How to Treat PCOS Acne without Birth Control
It is common to see breakouts and acne on your face right before your period, but that does not mean it is normal or something you need to struggle with every month. Our skin is like a window as to what is going on internally. It’s important to understand the root cause of why is this presenting? Many women struggle with acne due to a diagnoses of PCOS. One of the three diagnostic traits of PCOS is high androgen hormone levels. These androgens include testosterone and DHEA which are linked to increased acne production. Here are some other factors for why you may have hormonal acne:
Elevated estrogen or testosterone (or both)
Poor liver detoxification, meaning your liver isn’t breaking down and clearing hormones as well as it could be
Gut issues like bacterial overgrowth, dysbiosis (an imbalance of good and bad bacteria), gut inflammation, or constipation (you’re not eliminating hormones so they recirculate).
Many believe birth control to be a gold standard for managing hormones and reducing hormonal acne, but in fact this method is just a bandaid. Once you stop birth control, the acne will come back and so will your originally imbalanced hormones. Luckily there are many natural solutions to help prevent acne before your period that take into account each of the mentioned possible root causes.
Here are 8 ways to prevent acne before your period.
1. Include Zinc Foods
One of the ways for how to treat PCOS acne without birth control is by including more zinc rich foods in your diet. Zinc is a great mineral that can be used for a lot of health benefits, but it specifically can be beneficial for enhancing skin appearance and decreasing acne. A mechanism for this can be that zinc has anti-inflammatory properties and it also can effectively reduce cutibacterium acnes which is a bacteria linked to acne production in the skin. Additionally, zinc can inhibit sebum secretion and production by its antiandrogenic property.
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2. Include Cruciferous Veggies
Cruciferous veggies include vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. These are sulfurous vegetables that contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol (I3C). I3C converts into another compound called diindolylmathane (DIM). DIM helps to support estrogen detoxification. This is important to make sure we are breaking down and clearing estrogen from the body. If we are not then estrogen can build up in the body and lead to hormonal imbalances. Managing estrogen levels can greatly improve oil production in your skin glands. This another way for how to treat PCOS acne without birth control. Including 1-2 cups of cruciferous veggies daily can help prevent acne before your period that shows up as a symptom of a hormonal imbalance.
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3. Reduce Dairy
Reducing dairy can be one of the ways for how to treat PCOS acne without birth control. Dairy may be associated with acne in some individuals. This can possibly be due to the fact that dairy cows are treated with artificial hormones that can throw off our own hormone balance and trigger acne. Growth hormones are naturally found in milk and could also affect our hormone balance and have been shown to trigger acne. Try removing or reducing dairy to see if it helps you to prevent acne before your period. I like to say to try removing dairy as an experiment for 2-4 weeks to see if this is a possible trigger for your acne. The only times I say to remove a food group is if you have a specific reaction to the food, it makes you feel better, or it helps your symptoms.
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4. Balance Your Blood Sugar
Balancing blood sugar is another one of the methods for how to treat PCOS acne without brith control. Blood sugar imbalances can lead to hormone imbalances, most notably elevated androgen levels like testosterone. Insulin is main hormone that controls our blood sugar which is a factor in our energy levels, hunger, and mood. When there are insulin imbalances, then this can cause testosterone and estrogen imbalances too. This explains why blood sugar imbalances are a common experience for those with PCOS. With blood sugar imbalances, insulin has a difficult time keeping up with demands, and the cells may become less responsive to allowing the sugar into the cells, where it is needed for energy. Over time insulin can signal the ovaries to start producing more testosterone, which can result in symptoms like acne. A way to prevent acne before your period is to balance your blood sugar. Do this by not skipping meals, eating consistently throughout the day, and including protein, healthy fat, and fiber at all meals and snacks.
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5. Include Healthy Fats
Including healthy fats is another way for how to treat PCOS acne without birth control. Studies have linked an imbalance in essential fatty acids with a variety of skin problems. Specifically, “dry, itchy, scaly skin is a hallmark sign of fatty acid deficiency”. Essential fatty acids include omega-3s and omega-6s, which need to be in careful balance of 4:1. Omega-3s are associated with decreased inflammation. Often we get plenty of omega-6 fatty acids from seed and vegetable oils, but are lacking in omega-3s. The best food source of omega-3s are fish like salmon, tuna, or sardines. Including healthy fats can help to prevent acne before your period.
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6. Use Gentle Skincare Products
Another way for how to treat PCOS acne without birth control is to use gentle skincare products. Many skincare products contain harsh chemicals and ingredients that function as xenoestrogens, which are compounds that mimic estrogen in the body. Sulfates are a type of harsh chemical found in many cleansers. Sulfates can strip away moisture from the skin, leaving it dry, and signaling to the body to produce more oil. Since your skin is likely inflamed and irritated, it’s best to opt for gentle skincare products that retain moisture and don’t strip your skin. The key to maintaining clear is to have a balance of moisture and oil, not too much and not too little. Using gentle skincare products can be a great way to prevent acne before your period. I recommend the brand Osmia Organics.
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7. Include Probiotic Foods
Including probiotic foods in your diet is another great way for how to treat PCOS acne without birth control. Our body naturally contains a community of bacteria throughout called a microbiome. One of the largest and most important is our gut microbiome in our intestines. These bacteria help us digest foods, absorb nutrients, and protect us against infection. Acne has been associated with gut dysbiosis. Gut dysbiosis is the imbalance of the amount and/or type of bacteria in the gut. Gut dysbiosis is associated with an imbalance in hormone levels, especially estrogen because estrogen is excreted through the gut. With poor digestion due to gut dysbiosis, the estrogen can recirculate in the body to increase levels. Probiotics help to boost the beneficial bacteria that lives in the gut. Including probiotic foods can help to rebalance the gut balance and can be a way to prevent acne before your period. Include foods like fermented veggies (sauerkraut, kimchi), tempeh, miso, kefir, and yogurt.
8. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol
Limiting caffeine and alcohol is another way for how to treat PCOS acne without birth control. While caffeine and alcohol may not directly cause acne, they can have an affect on the body in ways that tend to lead to higher likelihood of acne, especially if you have acne-prone skin. Both caffeine and alcohol can affect your body’s stress response. An altered stress response can have a downstream effect on the rest of our hormones. Alcohol specifically can negatively affect your GI tract and balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which as we discussed can have a link to skin health. Limiting caffeine and alcohol can help to prevent acne before your period.
Take away message:
Acne before your period does not have to be your norm . If you’re looking to understand the root causes of your acne, check out my hormone testing packages HERE or my gut health testing packages HERE.
