Testimonial for The Hidden Cause of Acne: Lauren F. from Plymouth, MN
Before reading The Hidden Cause of Acne, did you have any reservations about the idea that fluoride can cause acne and other health problems?
I didn't have any reservations, no. I have always thought fluoride was sketchy, so when I heard that it could be a contributor to my acne, I believed it.
When and how did you first hear about the book?
I had randomly stumbled on Melissa's old blog from years ago. I stalked her blog and read everything I could about the link between acne and fluoride. I started implementing a few pieces of her advice and my skin started clearing. I followed her story and found out that she was writing a book and selling it on Amazon. i read the book and my skin has been clear ever since!
When did you first develop acne and how long did you have it?
When I was around 13. My skin cleared naturally when I was 26 after cutting fluoride.
Did you ever seek professional help in addressing acne? If so, what treatments did they recommend and what were the results?
Yes. Throughout my acne journey, I've seen maybe 5-6 different dermatologists,. I also have seen a naturopath and homeopath to try to get to the root cause of my acne. I have been recommended to try everything. Creams, antibiotics, birth control, every single diet you can imagine, enemas, colonics, a ton of different supplements. It was never-ending.
What treatments did you try on your own and how effective were they?
The only treatments that gave me serious clearing results were antibiotics and the birth control pill. However, those treatments only worked short term and as soon as I went off of them, my acne came back worse. They also created terrible stomach and digestion issues. A few other things I saw pretty good results from were taking magnesium supplements and drinking food grade bentonite clay mixed with water.
How did The Hidden Cause of Acne help you?
This book is the ONLY thing that's ever cleared my skin permanently. Learning what foods and drinks are high in fluoride and avoiding them has changed my life forever.
Do you have dental fluorosis?
No.
Where was your acne located? Was it cystic?
My acne was usually not cystic, sometimes it was but not usually. It was located heavily on my forehead and temples, around my hairline, sometimes on my chin, and never on my cheeks. I also would get spots on my back pretty frequently.
What indicators did you experience that suggested your acne was caused by fluoride?
I didn't really have any major indicators. It just all clicked when I started eating and drinking fluoride free and my skin magically started to clear up!
What were the major sources of fluoride for you?
WATER!!!! It is SO difficult to get access to completely fluoride free water. Chicken breaks me out like no other, even organic chicken. Tea breaks me out, especially green tea and black iced tea. Any kind of non-organic meat breaks me out as well, for example a non-organic burger at a restaurant and bacon break me out.
How long did it take to eliminate excess fluoride from your diet and clear your skin?
I am still finding all sorts of ways to eliminate fluoride from my diet. But, once I started drinking completely fluoride free water, cutting out chicken and eating primarily fluoride free, and brushing my teeth with fluoride free toothpaste...my skin cleared in about 2 weeks
What was the most challenging part of limiting your fluoride exposure?
Finding how to get 100% pure water and not being able to eat chicken. That is so difficult.
Was your acne correlated with feelings of low mood, depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? (Please only share information you are comfortable including in the testimonial.)
I've always had anxiety but I think that is more from my years of antibiotic usage destroying my gut bacteria rather than fluoride. Who knows though, it could be from the fluoride! I'm lucky to say that I haven't dealt with depression or suicidal thoughts.
What is the "craziest" thing you've ever done to try to heal your acne?
Pretty much all of it! But I would say the craziest has been the liver and parasite cleanses.
What advice would you give to people still struggling with acne?
I feel for you and I KNOW how hard and confusing it can be to figure out what your root cause is. If you haven't seen results from eliminating fluoride, try to be more strict and think if there are any major common foods/drinks you're missing/not being careful enough about avoiding. When my skin starts to act up, it's almost always because I've accidentally ingested fluoridated water or food.
How would you sum up your testimonial for The Hidden Cause of Acne in one line?
A god-send, this book is the only thing that cleared my chronic acne after 13 years.