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Yesterday I received this e-mail from a mother concerned about her daughter’s skin breakouts: My 12 year old daughter suffers from pimples splashed all over her forehead and just a few blackheads on her nose. Is there a reason that it’s her forehead mainly and what is best to treat her skin? Thanks.

Following on from my previous blog about facial diagnosis I thought it a timely question and so have put my reply below:

Skin breaks out because everyday toxins aren’t being eliminated properly by the

other detoxification pathways of the body. The reason breakouts usually occur on the forehead is related to digestive congestion or poor detoxification. Often this comes back to a diet high in sugars and processed foods or fats. If the breakouts are more cyst like in appearance it can related to high dairy intake. There is also her age to take into consideration. Hormonal changes will be making themselves known I am sure and this may also be affecting her skin. Usually it is the liver that can’t cope with the combination of toxins from the diet and an increase in hormones that have to be broken down and so the skin is affected.

While this all sounds quite full on, if she increases her water intake and cuts down on any processed foods and sugars she may find that it will settle down.

Encourage her to wash her face daily to remove oil. Black Soap is ideal for teenagers as apart from being a great cleanser, it is also mildly antibacterial and very gentle on skin. If she does need a moisturiser a light gel such as the Mukti Aloe Gel is all she will need. It contains no oil and so won’t contribute to congestion.

If you think she needs to take stronger steps to clear her skin, and you will know best what she eats etc, then Karen Fischer’s The Healthy Skin Diet outlines an excellent and relatively easy to follow program that doesn’t restrict foods a growing teenager should have.

Dear readers, please let me know if you have any further questions or comments as I would love to hear them. And if you have used products that help your skin with breakouts, we would LOVE to hear about them.

Recently lots of really interesting things have been popping up and I just have to let you all know. So this blog has exciting news for acne sufferers! My friend Fran Kerr hosts an acne specific site called highonhealth.org and I regularly recommend those suffereing from acne or breakouts check out her site – it holds a wealth of information about how to manage acne using diet, lifestyle, nutritional, topical and even emotional treatments. The great news is that Fran has just opened up a new acne coaching program and I think this is the best acne program I have seen (and that is saying something!). So I have put the details below.

Fran says:

This is the FIRST time anything like this has been offered on the net and I’m positive it’s going to change the way we treat acne in the future.

http://the-clearest-skin-ever.com/signup/

I’ve been itching to work closely with a select few acne suffers for quite some time now. So, I’m really looking forward to working personally with YOU to help you get clear skin for life!

Inside this program, you’re going to learn how to finally get beautifully clear skin and why everything you’ve tried before hasn’t been working.

And as a little extra bonus, I’m going to make sure you’re feeling happier, healthier, more self confident, and enjoying life that little bit more

What’s inside this course?

This is what you’ll get access to on the inside:

• LIVE teleconferences with me AND other health experts (including a naturopath) where you can ask us ANY question you have about your skin…
• Up to one hour of exclusive acne cure coaching videos each week (that you won’t find anywhere else)…
• Dozens of skin safe food recipes (that I personally use) and that won’t break you out…
• Home spa skin care recipes that you can make at home…
• A private members only forum where I’ll be spending a lot time to answering all your questions… personally!
• Audio and video interviews with highly authoritative health experts…
• Audio interviews with PAST acne sufferers who have cleared their skin holistically… and how they did it
• And much MUCH more!

You can get access to it all by going here:

http://the-clearest-skin-ever.com/signup/

Now, there’s just one very important bit of detail that you need to know about…

I’m keeping the doors open for ONLY 2 weeks!

That means, if you are serious about getting clear skin too, you
MUST get on board with everyone else before I close doors again.

Once the doors are shut you will NOT be able to join again for a number of months. And I’m not even sure when I will be opening doors again.

So, if you really want to clear up your skin, make sure you join me today. It may just be one of your most exciting journeys yet!

http://the-clearest-skin-ever.com/signup/

PS: Please note, that because I want everyone to start at the same time, I’ll be closing doors in 2 weeks time from the time of sending this message. So make sure you join me before then, otherwise you’ll have to miss out!

This is a new blog section that I will post from time to time and it is essentially us letting you know about our favorite products. This time is Roechelle’s turn and her favorite product is the Lavera Mint Blemish Stick. While Roechelle has had a history of breakouts, she has done heaps of great work healing her skin and at Vitale we are really impressed with the changes she has made to life. I have done a product review video below but first here is what Roechelle has to say:

“Even though this product is a cover up, I actually put it on at night to help it heal any blemishes I have. It is also great for soothing and cooling blind pimples. There is something in it that really helps to reduce the inflammation (Ed note: the oils are rich in omega 3 & 6 so help reduce inflammation and the mint essential oil is cooling).”

I am asked how to manage skin conditions on a regular basis. Sometimes it is a straightforward question however often queries involve more than one skin issue such as received this e-mail from a young woman living in Europe. She is moving back to Australia and had some questions about how to manage her skin. What I love about this e-mail is that the writer wants to work out what is really going on with her skin rather than just relying on temporary solutions (antibiotics). She wrote that she also eats a good diet and exercises which is not only great from a wellbeing perspective but helps with skin complaints for so many reasons.

I was wondering if you could recommend a regime for my very sensitive and acne-prone skin? I am currently living in Europe and tried using the Dr Hauschka products (Ed note: as with any product they suit some and not others. Dr Hauschka generally has excellent feedback) for oily/blemished skin a couple of months ago, however whether because of stress or the weather or the new products (not sure what) my acne has become so severe that my doctor convinced me to take an antibiotic to help it. I am moving back to Australia next week and am searching for a new skin care regime – in the long run I really want to treat my skin problem naturally and I know the antibiotics are only a short term fix. My acne is almost exclusively around my chin and jaw-line, and although the rest of my skin is also oily it rarely gets blemishes. However the skin on my chin is often dry and flaky (as well as red and inflamed…) and I find it difficult to exfoliate it without irritating the existing blemishes. I am at a loss as to what else to try in order to clear up my skin. Any advice would be much appreciated!

My reply was as follows: I think a couple of things are underlying your skin issues. Firstly it sounds like the acid mantle of your skin is unbalanced thus producing dry and oily sections. This needs to be repaired in order to balance out your combination skin. This would also account for the sensitivity – without an effective acid mantle there is a greater likelihood of skin reactions. To balance out the acid mantle you need a very gentle cleanser that allows the skin a quick recovery to its normal pH after cleansing and I also recommend a balancing serum or lotion.

In addition, breakouts around the chin area tend to be related to either digestive issues or hormones. If it is hormonal, you will notice your skin is worse around your period or ovulation. If not then it may be related to digestive issues. While somewhat strange to ask about via e-mail, think about whether or not your digestive system is as good as it could be and if not, it may be an underlying contributing factor to your skin issues. We can look into this in more depth when you come to Brisbane.

Using the antibiotic will help initially but as you say, eventually you want to treat the underlying issues. Taking probiotics will help overcome any issues with taking antibiotics.

Your diet sounds good so it is unlikely to be the issue however, I can send you a copy of our Vitale Clean Skin Diet if you would like to read it and in addition I recommend Karen Fischer’s Book, The Healthy Skin Diet. It is excellent and covers nutritional issues as well as dietary ones.

The products I recommend are:

Remedica Anago Black Soap – very gentle, this cleanser is has mild antiseptic qualities, is mildly anti-inflammatory and allows the skin a rapid recovery after use. It is ideal for oily and blemish prone skin.

Serum for acne prone & sensitive skin

Remedica Clair Visage – a balancing serum ideal for skin that is dry and oily. It helps heal, reduce inflammation and balance oiliness. Only half a pump at night is needed so this will last around 5-6 months.
Third Stone Botanicals Cederwood Moisture Gel – a light daytime gel that protects and balances oily skin

Initially I don’t recommend you use an exfoliant. Your skin is too sensitive. Once it has healed ie acid mantle repair and the inflammation has reduced, you can use a very gentle one such as Third Stone Botanicals Almond Rose Exfoliant.

Treating skin that is sensitive can be so tricky. I have one client at the moment and we are going through a process of elimination both with skin care products and diet & lifestyle. Sometimes it just takes finding the right products and sometimes it requires a more in-depth approach with nutrition, diet and lifestlye changes. However, I find the first and often most effective step is to stop the use of all products that contain synthetic ingredients, SLS foaming agents and strong fragrances. With the young woman above, we will see how she goes with natural, low or no fragranced (and certainly no artificial fragrances) products and therapeutic serums to manage both the sensitivity and the breakouts.

I would love to hear what experiences you have had with using products on your skin issues…dry, sensitive, oily, breakouts. Share what you have used with me and the Vitaleblog readers. And if you have any questions about skin issues, I would be happy to answer them.

This blog is a bit of a MYTH BUSTER. The myth I am looking at is avoiding oil based serums when you have oily or acne prone skin. In some cases it is appropriate and certainly the heavier oils such as avocado or olive oil would make skin worse but some oils acutally help rather than hinder oily skin.

One of our serum products, Clair Visage is one of the most popular products we have for acne prone and oily skin. Liz, our senior beauty therapist uses this product for the treatment of acne and gets great results. Because of the fine, light molecular weight of this formula, and strategic compounding of the selected essential oils Clair Visage helps to soften, replenish and protect the acid mantle of inflamed and stressed skin, without over nourishing or causing congestion that heavier creams (including water based) creams may contribute to.

Clair Visage is not so much a moisturiser as a balancing nutritive for skin with irregular oil flow. It works by regulaing sebaceous glands and is designed to maintain skin lubricity and elasticity while controlling the amount of natural oil flow to what would be considered regular or healthy for skin.

The video blog outlines how oils can actually help oily skin rather than make it worse.

The pH or acid and alkaline balance of the blood is a key factor in detoxification and inflammation. An acidic blood pH is more likely to be associated with increased inflammation throughout the body and with a greater incidence of skin conditions such as congestion and acne. By contrast alkaline blood is associated with reduced inflammation. Green foods such as chlorophyll can assist in balancing acid/alkaline balance, which may be helpful during detoxification. This video goes examines the acid/alkaline balance and the benefits of chlorophyll.

Grant’s Liquid Chlorophyll is a gentle, low dose product that assists with the acid/alkaline balance in the body. Recommended by Karen Fischer’s book “The Healthy Skin Diet“, chlorophyll is a useful supplement as part of an overall skin detoxification program. It also helps to reduce body odour – underarm, foot and bad breath.

By Nirala Jacobi, BHSc, ND (USA)

Watching teenagers grow into their lanky bodies, we consider acne and braces almost part of their natural evolution. But many adults can suffer from ongoing acne well into their adult years. It is estimated that 40-54% of men and women over age 25 are still plagued by acne.

Not surprisingly, women have often tried many, many products, treatments, as well as prescription medications before finally searching help from a professional natural health care professional. They have spent literally thousands of dollars on these ineffective treatments and they are anxious to see results quickly.

I always have to explain that acne has several contributing factors that all need to be addressed for optimal results and it often takes weeks to months to see very obvious results with natural therapies. This is especially true if they’ve been on antibiotics or Roaccutane for their acne. I don’t make the rules, I’m just the messenger. But the good news is—once the fundamental cause of the acne is addressed, breakouts become are rare or complete resolved.

I believe knowledge is power, and when people are educated about the cause of their illness and are provided the proper information, they gain a sense of empowerment that they are part of their own health care and they then feel more inclined to make the right choices.

So with that in mind let’s take a look at some of the cause of adult acne.

Hormones
It is a well established fact that hormonal fluctuations can cause acne— the reason for this could be twofold. Firstly, we know that the skin of acne sufferers contains higher concentrations of the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a potent androgen (male hormone) that can increase oil production in the skin. This oil production can trap normal skin bacteria, which feed on this oil, and cause typical acne lesions. Yes, even women make testosterone. Many oral contraceptives control acne by indirectly controlling this conversion.

Androgenic control is a very important part of any good treatment plan for adult acne.

Another reason why acne often worsens around the period is inefficient liver clearance of hormones. Improving liver function is a good strategy for this type of acne. Liver “congestion” can be caused by an overload to the detoxification systems of the liver. Chronic chemical exposures (like for hairdressers, nail technicians, carpet layers, etc), bacterial and fungal endotoxins absorbed from the digestive tract, and dietary and cosmetic hormone disruptors all are examples of “liver congesters”

Skin Bacteria
Your skin has a natural flora, just like your digestive tract. Even in very severe cystic acne, this normal flora is commonly all you can find on lab tests. Normal skin species include Propionibacterium acnes (Corynebacterium acnes) and Staphylococcus albus. P. acnes is believed to release chemicals that break down fats in skin oil that convert into potent free radicals, thus promoting an inflammatory cascade. Topical tea tree oil on acne lesions can help with this bacterial overgrowth.

Diet
Our diet is often a plethora of potential acne causing villains! The no-brainers are trans-fatty acids, most processed foods, and very fatty foods. Dairy is also associated with acne.

A good start is to eliminate these foods form your diet and stick to a 45% Protein, 35% carbohydrate, and 20% fat diet.

This diet will stabilize blood sugars that have been shown to be a factor in chronic acne. Researchers found skin glucose tolerance quite out of range in patients with acne. When given insulin their skin improved. This echoes what naturopaths have been saying for decades: consumption of sugar worsens acne! Supplemental chromium may be helpful if you have problems with balancing your blood sugar.

Believe it or not, I often find that food allergies can greatly contribute to chronic acne. This is especially true for the type of acne that does not seem to be affected by the monthly period – ie remain constant throughout he month. Big culprits here are dairy products and wheat.

Nutrients
Rarely have I seen a patient that suffers from long standing acne that has adequate zinc levels. Zinc is involved in local hormone activation, wound healing, immune system activity, and tissue regeneration.

Vitamin A is also a no-brainer for acne treatment. Synthetic vitamin A is the

prototype for Roaccutane—the conventional “big gun” of acne treatment. It is basically such high vitamin A doses that liver function has to be routinely observed. But vitamin A in smaller doses over longer periods of time can be also very effective. Unfortunately in Australia a severe phobia about vitamin A exists in the conventional medical community.

B5 (pantothenic acid) is another fairly important nutrient as this vital vitamin helps you to metabolize fats and oils as well as contribute to energy production. Some studies have shown very definite benefit with high dose B5 supplementation.

Topical Skin Products
One of the worst things you can do for your skin is to dry it out in hopes that this will stop the oil production that causes acne. So people use scrubs and antiseptics and wash their face multiple times a day. This is the worst thing you can do as this seriously dries out your skin and causes irritation and inflammation. Your skin will take that as a signal to produce more oil and therefore more acne lesions.

For daily skin care, you are in very good hands with Ananda and her organic skin care.

Topical B5 and B3 creams have also shown benefits in clinical studies and are sometimes prescribed through compounding pharmacies.

Conclusion
This article was meant as a basic overview and did in no way cover all possible natural treatments for acne. This skin condition is very amenable to natural treatments but patience is required. A must rule out, in my opinion, is liver congestion and digestive contributors. I also recommend professional guidance to make sure the treatment plan is individualized for you!

www.niralajacobi.com