida overgrowth. I’m not sure if taking a Candida supplement will help things while you’re on the antibiotic, you could try making an appointment with a naturopath for advise.
Hi guys,
I have just seen this website and it is so refreshing to see I am not alone with this problem.
I have been on the diet for 9 weeks now and my skin definetely improved, the tiny bumps all over my face and painful boils around my jaw healed up, the last 4 days I have slipped with the diet, allowing myself to eat chocolate etc and I can see my skin getting worse again – so annoying.
I would definetely recommend seeing a nutrientist asap to get guidence. I have suffered from acne for 12 years now, I was on Minocin (Anti-bitoic for 10 years!). I definetely would try the diet out before using any more products from the doctors. The doctors have been usless, they dont believe in candida and will just prescribe you more drugs!
Good luck everyone
I’ve been breaking out for 2 years now on and off- last year I went on menocyclin for 2 months and it cleared up and about 6 months later it started coming back so I started menocyclin again for about 2 weeks, it did NOTHING they switched me to another antibiotic plus prednisone and it’s been 13 days on that and I don’t see much difference- I was switched back to menocyclin 2 days ago…
I’m really beginning to think it’s candida- I have almost all the symptoms, tired all the time, irritable, stress, depression…
Do you think if my body is not responding to the anticiotics, it’s candida?
Hi Katy, not necessarily. I find that with antibiotics most people experience clearing up of their acne the first time they use them, then the second course of antibiotics does nothing. This happened for me and many others. I even took the courses of antibiotics 10 years apart!
Candida however can overgrow from taking too much antibiotics so don’t rule it out. It doesn’t hurt to explore the option of an anti-candida diet or at least seek professional advise from a naturopath.
Katy feel free to email me directly if you want any more information: amykeeble@gmail.com
I have tried the anti-candida and probiotics regime and it helped my skin but only about 80% and after 2 months was difficult to sustain. You mentioned in the original text that you doctor/therapist gave you a prescription in addition to the candida regime, what was the prescription?
Many thanks
Catriona
Catriona, unfortunately it was so many years ago that I can’t remember now.
Fran — I just started the yeast-free detox diet 6 days ago. I was also prescribed Nystatin (to kill off the candida) and given probiotics. Haven’t noticed improvement so far; in fact my breakouts are a little worse right now. Hopefully it’s just a purging of the toxins (?)
How long into your month-long diet did you start to notice improvement (ie, no more new pimples)?
Thanks
Tiger- your skin getting worse can be the Candida dying off, so kind of like you said – purging of the toxins. Wait the full month and see if it improves, but I think it will
I found out I had candida (along with other food allergies). About 2 and a half months ago and started the diet right away. I immediatly saw improvements I think more because my nathurapathic doctor also put me on an anti inflamatory diet a month prier. I still get a steady 3 pimples at a time but that’s pretty amazing compaired to the 20 before! Unfortunitly my skinstill looks bad because of the deep scaring left over- and this diet is getting SO old! I hope my healing is only months away!
I went on the pill at 16 for acne, i’m 22 now and have clear skin because of the pill, but since being on the pill i have had recurring thrush infections. recently i have felt dizzy, spaced out, irritable, had problems with wind and bowels, forgetfulness, confusion, dizziness….its not constant but is frequent, and im sure its candida. I even did the candida spit test (if thats real) and it was VERY positive.
I am sure this is due to my pill, and i want to come off, but i don’t want my acne to return…hormonal, candida related or otherwise. I know if i stop the pill and my acne returns the doc will try putting me on antibiotics which won’t help at all.
So my question is, should i start an anti-candida diet before or after stopping the pill? I still have another 4 weeks of pills left before i can stop.
oh and also, is it worth taking Holland & Barrett’s yeast raider pills to help things along, alongside the diet???
HI ShereeBee, I’m sure it’s fine to start while you’re still on the pill. Anti-candida diets are often tough anyway so you may want to ease yourself into it.
I don’t know what that yeast product is, best to consult with a naturopath or ask the manufacturer of the product.
Hi Fran,
Found your site very intereseting, will take your tips on baord, I wanted to ask if you have any experience with LED light therepy, am thinking of purchasing an ‘in-home’ system? Have found Tanda and Acnelamp-can you suggest any others (esp if available in Australia?)
Thanks
Sarah
Hi Sarah, unfortunately I haven’t personally trialled any LED light therapy products.
hello from brazil!
fram, i guess i have candida… i’m doing a treatment with Benzoyl peroxide, do you know if it can interact with candida?
i just havn’t done the 3 days diet for now because of my weight. i’m thinking about do it, but without the enema xP (laxative can be used, i guess)
i’ll be wait for your reply =)
Hey Fran!!
So my acne was cystic, mostly on my cheeks. My derm first put me on antibiotics (75 mg Doxycycline) and i had gotten a yeast infection. Then she changed me over to Oracea (40 mg Doxycycline) And while on Oracea i did the AcneFree in 3 Days cleanse. That was about a month ago. But now I sometimes get cystic pimples on my cheeks.
So basically what i was hoping you could answer is why do i mostly get cystic pimples on my cheeks? Was i wrong for doing the cleanse while still on the antibiotics? Im thinking about doing the cleanse again, but should i stop taking the antibiotics completly?
Thank You!!
By the way im 19 yrs old.
Hi Fran, you mentioned you visited a doctor who was also a naturopath? I also live in brisbane and cant seem to find one whos both, are you able to give me the doctors name?
Thank you very much, I appreciate it
I was diagnosed with H.pylori (stomach infection) and have been suffering from chronic yeast infections for months now. I obviously have Candida with those two issues but I NEVER connected it to my acne until I started doing the treatment for my infection. Metronidazole which is commonly used to treat yeast infections is in there and my skin has been PERFECT since I started taking it. My yeast infection is also going away. I had to do research and figure out what was going on and it’s all making sense.
I know that it’s eliminating all good and bad bacteria from my body so I will definitely be following up my treatment with a good probiotic immediately. I’m already doing research into good probiotics. I’m kind of happy because I’ve been eating right, taking supplements, exercising, drinking LOTS of water and still I had acne. Now I finally know why! Wish it didn’t take so long though.
Hi there
The Metronidazole, isn’t that an antibiotic? Surely this may work short-term but will only cause further issues later on…?
It is, that’s why I’ve already modified my diet and plan to take probiotics. Just trying to figure it if it’s safe to take it while i’m still taking the antibiotics. I realized (after taking my medicine incorrectly) that my indigestion from my stomach issues is definitely what is causing my acne along with the candida. I don’t know what else I can do for the stomach stuff and since it can lead to ulcers and cancer, I need to get it taken care of immediately.
Last week I finally went to see a natorpath. All my symtomps were pointing me towards a yeast infection which caused a ‘leaky gut’ to occur. In other words, it has spread into my blood stream and affected my organs to be sluggish. She immedietly put me on large doses of digestive enzymes and flora probiotics along with a strict diet. It’s been over a week and I’m feeling much better. However, I still have minor acne around the chin which has been lingering for a few months now. When am I gonna start to see it dying down? I pretty much live on veggies right now so there’s nothing in my diet that should affect my acne.
Hi, Fran..i just want to thank you for your great advise that you are gaving to people
i found out that i have candida and it’s really annoying.. and now am breaking out , i had acnes in hight school but it went away and now it’s coming back and is it beacuse of the candida ? i been googling about how to get this candida cure and alot of people are suggesting to take THREELAC to cure the candida.. does it really work to cure the candida and clear my skin?
Hi Sara, I’ve never heard of the product you just mentioned but there are LOTS of products out there. I’m currently doing a 3 month long Candida cleanse. Check out my latest blog post for the update
http://www.highonhealth.org/rainbow-green-phase-1-cleanse-update-day-13/
Hey you all, I have had a very very bad time with candida. I tried everythign to get rid of it until i went totally without yeast, bread, alcohol, sugar { even fruit}. but the best thing is I use tea tree oil toothpaste which helps kills it inside my mouth and I use Black Walnit and Wormwood herbs. It literally kills the candida. I had it form penumonia and antibiotics. It was in my mouth, my intenstines everywhere. I finally got rid of it for a ehile until Iapsed back to eating poorly. Try these. But be careful about the diie off effect…it made me crave sugar like crazy! I need to clean out again….Glad I found this site.
Leave a Response