What’s causing your acne?

Have you tried everything to heal your skin? You’ve been to countless doctors, tried countless skincare and are still having problems with your skin health? I feel you, I have been there myself and theres nothing worse than having breakout after breakout and not knowing where its coming from and what you can do to help resolve it. The good news is that it is possible to get to the bottom of whats causing your breakouts and once identified, great individualised protocols you can use to begin the journey to clear healthy skin naturally!

There are four main types of acne breakouts being hormonal (androgenic), cyclical, candida, problems with detoxification in the liver or kidneys. You can however, fit into multiple of these categories and have multiple problems at play.  Lets dive a bit more into these types so that you can identify which category you may fall into and what you can do about it.

Hormonal/ Androgenic Breakouts- Also includes post pill acne.

Looks like: Acne around the neck, cheeks, chin, shoulders back or chest. The acne is usually deep and red blind and large.

Occurs when: You have come off the pill, have PCOS or have high levels of androgens circulating in the body.

Worse for:

-       Refined carbohydrates such as bread, pastries, cake, chips, crackers ect.

-       Refined sugars such as chocolate, lollies, cereal, cookies ect.

-       Stress which can come from lack of relaxation, financial, relationships, mental, physical, lack of sleep or emotional problems

-       Toxins such as smoking, drugs, alcohol, pollutants

-       Gut inflammation or dysbiosis

-       Dairy such as cheese, milk, whey protein, cream, milk solids, cheese, yoghurt.

PMS and Cyclical Breakouts

Looks like: shallow, pustular or deep, blind and nodular acne located on the chin and jawline area.

Occurs when: Hormonal changes and fluctuations occurs throughout your cycle or you have problematic levels of hormones usually mid cycle around ovulation or just before your period.

Worse for:

-       Digestive problems such as inflammation, microbiome issues ( antibiotics, infections, lack of benebficial bacteria, too much bad bacteria). Constipation, bloating and digestive issues may also lead to poor hormonal detox causing problems with oestrogen.

-       Stress on the liver caused by medication, stress, poor diet, alcohol, smoking and sugar.

-       Candida overgrowth which is fed by sugar and stress.

-       Refined carbohydrates such as bread, pastries, cake, chips, crackers ect.

-       Stress which can come from lack of relaxation, financial, relationships, mental, physical, lack of sleep or emotional problems

-       Dairy such as cheese, milk, whey protein, cream, milk solids, cheese, yoghurt.

Fungal Acne and Suspected Candida Overgrowth.

Looks like: Located on the forehead, shoulders, back, toso/ body or chest. They usually appear flesh coloured with no head.

Occurs when: Bacterica overgrowth on the skin known as Candida proliferates

Worse for:

-       Sugar feeds candida species so processed foods and sugar make the presentation worse.

-       Yeast rich foods and beverages such as wine, beer, cider, nutritional yeast, fermented foods and bread.

-       Changes in climate such as warm, humid, damp, sweating and non-breathable fabrics

Improper detoxification breakouts

Looks like: Breakouts on the temples and eyes. The breakouts are usually superficial and are close to the surface of the skin.

Occurs when: improper detoxification of the liver and kidneys is occurring.

Worse for:

-       Stressors to the liver such as alcohol, drugs, medication, contraceptiove pill, sugar, dehydration, stress, processed foods, un natural beauty products.

-       Nutritional deficiencies required for liver and kidney detox such as protein, b vitamins, zinc, vitamin c, choline, iron, B12.

-       Eating too many fatty. Greasy foods.

-       Lack of dietary fibre in the diet

-       Recurrent and chronic UTI’s bladder or problems with urination

-       Dehydration.

Forehead and mouth breakouts

Looks like: superficial breakouts around mouth and forehead.

Occurs when: Usually caused by digestive problems and gut microbiome disbalance or fungal infection.

Worse for:

-       Consuming wheat, sugar, diary, alcohol and caffeine

-       Taking antibiotics or painkillers which disrupt your microbiome

-       Dehydration

-       Lack of dietary fibre from fruits and vegetables- irregular bowel motions

-       Gut bacteria dysbiosis meaning that there is a overgrowth of bad bacteria such as in conditions like SIBO, parasites, IBS,  yeast, fungi or viruses.

-       Lacking enough beneficial bacteria.