Simple Natural Ways to Get Rid Of Pimples Forever

Severe acne breakouts are nothing short of awful, demoralizing and upsetting. Most people will do about anything to get rid of acne as fast as possible.

The dermatologist says it has nothing to do with diet. Since you don’t want to give up what you like anyway, you succumb to ridiculous amounts of antibiotics, even thought you don’t really believe they are the answer. You tell yourself its all hormone related and put up with years of fungal (yeast gone bad) issues… and the outbreaks continue.

I have good news for you!

First, acne is valuable! It’s a check engine light, tipping you off that something has gone wrong under the hood.  By the time acne and inflammation show up on your skin, the underlying causes are already underway in your gut, brain, immune system and numerous other organs and systems. Remember this phrase: “Complexion is a reflection!” It’s a reflection of your overall health. Skin ridden with whiteheads, blackheads and other pimples indicates oxidative damage, poor nutrition and hormonal imbalances.

Second, there are simple natural ways to get rid of pimples forever! Unfortunately, there isn’t a miracle cure pill, but you can correct oxidative damage, poor nutrition and hormonal imbalances with nutrition and lifestyle changes. The benefits go far beyond eliminating acne. The changes also lead to better mood, increased mental clarity and, just maybe, the ability to fit into your skinny jeans. The ones you wore in high school. No, I’m not kidding. I challenge a dermatologist to offer that!

Complexion is a reflection of overall health! Acne is a check engine light. Click To Tweet

Conventional acne treatment doesn’t address the cause

Most people get the type of acne called ‘acne vulgarism’. It is an inflammatory bacterial condition that commonly appears on the skin of your face, neck, shoulders, back and chest. Painful lesions can also occur.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the main precursors of acne include clogged pores, bacteria, excess oil production and dead skin cells. Research also indicates hormones, diet, stress and certain medications — including corticosteroids, androgens, birth control pills and lithium — can worsen acne.

When numerous treatments fail and acne keeps coming back, most doctors label the condition as “chronic.” According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, “What this really means is, the treatments are the wrong ones! The underlying cause of your acne problem has not been addressed.”

Rather than addressing the cause, medical providers are trained to follow the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Guidelines of Care for Acne Vulgaris Management. I reviewed the 2007 guidelines, which are officially a couple years overdue for an update.

At the top of the guidelines, it lists the doctors that participated in the work group and their disclosures. I noticed all but one of the doctors list financial ties to a chemical or pharmaceutical company.

The outlined conventional acne treatment protocol begins with topically applied pharmaceutical drugs. The next option is oral antibiotics, which comes with the warning, “Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is an increasing problem.”

Next come steroids and hormonal agents (including “oral contraceptives”), and Accutane (isotretinoin when generic), a drug so dangerous that it had to be taken off the market. Generic versions of Accutane persist under the names Claravis, Sotret, and Amnesteem.

Accutane (isotretinoin) has been proven to cause birth defects 100% of the time in pregnant women. Also, in 2004, brain scans showed that people taking Accutane suffer a 21 percent decrease in frontal brain activity, the part of the brain that plays a critical role in mood and social interaction. These brain changes may explain the depression, suicidal and aggressive behavior, and psychotic reactions reported by some Accutane users to the FDA.

There are also recommendations for chemical peels and surgical removal.

Last in the list is “IX. DIETARY RESTRICTION”, where it says, “Recommendation – (d) Dietary restriction (either specific foods or food classes) has not been demonstrated to be of benefit in the treatment of acne.”

Perhaps this is stating the obvious, but managing acne, rather than addressing the root cause, means ongoing visits to your dermatologist and the ongoing prescription of pharmaceutical drugs.

Nowhere in the guidelines do they mention a simple elimination diet that anyone can do for free to potentially clear up acne for good in as little as a few weeks.

A diagnosis of chronic acne means the underlying cause has not been addressed. Click To Tweet

Acne can be alleviated for good without drugs

Dr. Mercola points out, “More proof is continuing to emerge that the root cause of acne is not bacteria or genetics, but environmental factors—particularly your diet.” 

Chris Kresser says, “The most important thing to understand about virtually all skin disorders is that, like all other “diseases of civilization”, they are inflammatory in nature. So the key to addressing them is to follow an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle.”

Let’s get right into the strategies you need to bust acne.

The root cause of acne is not bacteria or genetics. It's your diet! Click To Tweet

Avoid sustained high insulin levels from added sugar and grains

Added sugar and refined carbohydrates increase insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Higher IGF-1 levels can lead to an excess of male hormones, like testosterone, which cause pores to secrete sebum, a greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria. IGF-1 also causes skin cells (known as keratinocytes) to multiply, a process associated with acne.

At the same time, fructose induces insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. Fructose plays a role in high insulin even though it is processed in the liver and doesn’t stimulate insulin release directly.

Some foods that cause the highest insulin levels (high on the glycemic index) would include:

• all grains
• added sugars – especially high fructose corn syrup or HFCS
• fruit juices – extremely high in fructose
• cereals
• potatoes
• corn – Corn is actually a grain, not a vegetable
• rice
• pasta
• processed foods
• milk – especially skim
• Some fruit can be high in fructose, so it’s best to limit fruit if you are having acne trouble – See my list of fructose in produce.

A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that young males put on a low glycemic diet for 12 weeks, showed significant improvements in acne and insulin sensitivity.

Loren Cordain, an evolutionary biologist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins told New Scientist that acne is virtually unknown in societies such as the Kitava islanders in Papua New Guinea. “The only foods available to these populations are minimally processed foods,” Cordain points out. “They don’t know refined sugars or refined grains.” The Inuit people of Alaska also used to be acne-free, but pimples arrived along with a Western diet.

The famous Nurse’s Health Study, that examines health habits of 47,000 nurses, found those who drank more milk as teenagers had much higher rates of severe acne than those who had little or no milk as teenagers. However, it wasn’t the fat in milk that caused the problem. It was actually skim milk that resulted in the most acne. In other studies of over 10,000 boys and girls from 9 to 15 years old, there was a direct link between the amount of milk consumed and the severity of acne.

Dr. Mark Hyman points out, “It appears that it is not just the anabolic or sex hormones in milk that causes problem but milk’s ability to stimulate insulin production. It actually may be the lactose or milk sugar in milk that acts more like a soft drink than an egg. Drinking a glass of milk can spike insulin levels 300 percent.”

Dr. Mercola says, “Clinically, following a low-grain diet seems to be consistently effective in my own practice.” And in another article, “We now know that alow-grain or no-grain diet will very likely clear up your skin, permanently!”

The Wellness Repair Diet is low glycemic.

Eliminating added sugar and grains is probably the single most important step that can be taken to improve skin health. Instead, eat plenty of organic chicken, grass-fed beef, free-range eggs and wild caught fish to balance blood sugar.

A no-grain diet will very likely clear up your skin, permanently! Click To Tweet

Eliminate gluten in wheat, rye and barley to repair a leaky gut

This is a separate issue from sustained high insulin that I just discussed.

As detailed in my post called 70 Signs of Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, gluten causes “leaky gut”.

An enzyme produced in the intestinal wall (tTG), breaks down gluten into it’s two protein building blocks , gliadin and glutenin.

Gliadin causes the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that regulates the junctions between the gut and the blood stream.

Zonulin opens up gaps in the normally tight junctures between intestinal cells. This happens in 100% of humans who consume gluten and it happens within minutes. Once these tight junctions open, your gut is considered to be “leaky”.  This is how autoimmune conditions begin.

A leaky gut allows microbes, toxins, undigested food particles and gluten-antibodies to escape from the intestines and travel throughout the body via the bloodstream.

The body senses the unwelcome particles and mounts an autoimmune response. One of the most common symptoms of the gluten induced autoimmune response – is acne.

I have detailed the steps you can use to test for gluten sensitivity in A simple elimination diet to help you identify food sensitivities.

Gluten is also the prime suspect if you have rosacea, a growing problem, especially for Baby Boomers.

Acne is one of the most common signs of gluten intolerance. Click To Tweet

Restore good gut bacteria

Richard Weir says on the Clear Skin Forever website, “This isn’t a new idea. As far back as the 1930s, a pair of dermatologists, John Stokes and Donald Pillsbury, identified a causal connection between impaired gut flora, psychological problems, and acne. They showed that patients suffering from emotional disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression) have altered gastrointestinal flora, which leads to systemic inflammation—which shows up on the skin. It was a remarkable theory. They showed (with clinical results to back it up) that the gut, brain, and skin function together as a single, holistic system.”

The following are just a few of the substances and practices that harm good gut bacteria. You can find a longer and more detailed list in my post called A simple elimination diet to help you identify food sensitivities.

• GMOs and pesticides
• Soy
• NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Naprosyn, etc.)
• Routine use of antibiotics
• Smoking

Dr. Mercola advises on recovering from previous antibiotic use: “If you’ve been given antibiotics, it’s very important to take a probiotic supplement. Antibiotics are indiscriminate killers that wipe out good bacteria in your gut as well as the propioniform bacteria on your face. One common side effect of that is an overgrowth of yeast. If you are a woman, you may experience vaginal yeast infections, but both men and women can develop candida as a result of disrupting the balance of bacteria in your gut. Of course, by reducing your intake of food that bad bacteria and yeast thrive on, i.e. sugars and carbs, you will also help reestablish the proper balance of bacteria in your gut.”

Dr. Josh Axe advises taking 10,000IU to 50,000IU of probiotics, 2x daily. I use Renew Life Ultimate Flora RTS Critical Care Probiotic 50 Billion Supplement, 30 Count.

You can also reestablish a healthy bacterial balance by incorporating naturally fermented/cultured foods into your diet.

And let’s not forget fiber rich foods. The fiber in vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds support cleansing the colon and growth of good gut bacteria that helps eliminate acne.

See my post called 4 Steps to Heal Your Gut and Why This Will Heal Your Body.

Eliminating acne starts with healing the gut. Click To Tweet

Eliminate Pasteurized Dairy

According to Dr. Amy Myers, “Casein is a protein with a very similar molecular structure to gluten and 50% of people who are gluten intolerant are casein intolerant as well.“ Dr. Myers is an autoimmune specialist that treats patients daily. She says, “Dairy causes inflammation in a large percent of the population resulting in digestive issues such as bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea, as well as other symptoms including acne, and a stronger presentation of autistic behaviors. I believe dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods in our modern diet, second only to gluten.”

Chris Kresser says milk can exacerbate an autoimmune response: “If someone has compromised intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut”, it’s more likely that their immune system will respond to potentially allergenic components in milk such as alpha- and beta-casein, casomorphin and butyrophillin.”

There’s another factor that connects milk to acne – iodine. University at Buffalo dermatologist Harvey Arbesman, M.D., is quoted in Medical News Today as saying, “It has been well-established since the 1960s that iodine intake can exacerbate acne.” “Farmers give their cows iodine-fortified feed to prevent infection and they use sanitizing iodine solutions on their cows’ udders and milking equipment. Consequently, there is lot of iodine in dairy products. For that reason, I’ve advised my acne patients for years to decrease their dairy intake.” 

Pasteurized dairy causes inflammation that results in acne. Click To Tweet

Eliminate hydrogenated oils

Dr. Mark Hyman MD says, “Our typical Western diet is full of inflammatory fats – saturated fats, trans fats, too many omega-6, inflammatory, processed vegetable oils like soy and corn oils. These increase IGF-1 and stimulate pimple follicles.”

Fried and fast foods contain a number of ingredients that cause inflammation including hydrogenated oils, chemicals, flavorings and sugar.

Hydrogenated oils cause oily skin and are one of the main causes of acne.  Hydrogenated oils can be found in foods like pizza and in packaged foods that contain soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil.

Hydrogenated oils cause inflammation and are one of the main causes of acne. Click To Tweet

Reduce inflammation with omega-3 Fatty Acids

Dr. Mercola says, “Omega-3 fats help to normalize skin lipids and prevent dehydration in the cells. This keeps skin cells strong and full of moisture, which can help to decrease the appearance of fine lines. Fatty acid deficiency can manifest in a variety of ways, but skin problems such as eczema, thick patches of skin, and cracked heels are common. Plus, omega-3 fats may have an anti-inflammatory effect that can help to calm irritated skin, giving you a clear, smooth complexion.”

The best real-food sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fatty fish, like wild caught salmon or anchovies. I try to have salmon two or three times per week.

If you don’t have fish often enough, Dr. Axe recommends  1000 mg fish oil / cod liver oil daily to support hormone balance and to help reduce inflammation. I use the Vitamin Shoppe – Omega 3 Fish Oil 600 Epa / 240 Dha, 1100 mg, 180 softgels because I find them to offer the best balance of purity and price. If you go to the store, check the label carefully to be sure you don’t accidentally pick up the blend that contains soy.

Omega-3's reduce inflammation and help eliminate acne. Click To Tweet

Get sufficient zinc

Many acne sufferers are deficient in zinc and their acne often improves when they start supplementing it.

Zinc is a trace mineral that plays a fundamental role in gene expression, cell growth and cell replication. It’s especially important for your skin.

Some symptoms of zinc deficiency:

• White spots on your fingernails
• Dry skin
• Hangnails
• Frequent colds
• Hair loss
• Diarrhea
• Low sex drive
• Acne

Eating whole grains and beans doubles your risk for zinc deficiency. These foods contain phytates, which bind up minerals (including zinc) and prevent you from absorbing them.

Vegetarians and vegans are at an even greater risk for zinc deficiency, because the zinc from plant foods is four times more difficult to absorb than zinc from meat.

Zinc most likely promotes healthy skin by carrying vitamin A to your skin and by regulating hormonal balance.

Zinc also facilitates apoptosis, or programmed cell death, which is a natural part of your skin renewing itself. According to Clear Skin Forever, “If apoptosis is delayed, as in the case of zinc deficiency, skin cells stick together instead of dying and sloughing off like they should, which leads to clogged pores. (Interesting fact: isotretinoin, the active ingredient in Accutane, also uses this mechanism of cell apoptosis to treat acne.)”

Good food sources of zinc

• Pastured chicken
• Grass-fed beef and lamb
• Oysters
• Beef liver

There are also zinc in many nuts and seeds, but I suggest meat sources because nuts and seeds contain phytates that bind with minerals. Phytates are not all bad. According to Precision Nutrition, “When phytic acid binds minerals in the gut, it prevents the formation of free radicals, thus making it an antioxidant”. The strategy I use is to often (but not always) space my consumption of nuts and seeds away from meals and other mineral supplementation.

Clear Skin Forever advises, “If you eat plenty of meat, and you don’t eat grains or beans much, then you probably are best not supplementing at all.”

The best types of  zinc supplement, if you do need to supplement, is zinc picolinate. This is the most easily absorbed form – much more so than zinc gluconate or zinc citrate. Your body forms zinc picolinate naturally from the zinc in real food. I don’t take a zinc supplement right now, but linked to the one I would buy if I needed one. I favor the Pure Encapsulations brand because they take great care not to add other ingredients I don’t want.

Aim for between 15 and 30 milligrams of zinc per day in total. The amount you supplement will depend somewhat on your diet. For most people, supplementing about 10mg of zinc per day is ideal. You can also take a 50mg supplement once per week.

Do not take zinc on an empty stomach or you could find yourself feeling quite sick to your stomach. Take zinc halfway through a meal or right after eating to prevent nausea.

More zinc is not better because you’ll risk copper deficiency and copper needs to be in balance with zinc.

Copper is abundant in beef and lamb liver, oysters, shiitake mushrooms, dark chocolate, cashews, squid, and lobster.

Just keep in mind that no supplement or combination of supplement will cure acne by themselves. These are valuable tools that work in the context of a healthy diet and healthy gut.

Many acne sufferers are deficient in zinc. Click To Tweet

Eat vitamin A rich foods

Spinach, carrots and beef liver are high in vitamin A, which supports healthy skin.

If you use a vitamin A supplement, Dr. Hyman advises, “Take 25,000 IU a day. Only do this for three months. Do not do this if you are pregnant.”

Vitamin A supports healthy skin. Click To Tweet

Reduce stress

In 2011, researchers determined, “Experimental studies show that psychological stress stagnates normal small intestinal transit time, encourages overgrowth of bacteria, and compromises the intestinal barrier. SIBO [small intestinal bacterial over growth] is strongly associated with depression and anxiety, while eradication of SIBO improves emotional symptoms. Although the frequency of SIBO in acne vulgaris has not yet been investigated, a recent report indicates that SIBO is 10 times more prevalent in those with acne rosacea vs. healthy controls. Correction of SIBO leads to marked clinical improvement in patients with rosacea.”

A 2003 study found a connection between acne flare-ups and stress from final exams. The researchers determined that subjects who had the most stress during exam periods also had the worst acne outbreaks, suggesting emotional stress from external sources is a significant factor.

Dr. Mercola adds, “Additionally, stress and fatigue can lead to adrenal burnout, where your adrenal glands become depleted. This can worsen your acne as well and perpetuate higher stress levels.” A sign of adrenal burnout is feeling ‘tired but wired’.

How does one deal with stress? The wellness world generally points people to a brain pushup exercise called meditation. The basic procedure is to simply focus on one thing for a period of time; say for 10-20 minutes. Each time your mind wanders, recognize it and go back to focussing on the one thing. Success would be if you catch your mind wandering at least once and return to what you were focussing on.

There are many measurable benefits.

• increases gray matter in the brain to aid emotional control
• improves attention (1, 2, 3, 4)
• improves creativity
• decreases anxiety (1, 2, 3)
• decreases stress (1, 2)
• decreases inflammation at the cellular level (1, 2, 3)
• increases immune function (1, 2)

Psychologists offer some reasonable advice when pointing out that stress is a thought process and doesn’t exist outside of our mind. Very often, the thought process we feel as stress is based on a personal belief that things should be different.

When you feel, “Ugh! There shouldn’t be so much traffic!”, you can learn to catch the beginning of that thought and ask if it’s true that there shouldn’t be traffic. If you live in a big city, and it’s rush hour, then traffic would be normal and expected.  Simply changing the thought to, “It is reasonable to expect traffic” can take the stress feeling out of it.

The feeling of stress is real, but the source is not usually external. The source is a belief that often isn’t true. Dig into the beliefs behind the feeling.

Meditation can be much more than psychology or a physical exercise! God gave us these instructions thousands of years ago.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8 & 9

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4

Stress makes acne worse. Reduce stress by focussing on God. Click To Tweet

Ditch toxic personal care products

Dr. Amy Myers says we are what we apply: “Just as “you are what you eat,” you are what you put on your body. Your skin has a very large surface area making it great for absorption. That’s why certain medications are administered as creams and gels. This also means however, that you can absorb toxic chemicals from beauty and personal care products into your bloodstream where they can wreak havoc on your hormones.”

Dr. Mercola agrees. “What you put on your skin is as important as what you eat. In fact, what you apply topically is readily absorbed through your skin, which is really a semi-permeable membrane through which substances pass directly into your body.”

Dr. Mercola also advises this routine: “You should spend five minutes every day cleansing your face, which removes the impurities that collect on your skin during a typical day and clog up your pores. And ladies, please never sleep in your makeup. It’s also advisable to exfoliate your skin once or twice per week. But do so gently, especially if you are experiencing an outbreak, and never pull or rub your skin aggressively. You should use pure, safe, natural skin care products—preferably organic ones. Apply your skin care products to warm skin, which maximizes absorption.”

I recommend using the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep database to look up your personal care products. According to the EWG, the average American uses approximately 10-15 personal care products with a total of 126 different ingredients daily.

Dr. Myers explains why the ingredients can be related to acne: “Paragons and phthalates, which are found in almost all hair care products, lotions, and skin care items, are estrogen mimickers. That means that though they do not contain actual estrogen, your hormone system believes they are estrogens and acts accordingly. Once again, hormonal imbalances are to blame for blemishes, and other, bigger problems, such as early puberty and reproductive difficulty.”

In my experience, it is difficult for most people to replace all their personal care products at once. I found it easiest to just change one product at a time until there weren’t any more to change. See the products I have come to use here.

You can also make your own! Here are some recipes to try.

Natural Face wash

This is full of probiotics to invigorate your skin, tea tree oil that kills acne causing bacteria, and raw honey to help calm inflammation! It takes about two minutes to make and will give you about a month of washes.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 20 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
• 2 capsules of live probiotics

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together and blend with a hand blender.
2. Pour into a convenient bottle and store in cool place.

Natural Acne Scar Treatment

This mixture will help naturally remove any sign of acne scars.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp raw honey
• 3 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
• 3 drops frankincense essential oil

Directions

1. Wash your face, dry then apply the paste an hour before bed.
2. Right before bed, rinse it off.

Natural Honey Citrus Shampoo

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 5 tbsp raw honey
• 5 drops Lemon essential oil
• 5 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
• Glass bottle with dispenser

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl (not plastic) and mix well
2. Transfer to a container. Mix well before each use

Natural Conditioner

Restore the natural pH of your hair, thus rehydrating.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 10 drops of essential oils. Customize for your hair type
  • For all types of hair – Rosemary or Sage essential oils
  • For oily hair – Lemon, bergamot, or melaleuca (tea tree) essential oils
  • For dry hair or dandruff – lavender, sandalwood or geranium essential oils
• Glass bottle with dispenser

Directions

1. Mix ingredients together in 8oz spray bottle
2. Shake bottle before using and then spray hair
3. Leave in hair for 5 minutes then rinse

What you put on your skin is as important as what you eat. Click To Tweet

Get enough vitamin D

Most people are deficient in vitamin D, yet this nutrient is crucial for controlling infection in your skin and elsewhere.

According to Dr. Mercola, “When you optimize your vitamin D levels you make over 200 antimicrobial peptides (also called host defense peptides). They are an essential component of your innate immune response, and are potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics.”

The best way to get vitamin D is to expose large areas of skin to appropriate amounts of sunshine. Go out in the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM until you just barely begin to turn pink, which indicates you’ve generated an optimal amount of vitamin D for the day.

Learn more about proper sun exposure in my post called How the Sun Helps Prevent Skin Cancer.

If you can’t get enough exposure to UVB, the next best thing is a D3 supplement with regular monitoring of your vitamin D levels with a blood test.

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in eliminating acne. Click To Tweet

Get plenty of restorative sleep

As you sleep, your body is in repair mode. When you don’t get enough, acne becomes more likely, according to Dr. Myers: “The natural cycle of your hormones throughout the day is governed by your circadian rhythm, or 24 hour sleep cycle. Insufficient or poor quality sleep raises your cortisol levels just like stress.” 

Cortisol works on the testosterone pathway, and one of the more common responses to raising cortisol levels is acne.

Dr Myers says to, “Aim for about 8-9 hours of sleep each night. That’s the amount that most people are going to need, but you can find your ideal number by seeing when you wake naturally without an alarm.”

Sleep is also required for good energy and mood.

Sleep reduces cortisol, which helps reduce acne. Click To Tweet

Drink plenty of water

Dr. Mercola advises, “Drink plenty of fresh, pure water every day. Hydrating your body facilitates cell growth and regeneration, elimination of wastes, and sloughing away dead skin cells. Hydration will also improve your skin tone.”

Hydration facilitates cell growth and improves skin tone. Click To Tweet

Exercise

Dr. Mercola: “Getting plenty of high-intensity exercise helps your body flush out toxins, including those in your skin’s pores.”

Exercise helps you flush toxins, including those in your pores. Click To Tweet

Use essential oils to treat acne topically

According to Dr. Josh Axe MD, “In many cases, doctors of functional medicine will prescribe essential oils like tea tree oil and oregano oil in replacement of conventional medications because they’re just as effective and without the adverse side effects.”

Unlike antibiotics, essential oils target harmful bacteria without harming your good gut bacteria, which is the command center of your immune and endocrine systems. Conventional antibiotics are like dropping a nuclear bomb on a city, where essential oils are like sending in special ops.

Here are some essential oils that are especially suited to help with acne.

• Frankincense – This is one of the most powerful essential oils that offers an array of benefits, including reducing inflammation, boosting the immune system and reducing anxiety. It is also well known for its antiseptic and disinfectant properties. Apply topically to fade wrinkles and scars while reducing acne. There are no known side effects, however it is gaining traction as a cancer treatment. From the UK: “University of Leicester researchers discover cancer-killing properties of frankincense in ovarian cancer.” Using the compound AKBA (acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid), the Omani government-funded research has for the first time shown frankincense’s ability to target cancer cells in late-stage cancer patients. Lead researcher Kamla Al-Salmani explained: “After a year of studying the AKBA compound with ovarian cancer cell, we have been able to show it is effective at killing the cancer cells.” Available online here.
• Myrrh – Another famous essential oil, myrrh is known for being anti fungal and anti bacterial. Myrrh is often applied topically as a moisturizer. It’s also an antioxidant with research emerging that cites strong anti-cancer properties. Available online here.
• Tea Tree – Dr. Axe says, apply to blemishes morning and night.  Tea tree oil has antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties. It can be applied to any kind of skin condition including acne, bacterial infections, cold sores, chickenpox, insect bites, sunburns, boils and sores. One study found tea tree oil to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide, but without the associated negative side effects that many people experience including red, dried and peeling skin. Available online here.
• Holy basil and sweet basil oil – The International Journal of Cosmetic Sciences found these oils to fight acne caused by bacteria. Available online here.
• Oregano oil – This oil is proving to be superior to some antibiotics, without the harmful side effects. Dr. Axe says, “Oil of oregano contains two powerful compounds of carvacrol and thymol that have powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.” It is also anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. Available online here.

When first trying an essential oil, be sure to test with a small amount first. If it burns, you can mix it with a ‘carrier oil’ to make it absorb more slowly. That should take the burning away. Coconut oil makes a great carrier oil.

Essential oils like tea tree oil and oregano oil can replace drugs for treating acne! Click To Tweet

Why are teens more susceptible to acne?

This is less and less true as adults are now experiencing outbreaks into their twenties, thirties and forties. Still, there are a variety of factors that make teens especially likely to have acne breakouts.

Topping the list – hormones! Teenage boys and girls start producing more testosterone than ever during puberty. Excess testosterone means more secretion of sebum (the greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria). Testosterone production gradually decreases shortly after teenage years. It is important to point out that the excess testosterone may be common among teens, but that doesn’t mean it’s normal. Nutrition is a huge influence.

As teens begin to make more of their own food choices, vegetable consumption often wanes in favor of junk foods that cause inflammation and a high glycemic load (which increases IGF-1, which can cause excess testosterone, which spells Trouble with a capital “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for… wait.  Where was I? Oh yes… we were on our way to sebum and acne).

Testosterone isn’t the only hormone at play. Boys and girls are bombarded with phytoestrogens (plant-produced estrogens like soy) and endocrine disrupting chemicals that leech from plastic food containers. Estrogen is also produced and stored in fat tissue. Dr, Mercola says, “Girls carrying excess body fat have more estrogen and leptin, which can lead to insulin resistance and the development of more fat tissue, which produces even more estrogen. It sets up a cycle that can result in premature puberty and acne.” 

Fortunately, the hormone chaos and subsequent acne can be tamed naturally through nutrition and lifestyle.

Teens can reduce hormone chaos and eliminate acne with simple lifestyle adjustments. Click To Tweet

Summary

• Conventional acne treatment doesn’t address the cause and harms your body’s natural ability to fight acne. Acne can be busted for good with diet and lifestyle changes.
• Avoid high insulin that leads to the secretion of sebum, a greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria. Eliminate added sugar and refined carbohydrates.
• Eliminate gluten, pasteurized dairy and other causes of leaky gut and inflammation. Instead, work on repairing your gut and reducing inflammation. The Wellness Repair Diet is free and designed for this.
• Get plenty of vitamin D, vitamin A, zinc, omega-3s, sleep, water and exercise.
• Reduce stress
• Replace toxic personal care products with natural and healthy alternatives.
• Replace conventional topical drugs with essential oils.

Download my free checklists and get started!

I have created a free Day 1 Checklist for Wellness Repair that will tell you exactly what to do within the first 24 hours to begin getting rid of acne. It assumes you have not been to the grocery store or purchased anything. You can begin immediately. I will also send you a free Elimination Diet Checklist that will guide you through how to eliminate the foods and toxins that result in acne.

Thanks for reading and remember, “Complexion is a reflection!”

Jeff

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Additional Resources

Dr. Joseph Mercola on healing acne

 

Dr. Marc Hyman – 10 Simple Strategies to Eliminate Acne

20 Scientific Reasons to Start Meditating Today – Emma M. Seppälä Ph.D.