Acne
Not just a teenage problem. Acne is the most common skin condition, affecting 85% of people at some point. It's driven by hormones (especially androgens and insulin), excess sebum, bacteria, and inflammation. Adult acne is increasingly common. Understanding the hormonal and gut connections enables root cause treatment beyond just topical creams.
How Acne Forms
The Hormonal Connection
Androgens
- Testosterone: Increases sebum production
- DHT: More potent, affects skin directly
- DHEA: Adrenal androgen, rises in stress
- Why puberty: Androgen surge = acne surge
Insulin & IGF-1
- Insulin: Increases androgen production
- IGF-1: Increases sebum, cell proliferation
- High-glycemic diet: Spikes both
- Dairy: Contains IGF-1, increases insulin
Common Root Causes
High-Glycemic Diet
Sugar, refined carbs spike insulin and IGF-1. Low-glycemic diet helps many people.
Dairy
Contains hormones and IGF-1. Whey protein particularly acnegenic. Try elimination.
Gut Dysbiosis
Gut-skin axis. SIBO, leaky gut can manifest as skin inflammation.
Zinc Deficiency
Zinc reduces inflammation, helps skin heal. Often low in acne patients.
Stress
Cortisol increases androgens. Stress often precedes breakouts.
Hormonal Imbalances
PCOS, high androgens. Hormonal acne often on jawline and chin.
Root Cause Approach
Low-Glycemic Diet
Reduce sugar, white flour, processed carbs. Protein with meals. Studies show improvement.
Eliminate Dairy
Try 4-6 weeks without. Particularly milk and whey. Cheese may be less problematic.
Zinc Supplementation
15-30mg daily. Reduces inflammation. Studies show comparable to antibiotics.
Vitamin A
Regulates skin cell turnover. Retinoids work on this. Food sources: liver, eggs.
Omega-3s
Anti-inflammatory. Balance omega-6:3 ratio. Fish oil supplementation.
Gut Healing
Probiotics, address SIBO. Skin often mirrors gut health.