The Secret to Clear Skin

They say you need to clear your skin from the inside out. That doesn’t take away from a top-notch skincare routine but it does make a lot of sense. Especially if like me, your acne was triggered by your hormones.

A disclaimer, this is my personal experience with vitamins and supplements, please seek advice from a medical professional and conduct your own research before taking any of these.

Zinc

Zinc was one of the first vitamins I took for my skin after spending months stalking the acne.org community. Low serum zinc levels are often associated with those who suffer from all forms of acne. Zinc, when taken with copper also has anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation in the body is often a trigger for acne-prone skin. It also decreases the oil production in the skin, another trigger for clogged pores.

I took 50mg daily for around 6 months and saw a drastic difference after a month or so.

Vitamin D

Living in the UK comes with its disadvantages, the weather during colder seasons being one of them. Heart UK states that around one in five adults in the UK suffers from a vitamin D deficiency. I am definitely one of them!

Another anti-inflammatory, vitamin D best works on red, inflamed breakouts and will calm the skin. That’s exactly what it did for me.

There are many ways to take Vitamin D, in liquid form or a gel capsule is my preference.

Probiotics

Once I was told that my breakouts were due to my body trying to process excess hormones, I knew my gut needed my attention. Gut health is absolutely fundamental to our immune health! They help to calm inflammation in the gut, in turn allowing our body to flush out unwanted toxins. Are you starting to see a theme with the inflammation thing?

Probiotics restore the good bacteria in the gut, inhibiting the ‘bad’ bacterial growth! My go-to is the Acidophilus range from Holland and Barrets here in the UK.

Now Foods Female Balance

Here’s one specifically for those suffering from cystic hormonal breakouts. Female Balance includes ingredients such as Vitex, Wild Yam, Folic Acid, and B6; all of which I knew were powerful natural hormone balancing. It was a slow process but every month I saw my skin improving, my cramps lessen and I felt much happier.

I give my body a 3–6 month rest bite every 6 months and then I continue. They have been a lifesaver for hormone balancing as well as PremEeze, an Agnus Castus Fruit supplement that I take with the FB supplements. I swear by this stuff.

Sea Buckthorn Oil

One not as commonly spoken about, Sea Buckthorn oil is commonly used in oil form and has great anti-bacterial properties. I take this as a supplement too. SBO provides a wealth of omega fatty acids Omega 7, 3, 6 & 9. According to MedicalNews, it also includes vitamin A, C & E plus antioxidants, such as flavonoids and polyphenols.

This is great all-around for anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal. All of the above vitamins aid the balancing of out-of-wack hormones and in turn, help to clear the skin.

I use soft gel capsules, cutting them open to use as a facial oil. They have been amazing for scars leftover from breakouts.

My go-to is the Pharma Nord Omega 7 Sea Buckthorn Oil.

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A lot of the B-vitamins, ginger, turmeric, and other known skin-benefiting ingredients are incorporated within the supplements above or my diet. I want to write a separate article on dietary adjustments I had to make when trying to clear my skin and other lifestyle changes. The above are great to look into if you’re struggling to clear your skin.

Stay hydrated and well.