Healing Common Skin Issues
Your skin is the largest organ in the body, and is exposed to many different elements and substances, making it especially vulnerable to everything you come in contact with each day. As an organ of elimination, it is often the site where toxins are released, which can cause symptoms such as acne. It is important to treat the underlying issue and find the root cause of skin problems in order to eliminate them for good. When treating any skin condition, be sure to consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, and eliminate processed and refined sugars and foods. Avoiding excess caffeine, alcohol, smoking and food sensitivities, while drinking plenty of water throughout the day, is key to keeping skin healthy and healing imbalance.
Below are common skin problems and what you can do naturally to heal from each one.
ACNE
Acne vulgaris is one of the most common skin problems affecting teenagers, particularly due to their hormonal changes, but can also affect people of any age. Acne may be triggered by food allergies/sensitivities, hormonal changes, stress, an inflammatory diet, nutrient deficiencies, digestive issues, or candida overgrowth. It can also be triggered by small infections caused by the presence of bacteria in the skin. If left untreated, acne can cause hyperpigmentation and scarring which may lead to a lifetime of low self-esteem and anxiety.
Supportive Supplements
Zinc: Known for its wound healing properties, tissue regeneration, and immune system support. 30-45 mg/day. Best taken in picolinate form.
Probiotics: Improves beneficial bacteria of the skin which can help keep acne at bay. 10-20 billion CFU, twice daily.
Vitamin E: Regulates retinol levels. Take 400 mg/day.
Vitamin C: Boosts the immune system and supports collagen formation. It is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. 1000mg/day in divided doses every 4 hours.
Omega-3s (DHA & EPA): Anti-inflammatory properties are required for healthy immune system function and helps support skin health. Take 3000 mg/day.
Helpful Herbs
Dandelion or Burdock Root tea: Both are powerful blood and liver cleansers which can improve the quality of skin by enhancing digestive function and supporting elimination.
Tea Tree Oil: Is used as an antiseptic, antibacterial and in wound healing.
Neem: is an Ayurvedic herb which has antibacterial properties and will help fight acne-causing bacteria. Applied topically.
Lifestyle Support
Cleanse your face thoroughly every day with a gentle soap (such as calendula soap). Never allow oil, dirt, and makeup to stay on your skin for extended periods of time; especially not overnight when your skin repairs and heals itself.
Use a toner after washing your face. This helps further your cleansing efforts, tightens your pores and restores the skin’s natural pH level.
Gentle exfoliation is perfect for removing dead skin from the face and unclogging pores.
Use healing face masks made with the herbs mentioned above or gentle antibacterial masks made with turmeric and honey (this can also help reduce scarring).
Eating plenty of fiber is essential for cleansing the colon and improving gut bacteria which ultimately improves the condition of the skin.
Liver supportive foods like dandelion root and burdock are essential for detoxification which reduces/eliminates toxins from being eliminated via the skin.
PSORIASIS
Scaling and inflammation of the skin caused by increased cell proliferation. Symptoms include raised red patches with white scales and may be triggered by infections, stress, poor digestive health, poor liver health, dry skin or injury to the skin, and a cold and dry climate. Other triggers include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, beta-blockers, and lithium. Elimination diets may be useful to pinpoint any reactions you may have to certain foods.
Supportive Supplements
Probiotics: Improve the beneficial bacteria of the skin which can help keep skin conditions at bay. 10-20 billion CFU, twice daily.
Omega 3: Can improve redness and thickness. 1,000-2,000 mg/day.
Antioxidants: Vitamins A, C & E. These are essential for combating any oxidative stress and damage occurring within the body and for aiding in the healing process. Selenium and/or zinc are also important antioxidants.
Helpful Herbs
Turmeric: Will help to reduce inflammation. Make fresh turmeric tea with 1 tbsp of chopped turmeric steeped in hot water. Add fresh ginger, honey or lemon to taste.
Apply aloe vera and curcumin gels, or vitamin D topically 2 to 3x/day.
Note: topical vitamin D should not be taken long term.Myrrh Oil: It is excellent at healing chapped, flaky and cracked skin.
Tea Tree Oil: Used in psoriasis to help prevent infection and inflammation.
Lifestyle Support
Reduce stress. Stress plays a huge role in psoriasis. Meditation, yoga, prayer, and hypnosis are some techniques which can help reduce your stress levels.
Oats: Take a warm bath in 1 cup of oats to help relieve itchy skin and reduce redness.
Limit consumption of sugar, conventionally-raised meat, animal fats, and alcohol.
Eat a high fiber diet and wild-caught cold water fish 2 - 3x/week.
Stay away from foods you are allergic/sensitive to. You can identify allergies/sensitivities by getting allergy tested or doing an elimination diet.
ECZEMA OR ATOPIC DERMATITIS
Irritated skin that is often red and/or dry with crusted patches. Triggers include emotional stress, temperature changes, food allergens, and bacterial infections. Associated with asthma, hay fever, food allergies/sensitivities (most commonly wheat or dairy) and a lack of essential fatty acids. An elimination diet may be helpful.
Supportive Supplements
Vitamin D: Boosts the immune system
Antioxidant Vitamins E, C & A: Regulates retinol levels and has been shown to be most effective when used with selenium.
Omega-3s: Calms inflammation and moisturizes skin from within. 1,000-2,000 mg/day.
Probiotics: Reduce inflammation and protect against immune dysfunction. 5-10 billion CFU/day, and ensure probiotic contains multiple strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Helpful Herbs
Calendula: Heals skin inflammation. Apply a calendula cream daily to the areas affected.
Make your own homemade eczema cream by combining hydrating, antibacterial ingredients like lavender oil, tea tree, raw honey, coconut or shea butter. You can also use products like probiotics, geranium essential oil and/or myrrh essential oil on sensitive skin.
Lifestyle Support
Don’t scratch. Scratching has been found to lead to complications because it can cause open cracks or wounds that allow bacteria into the skin, which worsens the condition.
Light therapy/phototherapy helps reduce inflammation, reduces itching, increases vitamin D, and helps fight bacteria.
Applying a cool, wet compress lessens the itching for some individuals with eczema.
ROSACEA
A chronic and progressive inflammatory skin disorder that shows up as red patches, usually on the nose and cheeks. Pimples are also common with rosacea. Triggers may include H. Pylori, food allergies, vitamin deficiencies, digestive disorders, low stomach acid, and alcoholism. Hot food and beverages, spicy foods, alcohol, extreme temperatures, sunlight, stress, and intense exercise may worsen symptoms.
Supportive Supplements
Probiotics: Improves beneficial bacteria of the skin which can help keep skin conditions at bay. 10-20 billion CFU, twice daily.
HCl (Betaine Hydrochloride) or digestive bitters: Use as directed on the label for the short term while working on increasing HCL in the body.
L-glutamine: An essential amino acid that is anti-inflammatory. Protects the walls of cells by coating them and repelling irritants. Powder or capsules can be taken as directed on label.
Chlorophyll: Helps protect the skin with its antiviral effects. Beneficial for wound healing and preventing skin infections. Can be taken through lotion or capsules as directed on the label
Helpful Herbs
Burdock root (applied topically; oil, tea, infusions): This skin-healer naturally calms and heals skin issues. Including burdock during treatment provides blood-cleansing and internal cooling that can help the skin.
Aloe vera (used topically on the skin): Has many skin benefits, including soothing and moisturizing. Apply the gel to affected skin.
Chamomile (essential oil): place 3 drops into a carrier oil like coconut oil can be gently rubbed into the area to reduce inflammation and help treat the sensitive skin.
Lifestyle Support
Coconut oil: Is an antibacterial oil which can be used as a natural moisturizer.
Green Tea: Reduces redness and inflammation on the skin. Steep a cup of green tea, then refrigerate for 45 mins. Once cooled, soak a cloth in the tea and apply to affected skin
Avoid foods like alcohol, coffee, conventional dairy products, chocolate, spicy and hot foods.
Avoid steam rooms, hot yoga, and anything overheating until symptoms subside.
Manage stress: It’s important to manage the stress that this condition may bring with it. While rosacea causes physical symptoms, it also tends to impact emotional/mental health for those challenged by it. This stress can become a trigger for further flare-ups. Try stress-relieving activities like spending time with people you love, meditating, watching a funny movie, anything that will soothe you and take your mind off your worries.
HIVES (Urticaria)
Allergic reaction of the skin resulting in white or pink bumps surrounded by redness. These lesions are created by histamine release triggered by: antibiotics, food allergies, aspirin, food additives, flavorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, colorings, bacterial or viral infections, candida, and/or stress.
Supportive Supplements
Vitamin C: Minimum 2000 mg/day has been shown to prevent histamine release. Take in divided doses every 4 hours.
Vitamin B12: Shown to be helpful in acute or chronic treatment. 1000 mg/day.
EPA and DHA: Reduces inflammation. 3000 mg /day.
Quercetin: Shown to inhibit histamine release. 200-400 mg 20 minutes before meals.
Helpful Herbs
Turmeric: Will help to reduce inflammation. Make fresh turmeric tea with 1 tbsp of chopped turmeric steeped in hot water. Add fresh ginger, honey or lemon to taste.
Nettle (infusion): This herbal drink (nettle + non-chlorinated water) contains a high amount of chlorophyll which will help heal wounds and prevent skin infections.
Lifestyle Support
Oats: Take a warm bath in 1 cup of oats to help relieve itchy skin and reduce redness
A paste of baking soda & water can help reduce irritation and calm the hives
Fresh aloe can help relieve irritation, itching & burning
Lower Stress & Anxiety: Spend time on self-care, take time off to rest, practice deep breathing and meditation, spend quality time with loved ones, and seek support if you are under any excessive stress or pressure.
Avoid food allergies: It's important to identify and avoid foods that could be causing the hives (a food diary may be helpful to see what is or isn't working for you). Some common offenders include: gluten, wheat, dairy, sugar & soy. An IgG food allergy test is a great way to discover allergies and sensitivities that trigger an inflammatory response.
You can help regulate seasonal allergies by drinking nettles (tea & infusions) and consuming bee products that help reduce histamines.
Medications such as NSAIDS (Ibuprofen/aspirin/antibiotics) contain allergens that can cause hives, so its best to avoid and reduce these.
COLD SORES
Caused by Herpes Simplex 1 Virus (HSV), fever blisters usually occur around the mouth and are preceded by a burning or tingling sensation. Triggers can be due to stress, fever, or colds, and is spread by direct contact. This virus may spread to other body parts, including the eyes and genitals.
Supportive Supplements
Zinc: Effective inhibitor of HSV replication and enhances the immune system. 30 mg/day.
Vitamin C + Bioflavonoids: Shown to increase healing rate and reduce blisters. 3000-6000 mg/day taken in divided doses every 4 hours.
Lysine: Antiviral properties. Lysine-rich foods (chicken, halibut, salmon, yeast, turkey, tuna, shrimp, beans, sardines) have become a popular treatment. Supplement with 1000 mg 3x/day.
Vitamin C : To boost immunity and increase white blood cells that protect your body from infections, daily supplementation is needed. Foods such as kiwi, broccoli, peppers and oranges are high sources of vitamin C. Capsule dosage is dependent on age & gender, as directed on the label. Remember to divide the dose every 4 hours for continual support.
Helpful Herbs
Lemon Balm: Known for its antiviral effects. Steep lemon balm tea and apply the brewed leaves directly to the sore for 1-2 hours. You can also soak a cloth or cotton ball in the steeped tea and apply it to the affected area.
St. John’s Wort: Supports the immune system and can reduce the number of flare-ups. Try in tincture or topical (salve) form.
Antiviral herbs such elderberry, astragalus, echinacea, and licorice root can play supportive roles during flare-ups as they act as immune system stimulants (you can include them as teas daily) and kick the system into high gear to fight off imbalance.
Lifestyle Support
Arginine: A low-arginine diet has been shown to be effective as arginine promotes HSV replication. High-arginine foods include: almonds, brazil nuts, chocolate, peanuts, hazelnuts), so these may need to be avoided.
Reduce/eliminate inflammatory foods: This includes alcohol, sugar, processed foods, and overly-acidic foods like excessive amounts of animal products.
Manage stress & anxiety: To prevent inflammation and future cold sores, managing stress is important. Seeking support from professionals and loved ones can help ease any stress & anxiety. Both stress and anxiety can trigger inflammation, so keeping calm and relaxed will support quicker recovery.
Replacing oral care: It’s often overlooked, but replacing your toothbrush is essential to removing and preventing cold sores. Your toothbrush might be holding the virus that caused the original cold sore so it is best to opt for a new one.