The psychological effects acne has on adolescence has been scientifically proven. Studies show that the majority of teens with acne experience a negative effect on their interpersonal relationships, choice of extra-curricular activities, performance in school, self-worth, and choice of clothes/make-up. Many develop depression and anxiety and have negative self-image because of their acne.
When treating my patients, I look at the person as a whole and in the case of acne I can see that it goes much further than skin deep. As if teens do not have enough pressures and concerns and risk for bullying, acne can make their teen years a painful experience. The good news is that there are safe, holistic treatments for acne that won’t interfere with the development of a young adult.
Before learning about natural treatments, let’s learn what the causes of acne are; and yes, more than pizza and chocolate are culprits!
There are 5 primary causes of acne:
1. Excess dead skin
2. Altered oil production
3. The presence of a harmful bacteria on skin
4. Inflammation
5. Hormonal Fluctuations
Other influences on acne include:
- Medications such as steroids and birth control pills.
- Deficiency in good fats in the diet (Omega 3 and Omega 6).
- Food Allergies/Food sensitivities.
- A diet that includes regularly consuming dairy and sugar.
One of the first acne prevention strategies is to eat a clean diet.
Studies have shown an association between cow dairy intake and sugar. Both these food groups increase a hormone (Igf-1) that raises blood sugar and triggers inflammation in the skin. Also, eat good fats to curb inflammation in the skin. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines as well as flax seeds are excellent omega 3 rich foods. Choose a variety of nuts and seeds to get healthy omega 6 fats.
Stay away from candy, baked sweets, sugary coffee drinks, energy drinks, ice creams and juices to decrease the blood sugar impact on acne.
Natural Treatments for teen acne:
Get Sweating
This is a form of hydrotherapy – literally flushing the pores. Detoxifying the pores requires a profuse sweat without make-up or sunscreens blocking the pores. The goal is the kind of sweat after hot yoga or a run. If you are just sweating to a small degree, like sitting in a hot car in the sun, it creates a moist environment for bacterial accumulation. This kind of sweat will not achieve the detoxifying effects and may actually make acne worse.
Keep hormones balanced
As a teen, hormones are often in fluctuation, and sometimes the hormone changes are unavoidable. But there are chemicals called hormone disruptors that contribute to hormone imbalance even further. Plastic is the most known material that can disrupt our hormone system. Plastics are responsible for changing levels of estrogens in our body. Avoid eating or storing foods in plastic containers and drink out of stainless steel, glass or porcelain rather than plastic water bottles. Also, medications such as oral contraceptives have a risk of impacting acne formation.
Keep your gut and skin populated with healthy bacteria (probiotics)
If you haven’t heard by now, our microbiome is a complex system of live bacteria that inhabit our skin and our intestines. If the bug balance is off, such as after an antibiotic or eating sugary foods, the bacteria that create acne like to creep in. I recommend a topical probiotic face cream as a daily moisturizer to keep the good bugs on the skin. Another option is working with enhancing your good gut bugs by taking a probiotic or eating natural fiber rich foods. There are tests offered at special clinics that can test for intestinal infections, food allergies and microbiome imbalance to get to the root cause of the acne.
Keep it simple
Less if more when keeping skin clear. Over washing the face initiates more oil production. Too many products used on skin can dry the skin out or change the pH. It is best to practice a simple and effective skin hygiene regimen.
My recommended regimen is:
- Cleanse face with a clean washcloth twice daily.
- Apply a topical probiotic moisturizing cream over affected areas.
- Spot treat the “problem areas” with a natural product.
- Sleep on a clean pillowcase, turn your pillow case nightly and wash often.
- Avoid touching the face with hands.
- Sweat profusely to clean pores almost everyday.
- For stubborn acne consider OfYou Skin Clear PRP treatment. This treatment utilizes the completely natural healing cells of the body (derived from blood) to heal infection and inflammation and minimize pore size.
There are so many safe and natural approaches to healthy skin. Being a teen is a tough transition, supporting the body and the mind through the transition can truly improve their experience as a teenager.
