Hormonal Acne

Struggling with Hormonal Acne? Let’s Clear it from Within

Being a teen with acne is hard enough, but facing it as an adult can feel disheartening and knock your confidence. The endless cycle of trying out the latest cream or facial only to see little improvement is frustrating and expensive. At Vale of Health, we’re here to help you address the root cause of hormonal acne – from within – using nutrition, lifestyle adjustments, and, if desired, acupuncture.

While topical treatments can help, lasting clear skin comes from addressing the hormonal imbalances, supporting detox pathways, and lowering inflammation in your body. This approach is what we offer in our consultations, helping you build a healthier foundation so you can confidently face the world – makeup-free.

What is Hormonal Acne?

Hormonal acne often appears as painful, cystic spots around the jawline, chin, and mouth, typically worsening around your period. It’s driven by imbalances, such as excess "bad" oestrogen or elevated androgens like testosterone, common in conditions like PCOS. Clearing hormonal acne starts with detoxifying these hormones, supporting your liver, and managing inflammation.

Nutrition Tips to Help Clear Hormonal Acne

1. Balance Blood Sugar

Balancing blood sugar is the foundation to our protocols, a stable blood sugar helps calm your skin, improves sleep, and reduces mood swings. Make each meal a mix of complex carbs, protein, healthy fats, and fibre. Never skip breakfast!

• Example Breakfast: Porridge with nuts, seeds, and berries, or eggs with avocado and spinach on sourdough toast.

2. Add Phytoestrogenic Foods

Phytoestrogens help regulate oestrogen. Include:

• Lentils, chickpeas, tempeh, and natto: Tempeh, miso and natto are great fermented sources so add beneficial probiotics.

• Brassica Veggies: Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and sprouts support oestrogen detoxification.

• Flax Seeds: Two teaspoons of organic, milled flax seeds daily support hormone balance and provide fibre and healthy fats.

3. Reduce Inflammation with Antioxidants

A colourful diet full of polyphenols and antioxidants helps reduce inflammation.

• Spices: Add turmeric and ginger daily, and combine turmeric with black pepper and healthy fats to enhance absorption.

• Green Tea: A single cup daily has calming and anti-inflammatory effects, helping reduce acne.

• Avoid: Dairy and gluten, which often worsen acne by increasing inflammation.

4. Herbal Teas for Detoxification

Support your liver with teas like dandelion, fennel, liquorice, nettle, and peppermint, all of which encourage detoxification and hormone balance.

5. Prioritise Organic Choices

Organic foods, especially animal products, reduce exposure to pesticides and hormones that can disrupt your own hormone balance.

6. Fibre, Fibre, Fibre!

Fibre plays a key role in hormone regulation and detoxification. It bulks up your stools, ensuring regular bowel movements that help your body eliminate excess hormones. Constipation prevents proper clearance of these hormones, causing them to recirculate in the body – which can worsen acne. Incorporate:

• Wholegrains, beans, and lentils: Rich in fibre, B vitamins, and magnesium, these foods are ideal for hormone support.

7. Probiotic Foods

Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir balance your gut microbiota, which in turn can help improve acne.

8. Hydration

Drink at least 2.5 litres of water daily – hydration is essential for reducing inflammation, supporting detox, and keeping skin hydrated.

9. Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, Fizzy Drinks, Refined Sugar, Fried & Processed foods: 

Limit caffeine, alcohol, sugary drinks, fried foods, and highly processed foods, which all fuel inflammation and gut dysbiosis and worsen acne.

10. Ditch ‘Bad’ Fats

Switch to organic extra virgin olive oil for healthy fats, and avoid margarine and processed oils that can worsen inflammation and hormone balance.

The Chinese Medicine Perspective

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, red, inflamed acne suggests “heat” and “dampness.” To balance this, avoid spicy and heating foods (like chilli and cumin) and opt for cooling herbs like mint and parsley. Fried food, Dairy and gluten are also considered damp-inducing, so reducing these can help alleviate acne.

Lifestyle Tips

Limit Endocrine Disruptors

Minimise exposure to BPA, certain plastics, and conventional cosmetics, which can contribute to hormone disruption. Apps like ‘Think Dirty’ or ‘Yuka’ help you find safer cosmetics.

Manage Stress

Stress increases inflammation, gut imbalances, and hormone disruption, all of which impact acne. To manage stress:

• Relaxation Techniques: Meditation, mindfulness, and nature walks all help lower cortisol.

• Magnesium Baths: Epsom or magnesium salt baths with lavender can ease tension and support sleep.

• Morning Light Exposure: Natural light exposure helps regulate cortisol and melatonin, supporting sleep and hormone balance.

Get Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the perfect all in treatment for problem skin. it helps balance your hormones, restores digestive issues/dysbiosis, decreases unwanted inflammation and helps clear that damp & heat from the body, all improving your skin. At Vale of Health we also utilise LED light therapy which is antimicrobial and antiseptic. We are trained in facial cosmetic acupuncture, so can also target any acne scarring that might be present!

With guidance and targeted nutrition and acupuncture sessions, hormonal acne can absolutely be managed. If you’re ready to take a lasting approach, reach out to book a 1-1 consultation. At Vale of Health, we’re here to support your journey to clear, confident skin.