Have you ever wished that there was a magical solution to acne? That if you did just one thing differently, your acne would clear up for good?
That may sound too good to be true, but there is ONE thing that could shift everything – and I mean everything. The solution may sound simple, but it’s not easy.
The answer? Normalizing cortisol levels.
Before I get into how cortisol is literally destroying our bodies and our skin, I want to say that cortisol is not a bad hormone, and it has a very important function in our body. We can’t live without it. But human beings were not meant to be chronically exposed to high levels of cortisol, and yet that is what most of us are experiencing.
The One Hormone
In my 15 years as a Naturopathic Doctor, I have run many Dutch tests, saliva tests, and blood tests to assess my patient’s hormone levels. Because I work with acne patients, I often see high insulin, low progesterone, high estrogen, high androgens, and high DHEAS. And the culprit?
If you guessed cortisol, you are correct. Cortisol is the result of an overdriven stress response in the body and it can lead to a multitude of hormonal imbalances..
How does high cortisol lead to acne?
- High cortisol leads to high insulin levels. High insulin levels lead to high IGF-1 and high androgens. Androgens are the hormones that make your skin oily, dysregulate the skin’s exfoliation process and directly cause acne.
- Cortisol lowers progesterone action in the body by blocking the progesterone receptors. So even if you have enough progesterone, it’s not able to do its job.
- High cortisol levels mean that more cortisol is being made in the body, and it utilizes the same raw materials that are needed to produce progesterone. This leads to low progesterone levels. This is important because progesterone actually regulates androgens levels in the body – the hormone that directly leads to acne.
- High cortisol stimulates the adrenal glands to produce a hormone called DHEAS, which protects the brain from the effects of cortisol. DHEAS is an androgen. So more androgens, more acne.
- Cortisol reduces the body’s ability to detoxify estrogen. Higher estrogen levels can lead to estrogen dominance and reduced progesterone action in the body – which can again lead to more androgens.
How do we reduce cortisol levels?
So,of course, one of my goals with my patients is to reduce the production of cortisol in the body.
One of the main culprits of high cortisol levels is mental and emotional stress, but that’s not all. High cortisol levels are also triggered by physical stressors, including food triggers, toxic overload, high insulin levels, gut issues, microbiome dysregulation and a poor circadian rhythm. It is critical to address all these factors when developing a protocol to reduce cortisol levels to calm acne.
Are you ready to reduce your cortisol levels for clear skin and a WAY more enjoyable life (because life with less cortisol just feels better)?
If you want to learn more about this, check out my free Clear Skin Masterclass.
I will go into my clear skin strategy and protocols in more detail and offer some really great tips! Remember, you do not have to continue to battle acne anymore – there is a permanent solution.
I can’t wait to see you in the FREE Masterclass and help you on your clear skin journey.
