My Journey With Hormonal Acne
1.5 years ago, I was dealing with the worst acne of my life.
Growing up, from middle school to high school, I would always have small breakouts, made worse due to my inability to stop touching them as they popped up. They would usually appear in my greasy T-zone area; on my forehead, between my brows, and occasionally on my chin. At this point in my life, it was just your average teenage acne, that had me occasionally insecure, but it was nothing out of the norm. A lot of people at this point in their lives dealing with it as well.
It wasn’t until I was about 22-24 years old when my acne started to really take a toll on the appearance of my face, as well as my mental / emotional health. I started breaking out consistently, waking up just about every day with a new frenemy occupying a spot on my face. These breakouts typically happening on my cheeks, occasionally my neck, and on really bad days my chest. With my forehead, and chin remaining clear, for the most part. It was so persistent, so uncomfortable, and caused me to feel SO insecure. It got to the point where I would wear hats almost every day, to hold my hair in place over my cheeks, and hide the god awful acne that was underneath. THIS was hormonal acne.
I began to feel the effects of depression from acne. Some of you may be thinking, “is that even a thing?” and the answer is YES! Some days were better than others, but there were multiple instances where my appearance significantly effected my mood. On occasion, tears were shed (thanks Mom & Trev for being my shoulder), and my confidence was at an all time low. I felt hopeless.
I would spend so much time on the internet googling “causes of acne”, “how to get rid of acne”. I read books on how to clear your skin. Heck, I even bought a book online called “Clear Skin Forever” praying this would be the solution to all my problems. I found some of the information helpful, and some information just plain useless! At this point in my life I was doing so much good for my body already. Exercising regularly, eating VERY very clean ( no gluten / dairy, a year without eggs), and drinking a lot of water. Tips that many of the articles/ books I read suggested you do… yet it was still happening. So then I was stuck…. what else could I possibly do?! I became obsessed with trying to find a way to rid my face of the persistent pimples. More times than not, feeling defeated.
After more and more research, and gaining knowledge through school I decided to stop trying to solve the problem by myself ( with the help of the internet), and seek out help from professionals, and this is where my journey to finding the root of the problem began!
I began seeing my first esthetician, where I received regular facials; chemical peels, micro needling, extractions. As well as advice on things I could do on my own to help my skin, such as supplements to take, and types of products to use. I started taking Zinc, and switched almost all products that came in contact with my face to being hypoallergenic, I even stopped wearing makeup due to the fear of it making my acne worse.. All of which did help my skin to some extent, but of course… it couldn’t completely stop there, that would be too good to be true…. and the problem persisted. One thing I keep with me to this day from this esthetician was a comment she made to me. She said, “ I’d never look at you as someone who struggles with acne, just know, you notice it more than anyone else does.” This may not seem like a crazy meaningful comment, but it was. I looked at myself in the mirror every single day, and all I could see was the ugly red bumps on my cheeks, when there was so much more to me than that. So if you’re reading this, and you’re someone who struggles to see your beauty beneath the breakouts, please know that whats inside your heart, outshines any “imperfections” you feel you have on your face. It was after a while of doing facials, and only seeing small improvements, that I started to get discouraged, and quit going.
After more research, it was brought to my attention that the problem with my skin was so much deeper than what was happening on the outside of my body, and I realized that the cause of my acne was because something was off inside my body. This is when I decided to start seeing the Naturopathic doctor at the Bastyr Clinic for Natural Health. Unfortunately, Naturopaths can be expensive, especially because not all insurances cover preventive care. However, at the Bastyr Clinic you have the option to see the Naturopathic Doctor from the teaching clinic side, who has two students in the ND program work along side them. This option was covered by my insurance, and I was stoked! I had several appointments with them, each getting me closer and closer to clearer skin. I had also begun seeing a new esthetician at TLC skincare. So now not only working on what was happening on the inside of my body, but on the outside as well. I finally started to see that glimmer of hope!
At the doctor, I found out several things. My current birth control was not effective at all for helping with acne, I had a B12 deficiency, and my digestive problems were contributing to the breakouts I was experiencing.
The birth control I was on was on, a progesterone only pill, apparently had no association with improving acne, so I switched to a combination pill, progesterone + estrogen, which has been found to help. The improvement in my skin after switching was slow…. but after about 6 months on the new pill, my acne began to diminish, and my confidence grew!!!
Then it was onto the next thing! After blood tests, I found out that I had a severe B12 deficiency. Interestingly enough this can happen if you’re on birth control for long periods of time…. (7.5 years for me at this point). This was then solved with B12 injections, and B12 supplementation… and before too long I was free from my deficiency! Which means I was one step closer to my body being able to function optimally.
My digestive problem, which I like to assume was IBS, with an unknown cause (likely exasperated by stress) was the last thing to tackle. Did you know? That inflammation within the body contributes to acne? Also, depending on the type of digestive problems you have ( mine had me too frequently using the golden throne…), there is a pretty good chance your body is not absorbing nutrients from food that it needs. I did an intolerance test, to find that I was moderately intolerant to dairy of all kinds. I removed dairy completely from my diet, as well as gluten knowing both can cause inflammation, and was very mindful of my processed food/ sugar consumption. The doctor prescribed me digestive bitters, probiotics, and digestive enzymes, all of which I took for a period of time to help my gut function at it’s absolute best! All of these things, and getting my hormones getting back in check (after switching to a pill more suitable for my 20 year old body vs. my 16 year old body), and my digestion started running smoothly as well!! YAY!
All of the solutions above, as well as working closely with my lovely and extremely helpful esthetician Nuala at TLC Skincare Clinic and my skin was finally on the path to being (mostly) C L.E A R! With Nuala, I would mostly get a steam facial, extractions, and chemical peels. However, in November of 2017, I got engaged to my (now) husband, (then) boyfriend of 8 years!!! As my wedding started to become a reality, I took the skin care regimen to a whole new level! I started to see Nuala every 2-3 weeks for my regular facials, and we tried a new (to me), even more effective method for combating my acne (and acne scars), called the IPL treatment. IPL stands for intense pulsed light, and IPL treatment transmits a broad spectrum of light that improves the complexion and texture of your skin. Pulses of visible light penetrate through the skin to reduce redness, sun damage, age spots, moles, cherry spots, blotchy skin, and wrinkles. IPL technology helps to treat acne with specific wavelengths of light which target the bacteria in the skin, as well as inflamed sebaceous glands that contribute to breakouts. A method I had never heard of before I got it done, but one that I would recommend to anyone in a heart beat!
Of course, the caring for my skin didn’t only happen at the clinic. Nuala was SO helpful with recommending things I could do on my own. Which to this day I still do religiously, and I believe are part of the reason that my skin remains mostly clear. She recommended several products, and at home facial tools that have improved my skin, and help me deal with breakouts when they do come about. So now, I want to share them with YOU!
Where I am at currently… I am 6 months off of birth control, after 8 years of being on it, and I have not had my period since September. While I haven’t been getting a period, I have been experiencing small hormonal breakouts on my chin, cheeks, and neck on occasion. While my skin is not completely clear all the time, I have finally established a routine that has helped to reduce breakouts and help me prevent them from getting worse, when they do happen!
So read below, where I share with you my current skin care routine, the products I use, and supplements I take. All of which, paired with a healthy lifestyle have helped to significantly reduce my breakouts.
Lifestyle:
Exercise regularly - 5-6 days / week, a mix of sweaty cardio, and low intensity strength training, some yoga too! Exercise can help promote circulation in the skin, and help to reduce stress (which has a part in acne). Just make sure to have a proper skin care routine post workout ( take a shower ASAP and cleanse that body & face to prevent breakouts)
A diet full of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. This ensures I am getting all the micronutrients my skin needs to thrive. I buy almost all organic when necessary to reduce consumption of pesticides. I also try my best to buy organic/ free range eggs, and poultry, organic/grass fed beef, and wild caught fish.
I limit my consumption of dairy and gluten. I still enjoy it on occasion, but in small amounts. When I do have it I try to choose good quality. These foods can often contribute to making acne worse.
I limit my sugar consumption, and choose unrefined sugar where possible. Honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar, all of which provide beneficial nutrients as well. I also try to reach for fruit to fulfill my sweet cravings. Too much sugar can cause blood sugar spikes, and increase inflammation in the body.
I try my best to consume some form of probiotic rich foods every day, probiotic rich foods provide our gut with the good bacteria and aid in digestion. I usually eat sauerkraut, or drink Kombucha or Farm House Culture gut shot . Other great options are greek yogurt, kefir, pickled veggies,
Supplements :
Garden of Life Wholefood Womens Multivitamin - I use a whole food women’s once a day multivitamin by Garden Of Life. I choose to take a multivitamin because I limit my consumption of certain foods, like dairy, red meat, wheat, which means it is likely that I am not getting important vitamins and minerals that these foods contain. A multivitamin helps to ensure that I am getting all the micronutrients my body needs!
Carlson Labs Omega 3 - This is great to help reduce inflammation. Inflammation within the body being one of the main causes for acne.
Oregon’s Wild Harvest - Chaste Tree- Since coming off BC a little over 6 months ago, I have been without a period. Chaste tree is a natural supplement that is supposed to help balance hormones, and hopefully taking it regularly will help me get back my monthly flow! Balanced hormones = decreased likelihood of hormonal breakouts!
Charlottes Web CBD oil - Helpful for reducing stress/anxiety, and reducing inflammation in the body.
Preventative Measures:
Pimple Patches (Alba Botanical) - These are perfect for when I want to prevent myself from touching a pimple when it does come about. They help reduce inflammation and speed up healing!
Micro-needling tool (Stacked Skincare) - This is an awesome tool that helps to micro exfoliate the skin, create the appearance of firmer looking skin, and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles! I also find that if I do happen to have a break out, it helps to heal it a lot quicker!
Derma-planing tool (Stacked Skincare) - This is the BEST because it removes dead skin and peach fuzz, and leaves my face feeling like a baby’s bottom!! My makeup goes on very smooth after I use it, and it helps the serums I mention below penetrate into my skin better!
For any of the Stacked Skincare products click here, and sign up for their newsletter to get 10% off your first order!
Cleanser / Moisturizers / Serums :
Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser - Before I went to my esthetician I was afraid of trying new products because I didn't want to use ANYTHING that would make my skin worse! However, my esthetician recommended I try this cleanser, so I did, and I LOVE it! It leaves my face feeling nice and clean, and its made specifically for oily/ problem skin! I love that it contains ingredients like willow bark extract, date fruit extract, lavender extract, marsh mallow root extract, orange fruit extract and methanol for that nice cool feeling! I use it morning, night, and after workouts!
Epionce Enriched Firming Mask - This is like the ULTIMATE moisturizer. It is perfect for when my skin is feeling dry. I apply it every night and while it is a thick and creamy moisturizer, I never wake up feeling oily, but instead like my skin is perfectly hydrated! You can apply this as a face mask and wash it off, or as a moisturizer like I do! I also love that this contains ingredients like meadow foam extract, shea butter, orange fruit extract, willow bark extract, safflower seed oil, avocado oil, lavender extract, date fruit extract.
Stacked Skincare Hyaluronic acid - Once I started using this, my skin care routine was taken to a whole new level. While the moisturizer above does a fairly good job at keeping my skin from being too dry… it isn’t great for applying under makeup due to how thick it is. This on the other hand can be applied, and absorbs right into my skin, making it look and feel 100 times more hydrated without you being able to even tell I put anything on my face! The purpose of this is to, provide essential moisture for all skin types, balance and regulate oil production, and visibly plump fine lines and soften skin. I’m a BIG believer in this one! I love to apply it after micro rolling/ derma planing so it can be absorbed best, but I also use it in the morning before makeup!
Drunk Elephant Vitamin C - Vitamin C is good for a couple reasons, one being to protect your skin from free radicals, neutralize pollution, and environmental stressors. The others being to replenish lipids and visibly reduce the appearance of dark spots (acne scars) and wrinkles. I personally have gone through a phase of using, to not using, to using again… and I don’t see an end in sight… until of course it runs out… but I will be getting more ASAP. I actually just began using this again for about 1 month after several months without it, and I began to see a HUGE difference in my complexion. Now I am hooked. I was applying it at night, but after a little research I found that its best to apply during the day so that it can protect my skin from anything it comes across when I am out in the world exposed to a whole variety of things!
And…… thats it folks! Stay tuned for the makeup products I use, as I am currently making the change to cleaner products to have an all around GREAT skincare routine! It’s not to say you have to try ALL that I tried, and it’s not to say that if you did you would have the same results. However, I do hope that you can take at least a few things away from this post, that will help you in solving your skin problems if you struggle/have struggled like me! Also, please know…. you are NOT alone! There are sooooo many women out there who struggle like you. You’re BEAUTIFUL regardless of whats going on with your skin, and if you put effort in to caring for your body inside and out, with time, it WILL get better.
Until next time,
XXX Kels!