4 Easy Steps to Improve Acne
Acne vulgaris is common as is cystic acne and can be very frustrating, especially when it shows up after your teen years! First of all, it is not your fault you have acne. Acne is a consider a chronic condition we manage. There is often a large genetic predisposition to having acne or not and this is not your fault. There are a few things however to consider if you have acne.
The oral birth control pill is often prescribed to young women who suffer from cystic acne as estrogen is very good at improving skin health specifically acne…. at first (1). The problem with birth control pills is the results are only temporary as the root cause of why there is acne in the first place is not discussed. Taking synthetic estrogen long term can cause your skin to end up producing MORE sebum (the oil in your skin) as a rebound effect that can lead to more acne, for example when you decide to come off the pill. This leaves you with the same, if not, worse acne condition then before you started taking the pill. Although sometimes you may need a quick fix in the moment for your skin as acne can be a big confidence factor. In the long run, getting to the root of your acne is important to understand. Is it genetic? Is it hormonal? Is it fungal? Do you have PCOS? Is your diet a contributing factor? Do you have digestive issues? What does your make up and skin care routine look like? What products are you using? How about pollution? Stress?
Here are 4 easy steps to potentially help with your acne:
1) Try removing cow’s dairy from your diet. Cow’s dairy is pro-inflammatory and insulinogenic causing more acne especially cystic (4). Often people with acne prone skin see improvement in the frequency and severity of acne when removing cow’s dairy from their diet. Try an 8 weeks trial off cow’s dairy and see what happens to your skin. Goat and sheep dairy is Ok to continue to eat as they contain a different type of casein. See my post on Acne -does diet really matter? Also, calcium rich foods are important so remember to eat some everyday!
2) Consider supplementing with zinc. Zinc is a powerful mineral to fight acne as it is anti-androgenic, improves skin healing, and may help with the bacteria on your skin, which can cause acne such as Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) (2). Zinc is very affordable and really a go-to supplement for treating mild-moderate acne. Always take zinc immediately following a meal to avoid nausea. Talk to your ND about your optimal dose and if zinc is right for you.
3) Try a face masque with bentonite clay and/or salicylic acid in it. The problem with face cleanser with salicylic acid (SA) in them is they really don’t stay on the skin long enough for the SA to really do much. Salicylic acid helps your skin cells turn over and removes dead skin cell decreasing the production of pimples on the skin (3). As SA exfoliates the skin, bacteria and the oils on your skin don’t layer up trapping dirt and causing pimples. A face masque with SA and bentonite clay, which is also purifying to the skin, helps clean the skin of impurities as well as provide a good dose of SA that sits on the skin’s surface for a short period of time to target those acne blemishes also known as comedomes.
Glycolic acid and niacinamide are also good at this exfoliating process, just don’t go overboard and strip your skin’s natural oils as this can lead to irritation and dryness. Azelaic acid (20% cream or 15% gel) is another good option for women of childbearing age and desire to become pregnant as it is considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a first line therapy for acne in place of retinols (vitamin A analogues) (4).
4) Girl, wash your face. At the end of the day, it’s important to wash your face with a gentle soap or gentle cleanser(4). This sounds simple enough but a lot of people miss this step! It is very helpful to remove dirt, old skin cells, pollutants, your daily sunscreen, makeup etc. from your skin at the end of the day as to not clog your pores and remove acne-provoking bacteria. Hot water can damage the skin cell barrier layer, especially the thinner skin around your eyes, so use warm tap water instead. Some people with acne think if they wash their face more, this will help to not have as many pimples, but the skin also produces it’s only healing oils and over cleansing or washing it especially with a cleanser that has a lot of alcohol in it or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) can lead to more irritation and over drying. Twice daily cleansing max or try double cleansing where you use a cream or oil-based cleanser first followed by your regular SA or other gentle cleanser. once daily or before bed.
TIP: change your towels and your pillow case OFTEN to reduce the amount of bacteria and dirt that can build up and lead to more acne on the face!
Try these simple steps and see how it goes!
If you need more help and want a “whole picture” approach to your acne, talk to your local ND or book an appointment today.
Professional microneedling with SkinPen is now available by Dr. Emily Munn and is an excellent cost-effective, FDA and Health Canada -approved treatment for acne scarring with little to no downtime. Call the clinic for more details or book your medical-grade microneedling session online.
References:
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2923944/
2 )https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29193602/
3) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1535287/