Natural Approaches to Acne
What if I told you that you will not get clearer skin by buying expensive products to lather on your skin?
The solution is deeper and comes from within your body.
Let’s get into it
Acne = Inflammation within the pilosebaceous unit (aka the hair & sebaceous glands). Sebaceous glands produce sebum, which is an oily secretion that is directly influenced by androgens. Different compounds, like sebum and keratin (a abundant bodily protein) may clog the hair follicle and lead to acne. Certain bacteria love this oil + protein combo and go crazy to produce localized inflammation and red, angry skin lesions.
Can you see why working on the surface just won’t cut it?
Working wth a Naturopathic Doctor means taking a deep dive into your body to find the root cause of imbalance. Every person has a unique treatment approach to address the unique needs of the body.
Factors that influence acne formation include:
Diet - Acne can be thought of as “diabetes of the skin,” meaning that a diet rich in sugar/processed foods can be seen directly on the surface of the skin.
Nutrition - A nutritional deficiency can influence your overall immune response as well as how efficiently your body heals and detoxifies.
Hormones - Androgens like DHEA, testosterone, and DHT can increase oil production, leading to acne. Thyroid hormone is also an important player.
Gut Health - Inflammation within your digestive system can lead to something called Leaky Gut, where large food particles enter systemic circulation to trigger inflammatory reactions. Food allergies and intolerances are also important factors.
Toxic Exposures - Your liver is responsible for clearing your body out of unwelcome substances, visitors, and compounds. Toxic exposures that are not cleared can lead to inflammation everywhere, but usually surface on the skin. This includes unfiltered water, conventional produce, GMO foods, conventional cleaning/beauty products,
Microbial Imbalance - I’m sure you’ve heard of the gut microbiome, but we have a microbiome on our skin too! Any imbalance can change the pH and community of the skin, leading to changes, and possibly acne. Long term antibiotics are not the solution and throw things off worse.
Strategies:
Clean up your Diet - Remove inflammatory foods, including dairy and sugar
Balance your Blood Sugar - Focus on nourishing foods rich in protein and fat
Optimize Digestion - Chew well, slow down while eating, and utilize support, like a digestive enzyme, when needed
Heal the Gut - Leaky gut and inflammation within the digestive system shows up systemically, often on the surface of the skin
Support your Microbiome - A high quality probiotic can go a long way
Give your Liver Some Love - The liver is the main organ of detoxification. Having DAILY bowel movements is key to make sure you are clearing everything from your system. Make sure to be mindful of anything that your liver needs to process like alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, and toxins.
Support Detox - Coffee enemas, colonics, exercise, lymphatic drainage, and sauna are some of my favorites
Balance your Hormones - This will depend on your unique situation, but getting off of birth control is a huge start!
Treat the Cause - Whether this is related hormone imbalance, blood sugar instability, dysbiosis, or generalized inflammation - working with a doctor who looks for the root cause can be a game changer