What might REALLY be causing your acne
Acne is on the rise amongst adults, its no longer a skin issue that affects just teens. Americans spend over 6 billion dollars a year on over the counter and prescription acne treatments. Benzoyl peroxide, retinoid acid, salicylic acid, glycolic acid peels, or topical antibiotics offer a (often-expensive) band aid, short term solution. Furthermore oral antibiotics can cause long-term gut complications, immune problems and yeast overgrowth), Accutane can cause liver damage and increase the risk of depression and suicide. Contraceptives are even offered up to women without consideration for fertility or hormone complications further down the line.
We have systems in our body that are continually ‘cleaning house’ seeking out toxins and free radicals. However, these systems are now days overwhelmed by low nutrient, inflammatory diets, hormone disrupting foods, medications, toxic environments and a stress dominated lifestyle.
Acne or any other skin issue to the point usually has much deeper roots. Before you change your skincare routine yet again consider the information below and it might get you to thinking about what is REALLY be going on.
Diet
Excessive Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as flaxseed oil, rapeseed oil, vegetable oil, fish oil and meat raised on corn and soy. PUFA’s are ‘unstable’ and prone to oxidation. Oxidation leads to free radicals which in turn creates inflammation and cellular damage including the skin .
Nutrient deficiencies: such as vitamin C, copper, selenium & saturated fats like Vitamin E and Iron overload in your diet affect your thyroid and metabolism
Blood sugar
Foods high in sugar, PUFA and also stress can cause blood sugar levels to quickly rise. This in turn causes spikes in your body’s insulin levels that exacerbate inflammation. Too much insulin increases the production of sebum.
These blood sugar and insulin spikes can also disrupt hormones such as progesterone and estrogen. Your hormonal acne might be a blood sugar issue.
Sugar, including too many natural sweeteners can not only cause irregular blood sugar spikes but can also feed the ‘bad bacteria’ in your gut.
Gut Health
Your microbiome refers to the collection of bacteria and yeast in your gut. Research shows that the health of your gut impacts almost every area of your health – skin included.
Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO/LIBO) occurs when bacteria grows outside of your colon into your small intestines where it shouldn’t be.
Dysbiosis is when there is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your microbiome.
Candida (yeast) overgrowth can wreck your gut and perpetuate inflammatory skin issues.
Decreased stomach acid.
Chronic infections such as parasitic infections continue to fuel inflammation.
Leaky Gut. Your intestinal lining, is the defence system of your gut. When your gut lining is compromised it is seeping undigested food, proteins and bacteria particles to enter your blood stream. This triggers inflammation throughout the body. Their escape route? Your skin.
Look at your hormones including stress, sex and thyroid
High testosterone, also known as androgen dominance can lead to excessive sebum production. Estrogen excess can also lead to excessive sebum production, which is why acne is common in women with PCOS
Adrenal fatigue can also hinder your body’s ability to handle stress and can contribute to poor skin health.
Sluggish thyroid: lack of thyroid hormone = low progesterone = estrogen excess. You need progesterone and essential vitamins such as Vit A to combat adult acne
Liver congestion
When the liver is sluggish up it can't filter out waste including hormones, toxins, pesticides, heavy metals. The only escape route- your skin.