Acne is a common health frustration that can plague the young and those who are older. It can be related to so many different things, and it can be difficult to address on your own.
To help you understand more about why you might still be struggling with acne, I am going to share and focus on three of the main causes that I see in my practice. In the video below, I review all of these areas. Use the notes below as a quick reference for identifying what might be causing acne for you if you are currently struggling.
GI Microbiome: overgrowth in the small intestine, or even a lack of good bacteria in the intestine and colon can lead to acne
An overburdened liver: environmental stressors, conventional beauty products, the birth control pill, and going too long in between meals will all be stressors for the liver
Minerals: typically, low potassium and high sodium levels will lead to acne in many, hence why the common prescription Spironolactone works well (with side effects and long term risks) - it spares potassium, meaning it causes your body to loose sodium and hold onto potassium
Stress, cortisol, androgens, and hormones in general: high stress will have an impact on your hormones (typically lowering thyroid hormone and progesterone), and spiking cortisol
Skin microbiome: a non-diverse microbiome on the skin can be another driver of acne, as many of us have use anti-bacterial washes for years or even decades, which does clean skin, but also removes beneficial bacteria that helps the common acne causing bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes, from proliferating.
For tips and suggestions, watch the video, where I go in-depth about acne, it's many causes, and what you can start doing to address acne if you are currently struggling with breakouts.
