We have all experienced acne at some stage; whether it be during puberty, during menstrual changes, times of stress, or just a time we really don't want pimple presenting. But acne can be more than just a pimple here and there. Just because we know about it and don't fear catching it if we see someone with acne, those afflicted are still suffering all the same angst as people affected by other skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

In addition to acne commonly occurring during adolescence; it can be just as prevalent in adults. Unfortunately, it can cause severe scarring and the treatments out there often don’t given the long standing results sufferers are often looking for.

So what options do I have to treat acneic skin?

The first thing I would encourage you to do is to look into the health of your hormones. Hormonal imbalances impact the normal secretion of sebum by the sebaceous glands. If hormonal imbalances are detected; then they can simply be rectified by regulating hormones. For women, I would advise using a natural therapy such as Chinese Medicine as the regulation won’t impact the negative feedback system the body has to regulate your hormones. Whereas taking the contraceptive pill introduces hormones into the body which then shuts down your own regulation of hormones which may lead to other reproductive health complaints in the future.

Schedule in a time to discuss your skin health concerns with our Free 15 min Skin Assessment.

Here are some tips to look out for considering if hormones are a reason for your acne:

1. Check hormone levels: high levels of testosterone can increase the severity of acne. In women, health complaints such as PCOS and hormonal imbalances can lead to increase testosterone.
2. High stress levels cause an increase in testosterone levels. Initially cortisol will increase in a stressed state and after a significant period of time high levels of cortisol impair the normal regulation of hormones in the body resulting in high levels of testosterone. This could also be a sign of adrenal fatigue. To check if this is you, see your health practitioner to test this via a saliva test which will look into cortisol, DHEA and hormone levels.

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Diet/Lifestyle factors to consider when it comes to encouraging healthy looking skin:

1. Enjoy a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods such as beetroots, green leafy vegetables, lean protein and whole foods.
2. Drink 2-3 litres of filtered water each day. This can be supplemented with chlorophyll.
3. Avoid drinking alcohol, and eating foods high in sugar, greasy fatty foods and refined carbohydrates.
4. Avoid smoking, late nights and being consumed by electronic devices.
5. Ensure your digestion, thyroid and general well being are at optimal levels. Imbalances in any of these areas will see skin health be compromised.
6. Manage stress and other negative emotions. Although it is important to experience all these emotions, it is detrimental to your health when these emotions are experienced often.
7. Meditate regularly. A meditative state is a healing state. The immense benefit to your mind, body and soul achieved by meditating both at the start and end of your day is phenomenal.
8. Exercise regularly. Encouraging the healthy circulation of blood throughout the entire body and the release of endorphins is fantastic for the health of your mind and body and your skin.

Bonus Tip: Use Skin Care to Heal Acneic Skin.

By incorporating a specialised skin care regimen, you can reduce sebum secretion in the skin, hydrate and nourish the skin to prevent sebaceous glands from overacting, and reducing inflammation in the skin and neutralising bacteria to reduce comedomes and acneic lesions.

The Flawless Range is designed to effectively assist with replenishing acneic skin. The herbal extracts in this range aim to repair the appearance of the skin while removing excess oil to promote cleaner skin. Extracts such as honeysuckle, witch hazel, and loquat leaf function to clear redness, while astragalus and glehnia root help repair the appearance of the skin. In addition, gentle alpha lipoic acids are used to remove excess oil and dead skin cells from the surface while non-comedogenic oil hydrate the skin to avoid over production of sebum, hence providing a cleaner, healthier appearance to the skin.

For more information log onto https://www.salubre.com.au/product-category/cosmeceuticals/skin-care-cosmeceuticals/