Are you struggling with acne past your teen years? There is nothing more frustrating than battling skin breakouts into adulthood.
There are some specific hormonal imbalance scenarios that are most likely the culprit especially if your breakouts are occurring along the jaw line, chin area, perioral (around the mouth) or are cystic (the really painful ones).
Did you know that up to 40% of women over 30 develop late-stage acne? You are not alone!
When I was 25 and newly married, my skin began to breakout on my honeymoon! I was so distressed! I had never had any skin issues in my life and did not even struggle with teenage acne. For 2 years, I battled stubborn breakouts. I tried everything and spent thousands of dollars on different topical and spa treatments. It was all in vain because my problem was coming from the inside. It was not until I discovered that I was experiencing “Estrogen dominance” that my skin finally began to heal and I have not had any issues since. The real caveat to my healing was detoxifying my liver to ease the burden of Estrogen excess in my body and voila, my skin cleared!
What causes acne to flare in adult women?
Hormone imbalances are a common root cause of adult acne especially in women. The rise and fall of hormones during perimenopause can be an extremely challenging time for those struggling with acne. With the proper approach, these wild fluctuations can be calmed and the effects on the skin will lessen and even disappear.
It is usually the “Androgens” or male hormones that are most often the culprits in causing acne.
Increased androgens such as DHEA and Testosterone cause the sebaceous glands to produce extra oils that trigger the acne process.
Here is a breakdown of the acne producing process:
- If Estrogen is too high (dominant) or too low, this leads to raised levels of androgens.
- Increased androgens cause excess oil production by the sebaceous glands.
- Excess oil provides an environment for acne bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) to flourish.
- Accumulating bacteria generates a fibrous protein called Keratin that plugs the pores.
- Blocked pores lead to inflammation under the skin and acne pimples erupt.
Solutions for Acne Prone Skin
1. Eliminate foods that trigger the production of insulin and androgens.
Cut out inflammatory processed foods such as fried foods, refined flour products (these turn into sugar in the body) and sugar (this triggers the release of insulin which then stimulates the production of the androgens). In addition, the 2 most common acne triggering foods are dairy products and gluten. Many people find that their skin clears very quickly when eliminating these foods. Add more anti-inflammatory foods to your diet like leafy greens, raw nuts, avocados, cold water fish and olive oil. Add antioxidant rich foods such as brightly coloured fruits and veggies. Download my Skin Clearing Menu Plan here.
2. Balance Your Hormones
Most cases of acne have some type of hormonal component to them. It is crucial to balance your hormones in order for your skin to clear. Nutrition and stress management play a big role in hormonal balance but there are some specific nutrients that are helpful in clearing the skin. If you are struggling with cyclical breakouts, try Vitex (Chaste Berry) for 3 months to balance out your Estrogen and Progesterone levels. If cystic acne is plaguing your jaw and chin area, try adding in Saw Palmetto to your daily regime for 3 months. Supportive nutrients such as Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, Zinc and Vitamin E are also very helpful for clearing and healing the skin. If you are nut sure where to start, book an appointment here.
3. Repair Your Gut
Your gut is the gateway to optimal health and that includes your skin. Making sure that your digestion is optimal is one of the most important aspects of clear skin. Add in a multi-strain probiotic to reinoculated your beneficial bacteria for optimal digestion. This is my favourite probiotic.
Hidden food sensitivities are quite common in acne. As mentioned above, gluten and dairy are on the top of the list but there are many other offenders that cause breakouts. Discovering your food sensitivities through testing can often give you the information that you need to fine tune your diet and clear your skin. Purchase Food Sensitivity Testing here.
4. Reduce Your Stress.
Stress fires up the immune-driven internal inflammation that fuels acne and breakouts. Stress has a way of fueling any disease process in the body. We all have stress in our lives and some stress is actually physiologically beneficial for us. We shine with acute stress and can adapt quite well. It is when stress becomes relentless and chronic that our health begins to decline. Download my Stress Management Guide for some excellent tips on how to manage your stress in some remarkably simple and effective ways.
5. Use the Best All-Natural Skin Clearing Products.
While acne is an “inside job”, the skin still needs the proper care to heal and clear. The following combination has worked remarkably for many of my patients over the years. Give it a try and you will love the results.
3 Steps to Clear Skin
- Wash twice daily with Tea Tree Clear Complexion Cleanser.
- Follow with ZydermaHS Clarifying Cream.
- Complete the process with Tea Tree Concentrated Spot Treatment (best spot treatment ever!).
Order all 3 products and receive a 10% discount – Use discount code “clearskin” at checkout.