How to Treat Hormonal Acne Naturally – The Hormonal Dilemma.
For those of us suffering from hormonal acne, treatment can be pretty frustrating. This is because the resulting acne can be caused by a number of different factors making it difficult to pinpoint which underlying cause is responsible. When you have hormonal acne, It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re using the best skincare, are eating the healthiest diet, or are on the pill, it can still persevere despite your best efforts.
Nowadays, my personal journey for clear skin revolves around my hormonal imbalances, most of which stem from an annoying tendency to become stressed too easily. Lots of stress = lots of oil production = lots of acne. It’s been really challenging for me to reverse this habit especially because I get stressed over nothing most of the time. Sometimes I won’t even know it until I massage one of my shoulders. If it’s tense, I know I’m stressed.
It takes time and effort to sort out the many different hormones and their functions and relations in the body. It’s all rather complex, so I can understand why it can be daunting for most people when trying to tackle their hormonal acne. Once I figured out hormones and how they specifically correlate with acne, I was eventually able to better control and for the most part, cure my own breakouts (still working on that stress though!).
I know it can be really frustrating when you’ve tried everything from taking supplements to becoming obsessed over your diet. Even detoxing regularly doesn’t seem to help. It can really make you want to just give up on the whole situation. But don’t give up! In order to treat your hormonal acne, you just need a little extra support.
Start thinking about the HOW instead of the WHY for a minute. How are your hormones imbalanced? (think about what kind of imbalance it is) How did it come to develop in the first place? How can you balance your hormones?
The most common culprits of hormonal imbalances include:
• Poor digestion/ low-quality diet (improve digestion with fermented foods!)
• Chronic stress (emotional and physical)
• Low quality sleep
• Physical activity level (too low or too high)
Think about whether or not you have any of these issues and start improving them. Not only will it make your overall health better, it will also help clear your hormonal acne. Learn more about the root causes of acne here.
How do You Know if It’s Hormonal Acne?
- Typically, hormonal acne will occur during times of hormonal change like during adolescence and puberty and oncoming menopause. However, these are not the only times when hormonal acne can crop up on the skin.
- If you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, and even 50s and you are experiencing acne, then chances are, it’s hormonal.
- Another indicator is having pimples on the chin or cheek area or along the jawline. These areas have been linked to the body’s way of telling us that our hormones are out of balance.
- Having acne show up on a monthly basis is another obvious indicator that the acne is caused by the rise and fall of your hormones during your cycle.
- The breakouts are usually deep and cystic in nature.
- You’re chronically stressed which causes your body to pump itself full of cortisol – the leading hormone that causes acne.
If you’re looking for an amazing topical treatment that is better than benzoyl peroxide but without the side effects, try this. It’s an amazing way to treat your hormonal acne from the outside while you start making changes for treating it on the inside.
Hormonal Acne Symptoms and Hormonal Acne Causes
So, what causes hormonal acne, anyway?
One of the main symptoms of hormonal acne is an overproduction of oil. This oil contributes to a lot of acne related issues like pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, and just an overall shiny appearance. Many dermatologists will tell you that this oil IS the cause of acne, but that’s just not the case. While overactive oil glands certainly contribute to acne, it’s really just a symptom of a much deeper problem. You simply cannot get rid of acne by topical treatments alone.
The Main Causes of Excess Sebum
There are 2 main causes of excess oil production:
1. Toxicity in the body
2. Excess hormones (specifically, androgens)
Signs of excess toxins in the body manifest as:
• Frequent allergies
• Food Intolerances
• Sluggish elimination pathways (digestion, liver, kidneys)
• Candida
The causes of toxicity most often include:
• Poor diet (low quality/ too much junk food)
• Chemicals in the environment
• Low quality sleep
• Lack of exercise
• Poor lymph drainage
Learn how to detox in these articles:
- Detoxify The Liver Using Essential Oils
- Detox The Lymphatic System With Essential Oils
- How to Use Detoxifying Essential Oils
- Detoxifying Herbs for Clear Skin How-To
- Liver Cleanse Recipe and Liver Flush How-To
- Detoxifying Charcoal Lemonade Recipe
- Epsom Salt Detox Bath How-To
Excess hormones and hormone imbalances are caused by:
• Excess negative emotions (affect the liver)
• Emotional stress
• Physical stress
• Xenoestrogens in the environment (plastics like Tupperware)
• Hormone therapy (the pill)
• Poor/bad diet
• Genetic predisposition
• Consuming foods with excess hormones (non-organic meats and dairy) As you can see, there are many root causes of hormonal imbalance, most of which are related to diet, lifestyle, and emotional health.
For acne sufferers, these root causes can contribute to other types of illnesses like:
• Chronic fatigue
• Elevated cortisol levels (high stress)
• Hypothyroidism
• PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) – you can learn how to balance PCOS here
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Insulin resistance
How to Balance Hormones for Clear Skin
These are my top 6 tips on how to get rid of hormonal acne – for good!
1. Lower Stress – Stress has an enormous impact on hormones and acne, so don’t underestimate the power of stressing less. Whenever you’re stressed, your body pumps out more cortisol. More cortisol (stress hormone) in your system increases androgens (male sex hormone) and causes more acne.
2. Eat Foods that don’t Cause Sugar Imbalances Sugar fluctuations from eating processed/junk food can create sugar spikes which creates stress on the body. Try to eat low GI (Glycemic Index) foods that are organic. This means fewer potatoes, white flour products, and rice and more sweet potatoes, greens, and grains like quinoa.
3. Eat Tons of Essential Fatty Acids Essential fatty acids reduce inflammation, balance hormones, and reduce androgens. If you have acne, chances are you’re deficient in EFAs!
Here’s where to get healthy fats:
• Evening primrose oil
• Flax oil
• Borage oil
• High-quality fish and fish oils
• Extra virgin olive oil
• coconut oil
• Sacha inchi oil
• Nuts and seeds
• Avocados
• Sea Buckthorn
• Algae
You should be avoiding fats like canola oil, sunflower seed oil, and vegetable oil as they are too high in omega 6 and cause inflammation in the body.
4. Top Up on These Vitamins and Minerals
• GTF Chromium
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B Complex
• Zinc
• Magnesium
Eating enough colorful fruits and veggies is another great way to get in these essential nutrients.
I ONLY recommend taking supplements once you have had blood work done and KNOW what you’re deficient in!
5. Incorporate These Herbs For Stress
• Ashwagandha
• Holy Basil
• Gynostemma
• Rhodiola
Start with 1-2 of these herbs and closely monitor how your body feels. Use them once per day.
For Cleansing
For Hormonal Support
• Licorice Root
• Schizandra Berry
• Maca
• Vitex Berry
• Red Clover
• Dong Quai
• Black Cohosh
One of the best ways to re-balance hormones is to use seed cycling for hormonal support and eating one raw carrot a day!
6. Incorporate Anti-Androgens into Your Hormonal Acne Diet
• Green tea (especially matcha
• Nettle infusion (learn how to make infusions here)
• Spearmint tea
• High-quality Pumpkin Seed Oil
These are just some general guidelines to help you begin to understand and take back control of your hormone-related acne. The most important thing to remember is not to give up! Healing hormones take time, but once they’re balanced, the wait till be worth it!
Aside from following the tips above, I highly recommend getting your hormones tested so that you can see exactly where your imbalances are. It will cut down on the time it takes to figure it out on your own, and you won’t be wasting money on supplements that you don’t need.
This is the hormone test I used. It’s called the Women’s Health Test and covers the following hormones:
- Estradiol
- Progesterone
- LH (Luteinizing Hormone)
- FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone)
- DHEAS
- Testosterone
- Cortisol at four times throughout the day
- TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone)
- Free T3
- Free T4
- TPO (Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies)
Definitely worth it and may even help you avoid taking spironolactone acne medication, among others like birth control for acne, that are not natural.
What have been your methods for healing hormonal acne naturally? Please share in the comments below!
You may also enjoy reading:
The Best Essential Oils for Getting Rid of Hormonal Acne
Is Vitamin D Deficiency Causing Your Acne?
Top 5 Remedies for Cystic Acne
3 Steps to Heal your Female Hormonal Acne
Do Food Sensitivities Give You Acne?
Is Hemp Seed Oil The New Holy Grail For Acne?
Hi I’m wondering if the alcohol used to make the thyme tincture would be doing more damage in the long run to my skin?? I’m desperate at this point but also wanna think about my skin in the future. Thank you for all of the tips!!
Hi Erica!
if you have sensitive skin, the alcohol may feel a bit irritating. Instead, you can add one drop of thyme essential oil to 1oz of carrier oil and apply it as a spot treatment that way 🙂
Dermalmd blemish serum has made such a difference to my face. I suffer from adult acne and after a day of using it my face looks a lot better. Very happy with the price and because it works
Hi! I have a question that u may or may not know the answer to. Can water fasting help clear skin?
Definitely! You just want to be VERY informed on the whole process and do it on a day when there is someone else present and you have no obligations – just a whole day for complete rest.
Incredible read, I’m so happy I came across this. A lot of great information that was extremely useful to me. I’ve been going through months and months of being extremely stressed, and then my face was bombarded with acne. I would always get a little acne once a month but it would be quick to clear up. This time around it covered my chin, moving up my cheek, and around my eyebrows and in between them. Nothing that I’ve used in the past has worked to clear it up, which has made me start to go a little crazy. Of course I googled it, then really started freaking out. Luckily tonight I decided to look on Pinterest for some help to clear it up and came across what you wrote. It made me feel so much better because right off the bat where you said most common causes of hormonal imbalance are caused by….I’ve been suffering from 4 out of 4 of them! All things that I can fix within myself (unlike what google told me was going on) So! I just wanted to say thank you, and I can’t wait to try something new, and hope that it helps. Thank you for sharing your research.
You’re so welcome Aubrie! Good luck on your clear skin journey 😀 You’ll get there!
I am 57 with hormonal acne and have sensitive skin. A lot of products burn my skin or do not help. I noticed fewer breakouts in the first two weeks. I use dermalmd blemish serum once a day at night. It is not oily. When you first put it on it smells of lemon, but the scent quickly goes away. I recommend dermalmd serum and I will be purchasing it again.
I’ve been stressed out lately & I think that’s caused a painful cyst-like bump to form under my skin. Ouch. I know not to try popping it, so I’m going to try an at-home remedy using sea salt & baking soda to try to decrease swelling.
Dear Tash, I have been battling with acne since I was young and took several courses of antibiotics over different periods prescribed by dermatologists when I was in my 20s. The acne issue was always on and off since then.
I am 33 now. About 1 year ago, I started to develop a more serious case of candida (I used to have it but it will go away with treatment), which did not respond to any form of treatment from doctors. I wondered if the antibiotics I took when I was younger totally wrecked my system. I started to take probiotics supplements and it helped to better control the candida condition.
However, In the last few months, many big, angry pimples started appearing on my face. I stopped the probiotics about 3 months ago after I had these pimples. The pimples grow mainly in side of my face and jawline and chin.
Could it be a hormonal issue causing my candida and acne? Please help advise me!
Hi Elizabeth!
Acne along the jawline usually does signify a hormonal imbalance. Have you had your hormones tested before?
No though! Do you reckon it’s a good idea to get my hormones checked? I feel like my whole body is wrecked due to the consistent acne and candida issues.
Hi Tash!!
I started breaking out really bad once I turned 30. At the time I had the iud with hormones. I decided to have that removed, and try BC to get rid of the horrible cystic ance. Well the BC helped with the cystic acne, but I developed acne on my forehead, chin,and jaw line. It’s awful. Now 34, I have completely changed my face care regimen to natural oils tea tree oil, hemp seed oil etc. I have been off lo Loestrin fe for a month now, and at the same time I started taking burdock root capsules. I also recently started eating raw carrots. I work out 4x a week, sleep around 6 hours a night, my stress level is pretty low. My face hates me, and I’m not sure how long I should take the burdock root, or what if anything else I should incorporate. I am a vegetarian, and I’m not sure if I get enough protein or vitamin D. I drink kombucha, take a multivitamin, and vitamin C. Sorry for the ramble, just looking for suggestions.
Thanks!!!
Hi TCoop!
Do you have a regular menstrual cycle? It may be worth getting your hormones tested to see what is out of balance so that you can use the appropriate herbs. Where is your acne located now?
Wow, you mentioned it, Yes PCOS can trigger acne, because of the hormonal imbalance, but there is nothing to worry about it as acne due to PCOS can be cured by changing your diet plan, a bit of exercise to detoxify and very normal medication.
Good Read Tash!
Simply the best solution
Hi! I was wondering is saw palmetto works to clear acne for females!
Hi Kat!
I have not tried this herb myself, but I did find some reviews online from people who have used it specifically for acne in females. check it out here -> https://www.acne.org/saw-palmetto-reviews-973/ 🙂
hey thanks a lot for this article. I have acne prone skin so I always look for natural remedies to cure my acne. Recently I have started using Himalayan pink salt, rose water and aloe Vera gel. I have seen visible reduction in my acne. I thought it would be great to share it with you and your readers as well. If you want to know about Himalayan salt then you can visit the website of ittefaqco .
Hi Tash! I read somewhere that omega-6 can cause inflammation. I stopped eating peanut butter months ago because of it’s high omega-6 and it helped a lot. However, evening primrose oil is also full of omega-6, so if I take a capsule everyday will this create inflammation in my skin?
Hi Hallie!
Yes, if you are consuming a lot of omega-6 and not enough omega-3, then it can definitely cause inflammation. However, if you’re eating a healthy whole foods diet with few processed foods, taking the evening primrose oil with not pose a problem at all. Your body still needs the omega-6, just not the massive amounts most people eat on the Standard American Diet. Just make sure you avoid canola oil/vegetable oil. This has loads of omega-6 and is often found in processed foods, fried foods, etc. Also, my mom’s generation tends to still use this for cooking, to just be aware that a lot of people still use it even at home!
What types of oils would you recommend cooking with 🙂
Hi Zoe!
I personally cook with avocado oil and coconut oil 🙂
Hi,
Thanks for your blog! I have been trying to navigate the hormonal acne world for 10 years now with little success. At 30, I’m starting to feel so discouraged and depressed over the continuing (and worsening) acne/scars. I’ve tried everything from antibiotics, tons of topicals, birth control, and recently spirolactone. Started the spiro in March 2015 & saw mild success, but went off in Sept 2017, because it wasn’t working all that well & I just didn’t want it in my body any longer. I also went off birth control in August 2016.
I started with the oil cleansing method with hemp oil in Oct. followed by spraying a rose water/witch hazel toner, and then a light rose water/argan oil lotion. I also tried jojoba for a few days and developed a horrible rash, which I was able to clear up with success! For the acne, I keep trying different blogs/ideas including adding thyme to my hemp oil and this week I’m going back to washing with Cerave face wash & trying Aztec clay masks. I increased fermented food intake as well.
I exercise reasonably, sleep is fair, and follow a vegan diet. My cystic acne seems worse than ever & it’s moving up my cheeks now too.
I’m at a loss, I just want to clear this up…at least enough where I don’t feel so upset everytime I look in a mirror, it’s starting to feel like a losing battle and I just want to feel better. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I gave EstroBlock a shot about a year ago… completely changed my life. I highly suggest reading the details and figuring out if it’s right for you. I also recommend taking the EstroBlock original and not EstroBlock Pro. Hope this helps!
I struggled with acne for years. I found that diet more than any topical treatment is most effective. I detail my foods and supplements here https://healacnenaturally.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/how-to-get-rid-of-your-acne-for-good/
I’ve struggled with acne for 15+ years. Adult acne is the worst! I’m on prescription medication for acne but I’ve struggled with topical creams burning my skin. I used to use Benzac-10 back when 10% benzoyl peroxide required a prescription. Recently I tried other topical treatments and found tea tree oil reduced redness. It didn’t work as well on my acne as benzoyl peroxide but it had an additional benefit. Dermalmd blemish serum was everything I use in one!! The serum is easy to apply, doesn’t have an usually strong scent (it’s going to smell a little but it’s not bad), doesn’t burn my skin like other topicals, and the packaging is great. I apply at night after washing my face, more as a spot treatment.
Hi Mackenzie!
I’m happy you found something that finally works for you 🙂 As a side note, did you know that thyme is just as effective as benzoyl peroxide? You can read more about it in a couple articles I wrote here and here.
ive had amazing results using essential oils for my acne. i recommend it to all my friends and theyve never gone back to other treatments.
Can you please say what you have used? Thank you 😀
I’ve been fighting ACNE since my teenage years (I’m currently 47). I’ve tried other products, including some relatively expensive ones (Murad), which didn’t help at all.
Dermalmd blemish treatment serum totally knocked it out.
Good to know! Thank you for sharing Hyo!
I started using Citrus Clear products about 12 years ago. It started working with a week. I was a little dried out the first month of use but just around my nose and forehead. I had very bad outbreaks all the time and after this my face became noticeable better and better. I’ve tried everything under the sun and nothing works like this.
So glad it worked for you Tanya!
Have been trying the more natural skin care route, but none of it really works. Started using Dermalmd blemish serum and it works great, clears everything up quickly, and doesn’t dry skin out when used as a spot treatment. (for reference, I’m 37, with combination skin and mild, usually hormonal acne). I’ll be sticking with this from now on, as much as I love paying 8 times more for a “natural” treatment that doesn’t work.
Sorry to hear about your troubles Cherrine! Finding the right natural remedy can be incredibly painstaking!
Hi Tash, Great post!
Bookmarked!! And I’m going to try to do everything mentioned.
In my case. I’d severe breakouts in my teens and my acne was quite settled for two years.
I will get one or two which goes within an week. I have a combination skin type.
But before two months my skin dried after a vaccation! I tried olive oil in my face which made the condition worst! There was a allergy like small spots spreading all over the face!
And then was going through my tough days! Lot’s of stress, Each day! And my acne got furious. The small bumps spread all over my face. I didn’t eat well. Poor diet caused food infections and also gastric problems. My acne was spreading again!
I was oversleeping! 9-10 hours a day, I was not working out. Feeling fatigue all through the day.
I know my acne was the result of my hormonal imbalance.
But still I went to doctor yesterday! She prescribed a lot of medicines with products. She also wants me to take Light theraphy. Yes I’m in a dilemma.
I always wanted to cure my acne naturally! That’s how I ended up in your blog.
Any comments for me pl.
Great blog again!
Thanks
Hi Rajesh!
How was the weather were you went on vacation? I’m wondering if you lost hydration in your skin which would explain why the olive oil wasn’t working for you. If your skin is in fact dehydrated, you will need to repair your outter most skin barrier. You can do this by staying hydrated while also using hyaluronic acid to help attract more moisture to the skin. You can then apply a simple carrier oil (like hemp or jojoba) as a moisturizer on top of it to help seal in moisture. 🙂
Hello! I have recently developed adult cystic acne on the neck and jaw line. The weird thing is, it only develops on the sides of cheek (top of jawline or jawline), halfway from the jawbone and the middle of the chin. I exercise regularly and vigorously as I have been training for tennis matches. On weekdays I do 3x of training for 1 hour then cool down. On weekends I do 1.5 to 2 hours of tennis.
In terms of diet, I am lactose intolerant so I have avoided all kinds of dairy and cheese. I do however eat a salad 3x a week that has yogurt as a dressing. I have also avoided bread. During breakfast, I eat oatmeal + chia seeds + a bit og granola for texture. For lunch and dinner, I try to eat a balance meal, sometimes I eat fried chicken. I have not eaten a burger sandwich for more than a year but I give in when craving for desserts seldomly. I love eating snack bars such as NuGo Dark and Oatmega.
I have consulted a doctor and she has advised me to use hypo allergenic products for shampoo, conditioner and soap. I use Seba Med for shampoo and conditioner and body soap and Cetaphil as my face, neck and shoulders soap.I have also avoided using perfume and heavy fabric conditioners.
I sleep mostly 6 hours a day, longer on weekends. I have stopped drinking and eating out as I am controlling my diet.
Your comments are greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much! 🙂
Hi Anjelica!
I’m wondering if this may be a hormonal imbalance. When did you start noticing the acne? Can you think of any lifestyle changes that may have triggered it? 🙂
Hi all
I have suffered severe acne since high school and well into my adult years combined with a never ending battle with my weight and I sweat profusely in my face. It drives me insane!! Summer time is always the worst time for me and these pesky spots. I have been put on the pill and used ruoccutane for a year before my acne cleared up. I hated every minute of the treatment as the med’s made me moody and very aggressive. I was clear for three years and then my acne resurfaced. I had to go back on the ruoccutane and not only is it very pricey but I knew what was laying ahead of me … I was on it for six months before it cleared. My Dr told me it was hormonal and I will continue getting it .. which has now happened after seven blissful years of only having a spot now and then at the age of 36. I refuse to go back on ruoccutane. I am hoping to get some relieve by turning to natural remedies. I know treatment from the outside alone will not cut it so I am watching what I eat and drink. I have lost allot of weight and now that I have a bit more body confidence I am stuck with bad skin. Murphy must have it in for me huh? lol!! But I am trying to remain positive and looking for something that will bring some relieve!!
Just wanted to share my story and if any of you have any hints or tips please leave a comment. I am beyond desperate to clear my skin up and hopefully all of you that suffers from acne will see that you are not alone and maybe we can support each other and take it step by step each day. Have a awesome day all!!
Hi Marinda!
Can you tell me a bit more about your lifestyle? Exercise routine, beauty routine, diet, sleep, etc? 🙂
I have been using Dermalmd Acne Serum for years now. It is hydrating while also fighting acne. I have not ever found it to be drying. (I have normal to oily skin.) I am an adult and have been fighting blemishes for years, and dermalmd serum is the best I have found after trying many alternatives. Plus, it is extremely affordable. Highly recommend.
Hi Briana!
I tried looking into the product but couldn’t find an ingredient list 🙁
Dermatologists consider topical retinoids (medications that contain vitamin A derivatives) the recommended therapy for hormonal acne. Dr. Steinman told me to use topical retinoids (like Citrus Clear products) as the preferred therapy for overall long-term prevention of new acne.
Thanks for your input Britney!
Do you know how can we treat Candida? I think that I have had that problem for long time, but the doctors haven’t helped me. I have acne and some like tinea or ringworm
Hai…i have acne from jan on my cheeks now it spread to my forehead jawline…i consulted many dermatologists nd using medicines creams supplements but no use…everyday its increasing..i have had harmonal imbalances in april may and june but now having regular periods but my face has worsened with black marks,pimples…im scared to see my face in mirror…can u help me with this??please??..i drink water…i walk for 30 mins..im overweight..i sleep 8 hrs..my food include all i love dairy products…my body generates more heat everytime so i drink buttermilk and coconut water more but my boils on face are not coming down…im stressed now for my face 🙁 im using acne ointments n lotions now given by doc
Im even having burning and itching sensation and there are black marks dots and pimples likes boils….i tried allopathy homeopathy but no change…this problem started from jan…first the pimples and acnewas on cheeks,then jaw line,then it spread to forehead,now on chest…its spreading….i used antibiotics and harmonal imbalance treatment from gynic in may june july but the acne didnt cure…my cycle got regularized though….im not knowing the problem root cause…watever im using its showing adverse effects
Hi Janvi!
Was your diagnosis from the dermatologist acne? I just want to make sure because itching isn’t typically a symptom of acne. Please let me know! 🙂
Hai
No the acne was because harmonal imbalance then i met gynic used medications but the acne didnt come down so i met dermatologists then thry treated me then my acne increased because of their drugs….it didnt suit my oily skin…Now my face became dangerous….its spreading…because of the drugs Itching burning sensation on my skin now
please see a functional health doctor I have the same experience its your food. I saw a nutritionist
now I know what my problem is if I eat foods that I am sensitive to I beak out
I have hormonal acne around my mouth and chin, and since using the Citrus Clear products it has improved considerably. I still get the odd pimple, but not deep cystic ones like I would before, meaning they heal quicker. My skin looks smoother and more even now, with less red and dry patches that were caused by the acne. The Citrus Clear Sensitive Moisturizer is not too greasy, like the majority of creams are on my oily combination skin.
Good to know freshgg! I’m happy to hear it’s working out for you 😀
Hello,
I have always had a bit of acne after going off the pill, years ago. Recently, I have gone through some majors stresses and have had to “learn” to sleep again. There were months where I was not sleeping. I have gone to see my GP and identified me as having “stress” (my father has suffered the same). I wanted to not take medication so I am dealing with the stress by learning to meditate, practice mindfulness and proactively stop myself if I am feeling overwhelmed. I was training to run a marathon and had run a couple of 1/2 marathons. While doing so, this is when a few stressful events happened in my life (not to me but around me). This also coincided when I stopped sleeping. I have decided to stop running and now actively walk a bit (30 mins). I wanted to “fix” or work on all the mental issues before I worried about the external. After stopping running, (and feeling sorry for myself) our diet in the house suffered, we were 3 years vegetarian and clean eaters. We started to worry about meals and included chicken and fish …and over the summer just ate anything. This will be clean up shortly (family all on board). What I wanted to understand was for someone like me, what is the best way to help clear up my acne? Any other suggestions for my age? (PS I take a multi-vitamin and am looking at adding a pro-biotic)
Hi Melissa!
Can you tell me more about why you can’t sleep? I don’t need specific details, but are you experiencing an overactive mind while trying to fall asleep? Do you fall asleep, but wake up often? For stress, I find that taking magnesium works really nicely especially a brand called Natural Calm. I drink it about 1-2 hours before I want to go to sleep and it really helps relax and de-stress my mind and body. As for the acne, it really sounds like it’s caused by stress. How are your hormones? Do you feel like there may be an imbalance? Is your digestion working optimally? Even if acne is stress related, there could be other underlying causes as well.
Talk soon! <3 🙂
Hello! I have been looking into natural ways to deal with my hormonal acne. I recently got off of birth control and have started to break out around my cheeks. Its not too bad but it sucks from having clear skin to a blemished face, mostly pus filled acne and none that are cystic. I also haven’t gotten my period since i’ve gotten off the pill. It’s been around 3 months. I am currently taking berberine, zinc, and magnesium as supplements. Also drinking a litre of mint infused water. I wanted to make sure that I was taking the correct supplements and if there were any other supplements that I should incorporate into my diet. I’ve read a ton about different supplements but I’m not sure if I will over do it if I take too many.
Hi Susan!
It sounds like your supplements are just fine but what you may want to look into is seed cycling to balance hormonal acne. Doing this will help kick start your body into balancing and producing the right hormones for a healthy cycle and balanced skin. Right now, your body is trying to figure out what’s happening. Using seeds is a gentle way to get things back into balance 🙂 Keep in mind though that it can take time!
I have dealt with acne since I was 14 and it is just the worst feeling. I went through many acne gels, creams, and 2 rounds of Accutane. I really regret taking Accutane because it messed with me emotionally and it really took over my emotions. I took Accutane 3 years ago, and by the time I was done with it, I was left with a full face full of redness and scarring. I was devastated, so upset to the point I hated looking at myself in the mirror. I then decided to be strong and fight this through, and began my journey in researching and finding factors which involved diet and lifestyle. Whenever I would visit my doctor, she would always tell me acne does not come from what we eat. Now that statement blew me off because it makes sense to say food is a big factor to trigger acne, considering it goes into our body. As I developed a good hand of research on acne, I found diet plays a big role so the first thing I do is cut out any sugary foods including drinks and processed food. My diet then consisted of fruits and vegetables, chicken and whole grain foods (mostly a lot of fruits and vegetables). Its funny, because I was not aware of organic vs. GMO’s so I’ve always thought the food I was buying was fresh and healthy. Even though I was consuming non organic fruits and vegetables, I was still seeing good results to my overall skin and mood. I then started to make a lot of at home masks using key ingredients such as lemon, honey, baking soda, orange peel, apple cider and many more remedies.
Now, throughout 2015-2016, I decided to go vegan which is very difficult because I live in a urban environment, so it is rare to find farmers markets that carry clean, organic fruits and vegetables. Just like you, I started to break out and nothing was going well. I was very stressed, negative, sad about the way things were going and I just wanted everything to be perfect. I have a freshly squeezed juice which consists of 1 apple, 1 beet, 1 orange, 1 grapefruit, 3 kiwi’s, 4-5 carrots, and a piece of ginger. Around the afternoon, I have my super green smoothie which consists of a full lemon, half a ginger, handful of spinach and kale, half a cucumber and 1-2 stalks of celery. I also drink lemon water throughout the day, have almonds, and sunflower seeds, take my vitamins such as zinc, omega 3, maca root, chorella, saw palmetto, burdock root, milk thirsle, turmeric, oregano, magnesium and calcium, and proboitics. I eat a lot of berries and drink 1-3 cups of green tea, couple of cups of peppermint tea, dandelion root, chamomile, lemon tea and pms control herbal teas. I also workout and try to ease my mind but reading your article I realize I stress a lot and do have many negative emotions. I think its from Accutane because I was always positive. I am just fed up at this point because whatever I eat or do, I still end up with breakouts. Not to say my face is bad at this point; I have breakouts on the side of my cheek (near my sideburns), recently I started to get a few on my forehead, areas around my cheek located near my jawline and chin area. I don’t know why I constantly get them there— I change my pillow case after 3 days and I wash my face 2-3 times a day. My skincare routine has always moved around; currently I am using oatmeal as my cleanser in the daytime, then icing my face, then apple cider as my toner and this light aloe vera gel for my moisturizer. I also purchased the beauty bloom cleanser and wash my face with that before I go to the gym. In the afternoon, I always put on a mask and relax myself with a cup of tea and some breathing exercises. My masks is always homemade and made from fresh simple ingredients. At night, I wash my face with this regimen which consist of sea salt, baking soda and baking powder, ice my face, apple cider as toner, lemon juice all over my face, then my aloe vera moisturizer, and a light layer of olive oil along with tea tree oil on infected areas.
I just don’t know what to do anymore, but I am not ready to give up. I was hoping I can hear back from you and you can help me get to the bottom of this. I would love to hear a detailed version of everything you had to do to get clear skin and what you skin care is and your meal schedule. I need help in trying to create a strict diet plan and I was wondering if you can help me with that. Maybe help me come up with a schedule and just a few advice and tips on what I can do to achieve clearer skin. I really hope you reply back to my email, I just really hope you can help me.
Hi Sara!
How old are you now? What type of skin do you have (oily, dry combo)? Does your blood sugar fluctuate during the day? How long have you been taking the herbs? 🙂
i m suffering from acne , whiteheads and pimples from last 4 years. now i m 19 yrs. old n still facing the same problem. my skin is oily and i have sweating problm.
Hi nevedita!
Can you tell me more about your diet, lifestyle, and current skincare routine? 🙂
Hi, great post! I have been struggling with acne for about 5 years now. After trying endless amounts of over the counter products, herbal teas, holistic approaches, even a caveman regimen a popular youtuber promoted. I finally sought help from my dermatologist who prescribed doxycycline and retin-A (which helped a lot). I was acne free during the period I was on that medication. However, I hate the idea of consuming meds that I decided to just stop and try to find an alternative. Since December of 2015 I have been using the http://www.acne.org products and it has cleared about 95% of my face. I wonder why I always have like 3 or 4 pimples on my face (varies where they come out). Perhaps it has to do with my diet but when I consulted with my dermatologist (who I no longer see) he claimed diet has nothing to do with it. I know my acne is hormonal and it just really frustrates me because I wish I could find something that works. Have you ever tried the acne.org products?
Hi Erika!
Diet definitely has A LOT to do with acne. In fact, most people clear right up after finding out what their trigger foods are. Since your acne is nearly 100% gone, I would suggest trying to eat one whole raw carrot a day. So many men and women have found this to be the last puzzle piece for clear skin. I highly recommend you give it a try 🙂
I have not tried any of the acne.org products myself, but I know of others who have had a lot of success using them.
Hi! Like your post alot! And i know its a bit old but I hope you can answer my questions here anyway!:)
To make it short. I start breaking out two years ago and i have literally tried everything. I became vegan, ate only rawfood, cutted out all sugar, diary and flour, but the raw food did not work good for me so now I eat organic meat, lots of greens, no sugar, no diary and no gluten. Its alit better then it used to be. One period of time I had severe acne around my chins and jawline. At that time I used harsh cleansers that was drying my skin out. After a couple of months I got sick of it and started cleansing and moisturizing my skin with manuka honey and this helped alot!!! But it wasnt until I started with fish oil that my skin improved! since then i have better skin but i always have one or two pimples around tha jawline or lower chin. I don’t really know what to do further. I have high dhea so i dont really know what I should do to lower it!
Im pretty obsessed about my acne! And Im not the confident girl i once was, always thinking about how my skin looks since my skin got a bit uneven after my severe acne. Im starting to think about getting on the pill or taking antibiotics, even though its against all that i belive in 🙁 please give me some information if you can, i feel so lonely in this.
Hi Maria!
It sounds like you are on the right track! Have you ever tried adding one whole raw carrot to your diet daily? It’s amazing for helping your body eliminate toxins and balance out your hormones. May I also ask what you use for skincare? it took me a really long time to find what worked for my skin, but once I did it cleared up in just a few months!
Hi Tash – Do you eat a raw carrot every day? When I have done this in the past I have had terrible bloating – to the point where my stomach was really painful for hours. Perhaps I will try juicing carrots.
I also want to query the point re oil production indicating hormone issues. When I was younger my skin used to expel massive amounts of oil, however it is now excessively dry and I still suffer from acne. I am 40!! It has to be hormonal acne as I have the cleanest lifestyle of anyone I know!
I would also warn people off peels and even long term use of retinoid creams. I did this and now my skin is extremely fragile – I think the protective barrier has been damaged. I am vegan, exercise an hour a day and do yoga, so I am not stressed. Still the acne persists. It’s so disheartening.
Hi Michelle!
I do eat a raw carrot everyday and was especially diligent two months before my wedding. My skin was completely clear on my wedding day! I highly recommend reading my post on the topic here. I’m not sure how effective juicing the carrots will be, but if you leave the juice unstrained you may still get some benefits.
Hormonal acne is the main issue for about 90% of clients I work with and can be tricky to pin down what is causing the imbalance. However, most women have notice a huge difference just by eating a raw carrot a day. Let us know how the juiced carrot works out for you 🙂
Just wanted to let you know to be cautious with the b complex supplement. Vitamin b6 can become toxic in the body through synthetic supplements. I have nerve damage all over my body. I took high doses of b6 for a short time which raised the blood levels to high levels. I’m in a b6 toxicity facebook group and others became b6 toxic from lower doses in a prenatal, multivitamin, or b complex. Some from energy drinks. Just trying to educate others so it doesn’t keep happening to people trying to improve their health by taking a seemingly harmless vitamin. I’m also trying to get my hormonal acne under control. The b6 toxicity has messed up my hormones and caused months of stress.
Thank you Jessica for your valuable insight! 🙂
I just got off my birth control pills yesterday, and this morning woke up with about 4 pimple spots on one area of my chin. I never had acne before bc, and it was a very low dose anyways. Could this small breakout be because my body is now trying to rebalance what the pills unbalanced? I am organic and vegan, so hormones in meats and dairy products are not anything I have to worry about. I’m just hoping that the breakout is just an initial shock to my body, because no one in my family has ever had acne, and at 20 years old the most I’ve ever gotten was a pimple every couple of months ! Ahhh! xx
Hi Marianna!
You’re body will definitely be going through a balancing process. Acne is very common after stopping birth control pills so the best thing you can do is eat one raw carrot a day to help your body process those extra hormones. Best of luck!
thanks for infromation , I’ll bookmark this site
Have been using Citrus Clear for just over a week. I have hormonal cystic acne and I think there is a limit to what any topical treatment can do. That said, Citrus Clear’s Control Wash seems to stop my spots getting worse and it’s very gentle on the skin, unlike some prescribed treatments. I’m pleased with the results and will keep using this, as it is the only thing I have found that does treat my spots but doesn’t make my skin dry and itchy. I would recommend this to anyone with problem acne, and over any topical treatment a doctor would prescribe.
Hiya! This is perhaps a silly question but what should I do specifically for spots caused by my contraceptive implant? I noticed that it was causing spots/pimples on my chest, shoulders, upper arms, neck and face (particularly jaw) a couple of months after the implant was put in (arm). For various reasons I do not want to stop or remove the implant so am hoping you can help! Also chin & upper lip have got a lot hairier, if that’s relevant! Thanx 🙂
El
Hi Eleanor!
I would recommend eating a raw carrot everyday! Sounds crazy and too simple, but it REALLY helps with hormonal acne. Your body is probably adjusting right now so keep eating clean and drink enough water!
Thank you! 🙂 x
Honey remove the implant! I am going to have mine removed – your comment has reminded me that my skin was better before I had it inserted. Perhaps the delayed reaction had me fooled. Also, there are other alternatives that do not involve hormones – pharmaceutical companies don’t give a damn about our health (just my opinion – don’t mean to sound so opinionated! 🙂
Hello, I was curious to know if you could answer a few of my questions? Does hormonal acne only cause pimples, and bumps around the chin/jawline? I recently have had extreme bumps all over my cheeks, and jawline. I am unsure what to relate it to. I eat fruits and vegetables. Never eat meats and recently have cut out dairy of all sorts. I am suffering badly. Its hurting my self esteem to a maximum, and putting me into depression. As before this acne issue has over rulled my face, I already had convidence, and self esteem issues. Always have had acne. Never this horrible before. 23 yrs old
Thank you for your time.
Hi Alicia!
I completely understand how you’re feeling! And to answer your question, no, I don’t believe that hormonal acne only manifests itself on the chin and jawline. This is because hormonal imbalance effects many different detox pathways in our body. One thing that i have discovered is eating raw carrots (seriously this works!!). Eat 1-2 RAW carrots a day. The carrots contain a special fiber that helps the body balance hormones. It’s amazing! Read my article on the topic here: Can You Balance Hormones with Carrots? + a Recipe!
It sounds like your diet is on the right track! Do you get enough sleep? Exercise? Hydration?
I know this is an older article, but I have scoured the internet and this is the best information I’ve found yet! My acne is not severe, but it’s enough to bother me and want to change my lifestyle/diet.
Thanks for all of your resources!
Hi Elise!
It’s good to know that this article is still relevant 😀 Best of luck!
Parasites and food allergies can also be linked to acne. In Las Vegas there’s this place called Herbally Grounded (they also have a website) that formulates their own herbs to help combat those little critters. As far as my hormonal acne was concerned, once I cut out dairy my cystic blemishes vanished!
There’s a lot of research linking acne to dairy- it’s worth a look. Same goes for parasites.
Very good points Natasha! You are absolutely right!
I’ve been suffering from acne since I was 15, I’m 33 now and I still obsess over my acne, I get it mostly on my jaw line, neck and chest and it gets so embarrassing trying to hide it and having to wear high neck shirts all the time. I suffer from extreme anxiety and often have huge anxiety attacks at work which send my temperature sky high and my hormones racing. I’m on Paxil to help with anxiety but this cause excessive night sweats and terrors that make my acne worse…I juice in the morning with kale, chai seeds, orange and lemon and exercise most days. I also take 2 vitamin B complex a day and drink green tea still cant get on top of it!! help
Hi Christine!
In order to help improve your acne you could try methods to soothe your anxiety. Having such high anxiety will force your body to release too much cortisol into your system which is a leading cause of acne. You may want to explore options with your doctor about the medication you use for anxiety because there may be something more suitable for your situation. Once you have the anxiety under control, your skin will have a much better chance to clear.
Best wishes!
Hi, I have been dealing with specifically neck and chest acne for a while now. My face has cleared up a lot thankfully and I hardly get new pimples on my face but I get them now all the time on my neck. It randomly started one day where my neck started breaking out in little white heads out of no where. Then it just continued to get worse and now I still deal with the little red/white heads all over my neck and I also am getting the big cystic ones on my neck. On my chest I get little white heads that come in go. Almost every day I have new one. My neck used to be clear but now I cant seem to get rid of the acne. And once it clears up for little it comes right back. I have no idea whats triggering it but its not getting any better. I dont know how I can tell if its from allergies,food intolerance,hormones,pityrosporum folliculitsm. Please help. Ive tried everything. I just dont understand why it randomly started one day and now it wont stop
Hello again!
Hmmmm, and you haven’t changed your diet significantly or started exercising more than usual? You may want to try mixing 1-3 drops of thyme essential oil in 1 tsp of aloe vera gel and apply it to the neck and chest. Start out with 1 drop of the EO and see how it feels and go up to 3 drops from there if it feels comfortable. Thyme essential oil is reputed to be better than benzoyl peroxide without any of the side effects. Also, try your best not to pick if you can help it or scrub your skin too hard. This will cause it to over-react. You may also want to look into Astaxanthin which is a powerful antioxidant that’s good for stubborn acne. I hope these tips help! 🙂
Bookmarked! Very informative article about treating hormonal acne naturally. I’ll definitely follow all these tips. Thanks for sharing.
I had the same problem as you, because I have suffered hormonal acne and I have tried several different creams to no avail. My skin was really bad – redness, flaky. The best product that keeps it under control for me is the Citrus Clear Sensitive Wash and the citrus Clear moisturizer. Within minutes I felt my skin calming down – my skin felt comfortable.
It has cleared my acne since the past two weeks of using it – I use it morning and night time.
I have battled hormonal acne for years. I’m trying the holistic way before opting out for accutane. I started to take maca (I eat clean, exercise daily) I get it around my chin line and mouth. I started using raw honey masks and sleeping with it. It was getting a little better. Then I came across this post and bought some of the herbal supplements to take to help balance out (I feel like I make too much of either estrogen or progesterone or something AND I’m very stressed I suffered from severe anxiety and depression which I learned stress can cause havoc on hormones so I’ve started to seek help by a counselor and psychologist to help with that) anyways I started to take a few items on the list. Maca. (A few weeks before I came to this post) I added in holy basil, coq10 , chaste berry, rosehip oil. Borage seed oil, evening prime rose, red clover , ashwaganda (although I took primrose before for a little) all these supplement form and also I got a herbal hormonal complex supp that has more stuff on your list (black cohosh, dong quai, Passion flower, red raspberry, fenugreek, licorice, cramp bark, chamomile, saw palmetto, wild yam, butternut , and kelp in the hormonal complex) I drink A LOT of water like a gallon a day. And I drink a homemade super smoothie every morning and am doing lyfe te detox (I’ve used them apt before) basically im doing everything because I want to despartley beat this naturally and not go on accutane. Anyways sorry for the long post but I’ve been on those new herbs that I got based off your list for two days and o have broken on so much more on my jawline and mouth. Like a lot in two days. Is this normal? Is it part of the herbs balancing out my hormones and purging stuff from my body? Freakinf out and don’t know if I just wasted a bunch of money on herbs or if it’s a type of thing where it gets worse before it gets better? I mean it’s only been two days but man there’s been a increase in acne.. Please help me.
Hi Alyce!
It sounds like your body is releasing toxins. This is very common when you begin to take liver, stress, or hormone supportive herbs. What’s happening is your body is now able to get rid of its toxic buildup. Considering the placement or your acne, it really does sound hormonal to me. The best thing you can do now is try your best not to stress about it. Stress will ruin everything you are trying to do to get clear. My advice is to trust your body and allow it to release its hold on depression, anxiety, and stress. The holy basil will do its job but it takes a few weeks with consistent use. I wish you tons and tons of luck! Just remember, one step at a time. Your skin will get clear! Right now your body is trying to figure things out. Be sure to support it with clean foods, getting outside, and being HAPPY. 🙂
Thank you very much for this article! I’m so gonna cry, you help me understand my big problem with acne. I’m really grateful for this helpful & easy-to-understand information.
Bless you for knowing about the connection between acne, androgens, and PCOS! Despite being diagnosed via sonogram and treated by one of the top experts in the country, many of my doctors have never heard of it. I can tell from this that you really know your stuff 🙂 Love your posts!
Thank you Gabriel! =)