Bodybuilder who spent seven years battling horrific acne that was so painful he couldn't lie on a pillow reveals how he finally cleared up his skin - by giving up CHEESE
- Brian Turner, now 27, began struggling with acne when he was just 15
- The cystic spots were incredibly painful, and made his skin so sensitive that it hurt when there was any friction against it - even when it lay down
- At the time, Brian, from San Diego, was eating four large servings of cottage cheese and drinking a gallon of milk every day in order to bulk up
- Brian's doctor prescribed accutane, a controversial drug that is used to cure acne, however it had no effect on his skin
- He decided to try cutting dairy from his diet and was stunned at how quickly his skin was transformed - prompting Brian to become a vegan
These amazing before and after photos show how a bodybuilder with acne which covered his face transformed his skin by simply giving up cheese.
From the age of 15, Brian Turner, now 27, suffered with painful cystic acne and his face was covered in explosive spots.
The San Diego resident says his inflamed skin left his confidence at rock bottom, and his acne was so sensitive it even hurt to lie on his pillow.
Transformation: Brian Turner, from San Diego, began struggling with horrific cystic acne at the age of 15, and only managed to clear it up after seven years when he gave up cheese and dairy
Agonizing: The 27-year-old says his acne began when he began eating and drinking huge quantities of dairy to try and bulk up his muscles - but he didn't realize that was causing it
Lifestyle change: Brian's doctor prescribed the controversial drug accutane to try and treat his acne, but it wasn't until he gave up dairy that his skin began to improve
The young bodybuilder was feasting on a gallon on milk and four large servings of cottage cheese a day in order to increase his bulk and energy for exercise.
The super-fit man had no idea his dairy binge was behind his acne - until he cut it out of his diet and noticed his ski improve immediately.
He was so impressed he decided to turn vegan - and since dedicating himself to a plant-based diet, he said he has barely had a single pimple.
Brian, now a professional acne expert, said: 'My face literally hurt at all times but especially when laying against a pillow.
'It made my life difficult and turned acne into the center point for anyone talking to me.
'I made the decision to give up dairy to see if it helped and my skin started to improve immediately.
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Pain: Brian's acne battle lasted for seven years, and during that time, his skin became so sensitive that it hurt to even lie on a pillow
Upset: 'My face literally hurt at all times but especially when laying against a pillow,' Brian said
Feeling good! Eventually, Brian's doctor advised that he stop using whey protein, and this prompted the bodybuilder to give up all dairy, which transformed his skin almost immediately
'I couldn't believe it!'
Brian massively increased his dairy intake when he was 15 years old as he started trying to gain weight for the sake of his bodybuilding hobby.
His acne became much worse at the same time, but he didn't make the connection.
Painful cysts erupted on his face, leaving him in agony on a daily basis and feeling self conscious about his appearance, lowering his self esteem.
His doctor tried him on the acne medication accutane but when Brian's condition remained the same - after seven years of suffering - he was advised to give up dairy.
Brian said: 'The course of accutane didn't work until my doctor told me to take whey protein powders out of my diet. I took all dairy out and it finally started working.
Self conscious: Painful cysts erupted on Brian's face, leaving him in agony on a daily basis and feeling self conscious about his appearance, lowering his self esteem
Embarrassed: Brian struggled with his self confidence because he felt like he couldn't even have a conversation with someone without them focusing on his acne
Impressive! It wasn't just Brian's skin that improved thanks to his vegan diet. The bodybuilder says he was also performing better in the gym
'Immediately I was no longer seeing new cysts pop up but it took a month or so for me to see the true benefits emerge and my redness and inflammation to start going away.
'After my face had mostly cleared, I started having dairy and whey protein bars again and immediately started breaking out in cysts so I stopped having dairy entirely.
Connection: Brian, pictured with his girlfriend Sammy, says he is now more confident than ever
'My performance in the gym improved, my inflammation decreased and my energy levels shot up.
'Six months later, I went fully vegan after theorizing the meats I was eating were packed with hormones and those could be making my acne worse along with the dairy.
'I went vegan originally to improve my acne but now it lines up with my core values and beliefs.
'I would recommend it to people with acne as dairy is one the largest and most common causes of acne.'
Brian has now made an easy to follow 10 step program to guide people in clearing their own acne without expensive products.
Tips include eradicating dairy from your diet, changing your pillowcases and bedsheets every night, increasing your water intake and quitting alcohol and smoking.
The Acne Program is set to be released later this year with the option to sign up to the waiting list available on Brian's website now.
REVEALED: Battle blemishes with top product picks for every budget
By Charlie Lankston for DailyMail.com
Cleanse: The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser (left, $9.99), CeraVe Renewing SA Face Cleanser with Salicylic Acid (center, $9.89), Tatcha The Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser (right, $35)
Treat and hydrate: Drunk Elephant T.L.C Sukari Babyfacial (left, $80), Augustinus Bader The Cream (right, $265)
Top pots: Hanskin Pore Cleansing Balm - AHA (left, $20), Dr. Barbara Sturm Clarifying Face Cream (right, $215)
Banish blemishes - and blue light: Rodial Glycolic Booster Drops (left, $45), Goodhabit Rescue Me Glow Potion Oil Serum (center, $80), Soothing: Heraux Molecular Anti-Inflammaging Serum (right, $250)
Treatment: SLMD Salicylic Acne Spot Treatment (left, $25), Clean and Clear Persa-Gel 10 Acne Medication (right, $4.99)
Perfect peel: Renee Rouleau Triple Berry Smoothing Peel ($88.50)
Nighttime essentials: Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask (left, $34), Miracle mask: Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Mask (right, $68)
Patches for morning, night, night out: Cosrx Clear Fit Master Patch (left, $6), Peace Out Acne Healing Dots (center, $19), Starface Hydro-Stars (right, $22)
