Natural Remedies for Acne: Herbs, Diet, Skincare Supplements, Naturopathic Approach

Acne unfortunately is not just something that most of us have to deal with exclusively during our wonderful puberty and teenage years. In fact, many of my patients are actually adults, and some don't even start getting acne until their 30s. Additionally, for some women, acne doesn’t even start until the later years of menopause. Bottom line: acne knows no generational bounds and can be caused by a myriad of factors that may or may not have to do with age or hormones. 

So let’s take a closer look at acne and what causes it, what it means for your health, and perhaps most importantly, what you can do to mitigate or reduce it. 

What Causes Acne?

As a naturopath, I work with many women who struggle with hormonal issues. And there's no doubt that hormones are primary drivers of acne. The main hormones of concern are androgens. Androgens are our male hormones that, when imbalanced, can cause breakouts—among other things. Whether male or female, we all have some level of testosterone, also known as the “male hormone.” When dihydrotestosterone (a very potent form of testosterone) and DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) are imbalanced, they can boost what is called sebum, or oil production. This excess of oil subsequently feeds bacteria and leads to more acne breakouts, specifically deep cystic acne. 

Another cause of acne is stress. Generally speaking, stress is any mental, physical or emotional strain that can come from demanding circumstances. But chemically speaking, there is so much more to stress than that. Simply stated, when we experience stress or anxiety, the adrenal glands go into overdrive producing cortisol, or the stress hormone, which can lead to inflammation. And acne is a very common inflammatory response by the body. Additionally, stress can cause the androgens, specifically DHEA, to become imbalanced once again, causing unwanted breakouts.

What we put into our bodies and how we treat them is yet another factor that can affect the skin and cause acne. Poor lifestyle and diet behaviors (often associated with the aforementioned stress) can also increase breakouts. This includes diets rich in highly refined carbohydrates as well as diets high in sugars. Furthermore, dairy and alcohol have also been associated with acne. This is because they can cause inflammation and interfere with detoxification, leading to acne. And whether it’s refined carbohydrates, sugars, dairy, or alcohol, these all have an impact on blood sugar levels and insulin. When insulin levels increase, you can experience what is called an insulin-like growth factor, and this can play a huge role in the formation of acne. 

Another big player in the cause of acne is gut health, primarily because the bacteria in our gut also impacts the bacteria on our skin. Particular species of bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes (huh!  I wonder where that name came from) to eat the sebum and then mount an immune response (inflammation and eventual acne) as a result. Unwanted bacteria can be reduced by supporting your body’s proper balance of the beneficial bacteria. 

The final common cause of acne is detoxification, specifically liver detoxification. Allow me to illustrate with a real-life scenario. If you are someone who likes to indulge in a lot of alcohol for example, the liver is naturally going to be working a lot harder to detoxify that alcohol, rather than doing it’s normal, everyday job. On a regular basis, the liver basically processes our hormones. So if instead it’s working on other processes like detoxifying large amounts of alcohol, it will then not be able to focus as much on processing hormones and will have to go into overdrive to compensate, causing potential acne breakouts. The same thing can happen with some medications that get processed by the liver, causing the liver to go into overdrive. 

A Naturopathic Approach to Acne

So what can you do to help the body heal itself and reduce acne breakouts? And how can a naturopath help? We will discuss some concrete things you can do below. 

But first, if you are reading this, it’s likely that you have already tried at least something to help your breakouts, whether it’s antibiotics, topical treatments, or even more aggressive approaches like accutane or spironolactone. But a naturopathic approach is a little different. A naturopath approaches all conditions by first identifying the cause. As mentioned before, there are many different causes of acne. And one of the ways that we can identify exactly what is going on is by doing additional testing. Once a cause is identified, a naturopath might then recommend or prescribe different herbs, supplements, or even a specific diet to help alleviate the identified condition.

Acne Herbs

When it comes to herbs or herb categories that I might include in a patient’s acne care plan, I like to first include hormonal support. For example, some of my patients who struggle with acne breakouts are also dealing with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), so using herbs that have anti-androgen like properties can be quite useful. Some of those specific herbs include saw palmetto, nettle root, and pygeum, as well as some female-balancing specific herbs like vitex and black cohosh. 

Another herbal approach to acne that I sometimes take is from an antibacterial or antifungal perspective. As I have said, acne can be caused by bacterial imbalances in the body. But it can also flare up due to yeast imbalances. That being said, one of my favorite antibacterial antifungal herbs for skin would be berberine, which helps balance gut flora. Additionally, it also has blood sugar balancing and insulin balancing properties—both imbalances can cause acne breakouts.

The final herb categories that are helpful for an acne-fighting protocol include liver-supportive detoxification herbs such as yellow duck, burdock, and milk thistle and anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric.  The active component of turmeric is curcumin.  I prefer the meriva form of curcumin for maximum absorbability. 

But with any patient, it is important that I prescribe herbs based on their lab results. 

Acne Supplements

Some of my more used acne-supportive supplements and nutrients often begin with Vitamins A, C, E, and D. Vitamin D is so vital to the immune system, but it is also important for what is called barrier function. The skin is one of the body’s greatest barriers, and acne can cause barrier destruction, so adding Vitamin D can help reinforce that barrier. 

Zinc is another very supportive supplement. It naturally benefits collagen and skin and is also very important for the immune system. Additionally, zinc helps block androgens, an imbalance of which we know can cause acne in the first place. 

Other supplemental favorites of mine include the following:

All of my recommended supplements for acne can be accessed through my online dispensary FullScript by clicking here.

To purchase physician-grade supplements, click here to create an account or login to access my online supplements shop and purchase them directly.

Acne Diet

Regardless of the cause of acne, diet always has a part to play. I usually like to start by having my patients eliminate or dramatically reduce refined sugars, carbohydrates, dairy, and alcohol from their diet. Additionally, some of my patients definitely respond well to a well-balanced vegan diet, and I believe this is partially due to the fact that dairy is automatically eliminated in a vegan diet. Plus, a lot of animal products in general can increase insulin-like growth factor due to their high methionine content (one of our amino acids). And as a result, following a vegan diet has been shown to really improve skin in some patients. 

I also consider patients and their possible food intolerances. For example, some patients find that eliminating corn has helped their skin improve. I’ve also seen some patients—seemingly the majority of my acne patients—definitely benefit from eliminating gluten from their diets in order to help address their acne. 

When it comes down to it, there is no one-size-fits-all for addressing acne with diet. Whether it’s a vegan approach, a gluten-free approach, or a more tailored elimination diet, I like addressing my patients’ acne from a diet perspective because what we ingest has so very much to do with how our bodies function on a day-to-day basis. 

Skincare for Acne

As a naturopath when I'm approaching acne, you might be surprised to learn that I actually tend to be less concerned about skincare in general. It’s just not my primary focus, though I will definitely point out anything that is very glaring or that I think would be either contraindicated or would make acne worse.

That being said, when it comes to skincare, I believe that less is more. I have seen time and time again patients over washing, which can actually kick up oil production and subsequently exacerbate acne even more. Washing 1–2 times per day is plenty. Additionally, I recommend that patients avoid harsh cleansers. The human skin functions better when kept at a lower pH, which is to say more acidic. This is why washing your face with just water is generally not recommended. Whatever you use to wash your face, please make sure it’s gentle and pH balanced. 

Your skincare routine may also include topicals or spot treatments. If it does, please only use these when skin is particularly aggravated and apply only to the aggravated site. A few of my favorites for topicals include azalea acid, niacinamide, and zinc treatments. 

And if you tend to be a regular exfoliator, you may want to pull in the reins a little. Exfoliation in and of itself is not bad. In fact, it is actually really important, but a little goes a long way. Like over washing your skin, over exfoliating can backfire. I recommend exfoliating 1–2 times per week with more of a gentle preparation like salicylic acid. This is especially important early on in your acne treatment. 

And during that early phase, you may want to also eliminate or minimize your makeup when possible. This allows the skin to “breathe.” But if you must wear makeup, do not use expired makeup or sunscreen. And try to avoid touching your face when you can. 

My final piece of skincare advice is all about moisturizing. Though it may seem counterintuitive, moisturizing your skin is essential. By far the moisturizer that I have seen the best results with is Shikai Borage Therapy lotion, which is actually a full-body moisturizer that most of my patients have responded very well to. But in general, a light moisturizer is best. 

Book an Appointment

If you have questions about acne or would like help, we would love to help you. At Simplicity Health Associates in New York City, we help many patients understand their skin and what to do when acne flares up. 

Click here to book an appointment online or call (646) 470-8458. You can also email us here.

FAQs

What is acne?

One of the most common skin conditions in the world, acne occurs when follicles or pores on your skin become clogged with oil and dead skin cells.  Bacteria on your skin eats the oil and dead skin cells and your skin’s immune system mounts and a immune response leading to inflamed comedones (aka pimples). As your body produces sebum (oil) to keep your skin moist, it can become too much oil and can then cause those clogs. And acne can occur anywhere on the body, though it is most common on the face, upper back, chest, and shoulders. 

Can acne permanently go away?

While acne has no definitive cure that will guarantee its permanent elimination, it has many effective treatments. Whether you decide to take a traditional medicinal approach with medications or decide to employ naturopathic methods, all of these require regular and ongoing maintenance depending on the acne condition and its cause. If you are interested in trying more natural and gentle naturopathic treatments, contact me for your own customized acne protocol. 

Share this blog post!

Ivy Branin