When a person hears the word “acne,” images of ruddy teenagers may come to mind. The fact is, however, that acne is a skin condition that anyone at any age can experience. More importantly, it is often an indication of deeper imbalances within the body as a whole.

If acne is affecting you or someone you love, know that there is a solution. Keep reading to find out more!

Acne 101

“Acne,” or acne vulgaris, is defined as a “long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles.” (1)

There are many different kinds of acne but in general the condition can manifest on the skin surface as whiteheads, blackheads, oily skin, blistery blemishes, and even scarring. It primarily affects the face, upper chest, and back since these are the areas of the body that have the most oil glands.

Most people (about 95%, according to some studies) will experience acne “outbreaks” in some form during their adolescent years. According to numbers put out by the American Academy of Dermatology, of the more than 5 million people who sought out conventional medical treatment for acne in 2013, most were children and young adults. (2)

But the acne of today is no longer simply a condition of the young. Incidents of long-term acne amongst adults, especially women, have been climbing significantly in recent years. Currently 15% of American adult women suffer from recurring acne outbreaks. (3) Unfortunately, acne comes with psychological implications as well. Low self-esteem, lack of confidence, depression, and suicidal ideation can be higher in people with severe and long-lasting acne regardless of age. (4)

According to 2015 statistics, there are over 600 million people worldwide who have acne, making it the 8th most common “disease” on the planet. (5) But is acne really a disease in the true definition of the word? According to conventional medicine, it is. What’s more, if you were to seek out the help of your regular physician for your acne outbreaks, he or she would probably tell you that it is genetic and then write you a prescription for either a topical or oral pharmaceutical as the solution. Typical topical medications for acne are azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid. Oral medications are usually retinoids and/or antibiotics. Birth control pills may even be suggested since one of the (seemingly beneficial) side effects of “the pill” is what it can do to calm acne outbreaks. (6) 

While pharmaceutical interventions may be necessary to circumvent acne complications in some cases, for most people drug-based “solutions” tend to do more harm than good. For example, a 2013 clinical trial published in the International Journal of Dermatology found that a typical side effect of the commonly prescribed retinoid isotretinoin is lower serum vitamin E levels. (7) Vitamin E is an antioxidant nutrient that is absolutely necessary for skin health. (8)

4 Ways to Heal Acne for Good

Are there ways to heal acne besides harsh pharmaceuticals? You bet! And the key is to look at the “root causes” of the condition. These causes usually have something to do with:

• Oxidative damage
• Hormone imbalance
• Poor nutrition.

One or all of these root causes will set the stage for inflammation and out of control pathogenic microorganisms to flourish on the skin surface. Healing these underlying conditions often has little to do with genetics and everything to do with lifestyle changes to remove triggers that can spark breakouts. (9)

#1 Cut back on sugar

One of the best things you can do to clear up acne for good when it comes to diet is to cut out (or severely reduce) sources of processed, refined sugar. Not only can too much of the sweet stuff increase inflammation, but sugar also spikes insulin levels, which can then throw hormones off in general. This is significant because when hormones like estradiol or testosterone are out of balance, the skin will overproduce sebum on the skin surface. This, in turn, can lead to clogged pores and the “ideal environment” for unhealthy bacteria such as P. Acnes to thrive. Other foods that can instigate the above scenario to spark acne outbreaks include dairy products, sources of simple carbs like bread and pasta, and alcoholic beverages. (10)

#2 Balance your hormones

Like I just mentioned, a big cause for acne outbreaks is hormonal imbalance. Of course, wacky hormones can happen for all sorts of reasons, not just because of poor diet. Some natural causes for hormonal imbalance are the onset of puberty as well as menopause in women. Being exposed to too many toxins not only in food but also in commercial sundry and household products can lead to a buildup of xenoestrogens in the body, which can through hormones off too. Xenoestrogens mimic aggressive estrogens and too many of them in the body can spark can not acne outbreaks but also raise your risks for reproductive system cancers.

Whatever the cause, if you suspect that your acne outbreaks have something to do with your hormones, the first ideal step is to check your levels. (11) Once you know what is off and how much, put a plan in place to return them to healthy balance through nutritional changes, natural healing substances, or bioidentical hormone replacement if necessary.

#3 Heal your gut

Did you know that when you eat to improve your gut health, you are also helping to heal and prevent acne too? This is because poor gut health is often linked to poor detoxification and both of these weakened states can result in too many toxins in your GI tract. Breakouts happen as your body tries to find a way to remove these toxins from your body — and it will even try to do this through your skin!

Hormonal imbalance is also connected to gut health. Other gut-related issues that can lead to acne are being constipated, an imbalance in good and bad bacteria in the gut, and a condition called “Leaky Gut,” or “Intestinal Permeability.” (12) A study recently published in the journal Dermatological Therapy found that supplementing with a high quality, robust probiotic can directly contribute to clearing up acne. (13)

#4 Step into true healing with natural substances

Remember when I initially talked about the root causes of acne, and I mentioned “oxidative damage?” What exactly does this mean?

Simply put, oxidative damage is harm that is created in the body when there are too many stressors and not enough of the body’s mechanisms to deal with them. (14) Righting that balance by both removing the stressors and boosting the body’s defense systems against them really is the “sweet spot” where skin related conditions like acne can truly heal. An absolutely vital part of the equation is finding the right kinds of natural substances that will support this healing.

Of course, this is where the ingredients within key CHARLíS formulas can give you the support that your skin needs. If you have been using harsh astringents and other commercial products to “scrub away” that acne, do yourself a favor and throw them away right now. While commercial products may contain harsh chemicals like petroleum, which has been shown to aggravate acne-prone skin, the substances with CHARLíS luxury skincare formulas were intentionally included for their ability to work gently with the body for protection and healing at the root. (15)

One of the most effective CHARLíS products is our signature Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer. This one-of-a-kind moisturizer contains argan oil, which is the go-to natural substance when it comes to gently yet effectively clearing up acne. Argan is high in both omega 6 (linoleic acid) and omega 9 (oleic acid) fatty acids. A 2019 Polish study found that acne-prone skin is often deficient in omega 6 fatty acids in particular. (16) Argan oil also contains high amount of both vitamins A and E, which are strong antioxidants for skin protection. The argan oil used in all CHARLIS products is sustainably produced and 100% organic and GMO free.

The other substance that the CHARLÍS Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer contains is grapefruit peel extract. Grapefruit is a natural astringent and antimicrobial. Grapefruit also contains alpha hydroxy acids, or “AHAs,” which can help with cell renewal. When used within the CHARLÍS Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer, grapefruit peel extract is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin types.

Get to the “Root Cause” of Acne and Experience Blemish-Free Skin with CHARLíS!

In this article, I hope I have convinced you that the only true way to heal and prevent acne is to “get to the root” of why it is happening in the first place. Oxidative stress, inflammation, poor gut health, and lack of the right kinds of nutrients can affect you on the inside and may also be the foundational reasons why long-term acne is plaguing you right now.

Begin to heal on the inside, utilize skin healing substances like the CHARLÍS Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer on the outside, and experience what a difference it can make in clearing up acne for good!

References:

(1) Emerging drugs for the treatment of acne
(2) BURDEN OF SKIN DISEASE
(3) SKIN CONDITIONS BY THE NUMBERS
(4) Quality of life among schoolchildren with acne: results of a cross-sectional study
(5) Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
(6) Treatment-Acne
(7) Effects of isotretinoin on serum vitamin E levels in patients with acne
(8) Vitamin E and Skin Health.
(9) Lifestyle habits and impact of the Mediterranean diet on facial acne severity in French women: a case-control study
(10) Effects of Diet on Acne and Its Response to Treatment
(11)  Sex hormones and acne
(12) The increasing importance of the gut microbiome in acne vulgaris
(13) The potential of probiotics for treating acne vulgaris: A review of literature on acne and microbiota
(14) Psychological stress perturbs epidermal permeability barrier homeostasis: implications for the pathogenesis of stress-associated skin disorders
(15) Toxicologic studies of petrolatum in mice and rats
(16) The Properties and Application of Argan Oil in Cosmetology