How I cleared my cystic acne of 9 years….
Cystic acne was my PCOS symptom. You know the symptom that makes you pay attention and seek help. because it’s so damn debilitating. The symptom that keeps you up at night and occupies all of your thoughts? Yeah, that one.
Cystic acne really took a toll on my body and my mental health.
I remember thinking my 20’s were being completely wasted because of my acne.
I would cover up my face with a ton of makeup to go to work or school and then come home to feel relieved to take it all off because my face was so painful and then isolate myself in my room and hope the next day would be better. But it wasn’t. Every day I would wake up to new breakouts and scars from the days before. My face was constantly in pain. If you’ve ever had severe cystic acne you know what I’m talking about!
I was a victim to my acne and used it as an excuse to avoid anything and everything, from sleepovers to road trips to parties to dates, etc.
All I could see was my acne. And very quickly I lost all sense of self-esteem and self-worth.
I thought my body had betrayed me.
It was upsetting.
It was utterly exhausting.
But the worst part? No one could give me any answers.
My dermatologists told me to use steroid creams, my doctor told me to try Accutane, and my esthetician told me to wash my face with a cleanser.
I tried the topicals, I washed my skin day and night, I took my makeup off as much as possible, I even avoided the nasty toxic chemicals found in most products.
But nothing worked.
I felt broken, I felt humiliated, I felt helpless.
So before we get into the better part of my story, I think we should address first what exactly is acne?
Acne occurs when pores become clogged by dead skin cells resulting in the accumulation of sebum, an oily substance produced by the oil glands.
Cystic acne is the most severe type of acne in which the pores in the skin become blocked, leading to infection and inflammation. This type of acne is deep-rooted and forms from deep within the skin unlike regular breakouts, and can result in scarring.
So how did I clear my cystic acne?
Before I talk about my story, I want to make one thing clear. There are was not one thing.
I know, disappointing right? I desperately searched for years and years for the solution to cystic acne but I never found it.
What I did find, is that as for any problem we have to address the root causes and heal layer by layer.
Not one diet or pill is going to fix this in the long-term.
You have to address why it’s coming up for you.
But with cystic acne there are a variety of common root causes.
It usually comes down to gut dysfunction and inflammation.
The skin reflects what your health is like on the inside, so if your eliminatory organs aren’t functioning properly this can show up via the skin. In addition, the skin needs certain nutrients like vitamins and minerals to be healthy but other areas of the body will come first and use these nutrients before they go to the skin.
With PCOS, high androgens are characteristic and can trigger symptoms like acne, this is especially characteristic in cases of later onset acne. Androgens in the skin can increase sebum production which can block pores and trigger acne formation.
Up to 80% of PCOS women are said to experience some form of acne, especially along the jawline due to higher androgen receptors in this area.
Acne can be a result of many factors such as nutrient deficiencies, gut dysbiosis, chronic inflammation, liver congestion, high androgens, hormonal imbalances, blood sugar dysregulation…
It usually results from a combination of things because our body is interconnected. But you will have to dig deeper to find out what is going on for you.
Topicals can only go so far. You have to address what is going on under the surface.
I was spending all of my money on all of the best topical treatments but nothing worked, until I looked inwards.
For me this looked like:
Balancing my blood sugar
It is estimated that approximately 70% of PCOS women are insulin resistant. But you don’t have to have PCOS to have insulin or blood sugar problems. We have a blood sugar problem among the general population. So how does high insulin worsen acne? High insulin stimulates IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) synthesis which increases sebum, inflammation, and keratin: all things that increase acne.
This is why taking control of your blood sugar and insulin sensitivity is so important, especially if you have PCOS. It doesn’t matter if you are overweight or not, if you have PCOS you will most likely have some degree of insulin resistance.
Lower glycemic diets have been shown to help improve acne (1). For me, this looked like avoiding added sugars and refined carbohydrates, and replacing them with complex carbohydrates like sweet potato, squash, and quinoa. I also focus on eating high fiber foods at every meal not only to keep my blood sugar more stable and increase my satiety but also to feed my good gut bugs! Having a variety of good bugs in the gut can also improve your insulin sensitivity. This is why I’m so adamant about including the right carbs not just eliminating them all.
Cutting out dairy also made a big difference for me because diary can increase IGF-1 and inflammation which can worsen insulin resistance and the PCOS picture (2). I often see dairy as a big trigger for those with skin conditions.
Loving my liver
One of the most underrated organs, the liver is the main organ of detoxification. When toxins build up in the body and can’t be eliminated properly they can show up via the skin, because the skin is also a detoxification organ. When your liver is functioning well and is not overburdened it can efficiently send toxins to the colon to be eliminated in your poop. But if your organs of detoxification and elimination aren’t working optimally, these toxins can start to show up on via the skin.
My liver definitely needed some love after years of birth control, partying, poor food choices, toxin exposure, emotional stress, and a higher-fat diet.
I made sure I was avoiding toxic beauty products like perfumes, makeup, and hair spray, buying organic whenever possible, washing my veggies, and avoiding the use of plastics especially for my food.
One of my favourite skincare brands at the moment is Purplandprosper and I love the makeup brand Sweet Leilani which is totally toxin-free and just made with natural ingredients, you can receive 15% off with my code HEALTHCOACH. I always say look for the least amount of ingredients with names that you can recognize!
When it comes to loving my liver, I love milk thistle, dandelion, burdock, cilantro, parsley, bitter greens, and antioxidant-rich foods like berries to help support my liver. The liver actually requires a lot of nutrients to do its job properly which is why nutritional status is so important.
For more information on detox, check out my training here.
Addressing my gut imbalances
Probably one of the most common reasons for acne that I see, having problems with your gut can 100% show up on your skin. You don’t even need to necessarily be experiencing digestive symptoms.
For me, I had to address candidal overgrowth, parasites, leaky gut, food sensitivities, and impaired digestive secretions.
The fact is many of us are walking around with a leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, which means you aren’t properly absorbing your nutrients or keeping what needs to stay outside of the body out, like toxins and pathogens. This is also how food sensitivities can show up for you. This process initiates a state of low-grade inflammation and is linked to the development of autoimmune disease.
But let’s get back to the skin. If you aren’t absorbing the nutrients you need, if you are in a constant state of inflammation, and if you aren’t eliminating waste adequately, your skin can suffer the consequences.
And let’s not forget our dear microbiome! Our friendly population of bacteria that live mainly in the colon. However nowadays these get severely depleted due to medications, antibiotics, birth control, low fiber diets, high-fat diets, excess sugars and refined carbs, hydrogenated oils, stress, toxins, etc.
When you have an imbalance of bad to good bacteria this can further worsen the inflammatory process. Overgrowths like yeast and parasites have been linked to skin conditions as well as certain species of microbes.
The state of your microbiome is linked to how much inflammation you have in your body and how well you respond to carbohydrates, both of which are linked to acne, so working on your gut health is key to clearing up your skin.
Gut healing isn’t linear, however, so I would recommend by starting to keeping a daily food log to identify which foods may be causing you harm, as well as introducing fiber-rich and probiotic foods into your daily diet to support your good gut bugs.
Bringing down inflammation
I’ve already spoken about this a bit, but inflammation plays a central role in acne development! And PCOS….
Now remember, not all inflammation is bad. Acute inflammation is essential for repair and healing. It’s when it becomes chronic that we have a problem. When we have ongoing low-grade inflammation our bodies essentially can damage its own tissues, cells, and organs and this can result in disease development over time.
Chronic inflammation can also show up on your skin as accelerated aging and conditions such as acne.
This can also drive up insulin, which we know worsens symptoms like acne.
Chronic inflammation usually starts in the gut, which we also know is so important for healthy skin, so always start there!
I recommend avoiding the common inflammatory foods such as refined carbohydrates, hydrogenated oils, dairy, gluten, and alcohol and focusing on real whole plant foods, they should make up 50% of your plate!
For me I saw a big difference when I started to go more plant-based and lowered my animal product intake, focusing on more alkalizing foods and veggie sources of protein like beans and legumes to bring down inflammation levels.
Managing my stress
Similar to inflammation, when stress becomes chronic, we can see a lot of damage show up in the body. The human body is made to handle acute stressors however the 21st century kind of stress that never really stops is unfamiliar to the body. It is not equipped to deal with this. We are constantly in a state of fight or flight, which means our body is not in repair mode.
Chronic stress can affect everything from digestion to blood sugar to circulation to hormones to nutrient status.
When we secrete higher levels of cortisol over a period of time this can result in blood sugar dysregulation and hyperandrogenism.
PCOS women have actually been shown to secrete higher levels of cortisol and have more difficulty coping with emotional stress than non-PCOS women.
And stress can actually drive up androgen production as it’s not only the ovaries that produce androgens, the adrenal glands do too!
I know for me stress was definitely making my blood sugar a mess and driving up androgens like DHEA-S. The stress hormones can also trigger excess sebum production in the skin which can trigger breakouts.
Get into the habit of practicing stress management techniques such as regular movement, deep breathing, meditation, getting at least 7 hours of sleep, and playing!
While implementing the above I have really seen a big difference in my overall health and stress response when taking adaptogens. These are herbs that help your body become more resilient to stress and reduce stress hormones, there are many different kinds so it’s important to find the right one for you. I recommend taking them for a few months at a time and then taking a break or rotating if needed.
Emotional blockages
I could not leave this one out. As much as nutrition and lifestyle changes were significant to the improvement of my skin, I can’t deny the influence of working on my mindset and emotional health had. It was huge.
I experienced an emotional trauma at the time that my health took a turn. It didn’t take long for anxiety and depression to creep in along with all of my physical health problems to appear. And I hear this a lot from many people. Whether it be a breakup, a loss, or any traumatic experience in your life, physical manifestations can manifest soon after.
For so long I associated myself with acne and PCOS. Those were my identities. I thought I was incurable. I also lacked self-worth and had been holding onto a lot of trauma and negative emotions and beliefs not only in my mind but stored inside of my body. It was kinda like emotional constipation.
Of course we talked about how stress affects the skin, and we must remember that humans are capable of triggering the stress response merely by thought alone. And the hormones that we can produce from these thoughts can impact more than our mood. Negative emotions and trauma can translate into the body as illness and disease and this has been discussed by many researchers, doctors, and health workers such as Louise Hay, Joe Dispenza, Marisa Peer, Wim Hof, Deepak Chopra, Bruce Lipton, Mona Lisa Schulz, and others.
Whereas positive emotions can actually support the body in healing and improve markers of inflammation, blood sugar, immune system function, cardiovascular health, while reducing inflammation and stress.
In traditional medicines, such as Chinese medicine, emotions have even been linked to diseases of certain organs.
For me as I started to look into my beliefs and thought patterns and trauma from my past I realized how much negative energy my body was holding onto. And as I started to release them I noticed quite quickly a difference in my skin. It was quite surreal. But as I continue to do this work I continue to see results in my body, mental health, and my external world such as relationships and career.
A good place to start with this is to ask yourself what stories might you be holding onto that might not be the most empowering? What are your dominant thoughts during the day? What are you holding onto that you know you need to let go of? What story are you making up that is keeping you stuck in your past?
Journaling is a great way to explore yourself and become aware. Because awareness is the first step to change.
This kind of work and the success I have seen with it is why it is a big part of my coaching programs. We can’t expect to heal if we do not believe we are worthy of it and if we do not address the emotional baggage that we have kept hidden. And we cannot expect to create positive changes in our lives with a negative mind. This might sound woo woo which I thought as well but there is actual science to back this up, plus I cannot deny my own experience and those I see with my clients. Take it or leave it but if you decide to do the work, I assure you it will change every aspect of your life.
If you want to learn more I highly recommend this book and this book.
Supplementation
I have tried manyyy supplements over the years but I wanted to share some of my favourites that I have used for acne and keeping my skin clear and healthy.
Zinc
Such an important mineral, zinc is actually naturally anti-androgenic and anti-inflammatory, it can reduce keratin production which helps open pores, kill bacteria, and promote healthy hormone production. Foods that are naturally high in zinc include oysters, pumpkin seeds, beef, crab, and lobster. Be careful with dosing and long term supplementation as it can potentially offset your copper balance in the body.
Inositol
A well researched natural treatment for PCOS, I found inositol really helped with reducing my cystic breakouts. This makes sense because inositol has been shown to reduce androgens in PCOS women and improve insulin sensitivity (3).
Inositol is a relative of the B vitamin family and completely natural. Many women see success with ovulation, menstrual regularity, and improved insulin and glucose responses with the help of inositol. Discuss with your practitioner the right dose and kind of inositol for therapeutic effects.
Omega 3
Most of us are not getting enough omega 3 fats and too much omega 6 in our diets, this is setting us up for a highly inflammatory state in the body.
Omega 3 fats are essential, meaning you need to get them into your body either by supplementing or diet because your body cannot produce these fatty acids.
They are naturally anti-inflammatory and can help blunt the stress response as well as reduce androgen production which can help to improve acne breakouts.
The essential fatty acids, DHA and EPA have actually been shown to reduce acne breakouts (4).
Omega 3 fats can come from nuts, seeds, algae, and wild fish. On the days that I don’t eat wild fatty fish (I opt for wild salmon or smaller fish like sardines and anchovies) I supplement with a quality omega.
Probiotics
We chatted a lot about the importance of gut health so naturally I had to talk about probiotics! Though I always recommend starting with diet, probiotic supplementation can be necessary for more therapeutic effects especially if you have been eating the Standard American Diet and have had issues with your gut health.
Having a good balance of beneficial microbes is so important for overall health but it also can make a big difference for your skin.
I love Living Alchemy probiotics because they are whole food based and fermented, and shown to reach the colon to populate effectively. They also include enzymes and prebiotics to create a symbiotic that supports the survival of the probiotics in the gut.
L-lysine
There is a lot of circulating information about this amino acid helping to clear up acne and promote healthy looking skin and though there isn’t much research to back it up, it might be helpful for acne due to its ability to support collagen and carnitine production which can help to reduce excess sebum production in the skin resulting in fewer breakouts to occur.
GLA
Found in borage oil and to a lesser extent evening primrose oil, GLA is an omega 6 fatty acid that has been shown to inhibit the male hormones, also known as androgens, in the skin that promote acne and help to maintain the skin’s barrier. GLA can be applied topically or taken internally. I recommend trying to avoid excess exposure to omega 6’s in the diet as this can create imbalances between the essential fatty acids and promote a state of inflammation. If you are eating a generally whole foods diet then no need to worry however I would pair GLA with omega 3 fatty acids to help balance the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats as omega 3 fatty acids are typically lacking in our day to day diet!
Please remember this is my personal story and what I found from my own research and education. This information is provided for educational purposes and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare practitioner for more information or before making changes to your own regimen. You can also apply here to apply to work with me and chat about whether or not my services could benefit you.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information visit my disclosers page.
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6360964/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27510482
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4565837/
Pontillo, Rachael. Love Your Skin, Love Yourself. Sennin Group. Kindle Edition.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678709/
https://practicaldermatology.com/articles/2013-aug/the-role-of-inflammation-in-acne-vulgaris
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29193602
https://www.oatext.com/Inositol-in-women-suffering-from-acne-and-PCOS-a-randomized-study.php
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543297/