UPDATE: I no longer recommend cod liver oil. This post explains why, plus alternate suggestions for getting vitamin A and D (both are still great nutrients for skin and acne). I'm talking about cod liver oil. Yep—lately, not a week goes by without me telling at least a couple of people (mostly in the comments here) about this best-kept beauty secret. So in case you missed all of that chit-chat, listen up, because this stuff is downright miraculous for acne and dull skin. AND for your overall health, including boosting vitamin D levels. And you thought I was going to say fish oil, or probiotics! Nein and nein—it's this bad boy right here that you need: Before I discovered the CLO (as geeky health freak types like me tend to call it), I'd been seeking something—anything!—to deal with persistent hormonal breakouts, usually around the chin and jawline, that would crop up like clockwork at that time of the month. Although dermatologist-prescribed meds always worked for me (I've taken the pill, short courses of antibiotics and spironolactone—an anti-androgen medication that is prescribed off-label for acne), I just didn't want to take anything pharmaceutical anymore because to me, the side effects of all that stuff are pretty scary.
And other derm treatments, like chemical peels, microdermabrasion, lasers and light therapies—all of which I've tried as a beauty ed—are stupidly expensive and the results don't last. (Really, don't even get me started on those...) I've also had my blood tested and tried all kinds of naturopathic things—fish oil, probiotics, liver cleanses, you name it!—but none of them really made any marked difference. And after you dabble in all this stuff for a while, to no avail—even though the breakouts aren't really that bad—you start to question WHY... why are the breakouts still happening and do I have a more serious underlying health issue? Chances are, you probably don't. You just are lacking certain nutrients that we don't get in our modern diets. And one of those happens to be vitamin A, which as you know, is in Accutane (a pretty scary drug in my opinion, despite what derms will tell you). The difference between the vitamin A in Accutane and the vitamin A in cod liver oil is that the latter is a natural, not synthetic source—and therefore carries less risk of toxicity in the body because it works synergistically with its other nutrients.
According to the Weston A. Price Foundation:The claim that vitamin A in cod liver oil is toxic just doesn’t make sense in the context of traditional diets, which were very rich in vitamin A from liver, organ meats, seafood and the fats of grass-fed animals. The crux of Dr. Price’s research is that the diets of healthy primitive peoples contain about ten times more vitamin A than modern diets. Doesn't that make sense that we'd have a modern epidemic of acne now that we're eating fewer of these foods? I thought it was worth trying, at least, so I started taking this about six months ago. And oh em gee did I ever notice a difference in my skin. Not just in eradicating breakouts—I rarely get them anymore, and if I do, the blemish goes away very quickly and isn't at all inflamed—but in the overall quality, texture and colour of my skin. Really, I do—so much so that I've been asked what it is I'm doing differently and can they have some too!Reader Jenny started taking it and noticed similar results... and she also alerted me to blogger/vlogger Kandee Johnson, who calls it her "number one secret potion": My mom and BFF are also in on this and both noticed a glow and (in the case of my friend), NO.
Anyone else take this as a kid? It turns out our mothers were right about it preventing sickness. I haven't gotten any colds since I started taking this—and because it's also a fantastic source of vitamin D, it's replaced the need for those synthetic vitamin D3 pills I used to take. (And on that note—just as the synthetic form of vitamin A can be toxic, so can vitamin D; that's why the RDA of vitamin D is so low. You can ingest a much higher dose with cod liver oil if you simply follow the recommended dosage on the label.) Taking cod liver oil is also a better idea than following that misguided advice floating around about getting our vitamin D from 10 minutes a day in the sun. It's actually really difficult to do that, especially in the Canadian climate. Traditionally, humans have made up for the slack with foods (including liver, which I will bet you do not eat). Fun fact: I've read several testimonials from people taking CLO that they no longer burn in the sun! Ideally, you want to be taking a high-quality, fermented cod liver oil because the cheaper, highly-processed ones tend to be stripped of the very vitamins that make it beneficial (for your skin and health).
I follow the recommendations of the Weston A. Price Foundation and they caution against CLOs that go through high heat processing. My brand of choice is Green Pasture's, and I actually take a cod liver oil/high-vitamin butter oil blend, which is said to be even MORE effective than the CLO alone. It's available in capsules: As well as the traditional gel (in several flavours—cinnamon is the best): But I'm a wimp and take the capsules! This is not to say you won't see results from a less pricey and more widely available brand. Carlson's is the one that seems to be pretty decent (Jenny, Kandee and my friend all take it and the lemon flavour isn't too bad, apparently). You just have to be careful choosing because the vitamin A and D need to be in the right proportion, otherwise you could initiate deficiencies of either one in your body.* Disclaimer: Please know that all of the above is just my opinion through personal experience—I'm not a doctor and definitely get medical advice if you suspect you might have a more serious skin or health condition.
This is just what has worked for me, and lots of people I've shared it with. You can buy Green Pasture's CLO/butter oil capsules here and gel here. Plus here are some other cod liver oil brands to check out: Are you dealing with skin issues like breakouts or dullness? Ever tried cod liver oil? (Bet you will now!) Doesn't it drive you crazy when there's a simple, inexpensive solution out there and yet NOBODY will tell you about it? My BFF and I call it The Acne Conspiracy. If heat rash is making life a living hell, read on for the experts' advice on what causes prickly heat, how to get rid of it and how to keep your cool I don't do well in hot weather. Recently in an impromptu outdoor meeting in the glorious sunshine, I returned to the office with tan lines (read: burn lines) that normally I'd struggle to achieve with a week in Ibiza. But while I scolded myself for not using SPF that morning, I secretly revelled in the fact that there was no sign of prickly heat on top of my lobster-shaded skin.
The realisation helped ease the pain of the heat radiating from my arms (thank goodness for air con).Prickly heat, heat rash or 'sweat rash' as it might be known (not to be confused with polymorphic light eruption or PLE - see below) has plagued me, on and off, for as long as I can remember. Being sensitive, I'm always on the lookout for the beginnings of rashes or reactions, but there's none I dread more than the early signs of heat rash - those little red spots that start to appear on my wrists and the folds of my forearms, which I know within hours will be right up to my shoulders.As a friend and fellow sufferer once said to me, "Once you look down and see it - you know that's it." It's spoiled many a holiday, or indeed many a sunny day that should be spent frolicking outdoors and soaking up the vitamin D (responsibly, of course; Itchy, sore and unsightly, it can make summer a living hell. But what causes it and is there any way to stop those spots from creeping up on us? I asked the experts to find out once and for all..."Prickly heat, heat rash or sweat rash are all names used for a condition called miliaria," explains Dr Stefanie Williams, Dermatologist and Medical Director of Eudelo.
"It occurs when sweat ducts get obstructed, sweat leaks into the skin and the skin gets inflamed around that tiny leakage. A prickly rash appears with red, very itchy little bumps (papules)."The sweat ducts are blocked either by excessive sweating, or by an overgrowth of bacteria which normally lives on our skin, Cosmetic Dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting tells me. "[This] leads to a sticky byproduct blocking up the delicate sweat ducts, trapping sweat under the skin. It's exacerbated if sweat is trapped and can't escape."MORE GLOSS: The best sun creams for sensitive skin"It is very common (up to 30% of people may develop this under certain conditions) and is most common in hot, humid climates," says Dr Williams. "Younger children are particularly at risk. Typical body areas are skin folds (or on the back if a patient is bed-bound). The risk of getting it can also be increased if you use quite heavy, occluding skincare.“However, sometimes when people speak about a sweat rash, they might possibly mean a fungal infection in skin-on-skin areas such as the groins or under the breasts.
The medical term for this is Intertrigo and it’s a common fungal yeast infection that occurs between the folds of your skin as a result of humidity, friction and a lack of ventilation. It usually shows up as a red, itchy rash on in skin folds.”You don’t have to have a history of prickly heat to get it, either - it can happen at any time if you’re in the right (or should I say wrong) conditions.It's worth noting, though, that many people think they're suffering with heat rash when in fact they are reacting to sun cream - it took me years to realise the extra-bad itchy rashes I was experiencing on holidays were from the bottles of sun cream I'd been slathering on all week and the fragrances, preservatives and chemical sun creams in them. So do check that this isn't the case first (see my guide to SPF for sensitive skin here).Rashes are characteristically hard to diagnose, and though less likely than heat rash it could be that you’re suffering with a sun allergy or polymorphic light eruption (PLE).
Dr Williams explains: “They can look quite similar, but while heat rash occurs mostly in occluded skin areas prone to sweating, PLE occurs on skin that has been exposed to the sun recently (but traditionally might be covered with clothing, so isn’t ‘used’ to the sun).”So what causes it? “PLE is a common form of a reaction to UV light that often occurs in young women in spring and summer (or at the start of a sunny holiday). The name ‘polymorphic’ refers to the fact that the rash can appear in many different shapes or forms, although in one person it usually looks the same every time it appears. The arms, the chest and lower legs/feet may be affected. The face is usually spared (as it tends to be more ‘hardened’ to sun light). The commonest form of PLE presents as crops of itchy, 2–5 mm pinkish ‘bumps’. In some people tiny blisters may occur. PLE persists for some days (or longer if the affected skin is exposed to more sunlight) before spontaneously resolving without scarring.”
Unless you can get your skin used to the sun slowly and gradually throughout the seasons, it’s likely you’ll suffer from it every year. Treating PLE is a case of using steroid creams or oral steroids if it occurs, or preventing it using specialised UV machines to ‘harden up’ the skin and prep it for exposure. “Most importantly, stay out of the sun, once you have it (until it’s fully gone),” says Dr Williams. “Antihistamines can help with the itch too.”The million dollar question. Given that the cause is the body's natural response to the heat, it's very difficult to manage which is no doubt why it causes so much stress to so many people. The key thing here is to keep your cool; easier said than done in heat waves such as we've experienced this week but essential to keep those little bumps at bay."Prevention includes, most importantly, to avoid sweating as much as possible. Even if you manage this for only a few hours per day (e.g. an air-conditioned office), this already helps," explains Dr Williams.
"Also avoid over-dressing, occlusive clothes (wear breathable clothing e.g. light cotton) and friction/rubbing from clothes. Furthermore you should avoid any irritation of the skin (e.g. excessive soap etc.)"MORE GLOSS: The products you need on standby for skin reactionsIt's of course a little harder to avoid hotter climes on holiday but there are ways to keep your skin as sweat-free as possible. "A dip in the pool or cool shower can stop sweating," explains Dr Bunting, "and avoid sticky skincare and sunscreens, which will have an occlusive effect on skin by trapping sweat." Check out our guide to preventing excessive sweating here, and my pick of the best sun creams for sensitive skin here - pick your formula carefully and you might just avoid it.Some readers have suggested (see the comments below) that using an anti-bacterial Dettol soap to wash with has helped them to keep the rashes away - but what’s the expert view on using such a harsh detergent on sensitive skin? I asked Dr Williams.
“In this particular case, it might have worked, as the soap reduced the bacterial overgrowth on the skin, which in some cases can be involved in the genesis of prickly heat. Everybody is different, but it wouldn’t be a treatment I would recommend routinely.” Knowing my own sensitivities, I wouldn’t try it myself - but if your skin is otherwise robust aside from heat rash then it’s certainly worth a try.So you’ve tried your best, but the rash has still appeared. Well if prevention is difficult, treatment is a pain when it comes to prickly heat - everyone has their own answers but ultimately, it’s hard to get rid of once the rash begins.Prepare yourself and you shouldn't have to suffer for too long. Here are my top five tips for curing it once you've got it.2. Take antihistamines up to two weeks before you go on holiday (check with your doctor first - your GP can also prescribe some) or as soon as you start to develop the rash3. Shop for over the counter sprays and remedies (but with minimal ingredients - this is definitely a case of less is more.
Fragrance has no place here). Odaban, £8.99 is an antiperspirant spray that's perfume-free and based on aluminium salt to reduce excess sweating; Magicool Plus Prickly Heat, £8 is a topical spray that cools the skin and is even prescribed on the NHS for moderate to severe cases; the Hyalual Aqualual Melt Water spray, from £12 is cooling and super hydrating, with hyaluronic acid; and lastly Eau Thermale Avene's Thermal Spring Water Spray, £10, is a great handbag essential for calming skin on the go.4. "[Leave] the area as open and ‘ventilated’ as possible," advises Dr Williams, and try "cold water compresses and calamine lotion plus a light emollient (as calamine on its own can dry the skin and irritate a little)." I love Care's Aqueous Calamine Cream, £1.69, which has fixed my heat rash every year I've had it - buy online or find in your local pharmacy.5. Bathe it if needed in cool water. "If it's very itchy, try a colloidal oatmeal bath (like the Aveeno one, £8.19, great for kids) and use a mild topical steroid for a few days," adds Dr Bunting.For more product tips for prickly heat, read my next column on my prickly heat product survival kit hereWhat are your tried and trusted ways of dealing with prickly heat?