How to Get Rid of Acne
Just about everyone seems to struggle with skin challenges of one kind or another at some point in their life. It may come early, at an older age, or anywhere in between. It may last for just a short while or it may be a longer term challenge. One thing is for certain: no matter what you may have already been through, or whatever it is you are currently dealing with.....you are not alone! I myself struggling with acne, psoriasis, rashes, eczema, and other skin conditions most of my life and have studied very carefully how to heal this skin conditions. We all have these types of experiences, and there is plenty of support available as you navigate through figuring it all out. I'm here to be that support for you.
For this post, I'd like to look at the most common of all skin conditions, acne. I'll discuss it's causes, and how to treat acne naturally.
skin problems, including acne, are opportunities for improving overall health
Skin problems are tricky in that they almost always signify an inner imbalance, and two people with identical looking skin troubles can have completely different causative factors. But once you are armed with the right information and action plan, there is no skin challenge that can't be conquered! It will require commitment and perseverance from you, but if you stick with it, your whole body will benefit from your hard work and dedication, and ultimately your health will increase in ways you may have not previously imagined possible!
acne vulgaris
Acne, otherwise known as acne vulgaris, is a most common skin complaint.
Sometimes it takes a pronounced cry for help from our bodies to alert us to an inner imbalance. Skin conditions are one of the most effective ways that our bodies can get our attention fast. After all, its hard to ignore an other-than-pretty pimple glaring back at us in the mirror. Acne is a trouble that most of us are familiar with, whether it has been experienced in mild or severe form.
what causes acne?
Acne is most often caused by an excess of bad bacteria or microbes in the gut, the most important factors are diet and nutrition, digestion and assimilation, toxic load in the body and cleansing, hormonal balance, medications that you may be taking, and stress and stored emotions.
treating from the inside-out
acne and diet
The food that we choose to bring into our bodies is a very personal choice, and can have a huge impact on acne and the overall quality of our skin. If you have an interest in nutrition, you have probably encountered an overwhelming number of well-intentioned people claiming to have all the answers to your own body's needs. Most of the time, these people appear to be preaching their own gospel, that is, making recommendations based on what is currently working for them. The bottom line is, our bodies are all unique, and we all have varying requirements at different times in our lives.
The key piece to take away here is this: listen to your body! Whether you have clear skin or are dealing with acne or any other skin condition, choose an organic whole foods diet tailored to your own needs. With an open mind, try out different approaches and see what feels best for you. Over time, you will discover how to tune in to your body and make the best choices. If you haven't done so already, eliminate any and all processed foods from your diet and replace with simple health-promoting real foods.
Here are some general recommendations for foods to avoid if you are in the process of clearing acne and encouraging outstanding health:
acne diet
foods to avoid
processed and chemical "foods" of all types
refined grain products and gluten containing grains
all refined sugars, and even natural sugars in excess (stick with only low-glycemic foods)
alcohol and caffeinated beverages
refined cooking oils
pasteurized dairy products
remove all grains, and high-glycemic fruits and starches
(At first removing all fruit and starches will be ideal. You can then add back in low-glycemic fruits, like berries.)
And here are some ideas for foods and superfoods you can incorporate in to your diet for health promotion:
foods for acne
Organic fresh colorful veggies, consumed raw or cooked depending on personal constitution, digestion, and preference.
Nutrient dense wild foods, such as seaweed, herbs, and berries.
Superfoods
Warm healing broths. Bone broth is amazing for health and digestion. If you are vegan, try broths and soups with lots of veggies, roots, herbs, and medicinal mushrooms.
Health promoting algaes, such as Marine Phytoplankton and Chlorella.
Omega-3 fatty acids from foods (chia seed, flax seed, walnuts, purslane, etc.) and supplemental oils. This is the best all-in-one Omega supplement out there.
Raw fermented foods, like sauerkraut and coconut water kefir (unless you have issues with histamine)
Healthy fats such as cold-pressed unrefined oils, especially coconut oil, avocados, and sun dried olives.
stress and acne
Make no mistake about it: stress has a tremendous impact on our overall health. One of the fastest places it shows up is on the surface of our skin. Acne breakouts are a common experience for those experiencing high levels of stress. Discover and practice ways that you can relax and rejuvenate your being while, first addressing why you are stressed. Feeling all the feelings that arise when you dive into why you're stressed. Letting yourself express all of those feelings fully. And then, once fully felt, caring for yourself in nourishing ways.
hormonal acne
Hormone Imbalances can and will cause acne. There are many possible scenarios here, and it is important to know that any hormonal imbalance can trigger blemishes and breakouts. One example of this is seen when the body releases too many androgenic hormones (a common result of increased insulin production in the body). What follows is a cascade of excess sebum production, congested follicles, and in turn, acne formation. Another situation to be aware of is a sudden change in hormonal balance, such as that created by pregnancy or even certain illnesses. Also, an imbalanced estrogen to progesterone ratio in the body will often lead to breakouts before, during, or after menstruation. Talk to your naturopath or a practitioner you trust to help test your hormones and get them back into balance.
acne medications
There are certain medications that can actually trigger acne due to the imbalances that they create in the body. It is wise to hold an awareness of this possibility if you are taking any medications, and consider whether or not you may have other treatment options available that may be more beneficial to your long-term health. Contraceptive pills are a commonly used medication that creates body imbalances and can bring on breakouts. You will also want to steer clear of prescription acne medications for the same reason, and opt for a holistic acne treatment instead.
antibiotics for acne
While antibiotics are clearly a very useful tool in cases of serious medical need, it really makes no sense to use them as a long-term treatment for acne. We know that there is a clear link between acne and challenged digestive health. We are also aware of the fact that antibiotic usage further challenges digestive health, as it impacts healthy gastro-intestinal flora balance and destroys your microbiome. By using antibiotics over extended periods of time in hopes of improving acne, you are actually setting up a cycle of increasing stress on one of acne's root causes, an imbalanced digestive system and poor overall health. This creates more harm than good for acne sufferers.
home remedies for acne
We've talked about some of the causes of acne, and also the importance of diet in improving and preventing future outbreaks. Now we're going to go deeper into some of the other ways you can take a proactive acne healing path, and begin deeply healing your body and clearing your skin!
detox for acne
When your internal body is overloaded with toxins that aren't being eliminated efficiently, the toxins begin eliminating through the skin....and this is when the skin issues arise! Look at it as a blessing: you are being alerted to the fact that your body is feeling overloaded with substances that are harmful to your health, and it is asking for your assistance in removing these accumulations. What an amazing opportunity for improving your overall level of health and vitality (and achieving clear skin in the process)!
Detoxing is an important way to help clean out your system and help get rid of acne. Look into fasting and cleansing. Get out there and move your body with regular exercise, if you can. Rebounding (bouncing on a mini trampoline) is an excellent way to move the lymph through your body. Regularly working up a sweat is great for the body, be it through exercise or a sauna (check out far infrared saunas for their powerful detox abilities). This is my favorite portable, home sauna. Save 20% on it through this link.
liver cleanse for acne
The health of the skin is often a reflection of the liver's health status. Acne Vulgaris can be triggered by poor fat metabolism in the body (the process of digesting and assimilating dietary fats), of which the liver is largely responsible for. There are many approaches to cleansing the liver, some of which are more gentle than others.
Start with your water intake: make sure you are drinking ample amounts of pure, properly structured water (preferably fresh spring water, but do the best you can). Eat a diet of clean whole foods, with plenty of fresh produce, personally tailored to your constitution and health status. Use liver supporting herbs regularly, such as Liver Detox & Support Tonic.
Coffee enemas are a highly effective way to cleanse the liver/gallbladder as well. These can be done easily in the comfort of your own home. Please note that if you are highly sensitive to caffeine, this may not be the best option for you. I personally love the benefits of coffee enemas, but cannot tolerate them. Give them a try and see how you do!
Castor Oil Packs over the liver are one of my favorite and are an easy treatment - I do them every night.
supplements for acne
There are some highly valuable supplements that you might consider incorporating into your routine as you heal your acne and your body. Think about enhancing your digestive system function, supporting your liver, assisting in the removal of stored and released toxins, and strengthening your nutritional intake with super foods.
Probiotics and digestive enzymes to support the digestive system.
Plant-derived MSM. taken with high quality, food-based, Liposomal Vitamin C (vitamin C increases absorption of MSM, in addition to being great for the skin and immunity)
a liver support supplement containing milk thistle seed extract, such as Liver Detox & Support Tonic
Fulvic Acid for absorbing toxins daily
Herbs like Horsetail and Nettle (rich in silica: a beauty mineral)
Tonic herbs such as schizandra, reishi mushroom, and pearl powder, traditionally used to beautify the skin and bring balance to the entire body
treating the root cause
You will want to detox first and get some supportive nutrients on board, and then then you will want to treat the toxins and microbes that are causing the acne. Once you detox, try CellCore Biosciences to clear the toxins and microbes from your system. I am a CellCore Practitioner. Enter code LxgHzGOs to start your CellCore journey.
treating Topically
acne skin care
Adopting a healthy skin care routine will make a significant difference in your skin and overall health. Start by immediately eliminating all chemical acne treatments, like benzoyl peroxide, or any other “medicated” products from your life. These not only have a drying effect on the skin that is damaging, but the chemicals themselves are placing a heavier load of your body's ability to detoxify. Seek out natural products that are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant without the toxic load.
essential oils for acne
There are many beneficial essential oils that can be added to carrier oils, skin care products, or applied neat (essential oils are highly concentrated: use caution before applying neat, or dilute first). Explore oils such as lavender, rosewood, eucalyptus, lemongrass, turmeric, geranium, grapefruit, sandalwood, vetiver, rosemary, niaouli, immortelle/helichrysum, thyme linalool, carrot seed, bergamot, chamomile, palmarosa, basil, and cedarwood.
tree tea oil for acne
What about tea tree oil? While tea tree oil for acne is a common treatment, it's not my favorite because it can be very drying and cause the skin to peel.
There are many other more gentle treatment options that are powerfully effective, such as Elaa’s After the Rain Miracle Balm.
the healing path
While skin challenges are never any fun to deal with, adopting a positive perspective and accepting the blessings of natural healing opportunities will take you beyond the bounds of what you have previously known to be possible. Natural acne home treatments will clear your skin and increase your health. Healing is a process and it takes patience, but as long as you stick with it and keep moving forward, your efforts will be rewarded with true and lasting health.
This is an amazing skin treatment to help you with your acne and encourage radiant skin:
