Acne can be the bane of your existence. It’s just the worst, isn’t it? Even when it’s mild, it can keep you from looking and feeling your best, that’s for sure. I’ve had my own struggles with acne in the past, something I discuss in The Beauty Detox Solution. Improving your diet can definitely help a lot, as your skin is an eliminative organ that helps dispel toxins. Let’s start from the beginning though in our discussion…
What Is Acne?
Acne is a skin inflammation that can manifest as anything from small, red bumps to large, pus filled cysts. This inflammation occurs when the pores become blocked and the body responds with inflammation.
Causes
There are a number of myths about acne. The most common myth is that having dirty skin is the cause. It isn’t. Actually, scrubbing dirt into the skin may exacerbate the condition. Eating chocolate may not necessary directly cause it…but a high fat diet and dairy can definitely contribute to the condition. A number of factors may be at play with creating acne. These include:
- Hormones: Hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, menstruation, and others can cause enlargement of the sebaceous glands, which then produce more sebum. The result is clogged pores and acne.
- Diet: Many dietary factors may contribute to acne. High fat foods, and foods that cause inflammation or result in increases in blood sugar can trigger an eruption.
Toxicity: Toxic chemicals in the foods you eat, water you drink, and air you breathe can also cause blocked pores. Likewise, as you begin to cleanse your body of toxic chemicals you may notice a short outbreak of acne as these toxins work their way out of your body via your skin.- Stress: Studies show stress increases sebum production, which can result in acne.
- Medications: Medications can contribute to acne in two ways. First, they increase toxicity in your body. Second, many medications affect the acne-related hormones such as androgens.
- Poor self confidence. On an energetic, mind-body connection level,poor self esteem, talking down to yourself, or repressed anger can all manifest in the physical form of acne.
Are Popular Acne Treatments Healthy?
Conventional acne treatment typically involves one of two chemicals: benzoyl peroxide or Accutane.
Accutane is an oral prescription medication. While it has demonstrated tremendous success at treating a specific type of acne (nodular acne), it also has a number of extremely dangerous side effects that make it NOT worth the cost of clear skin. These super scary side effects include: 
- Birth defects and fetal death
- Premature births
- Mental health problems including suicidal ideation, depression, and psychosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Liver damage
- Allergic reactions
- Thinning of hair
- Headaches
- Brittle nails
- Muscle pain and fatigue
- Menstrual irregularities
- Photosensitivity
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical acne fighting ingredient found in both prescription and over-the-counter acne treatments. It produces free radicals in the skin, which can cause premature aging and are linked to a number of diseases including cancer. You don’t want to trade in zits for wrinkles. Benzoyl peroxide also causes extreme drying in the skin, which can lead to flaking, redness, and irritation.
Plus, topical treatments like this don’t get to the root cause of the acne.
Oust the Acne
The best and safest way to eradicate acne is with a healthy diet and lifestyle, as well as use of natural skincare products that leave your skin clean without chemicals. This allows you to fight acne naturally, without the use of harsh or dangerous chemicals and medications. Here are my recommendations.
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleep fights stress and helps your body and hormonal systems function normally. Try for 7 to 8 hours each night.
East mostly organic plants. These foods are anti-inflammatory powerhouses that minimize toxic buildup in your system, fight free radicals, and promote health and well-being. If you do eat animal protein, minimize your intake to once or twice per week of lean organic poultry or eggs (fish is full of mercury, PCBs and other toxins).- Minimize processed foods. These foods contain chemicals and ingredients that contribute to toxicity and inflammation – both culprits in acne breakouts.
- Skip the dairy. A paper in Clinics in Dermatology discussed the link between hormones in dairy products and acne in humans.
- Eat a low-fat diet. Excessive fat is congestive in any form. Do not overdo so-called “good” fats like olive oil. I barely use any oil myself anymore, and cook with mostly vegetable broth. As I noted in the beginning of this blog, excessive fat in the diet can influence hormones, which can then influence acne.
- Cut out the sugar and refined starches. Sugar and starches also change your body’s hormonal balance. As blood sugar rises, so does insulin, which can upset your body’s overall hormonal balance.
Detoxify. While detoxification may initially result in a little increase in acne, in the long-term your skin will be much clearer. Everyone needs to detoxify because our environments are filled with chemicals that gunk up the body. The Beauty Detox Solution has great suggestions for a full detoxification program.- Drink plenty of pure water. Water helps flush chemicals from the body and cleanses skin from the inside out.
- Relieve stress and get some exercise. I’m a big fan of yoga, which accomplishes both of these goals in a single activity.
- Dry brush a few times per week to promote detoxification.
- Exfoliate. This removes dry skin that can clog pores. I’m a huge fan of Beauty without Cruelty’s AHA facial cleanser.
- Be nice to yourself. Seriously! If you say negative things to yourself I do believe it can manifest in physical ways…including possibly acne. When you look in the mirror affirm how grateful you are for your healthy, strong body, instead of saying something negative. When you love yourself, everything truly does start to get better, in all areas.
I understand the desire for clear, acne-free skin. Believe me, I know how much it can affect your life when annoying zits come up. But I urge you to get the root cause and follow the recommendations I list above about changing your lifestyle, and especially foods to definitely avoid.
Don’t go for Accutane and other scary popular acne treatments. Your health matters and these treatments can do serious damage for the long run. What good is clear skin if you are sick or internally imbalanced? That’s why I recommend natural acne-reduction methods that are far safer and much more effective than commercial acne products – without the scary side effects.
Hi Kimberly,
I’m a dad with two teenage kids both of whom have some mild acne. I’ve done some research to determine what the root causes of acne might be. Your article has answered part of my question. I’m thankful for that. However, I’m still trying to determine why acne targets mostly teenagers.
I also know of teens who have horrible diets but never had acne. I know a good diet and exercise plan go a long way in the treatment of any disease including acne. Could anyone shed some further light on this matter.
I intend to continue researching the subject in the meantime and will be making public any of my findings. All the Best
Wen.
I will immediately clutch your rss feed as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve
any? Please allow me recognise in order that I could subscribe.
Thanks.
Acne products work in different ways, depending on their active ingredient. Some OTC acne products work by killing the bacteria that cause acne inflammation. Other acne products remove excess oils from the skin or speed up the growth of new skin cells and the removal of dead skin cells. And in some cases, acne products work by doing a combination of these things.
Treatments can take up to three months to work, so don’t expect overnight results. If your acne is more widespread, for example if you have a large number of papules and pustules, or if over-the-counter medication hasn’t worked, see your GP as you probably need prescription medication.
Hi Kimberly!
Great article! Thank you for such a good advices! Your reccomedations for fighting acne look like good healthy lifestyle for everyone. If somebody lifestyle is well ballanced, you sleep enough and nice to yourself, you won’t know what is acne! I absolutelly agree with you. The problem maybe with a juniors that have thier hormonal ballance not stable for some period of time. It’s maybe more suitable to older people I think. Anyway, great research! Thanks.
I visit each day a few blogs and sites to read articles, but this blog gives feature based content.
Hi Kim,
I definitely second your recommendation on getting to the root cause of acne once and for all. I used to take medications, antibiotics, birth control pills – you name it, I’ve tried it – just for the sake of suppressing the acne – but as soon as I got off all these treatments, my acne relapsed and actually became worse. Today, I’m free from acne except for the occasional bumps and it’s all thanks to a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Cheers,
Ellen
Hi Kimberly!
I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
I’m glad I ran across this article, it has tons of great information! I love learning about the many different causes of acne because it helps me keep them in mind and take play a more involved role in the prevention of my acne, which I’ve had since my teenage years. The one I have the biggest problem with is stress! Yes, stress can cause acne, but for me acne also causes stress. It’s like a never ending cycle! Any tips are greatly appreciated!
Great post, I found that dairy products do have an impact on my acne. Products such as cheese and full cream milk are the worst for me. I have also found that eating plenty of vegetables is good for me and watching my diet.
I also feel that exercise help acne, although I have to wear natural fabrics as clothing and make sure they are loose fitting.
I can’t believe it! I’ve been outside and exercising a lot for about a week and most of my acne is gone! I’m also becoming a vegan (I feel so bad for the animals) And that has helped too because I’m eating more fruits and vegetables.
I’m very happy right now^_^
I can’t believe it! I’ve been outside and exercising a lot for about a week and most of my acne is gone! I’m also becoming a vegan (I feel so bad for the animals) And that has helped too because I’m eating more fruits and vegetables.
I’m very happy right now^_^
Absolutely brilliant article i have tried a few of the techniques and they have worked wonders. I have suffered with acne for years, it has been a life changing moment to finally see it clear up Thanks!
I have suffered with acne for years and I have linked it to hormonal issues because of when my breakouts pop up, but starting to juice has really helped me to control it. The added fruits and veggies into my diet give my skin a healthier glow and I have also tried to avoid dairy as much as possible because of the hormones. I think diet is so crucial to skin health because so many of the foods we eat are toxic to our body.
Hey Kimberly- I would love to get your opinion on my situation, since I am completely stumped. I developed acne at age 25 ONLY around the side of my mouth and chin and jawline. I have always had very clear skin and the rest of my face is still untouched by acne except for these certain areas. This type of acne is due to a hormonal imbalance. I had a mineral hair test done which showed that I have a copper toxicity. I believe this is the source of my acne along with severe PMS. My zinc levels were very low. I have been taking zinc and it made a difference, but two years later, it is still there and I cannot get rid of it! I am one of the healthiest people I know. I am vegan, staying away from soy and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I am also gluten free. I make the GGS just about everyday. I drink apple cider vinegar with water and lemon every morning. I live a very healthy lifestyle. Of all the research I have done, they all say the only solution is to eat meat! I have not eaten meat in YEARS and I would really hate to start now. A lot of vegetarian foods are higher in copper and lower in zinc which is only contributing to the problem. Taking zinc alone is proving to not be enough, as I’m still breaking out. The rest of my skin looks amazing. I have been battling this for so long and have been told the same thing, eat meat. It is extremely inconvenient to have to avoid high copper foods, ie mango, coconut, avocado, just to name a few. Can you help me??? Thank you!!!!
Have you tried increasing your iron intake? Why do people say you need meat?
Meat is high in zinc and low in copper. Most vegetarian foods are low in zinc and high copper. Eating meat will balance it out, due to intake of low copper and high zinc. I am trying to fix it by taking zinc supplements.
Hi Beth, just reading your comment- are you sure you don’t have something called ‘perioral dermatitis’? I’m 27 and have just had this cropping up in last couple of years, do the ‘spots’ around your mouth feel a bit burning or itchy as they come up? Sometimes it can be confused with acne… I have almost 100% healed mine with a combo of no makeup (urg annoying but hopefully can phase it back in soon) also topical yoghurt& acidophilus mask x2 day, only using very gentle soap free cleanser and generally purer and more veg based diet. Oh and I do take fish oil supplements and zinc supplements. Anyway long rambling post but definitely would look into perioral dermatitis to see if it fits with your symptoms! Best of luck x
Hi Beth and Kimberly!
Its incredible how similar our stories are. Age, diet and acne problems! If I find any new information I will let you know. You are not alone Beth.
I actually do not want to leave a comment. but I’m suffering from the same. just within the last 2 years I’ve started to have problems with my face, back and shoulders.
The only advice I can give is: clean your skin more than once a day, get enough fresh air, don’t sleep with make up and most importantly: STOP being so harsh on yourself and your body. That results in stress, and stress causes bad skin.
You describe your diet, and the effort you go through to “stay” healthy. That is rubbish. Use your common sense, of what is good and bad food, but remember: once in a while you need to be able to relax and eat something you actually enjoy. That will make you happy and your skin look much better
Your story seems almost identical to mine. I eat meat and still nothing helps. I have not been told anything about copper. NO MATTER what I do it doesn’t go away. I dont eat gluten, dairy or soy, I dont smoke I dont drink or do drugs. I exercise and take vitamins. I have been to 2 dermatologists and a natural path and nothing. So frustrating.
Thank you for the inspiration of not being negative on yourself. That’s something I really needed! I like most, struggle with poor body image/bad skin, always self bashing when it really shouldn’t matter what others think as long as I’m healthy, and I do all is possible to be healthy. Easier said than done, but I need to always keep this in mind, life is too short to waste it with negative thoughts and energy. Thanks for what you do!
Hi Kim
I have been blessed with problem free skin, which STILL improved when I incorporated the mindful eating and living principals in your book. However, my 35 year old son, who suffered from debilitating acne as a young man, now has dermographism, or the Skin Writing Allergy. This started about a year ago. His acne is gone but he has to take antihistamines every day to avoid the intense itching from this allergy. He does not eat dairy, wheat, soy or sugar and is extremely disciplined in what he eats. Is there any natural antihistamine, or anything you can think of that may help him with this?
PS – I have gifted your book to my parents and several friends. My ‘transformation’ and 20 pound loss from the detox and mindful living habits has inspired even coworkers to think about what is on their fork! Thank you SOOOOOO much for your book, and your blog!
Hi Kimberly,
Do you recommend Coconut Oil for acne? Ive heard that it is anti-fungal, anti-oxidizing and anti-bacterial.
Thank you!! =]
Dear Mother Nature…not Death !
Ooopsy daisies!
I am 30 yr old lass who has had perty ick skin since like tweener years! And alltho i have been an organic product user fer a good 8 years er so now, I had still suffered bad skin and was beginin’ ta become discouraged when one day walking thru Target, I had stumbled accross Kimberly’s book a yr er so ago and completely fell in love w/ what all Kimberly stands for and truly believes in. I am back living w/ my rents fer now and indulge regretfully into mama’s home cooking which is filled w/ many things not meant to be in our bodies. (which reminds me ofa nother book I have read which stated that the average American holds 90 qts of toxic fecal matter in our bodies asa regular w/ our new age American diet…ewww) I can say tho that when I had follwed to a t, Kimberly’s advice of diet and cutting out GMO’s, dairy, meat and processed foods n such, my cruddy skin asa constant begin to glow and so did I from the inside out. (Honestly I felt so much sweeter and shined with/thru the way in which i treated humans as well as critters and our Death Mother Nature altogether). Fruits in the am, coat yer innerds w/ leafy greens before lunch and suppers and if can’t resist cruddy er restaurant/ dine out foods…save ‘em for last meal of the day…it truly, truly makes a world of difference. Too, all the advice from beautiful souls above is quite grand–some of which i had never heard before that i will surely follow and add to the list of great advice to try!!
Oh and I had been told by another CN who was over 70 and looked like she was in her 30′s said that her trick w/ her skin is like Liz above, NO SOAPS, she lathers Olive Oil from head to toe, leaves it on fer ’bout 20 minutes er so n then wipes off w/ a dry towel. I do this myself and have said goodbye to a pricey moisturizers that have never worked for my tricky skin nehow, no matter the brand, price, etc.
Hi Kimberly, as soon as i started taking the glowing green smoothies. I noticed a difference in my skin and my acne went down a bit. I read that it is impossible to permanently reduce the size of large pore; mine seem to have been enlarged because i didn’t always have that. Is there a way to reduce their size in a more permanent manner.
thanks
Hi Kimberly,
So I’ve only been following the Beauty Detox Solution for a little over a week now, and I’ve already noticed a subtle difference in my hair, skin and nails. I am extremely hopeful that this change in diet (particularly the cutting out dairy part) will help battle off my acne problem. But the actual “zits” aren’t my main concern anymore… it’s what they leave behind– every time!– that really takes a toll on my self-esteem. I have scarring and a full beard of dark marks all along my cheeks, jawline and chin, and tons of these weird tiny white-head looking things on my chin. Even when I have no active acne, these things don’t go away and no amount of makeup hides them. No exaggeration here, whenever I see my reflection I feel like crying. I’m afraid that I can never feel truly beautiful, and it sabotages my trying to find motivation to do things healthy for myself.
I’ve considered chemical peels, this expensive topical cream recommended by a plastic surgeon, and even very expensive laser treatments. But all of these things make me very nervous. I just don’t want to waste a ton of money that i don’t have and end up worse off than i already am. I’m just so sick of hating myself; it’s affecting my life in the worst possible ways.
Is there any safe, relatively natural treatment of any kind that you would recommend?? I know you’re not a dermatologist, but I would still really value your opinion, or any kind of advice at all for that matter.
Thank you!
Elisabeth, I’m so sorry you’re having such a tough time with acne. I struggled with scarring cystic acne for over a dozen years, and even 2 rounds of accutane didn’t solve the problem. Kim’s program really works to clear up acne from the inside, it’ll take some time, but I saw drastic improvements over the course of 1.5 years doing her diet. I def know that feeling of never feeling like I would be beautiful again! But I wanted to recommend something to you for acne scarring since that was where I had a lot of problems too. Check out Ginale Skin Care for great skin products that really work! They have a whole line of acne-treating products that are simple, gentle, natural, non-synthetic formulas, and you should especially look at their peel kit. I’ve been using it for a couple years, and it’s done wonders at removing deep, disfiguring scarring from my face. It’s waaaaayy less expensive than laser/chemical microdermabrasion treatments too. Good luck and stay positive!
Is Salicylic Acid a safe ingredient in cleansers?
Hi Kimberly,
I have a lot of red marks and acne scars on my face. How can I treat them and speed up the skin’s healing process?
Hi Kimberly,
I have a lot of red marks and acne scars on my face. How can I treat them and speed up the skin’s healing process?
Thanks.
Hi E,
I dab a teenie tiny bit of neosporin on my pimples before bed and it helps immesely w speeding up the healing process and preventing scarring. I have been putting it on old scars too and they are beginning to fade. i was afraid it might clog pores more, but it’s actually healing everything much faster. give it a shot
faith
Fish oil supplements cured my cystic acne 100%. As long as I take my supplements regularly I don’t get one cystic pimple. If I do stop taking them, they come back. I’ve been on this regime for years. I’ve seen a few others online who have discovered this as well, but I haven’t been able to find out why it works. I’m betting it has something to do with it’s anti-inflammatory properties. Whatever the case, no more painful, hard, scarring cystic pimples all over my face anymore. I wish I had discovered this when my acne started. I’ll add that it doesn’t work on regular pimples, just the cystic (nodular) pimples.
Another thing to point out is the fact that many facial cleansers, especially the cheap ones, contain detergents that can essentially throw our bodies out of whack when it comes to sebum production. I switched over to the oil cleansing method about six months ago and it’s radically changed my skin (I personally use organic jojoba, but I know that others have sweet almond, avocado, olive, argan, ect…). I know it sounds crazy to throw away the soap, but I can’t recommend it enough.
Hi Kimberly,
I’ve been following your blossoming beauty plan now since April. I was on birth control last fall and skipped a month due to not being able to get an appt with my GYN. Ever since I’ve been battling terrible acne. I stopped taking BC altogether like 6 months ago and totally eliminated dairy and gluten from my diet along with processed foods and sugar. My skin is better but still not great. My hormones refuse to balance from the BC. Any helpful advice? I exercise regularly, ashtanga yoga 4x per week, take care of my skin, eliminated all unnatural skin care products. Still very little improvement.
It sounds like you need to balance your hormones. The best, natural thing for that I know of is Progessence Plus Serum, from Young Living. (Which you can get wholesale as a member.) I know a lot of people who have experienced great benefit from it.
http://bit.ly/TCb5Fs
hi
what is ‘dry brushing’?
thanks
S,
Sylvia, dry brushing is using a natural bristle brush to brush the body. Use long sweeping motions all going towards the heart starting at the feet and working up. It improves circulation and helps detoxify and exfoliate.
Hi Kimberly,
I’ve started following your radiant beauty phase plan pretty closely for the past 2 and a half weeks(GGS, probitoics, mag oxide, organic veggies, light to heavy, no animal protein which was normal for me already). On Saturday night I had 2 glasses of wine at dinner and my boyfriend pointed out a rash on my face. There were a lot of bumps and red splotches. I thought it was the wine with my new diet (even though it’s never happened before). Now the redness is gone but there are tons of tiny bumps on my face along my jawline and right cheek. Could this be part of the detoxing? It’s not like normal pimples or acne, you can only feel it or see it in bright light. I also got sick last week which i also read is normal. Should I stop taking the probiotic?
Thanks!!
Natalie
What is your opinion on using Witch Hazel as part of a treatment plan?
Hi kimberly, i would like to know whether i can use the wet bath boar brush by bass from whole foods market???
Great post on a subject we deal with on a daily basis. Couldn’t agree more with your suggestions. Thanks for sharing!
Great article! I’ve been suffering from acne since I was 8 1/2, in and out of dermatology offices, and was called “ugly” and “pizza face” for many years by my peers, which damaged my self confidence. I am 46 now, still have oily (and very sensitive) skin, and it still breaks out. I have two questions:
1) I was prescribed Accutane twice – are the side effects you mentioned happen while on that drug or for years after you stop taking it? I ask because I was diagnosed at age 41 with endometriosis stage four. I know you are not a doctor, but I still wonder could there be a connection?? In your opinion, do you think Accutane could have encouraged the endometriosis condition?
2) I also suffer greatly from something called sebborheic dermatitis, which appears on my scalp and the side of my nose. I’ve been in and out of dermatologist offices for years, but find they don’t help much. What happens is my scalp breaks out in these angry eruptions (like pimples) and they hurt very much. Sometimes I develop something called folliculitis, on my scalp and have to be prescribed antibiotics. I have very thick, coarse, wavy, long hair. I was told by one doctor not to use conditioner.
Would the same advice above help me with the sebborheic dermatitis?
Any thoughts why a kid at age 8 1/2 would develop acne and need to be treated by a dermatologist? Hormone condition maybe?
What kinds of shampoo and conditioner would you recommend for me? What ingrediants should I be looking for? Tea tree oil? Jojoba?
I realize you are not a medical doctor, but could you recommend a few things to prevent and treat these conditions naturally? Sometimes I feel like pulling my hair out! LOL! These conditions make me feel so frustrated and are embarassing especially at age 46.If you could recommend something, I’d really appreciate it so much and thank you!
You have no idea how much this means to me!
Desperate and Hoping to hear from you and you can share some wisdom with me!!
Maria (prayrosary4life@aol.com)
Maria, I really feel for you! I too have had acne for over a decade, and I’m 30 years old now. From experience, I can tell you that diet definitely makes a difference, BUT finding the right kind of diet is key. I think the food choices Kimberly recommends are right on target. I know when I eat a large percentage of fruit and vegetables, my skin definitely glows more and is significantly less oily. I think gluten is a big skin offender, you will notice much improvement in your digestion (and skin) if you cut this entirely out of your diet. AND, I’ve noticed that taking a good multi-vitamin gives you what you may be missing and helps round everything out. I take Vita-Logic Whole Food Multi which you take at each meal and it is gluten-free. The other supplement that I take is called Clear5 from acne-vitamins.com. This supplement has been like an answer to my prayers! It really helps keep me clear, and I take a maintenence dose of 1 tablet per day now, so one bottle lasts me 3 months. I have tried every lotion and potion there is when it comes to acne and none of them work. I know now that it really has to be fixed from the inside out. Clear5 is a combo of B vitamins targeted specifically for the skin and it works like nothing else I’ve ever tried. I still get breakouts every now and then, when I eat potato chips (which I shouldn’t be eating anyway) or get stressed, but they are way more mild, don’t last near as long, and heal without scarring. Just thought I’d share some stuff that actually works because I know how terribly frustrating and embarassing it can be to have bad skin!
Have you considered getting a gravity colonic or even doing enemas at home? No matter how clean you eat, if the trash isn’t taken out it can manifest in our skin among other places. This is what finally worked for me. I know how awful it is, hang in there!