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SpottyFace , 22 Oct 2013

Anyone experienced bad acne while taking collagen/biotin??

Hi Everyone, I have had a problem picking at my skin for at least ten years. Although I never really had bad acne, I would just squeeze and pick at any little bump which would cause a pimple or a sore. I started taking a collagen supplement about a year ago, thinking that it would help with scarring (and also for a few wrinkles...) I started breaking out really bad with deep pimples...which of course I picked at. These pimples never really went away completely. Needless to say my skin has been absolutely terrifying for the past year. About two weeks ago I realized that the acne could be related to the collagen supplement. I stopped taking it and started taking high doses of vitamin C and 50 mg of zinc and it seems like my skin has really improved, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I also just added a vitamin E supplement. Has anyone experienced an increase in acne while taking a collagen and/or biotin supplement?? Any thoughts on this?? I wish everyone dealing with this problem the best of luck...this will get better!!
34 Answers
.Gingersnap.
February 23, 2021

My sister and I used to take hair, skin, and nails vitamins with biotin in them and they caused breakouts for us too :/ Make sure to look out for biotin in multivitamins

cwood5
May 13, 2021

I made an account so I could post here too. Since there isn’t a lot of warnings about this out there I was so glad you all posted. I took collagen on and off for about 2 years before I really suspected it was the cause. My acne got pretty bad recently when I was taking it consistently. I finally finished a canister and decided not to buy anymore and my skin has completely cleared up in about a month! I had terrible red acne around my jawline and neck that were painful and would only sometimes come to a whitehead. It was awful and embarrassing. I am still dealing with the scars of course but those will fade in time. Acne is always complicated, but collagen certainly made it much much worse for me. I was just using it to get a little more protein in. Definitely not worth it. I’ll eat some real food instead, you should too! Beat of luck if you are dealing with this/searching for information.

Buddhasmom
May 14, 2021

Too lithium can cause acne also!! I am MAD that this warning is not put out there for those of us who are using it to help with moods. The only way i found out was through one of my nutrition books. It has caused for me to break out with omega 6 oils and most likely caused the break-outs with the collagen also. After i stopped supplementing with the lithium the break-outs have stopped for the most part. It'll take time for the darn lithium to work completely out of my system. So glad i found out!!! I hope this helps others. If you are breaking out, get off of the LITHIUM!!!

Buddhasmom
May 14, 2021

Forgot to say that I still need to watch my omega 6 oil intake. Dare Lithium!!!!

PurpleKissPh
May 23, 2021

I'm here because I noticed that my skin got better when I stopped taking Youtheory's Collagen with Biotin. I took Collagen to help me with my acne problem and I am not getting any younger so I thought I should start taking better care of my skin by taking collagen supplements.

Buddhasmom
May 23, 2021

Stopped taking biotin, but i don't think that it was bothering my skin. It was the lithium because when i stopped taking this my skin is clearing up.

Xiprodd
June 05, 2021

I am so glad I found this message board! I’ve been collagen loading for the par couple of weeks. I couldn’t figure out why I started breaking out with cystic acne on my chin. I was thinking it was from wearing a mask. Now I’m sure it’s the collagen. I’m going to stop taking it immediately. Ugh...I’m so annoyed.

Fluffycat
June 05, 2021

UPDATE to my previous post in October 2020.
I stopped taking the Marine collagen. At the time I wasn’t sure if it was definitely the collagen or could be to do with the onset of possibly being pre menopausal.
Anyway it took a while for the persistent acne spots to stop appearing. I would say till about April 2021 (6months till the really awkward ones disappeared).
Dare I say the spots have gone ! My skin has improved dramatically and I won’t be touching collagen again.
I started to use Weleda Skin food that I heard was good and I wanted something that was just simple and more natural. It’s very thick but my skin easily absorbs it and just loves it. My skin looks and feels as good as ever. Won’t be taking anything internal for my skin again... apart from healthy foods.

Yade.olive
June 22, 2021

I’m new to using collagen. Only started using it because of all the hype I’ve been seeing. Ive only started using collagen for about 2 weeks now. And I thought I was going crazy or maybe I was getting my monthly. But Ive never seen my skin so red. I now have a whole whopper of pimples on my chin area and nose and cheeks just growing… will stop USING
IT FOR NOW! Haven’t had my skin so red since I was in high school :(

MsChrissy
November 06, 2022

Yes! Collagen does cause cystic acne.  I started taking collagen supplements back in the fall of 2020 to help rejuvenate my skin and clear out the frown lines around my mouth and in-between my eyes.  Within a month I noticed my skin looking more youthful, BUT at the same time, the left side of my face, close to my ear, I had a large cluster of pimples that seemingly came out of nowhere. I didn't put two and two together until a week ago (Nov. 2022) that it truly is the collagen that's causing the cystic acne.  Now, rewind to the Summer of 2021, I got a hunch that the collagen was breaking me out so I stopped taking it and noticed the left side of my face healing.  The problem now is that I have horrible post acne marks and hyperpigmentation. These pimples are deep, and they hurt. Whenever I attempted to pop one, it went nowhere only to get bigger and heal darker afterwards. 

I started taking a good probiotic which help tone down the breakouts, but now I am trying to fix the dark pigmentation marks that are left behind.  I did test collagen out again to see if it really was the cause of the breakouts in the Summer 2022, and noticed the same cluster of cystic acne to the left side of my face near my ear.  So, I just threw the supplements in the garbage because now I have a bigger issue to fix with the hyperpigmentation. Also, I searched online for another supplement to help with my hair/skin/nails and found liquid horsetail extract, and guess what, it also reactivated the cluster of cystic acne on the left side of my face.  So, collagen and horsetail extract had caused awful cystic acne on my face.  I knew years ago to stay away from biotin, but now I can add collagen and horsetail extract to the list of culprits to skin breakouts causing cystic acne. 

It should be noted that I am a woman of color.  

happymama
June 20, 2023

I’m so glad I found this forum. I started taking a very popular, easy to find collagen a few weeks ago. A few days in I started breaking out in tiny pimples all over my face. At first I thought it was hormonal. I still get mild breakouts at 52, but my face kept looking worse every day. I’d wake up with new acne. During the day d go look in the mirror and there would be a new red dot. Some start our itchy. The only thing I’ve changed is the daily intake of collagen. So frustrating! I’m hoping now that I’ve stopped, it will clear up soon. 

MBP666
October 24, 2023

YES!! I was taking Vital Proteins & developed cystic acne...my derm told me I have an "allergy" to bovine collagen & to try marine or vegetarian or eggshell

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