Vaping does cause acne in some people. FACT

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mattiem

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vaping causes abnormal sexual aggression
are you absolutely sure you don't want to post a disclaimer to this statement....you do know don't 'cha that there are folks that think everything they read on the internet is true :D
 

Frenchy surfer

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Feb 20, 2017
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Hello guys,

Forum like these ones have helped me a lot a lot so I always told myself to give back what I have benefited so I thought that when my skin issues would be solved, I would share my story to help others. And finally, it is now almost solved! At least it is not anymore an issue.

So background, I smoked cigarettes since 19 years old until 2012, then I vaped until 12/01/2017. During that period, I began doing some DIY since spring 2016.

It was great because it was cheap, I felt much healthier especially with my breathing like during football, it was just cool.

I began to have some spots on my chin since years ago and I wouldn’t be able to say the exact date. However, it got progressively worse month after month since I began with the DIY. I realized that only when I stopped vaping. It was not only my chin but also my cheeks. Especially around my follicles like beard. Sometimes, these spots were white, or proper big ones, or looked like eczema and at the latest stage it was all that but also I had spots which were not proper spots, It more felt like burning skin and after the shower, some transparent liquid coming out of these small holes. And after the during the day, had some yellow scab.

After seeing many times some GPs all useless giving me some antibiotics, I went to see a dermatologist in September 16: diagnosis was Folliculitis so I was again on more antibiotics and 2 different types. At first these medicines do work, but then they work less quickly and they don’t remove all the spots. And at the end, it just help the acne not getting worse even if it is already very bad.

I saw the dermatologist again on November 16 and after I mentioned I was suspecting my ecig, she said to stop it to see if any improvement. I stopped 10 days in vacation but because I also was on antibiotics I was not sure if the improvements were due to the antibiotics or for stopping the ecig. Also the improvements were not obvious anyway so I vaped again.

New year new resolution, I decided to stop for a month drinking alcohol, eating meat and anything fatty, just fish and vegetable + rice. Lemon juice every morning. Also to stop the antibiotics, and I remember one day I had painfull spots. That is when I realized it was my ecig cause I was vaping a lot that day the 12/01/17. It was the only thing not “healthy” I was doing so it was obvious it was that.

As soon as I stopped, spots less and less. I remember seeing in a forum like this one that many ppl were also experiencing these issues and that it take in general one month after vaping for the skin to be back to normal, I guess the time all the product leaves the skin/ body. And it was my case. After 10 days, much much less spots but I had spots in places I never had before like nose and front head and much more on my cheeks. And reading the internet it was said that when you stop smoking real cigarettes this can happen (spots in new places). Then I had what looked like cysts or pocket of liquid on the cheeks. Now they decrease, almost gone.

So all the above demonstrate you can be allergic to eliquid. I was having before 100% VG but with some PG in the flavors, and then trying 100% PG. No difference, I still had these issues. I smoked rolled tobacco, my acne is pretty much finished. And obviously I struggle more at the football, I spit more and feel less healthy so I will see what I do.

But the only message I wanted to write really is eliquid can for some ppl trigger acne and very bad one. And that the doctors even dermatologists are clueless to recognize this. They will treat you with antibiotics which are not good for your gut flora and can expose you to many problems. She said that if it didn't improve she was ready to prescribe a type of medicine which reduces sebum production and impact negatively the liver and that I wouldn't be able to drink during that treatment. All this was dangerous bull..... Also another message is that probiotics helped me a lot (with the inflammation of spots, decreased the number of spots) but it is a short term solution while you try to identify the root cause.

I still rate very high the eliquid but for now I decided to stop.

Also having read a lot of forums, I know I will get comments from vapers who just don’t like anything challenging ecigs. This message then is not for you but for the ones who do experience these symptoms.


Thank you for reading and good luck
 

mattiem

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Welcome to the ECF @Frenchy surfer Thank you for sharing your story. Just a thought. Did you by chance try vaping unflavored e-liquid? It is possible that some flavoring is the cause of your breakouts.

Are you choosing to go back to smoking instead of vaping or are you able to quit both? If it were me going through what you are going through I would try everything possible to avoid going back to the smokes.
 

DaveP

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Almost anything can cause acne. Being under 30 is probably a factor for you, Frenchy Surfer. Have you tried 100% pg and 100% vg to differentiate between the two and see what happens?

Testosterone cream is most likely my cause. It's light, just a little bump here and there, and Stridex morning and night takes care of it. Us old guy smokers need both, vaping and a T boost!
 
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Frenchfry1942

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Yes, I would consider the unflavored and test the PG and VG effects.

I don't know anything in this world that is perfect for all people. In the case of not smoking, I do believe vaping is better for the over-whelming majority.

Food content, air, water, stress, my mother-in-law, all can do damage in hidden ways. I don't worry about perfection, I consider what is best for me and let others travel their path.
 

Frenchy surfer

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Feb 20, 2017
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Thank you for your answers. I haven't thought of trying without flavors. It is so unpleasant to have these issues that you don't really want to do tests for too long :). I thought first to ensure this issue is sorted and only after to do some tests so I will begin this test at some stage maybe spring but again my issue is pretty much finished now. Just want to allow a period of stability with my skin! And yes I had no other choice but to go back to cigarettes (rolled ones to be exact).
Hello Eskie, actually folliculitis is a kind of Acne. If you type in google folliculitis and acne you will get as the first feed a website "
DermNet New Zealand" And it says:
"Acne and its variants are also types of folliculitis."
 

mattiem

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We must each follow our own path on this thing we call life. If you truly want to put the smokes behind you I do hope you will at least give the unflavored a shot. I have a feeling that one day down the road we may find that adding too much flavoring to our e-liquids will become a problem for some 'specially for those that vape massive amounts daily. I can't see VG, PG or nicotine causing problems for the majority of folks though. JMHO
 

Frenchy surfer

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Thank you very much Mattiem. Yes, I definitely want to put smokes behind me. I will follow your advice and try without flavors. I also will try some from different suppliers. Anyway in my case, even now smoking real cigarettes I can say safely I prefer much much more ecigs than real ones but without the spots/acne!! :)
 

Eskie

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Also Eskie, anyway my diagnosis from the dermatologue was "Folliculitis and acne). I was mentioning in my first post that at the end, I had spots in new places (front head, cheeks), and I don't have any hair obviously in these places :)

Missed that at the end. Both can certainly occur together. I hope you find a solution that works for you.
 

Katya

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But the only message I wanted to write really is eliquid can for some ppl trigger acne and very bad one.

We all respond differently to quitting smoking. "Quit zits" are one of the many symptom of quitting smoking.

A list of symptoms when quitting tobacco and changing to an ecigarette

"2. The Quit Zits
A less common symptom of tobacco withdrawal is skin eruption, in the form of spots through to severe acne even in those who never experienced it when young. The 'quit zits' have no relation to ecigarette use.

The bad news is that in some cases these eruptions last for months, for some who successfully stop
smoking cigarettes (whether or not e-cigarettes are used). There has been some experimentation to see if various e-liquid ingredients may exacerbate the condition (such as PG or flavorings), as some e-cig users have questioned this, but without any solid results."

Other than that, anything can trigger anything, really, in a person with a particular sensitivity. Peanut butter is a fantastic and inexpensive source of protein, but it can kill people with nut allergies. So can strawberries. ;)

Be well!
 
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Frenchy surfer

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Thank you! Quick update, I still suspect the E liquid I used to use. Very few scabs left and much fewer white spots. My wide tells me my issue is solved at 90% compared to before, and sometimes I feel it is 100%. Don't get me wrong, e cigs I believe are definitely much better than real cigs. I think I was using a cheap flavor, or maybe I should have cleaned at least one in a while my mob. I don't feel I want to do some tests since I want to take no risk of having again these issues. So now I guess I should stop smoking real quick real cigs before having a cancer!
 

Frenchy surfer

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Feb 20, 2017
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Thank you! Quick update, I still suspect the E liquid I used to use. Very few scabs left and much fewer white spots. My wide tells me my issue is solved at 90% compared to before, and sometimes I feel it is 100%. Don't get me wrong, e cigs I believe are definitely much better than real cigs. I think I was using a cheap flavor, or maybe I should have cleaned at least one in a while my mob. I don't feel I want to do some tests since I want to take no risk of having again these issues. So now I guess I should stop smoking real quick real cigs before having a cancer!
But again, real acne caused by food doesn't give you burnt skin and leaks of lymph when you come out of the shower transforming to yellow scabs. It is allergy yes, but caused by a chemical product. And then, the many normal looking spots around I believe are the consequence of the irritation in the first place. That was and still is my belief.
 

kiba

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FACT: dehydration affects the skin! nic or no nic, that is something that is quite common to happen more often than not when you vape heated vapor especially when you vape a lot and don't consume 'extra' fluids to combat the effects.
This^
I have noticed something like this from my gf... Since I started vaping in 2009 I have noticed that it dries me out so made sure to drink at least 32oz of water each day, especially with working out etc. but my gf forgets, or otherwise doesn't keep herself hydrated, and occasionally suffer from a little bit of acne, she's always researching/spending our money on creams and other crap she can wipe on her face and don't end up working, but I have always been curious if there's a connection bc at times when I don't drink enough water I'll get a pimple or 2.
 
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