Adult Acne

How to Naturally Cure Acne: 

There are many causes of acne; excess oil production which can be caused by hormones, stress or menstruation. Clogged pores due to hair and skin products including makeup. Bacteria and inflammation which can be influenced by your diet.  

To treat your acne, it’s important to know what the cause is. Often it is not necessarily an issue with your skin but maybe the functionality of another connected system and your acne is just a symptom of that underlying issue. Listen to your body and identify the cause of your bodily state to properly treat it.  

Hormonal Acne: Regulating your Hormones  

To treat hormonal acne, it is important to address your internal state before your external state. Let’s look at a few causes of hormonal acne. 

Insulin Resistance:  

Insulin influences hormone levels and activities. High insulin levels result in more testosterone production which leads to facial hair and acne.  

• High levels of processed sugars= High blood sugar 

• Your body produces more insulin to counteract the high blood sugar.  

• The overproduction of insulin causes an extreme drop in blood sugar for a short period of time.  

• This drop results in a rise in cortisol levels; responsible for transporting sugar from storage to blood stream.  

• This process in turn creates a craving for sugars and carbs. Overtime the cells can no longer take in large amounts of glucose and this results in insulin resistance.  

• High levels of cortisol interfere with hormone levels leading to—progesterone converting to cortisol. This means low progesterone and high estrogen.  

• Among other things low progesterone and high estrogen increase sebum production causing acne 

High cortisol- cortisol is a stress hormone that is responsible for your sleep cycle, blood pressure regulation and inflammation reduction. When you have high levels of cortisol for a period it leads to inflammatory problems such as acne.  

So, we can see that the foundation of our hormone imbalance is cortisol and insulin, regulating these hormones first will help to regulate all your hormones which will in turn heal your acne. The first step in this regulation process is your diet.  

Nutrition is so important to every system in your body. Everything you eat becomes a part of you. Cut out processed foods and an added sugar. Most foods we eat are highly processed; it is important to minimize processed foods the best you can. Cut out all grains. Focus on consuming fruits, vegetables, bone broths, homemade juice, fish, nuts/seeds and lots of water. Diet is the first and most important step beyond that there are several other tips to healing your acne that I will list below.  

Do not pick at your skin! Popping pimples causes irritation and inflammation, generally leading to more acne. Your fingers have a lot of bacteria, and you're spreading that bacteria to sensitive areas when pimple popping. The liquid that comes from your pimples after popping easily spreads and quickly results in more acne in that area.  

What to do? 

Everyone's skin is different so it's important to test out one product at a time and see what works for you. However, with, cleaning up your diet and focusing on what you put on/in your body you will dramatically improve your skin health.  

Minimal washing; over washing your face strips your skin of all the natural oils that protect and moisturize your skin. Rinsing with water and a clean cotton rag is a good way to upkeep. While washing is important to cleansing the skin, you must find a balance that works for you.  

Homemade face masks; once every few weeks or as frequently as you feel is necessary. 

(Organic)- honey, rice flour and turmeric (a pinch) 

Honey has antimicrobial/anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, turmeric is anti-inflammatory, and rice flour works as a light exfoliant to cleanse your pores and remove dead skin.  

(Organic)-honey and yoghurt 

Studies have suggested that the probiotics in yoghurt help to balance your skin's microbiome, relieving you of your acne. It is also highly moisturizing and brightening.  

Frankincense oil: is antimicrobial which means it kills microorganisms such as bacteria and stops them from growing and causing disease. It is also anti-inflammatory. Frankincense does wonders for your skin, promoting anti-aging effects and in some cases curing acne. (I am a personal success story of frankincense because it was one of the only products that cured my acne, and I have tried many!)  

Essential oils must be mixed with a carrier oil because they are very potent and can cause damage/ irritation to the skin if not used properly. It is best to do a test patch on your skin to ensure that this is the right oil for you.  

Mix: 

5 drops of Frankincense oil 

3 Tbsp of castor oil 

3 Tbsp of jojoba oil 

This recipe works with any carrier oils and feel free to create a mixture that works for you and your skin. I chose these oils because they work for me and do wonders for my skin, creating a healthy skin barrier and a glowing effect. I just dab a bit on my fingers and rub it on my face (after washing my hands thoroughly) maybe once a day.  

I hope that this information helps with your acne healing journey. I suggest giving yourself a month to see progress in your skin. It can take time to flush out your system and create a proper hormone/skin balance.