Beef Processing Chemicals or WTF?

mindless1 · Jan 25, 2023

I'll try to make this short. In recent months, I've started getting, what I can only describe as deep keratin plugs in my skin.

Raised red area, itches, more and more so, until they are dug out. Sometimes there's blood, other times only plasma. This is not acne, the plug that comes out looks like a little transparent shrimp, for lack of a better description, not infected, not like toothpaste. It does not squirt out, rather it is a solid mass that has to be dug out, looks like protein based. It's like a rubbery grain of rice but smaller. It does not rise to the surface, matches no internet pictures. It's almost exclusively happening on my (front/sides) abdomen, but occasionally on shoulders and upper arms. Never on sweat areas like armpits or groin.

I've been tracking it based on diet, and seems to occur, far more if not exclusively, after eating beef, possibly only ground beef. I know the obvious reply is to see a dermatologist, but just wondering if there's any knowledge out there about what the heck this is and/or why ground beef? It just seems very strange for ground beef to be a trigger since I've had no change in consumption levels since the onset, and yet, that's what seems to be the case. I'd call myself paranoid but I have kept records so... not so much.

Anyone know if there has been a recent change in ground beef processing or facility cleanup chemicals used that could account for this?

I realize this seems like an off-the-wall post, but I assure you it is legit. I did some research that suggested antibiotics and bad gut health, or fungus related (how much can you trust the internet, lol?) but then why the reaction primarily to ground beef and not other common proteins? Plus I have not taken any antibiotics in well over 2-3 years.

Torn Mind · Jan 27, 2023

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Maybe you got a tick bite?

Try ground bison and see if the results replicate. Bison are better raised. You could also try deer or elk meat to see if the things happen or not.

Also try some high quality organic pastured ground beef as well.

If the reaction still occurs with the 'cleaner' meats, good chance you have developed an allergy.

mindless1 · Jan 27, 2023

I haven't seen any ticks or had suspicious bites in ages, just mosquitoes this past season.

Don't think it's AGS, I don't have rashes and the other allergy related systems, no larger scale inflammation, wouldn't even notice until I get an itch and it's a slight (barely) raised area only around the plug. Each plug is fairly isolated and slow to form (enough to notice) over days. The plug can't pop, is just what appears to be a rubbery solid white keratin.

I don't have any ground bison, deer, or elk meat. For the time being I think it will be easier to just limit eating ground beef, or try other sources. I usually bought the GB in 3lb logs at Krogers, but everyone has it in the foam trays too.

I'm just thankful I only get them on my abdomen, that it's nowhere near as severe as example pics of various skin conditions I've looked at, and that I found a pattern.

I think I'll try some athlete's foot, antifungal powder, but it makes no sense that I'd be exposed to a fungus only on my abdomen, not wearing tight clothing and I don't sleep on my back. Don't think it's laundry detergent because again, other areas of skin-clothing contact aren't affected.

Mainly wondering if anyone knows if any changes in the beef industry that might account for this. I haven't noticed any reaction to pork, chicken, or milk (nor fish or other seafood). I haven't had beef steak in a while but am now mindful to log if there's a reaction.

William Gaatjes · Aug 26, 2023

Maybe demodex ?
Raised red area can be rosacea ?

Perhaps it is good to ask the doctor to rule this out or verifiy this.

If it is the case :
Than i guess it will be medicines, and lot of fruit & veggies to accompany the meat.
And a lot less sugar especially avoid HFCS food and HFCS beverages. And a lot of water to flush the liver and kidneys and improve digestive functions. Just to improve the overall immune response.
Sauna to sweat to clean the pores ? Or sports if able ?

Paperdoc · Aug 27, 2023

Check this web page on Seborrheic keratosis (or Senile Keratosis). Occurs more often in older people like me. Harmless!

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diseases-conditions/seborrheic-keratosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353878

mindless1 · Aug 27, 2023

It's not seborrheic keratosis. Demodex seems unlikely too, considering they only appear in a band near the base of my rib cage. Seems too sporadic (and looks different) than larger areas of rosacea. It's just one bump at a time, here and there, and minimal skin area around it shows any visual difference.

I'm suspecting it was a bad gut microbe balance due to an antibiotic I took a while back. Can't recall the name of it, but saw a few references to this setting me up for hair follicle fungus, causing keratin plugs... just odd that it doesn't happen continuously, nor in large areas at once, nor anywhere else on my body except a rare few on or near a shoulder, and odd that the plugs do not come up to the skin surface like any pics I've seen.

Why near the base of my rib cage? All I can figure is that I may sometimes fall asleep in a chair with my arms crossed and this causes additional moisture that helps the fungus survive. That's the theory so far, if it flares up again then I may try some anti-fungal powder. Odd though, that you'd think if it's fungus, it would more readily survive in armpit or groin area but there's never been any in either area.

Still not sure why it seems tied more to ground beef than other red meats or proteins in general, but I don't get a reaction every time I eat ground beef either.

A/// · Sep 9, 2023

sounds like sweat rash.

mindless1 · Sep 9, 2023

^ It's not a blistery rash area, no fluid accumulation, does not seem to be sweat rash.

William Gaatjes · Sep 9, 2023

mindless1 said:
It's not seborrheic keratosis. Demodex seems unlikely too, considering they only appear in a band near the base of my rib cage. Seems too sporadic (and looks different) than larger areas of rosacea. It's just one bump at a time, here and there, and minimal skin area around it shows any visual difference.

I'm suspecting it was a bad gut microbe balance due to an antibiotic I took a while back. Can't recall the name of it, but saw a few references to this setting me up for hair follicle fungus, causing keratin plugs... just odd that it doesn't happen continuously, nor in large areas at once, nor anywhere else on my body except a rare few on or near a shoulder, and odd that the plugs do not come up to the skin surface like any pics I've seen.

Why near the base of my rib cage? All I can figure is that I may sometimes fall asleep in a chair with my arms crossed and this causes additional moisture that helps the fungus survive. That's the theory so far, if it flares up again then I may try some anti-fungal powder. Odd though, that you'd think if it's fungus, it would more readily survive in armpit or groin area but there's never been any in either area.

Still not sure why it seems tied more to ground beef than other red meats or proteins in general, but I don't get a reaction every time I eat ground beef either.

Now that you mention it, it seems that bacteria and fungi are often each others enemies. The Antibiotic clue made me think of something : I do not know if it is allowed in the USA. But livestock are often given antibiotics. Perhaps the meat that you eat, is saturated with antibiotics that maybe also affect your gut microbiome. And weakens your natural bacterial defense on your skin as well and cause an uprising of fungi. Is it possible to let the meat be checked if it has high amounts of antibiotics or other medicines ? Or perhaps the meat has additives that surpress bacterial activity to increase the amount of time before the meat is spoiled ? Longer sell date , meat expiration date ?

mindless1 · Sep 9, 2023

^ It is something to consider. Generally with ground beef, I don't buy old/clearance, just get it on sale with plenty of time left, and promptly cut into 1/4lb sections and freeze immediately what won't be used that day.

Antibiotics in it though, I've not been affected badly enough to have bothered to have the meat tested. It seems strange though, that it would only affect me. Still not seeing any descriptions or pictures online that match this... though I haven't been searching very intensively, just think about it when I get a few... don't have them persistently.

William Gaatjes · Sep 10, 2023

Forgive, me, i may sound like captain obvious in this post...
Of course you add suffcient vegetables , herbs and spices ?
Daily some fresh fruit ?
Drink enough water ?

Not going too often wild on alcohol and forgetting to drink liters of water the next days ?

Health is ok generally speaking ?

Drinking enough water flushes the body through urinating.
Drinking enough water also prevents that people sweat what they consumed : Clean pores. Because the nutrients we eat can stay present in the pores, making the pores an attractive target for pathogens or fungi. If there is not enough food, and immune cells and good bacteria there... Pathogens just get destroyed.

mindless1 · Sep 10, 2023

Yes, my diet is a mix of western and mediterranean with lots of spices, a good amount (more than ever) of fruits and vegetables, and lots of water, but I may try drinking more water anyway.

There are never that many plugs at once, can go a while without getting any at all, then a small # appear, with no other variables I can think of besides diet, making it seem like a food *reaction* but I have not been tracking diet and food sources close enough (or don't recognize a direct correlation) except that it seems more likely after eating ground beef, but not always, and since these are deep plugs, I don't notice them right away. The cause could have been days before I notice.

William Gaatjes · Sep 10, 2023

Maybe try a sauna ? Go to some spa retrieval or wellnes with the misses ?

Anyway, a dietitian may be the best solution.

For yourself, track all the food you eat daily in for example an microsoft excel sheet or openoffice calc sheet or libreoffice calc sheet, together with the date and what activities you have done.
If the activities have been stressful or not.
And when you see the issues with your pores.

Just make a few columns like for example : Date, time, solid food, liquid, activity, energy level, tired or not, concentration level, skin effects, feeling bloated or not, more gas...
Add what you think is important.

An offset delay between cause and effect is not uncommon when it comes to intake of food. That it takes a few days.

Also , track what soap, deodorant, clothing detergent you have been using.
Just to eliminate something seemingly unrelated or prove that it is related.

Over time, you can perhaps analyze this or show these results to a dietitian and he or she can assist you to further work it out and find the cause.

Googer · Sep 15, 2024

I believe I too have had this same problem and as a teen, I worked at McDonalds and used to get similar acne. It was from bulk beef fat and dairy fats. As soon as I quit eating fatty foods they went away. A few years later, I went on a beef and dairy (chocolate binge) and the problem came back untill my diet changed again.

They say chocolate causes acne, but its really the dairy fats with in a chocolate bar that do the job and not the coco.

mindless1 · Sep 15, 2024

^ No, this is not acne. Not oil glands clogged, rather keratin from hair follicles, but even then, not typical keratin plugs in that they do not come to the surface to create bumps or become scaly, and not in oily or sweaty areas.

Googer · Sep 16, 2024

mindless1 said:
^ No, this is not acne. Not oil glands clogged, rather keratin from hair follicles, but even then, not typical keratin plugs in that they do not come to the surface to create bumps or become scaly, and not in oily or sweaty areas.

Post some pictures.

Also try using this, its a valuble tool for acne and keratin plugs.

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mindless1 · Sep 16, 2024

^ Pictures show nothing, nor would an extractor work, because the plugs do not come to the skin surface, rather they stay at the depth of the base of the hair follicle. It is as though the hair follicle is making a tiny, firm, white protein plug instead of hair.

I had acne as a teenager (decades ago), so I am well aware of typical pimple extraction techniques, which do not work.

Googer · Sep 16, 2024

Seems like we're not going to be able to help you. Go see a dermatologist.

Torn Mind · Sep 18, 2024

Googer said:
Seems like we're not going to be able to help you. Go see a dermatologist.

The condition might not have any established diagnostic for a dermatologist to find out.
He might as well send a Hail Mary to some scientist at NIH and see if anything is being studied.
Could be unique allergy or something.

Beef Processing Chemicals or WTF?

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