Healing from the Inside Out–Natural Solutions for Acne
By Dr. Ashley Snook-Downs, ND
Over 681 million people globally suffer from acne. It is one of the most common skin conditions seen by doctors. Acne is characterized by open and closed comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), inflamed papules, pustules, nodules, increased oil production, and often deep cystic lesions with scarring. It can be physically and emotionally painful and confusing to treat.
Standard prescriptions for acne include antibiotics, birth control pills, retinoids and topical creams. Often these medications have side effects such as liver toxicity, changing the pigment of the skin, yeast infections and digestive issues. Naturopathic doctors view acne as more than just “skin-deep”. From a holistic perspective, acne can be a reflection of inflammation in the gut, overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria in the digestive tract, liver congestion or imbalanced hormones. Eating inflammatory foods, stress, travel and other hormonal shifts can make acne worse.
Rule #1: Treat the Gut
Naturopathic approach begins by treating the gut, looking at the diet. Consistently eating foods that trigger the immune system can result in increased inflammation. Food sensitivity testing is an easy way to identify potential food irritants that can be making acne worse. Naturopathic doctors also consider imbalanced gut bacteria as a factor in skin conditions. There may be an overgrowth of pathogenic strains of bacteria or yeasts and low levels of the beneficial bacteria. By optimizing elimination, avoiding food triggers, balancing intestinal flora, and reducing inflammation, you can heal the gut lining can start absorbing nutrients essential for good skin health.
Rule #2: Detoxify the Liver and Balance Hormones
Teens and women are especially prone to hormonal breakouts due to fluctuating hormones, birth control, or high androgens such as testosterone. Deep cystic acne is often hormonally driven and can sometimes be an indication of high levels of estrogen or testosterone. An essential aspect of balancing hormones includes liver detoxification and balancing blood sugar.
The liver is responsible for over 500 actions in the body including processing hormones. Liver detoxification can improve with the addition of cruciferous veggies in the diet such as brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, beets, garlic and onions. Nutritional supplements such as milk thistle, calcium d-glucarate, di-indol methane (DIM)—a compound found in cruciferous veggies–can also assist the liver in detoxification liver. Blood sugar dysregulation from eating simple carbohydrates like sugar, baked goods and sweets can trigger excessive insulin release and an elevation in testosterone and sebum (oil) production. When sebum mixes with bacteria from your hands, your phone, or your pillow case, acne thrives.
Rule #3: Nourish Your Cells
Skin cells need nourishment both topically and internally. Key nutrients for skin health include: vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, and healthy fats. Vitamin A plays a role in decreasing sebum production, vitamin C helps create collagen, zinc helps keep hormones in check, and healthy fats are important for maintaining the moisture of the skin.
Rule #4: Be Gentle with Yourself and Your Skin
Using harsh facial cleansers can sometimes result in dryness, causing the skin to produce more oil providing an environment for acne to thrive. Elevated cortisol levels from stress can contribute to more sebum production. It’s best to use gentle cleansers that provide some moisture to the skin. And keep your stress as low as possible.
Acne is a signal from your body that something needs more attention. At Boulder Natural Health we have great success with treating acne using natural medicine. By addressing the root cause, you heal your skin from the inside out.
