What's causing your acne?

Acne, by definition, is inflammation from the oil from the sebaceous glands in our skin interacting with the bacteria on our skin.  We can keep the bacteria on our skin at bay by using appropriate cleansers, avoiding foods that create more inflammation and by taking supplements that can balance hormones and reduce the amount of oil we produce.

However, the oil we produce in our skin can be affected by many different factors-from genetics, hormones (namely androgens), what we put on our skin, how we clean our skin and what we eat.

Though we cannot control our genetics, we can affect the degree of inflammation in our body and on our skin by keeping inflammation as low as possible.

Certain foods can cause a much higher level of inflammation in the body, leaving our skin much more prone to react to bacteria.  The higher the inflammatory response or more irritated the immune system is due to frequent exposure or volume of such foods, the worse the acne. 

Food sensitivity testing can be used to identify the foods that cause a high inflammatory response in your body and in your skin.  This involves getting a blood sample from the patient which is then sent to a lab where they measure the level of inflammation noted when your blood interacts with each different food. 

Once food sensitivities are identified and avoided, inflammation in the body decreases and so does the acne.  My patients are often surprised at how quickly their skin responds to dietary changes-along with other health benefits of avoiding highly sensitive foods like improved digestion, better energy and weight loss.

Hormones and hormonal imbalance is the other common factor affecting oil production in the skin, and hence, acne.  Elevated levels of testosterone (especially relative to estrogen levels) is what causes excessive oil production and acne.  This is especially common in women who experience irregular periods, unusual hair growth on their faces and body, and sometimes difficulty keeping weight off-despite regular exercise and a clean diet.  These women may also have had difficulty getting pregnant or been told they have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and that birth control pills are the only way to “regulate their periods.”  

If this is you or someone you know, make an appointment with me to get your hormones tested.  Once the hormonal imbalance(s) is/are identified, I construct a comprehensive treatment plan offering dietary do’s and don’ts, specific supplements to expedite hormone re-balancing, adjust contributing lifestyle factors and offer other potential treatments to help you balance your hormones, intestinal inflammation and your acne.

Acne is a sign that something is awry with your health.  Seek out solutions to understand what it is that is causing your acne-whether dietary, hormonal or otherwise so you can feel beautiful from the inside out.  Your skin will thank you for it.