Question
Many, many years ago, while searching for a cause of my breakouts, I ran across this from James E. Fulton, Jr. M.D., Ph.D. in "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies", page 4, copywright 1990.
He stated that iodine is a factor for some people prone to acne.
Well, After 15 years of antibiotics, using Retin-A and two rounds of Accutane I was definitely willing to give it a try. I couldn't avoid all of the Food/Beverages listed on the page so I "only" eliminated the iodized salt and I had found the cause of my outbreaks. In short order I had no new outbreaks and the one's that were present were all healing.
But this isn't nearly as easy as it may seem. It's everywhere. I changed out all the salt shakers in my home but then would have dinner at a friends home and would have to check their pantry to see if they were using "Plain Salt" or "Iodized Salt".
I won't eat my friends' deviled eggs, potato salad, purged and boiled crawfish, or the mashed potatoes from one of my favorite restaurants (I found out the cook was adding iodized salt after it was cooked. What right does a frycook have to medicate me anyway?). I've had outbreaks consistently after each of these events. I would start feeling the pain of the bump deep beneath my flesh about a week after the incident and then by the second week I'd have a full blown painful acne spot ususally followed by four or five more. Each of these incidences occured several months to a year-and-a-half apart. And then I'd spend several months waiting for those original acne spots to clear. BTW I can eat all of those things listed above if I'm sure the only thing not used is the iodized salt. I'm all but perfectly clear from the mashed potatoes incident.
I am in no way suggesting that you not get adequate iodine in your diet. Only get it from an organic source. (Did I lose you there?) Most of the world's supplemental iodine comes from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile (the country not the pepper unlike the QA/QC person of the producer of my brand of salt had translated). They mine "caliche" and then soak it in leaching ponds to extract the iodine. If you choose to contact your own producer and they tell you some bull about "virgin sources" ask about the mining activites in the region and communities having to be relocated because of contamination. If they try to blow it off as a "non-issue" ask if they know that Russia's Mars '96 probe's plutonium powered thermo-electric generators did not land in the mining area or the leaching ponds. They can't because the TEG's have never been found.
Anyway, I'm not too fond of ingesting anything that carries a skull-and-crossbones on the label no matter how small the amount. Makes as much sense as using arsenic to treat diabetes and performing labotomies and blood-letting.
I also realize that there are some people that keep looking for a drug, any drug to cure them. Be assured there are many snake oil salesmen ready to accomodate you.
Read the labels! Look for ingredients that read "iodo-" something. Multi-vitamins. Soap (it's usually, but not always, has a gold color to it). Prepared foods (the only one I've seen is the LaCostena(sp?) brand). Etc.
Carry your own "Plain Salt" to restaurants.
I've also noticed my skin and hair is not nearly as oily as it used to be. My seasonal allergies are extremely lighter. And PMS is no longer existent. Coincidence?
I see no point in telling Dr. Fulton he was right on track since I believe it was he that invented Accutane. Would you slaughter your cashcow?
Anyway I could spend several more hours here relating what I've researched over the past fifteen years. Maybe some of you will find benefit from what I have learned.
Be Well!
Elaine
Answer
Take a look at the pictures of Ukraine president Yushchenko. After his poisoning his skin condition was diagnosed as chloracne (as in chlorine). If you research you will find iodine acne (ioderma, iododerma) bromine acne (bromoderma) fluorine acne (fluoroderma) collectively known as halogen acne (halogenoderma). There are many different variations on the names.
They're all halogen elements and they are all poisonous and they all cause cystic acne. If you can find your poison, you don't need a cure.
Be Well!
Elaine
Answer
So is it just salt? Or are there specific foods?
Like could I eat french fries with no salt?
Answer
Conscientious-No it's not the salt at all! Eat all the french fries and anything else that you like. Anything! Just be aware that some dining establishments will salt your food for you (like french fries) unless you specify otherwise. Then you can use your own salt on them. Coleman makes a nice slim salt/pepper shaker (about 1/4"x1"x2") that fits easily in jeans pockets. I put salt on both sides though. Salt is the only item that iodine/iodide is "added" to though and it should be labelled as such on processed foods. Also, if you enjoy a Margarita on occasion, it would probably be safest to order it without the salt on the rim unless you want to ask the bartender to let you read the salt box.
Good Luck to You!
Elaine
Answer
Clarification to previous post-
Salt is the only "food" that iodine/iodide is added to. With the exception of say...nutrion drinks and stuff that claim to be enriched with vitamins and minerals. I think I saw it listed on Slim Fast but I'm not sure. Once again I must suggest to read the labels. Most multi-vitamins will contain inorganic iodine. There are multi-vitamins available that do not contain iodine. But I couldn't begin tell you the sources of all the other vitamins and minerals. That would be too monumental a task!
Be Well!
Elaine
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