Healing Acne from a Holistic Approach
Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting millions of people worldwide, especially during adolescence. However, it can also persist into adulthood, causing not just physical but emotional distress. For many, acne can feel like an unrelenting issue, leaving behind scars—both visible and invisible. While traditional treatments like topical creams and oral medications often target the symptoms, intregrative health takes a deeper approach, focusing on the root causes of acne rather than just masking the problem.
Understanding Acne: More Than Just a Skin Issue
Acne isn’t merely a surface-level problem. It’s a multifaceted condition that can stem from hormonal imbalances, gut dysfunction, inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, and even stress. Instead of simply focusing on clearing up the skin, integrative wellness seeks to understand the body's internal environment, identifying imbalances that could be contributing to the breakout cycle.
1. Hormonal Imbalance: The Role of Androgens and Insulin
Hormonal fluctuations are one of the most common triggers for acne, especially for teenagers, women during their menstrual cycle, or those with conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The most significant hormones involved in acne are androgens (male hormones that are present in both men and women). Elevated androgen levels can lead to the overstimulation of sebaceous (oil) glands in the skin, causing pores to become clogged and inflamed.
In addition, insulin resistance—a condition where the body doesn't respond properly to insulin—can also contribute to acne. Insulin resistance increases the production of androgens, which, in turn, leads to more oil production and clogged pores. Glucose sensitivity which is much more common will keep your breakouts active as well due to the roller coaster of cortisol.
How to address hormonal imbalances:
-Balanced nutrition Focus on a diet rich in whole foods, healthy fats, fiber, and lean proteins. Reduce refined sugars and processed foods, which can exacerbate insulin resistance.
- Focused supplements: A focused approach addressing mineral deficiencies, macro and micro nutrient intake and eating in a way that reduces or completely removes cravings ill change your skin for the better in both acne and aging.
- Lifestyle changes: Regular, gentle exercise (overdoing it will exacerbate acne root causes), good sleep hygiene, and stress management can all play a crucial role in balancing hormones and cortisol levels. w
2. Gut Health: The Connection Between the Gut and Skin
The health of your gut can have a direct impact on your skin. In fact, recent research has shown that the gut-skin axis is a real phenomenon, meaning that imbalances in gut bacteria, such as an overgrowth of harmful bacteria or yeast, can trigger inflammation throughout the body—often leading to conditions like acne. There are many healing protocols and if you have longterm acne, a complrehensive approach will be best to settle your digestive healt h once and for all and to maintain balance fora lifetime.
Leaky gut syndrome, where the intestinal lining becomes damaged and allows toxins and bacteria to leak into the bloodstream, can also play a role in skin flare-ups. TCM knows that acne is related to “Dirty blood” and this references partially to proteins from foods getting into the bloodstream causing inflammation.This is where food sensitivity testing shines-you discover what seemingly okay foods are adding inflammation to your body. The most common ones are egg whites, dairy and gluten-which is why you often hear to remove these items for a period of time; but any food item can be playing a role in inflammation and there is an easy process of creating space for the body to heal without feeling like you cannot eat anything.
How to improve gut health:
Improve detoxifcation pathways through lymphatic drainage, movement and hydration.
Consider a liver detoxifcation to remove toxins being stored in fat tissues.
Consider a paraite cleanse to rid the bdy of any pathogenic living organisms-it is very common for acne to begin or worsen afte travel.
Complete a comprehensive gut healing protocol that addresses protective biofilms created by bacteria and other pollutants/pathogens. Use herbals to target excess and use specific probitotics to populate each area of the digestive tract.
Complete a simple supplment support to heal the inflammation of the intestinal lining (Leaky gut), reducing food sensitivities.
Get support to ensure you maintain your results for a lifetime.
3. Reducing Inflammation: A Key to Clear Skin
Acne is inherently an inflammatory condition. When your pores become clogged, bacteria thrive, leading to redness, swelling, and sometimes painful cysts. Chronic inflammation—whether triggered by food, environmental toxins, or stress—can exacerbate these symptoms and hinder healing.
How to reduce inflammation:
- Anti-inflammatory diet: Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods such as leafy greens, berries, turmeric, and fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds, are particularly effective at reducing inflammation. Eating in a consistent manner and in a way to avoid blood sugar spikes will speed up your recovery and kick those cravings for acne inducing foods.
- Stress management: Chronic stress can spike cortisol levels, leading to increased oil production and acne. Techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or even regular walks can help manage stress and reduce inflammation in the body. We also want to refram our connection to stress. Stress is not harmful unless we believe it will be.
4.Nutrient Deficiencies: The Importance of a Balanced Diet
What we put into our bodies directly affects the health of our skin. Nutrient deficiencies, especially in zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E, can significantly impact the skin's ability to heal and regenerate. Zinc, in particular, is crucial for skin health, as it supports collagen production and regulates oil production.
How to address nutrient deficiencies:
- Eat nutrient-dense foods:Focus on a colorful variety of fruits, vegetables 7-9 servings per day, and enough healthy protein (87 g per day). Zinc-rich foods include pumpkin seeds, shellfish, nuts, and legumes.
- Supplements: Supplements should be targeted based on your known deficinecies and imbalances. We know that zinc, vitamin d, magnesium and cofactors will all support skin health-but they will not health and should only be required for a period of time.
- Hydration: Don’t forget to hydrate. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day helps keep skin cells functioning properly and supports overall detoxification.
5. Toxin Overload: Detoxifying Your Body Naturally
Our bodies are constantly exposed to environmental toxins, from pollutants in the air to chemicals in skincare products, cleaning supplies, and food. These toxins can overwhelm the body's natural detoxification systems, leading to skin problems, including acne.
How to support detoxification through lifestyle:
- Clean up your environment: Switch to natural, non-toxic skincare and cleaning products. Avoid chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and sulfates, which can irritate the skin and contribute to acne.
- Liver support: The liver plays a critical role in detoxifying the body. Support your liver with foods like leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower), and herbs like dandelion root or milk thistle.
- Sweat it out:Regular exercise helps the body eliminate toxins through sweat, while also supporting circulation to nourish the skin.
6. Mind-Body Connection: Healing Acne Through Mental Well-Being
In the realm of integrative wellness, it’s widely acknowledged that mental and emotional health plays a pivotal role in physical health. Chronic stress, anxiety, and unresolved emotional trauma can trigger hormonal imbalances and increase inflammation, contributing to acne flare-ups.
How to promote mental well-being:
- Mindfulness and meditation: Practices that reduce stress and promote relaxation can help manage the body’s stress response, which in turn helps reduce acne. More and more studies show the impact on brain waves, as well as hormonal changes in the body from meditation.
- Therapy or counseling: If emotional triggers like stress or past trauma seem to be contributing to acne, seeking professional support can be a valuable part of the healing process.
-Reframing your beliefs-the more awareness we gain through mindfulness practices about ourselves, how we interact with the world around us and our own personal experiences-the more of our own power we take back.
A Holistic, Patient-Centered Approach to Healing Acne
Acne is complex, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Healing from acne is a journey that requires patience, consistency, and a holistic approach. By addressing the root causes of acne, such as hormonal imbalances, gut health issues, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and stress, functional medicine offers a pathway to clear skin that goes beyond just treating the symptoms.
Remember, the process may take time, but with dedication to a healthier lifestyle—through diet, stress management, and thoughtful supplementation—you can achieve not only clearer skin but improved overall health.
In summary-if you also have any combination of fatigue, low immunity,cravings, PMS, irregular cycles, anxiety, low motivation, digestive upset/irregularity-you can start to paint the biger picture of the inflammatory load oin the bottom and the skin becoming the messenger.
I healed my lifelong acne and helping others to do so is an aboslute dream.
With love,
Karena