Let's cut right to the chase: I definitely noticed some positive changes in my skin with the Whole30 diet. (Oh, and I should also be totally honest and mention that I definitely slipped and ate cheese and drank wine a few times over the past month, so keep that in mind as you keep reading about my experience.) One of the biggest things I noticed was a reduction of my perioral dermatitis. AKA POD, it's a very unattractive condition that manifests as red bumps around your mouth. Often affecting women in their 20s and 30s, there's no known cause, or real cure, for that matter. I've been dealing with it for years and have tried everything from prescription creams to natural remedies to oral antibiotics, all with limited success. Even after only a few days of changing my diet, my POD had cleared up and was way more manageable. Since it is an inflammatory condition, that makes perfect sense.
Overall, my skin looked much more vibrant and less dull but the biggest change I saw was how soft and smooth my skin felt, even without moisturizer. Healthy fats are encouraged on Whole30 (ALLLL the avocado, please), so I suspect that that may have had something to do with it. As far as breakouts go, I'm still dealing with a pesky batch of whiteheads that I can't seem to get rid of, but maybe that's because I wasn't as stringent with the diet as I should have been.
To make sure I wasn't an anomaly, I asked a few friends who had recently done Whole30 to share what changes they noticed in their skin (so scientific of me, I know). One also noted that her skin was a lot smoother and that her eczema, while still there, was much less irritating and more manageable. A few red patches on her face had also cleared up and she told me people were commenting on her glow. Another girlfriend also said her skin was better while following the diet, saying it was much clearer with fewer blemishes.
Image via Imaxtree
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The take-away.
So, there you have it. Keep in mind, this was just my experience and, again, I admittedly was not as strict as I could have been about following the rules. But I definitely did notice some positive changes in my skin and felt better overall. If you're interested in the Whole30 program or are already following it, consider paying attention not only to how your body feels or what the scale says, but how your skin looks, too.
