When Skincare Isn’t Enough: Healing Acne From the Inside Out
You ever notice that after a weekend of pizza, soda, or too many dulces, your skin starts acting up?
You’re doing the skincare. You’re drinking the water. You’re even using the expensive stuff.
And still… bam, chin breakouts, forehead bumps, or those painful deep ones that seem to live on your jawline.
Let me tell you something no one at the beauty counter is saying:
It might not be your cleanser. It might be your blood sugar.
Blood Sugar + Acne: The Connection Most People Miss
When you eat foods that spike your blood sugar—pan dulce, soda, white bread, pastelito—your body responds by releasing insulin to bring that sugar down.
Totally normal... unless it’s happening a lot. Because when those spikes are frequent, they don’t just mess with energy or cravings. They start messing with your hormones and your skin.
Here’s how:
🔹High insulin = more IGF-1, a hormone that makes your skin pump out more oil + grow more pore-clogging cells
🔹Insulin also lowers SHBG, a protein that keeps hormones in check—so now you’ve got more free testosterone running wild
🔹 Result: extra oil, inflammation, clogged pores, bacteria... aka breakouts
So no, amiga—it’s not “just stress” or “your time of the month.” It’s your skin showing you what’s going on internally. And that’s powerful.
How to Know If Blood Sugar Might Be Part of the Problem
If you’ve got breakouts and:
Mood swings or hanger episodes
Intense sugar cravings
Energy crashes after meals
Belly weight that’s hard to lose
Skin that flares after certain foods
…then blood sugar swings might be stirring the pot.
Want to check? Ask your practitioner for these labs:
Fasting glucose + insulin
Hemoglobin A1c (shows your 3-month average)
HOMA-IR (helps assess insulin resistance)
IGF-1 + SHBG (to see how sugar’s affecting your hormones)
Because skin symptoms with “normal” labs doesn’t mean your body’s balanced. You deserve answers, not eye-rolls.
What Helps? Start Aquí:
1. Balance Your Blood Sugar, Baby
No crash diets. No deprivation. Just nourishment.
🔹Add protein + healthy fats to every meal
🔹Swap white bread for whole grains
🔹Choose fruta natural or berries over pan dulce
🔹Add fiber to slow that sugar spike
Think of it like this: balance your plate = balance your skin.
2. Ditch the Skim Milk (Maybe)
For some gente, dairy (especially skim) raises insulin more than sugar. That doesn’t mean everyone needs to go dairy-free forever, but if nothing else is helping? It’s worth exploring.
3. Feed the Glow: Omega-3s + Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Salmon, sardines, walnuts, flaxseeds, olive oil—these are like calm in food form. They soothe inflammation from the inside, including in your skin.
Pro tip: a sprinkle of chia, a spoon of tahini, or some sautéed quelites (hello ancestral greens!) = delicious medicine.
4. Move + Sleep Like It’s Sacred
🔹Movement helps your body use insulin instead of storing it.
🔹Sleep keeps your stress hormones low.
🔹Deep breaths, laughter, saying “no gracias” to overstretching yourself? Also part of your skincare routine.
And Supplements?
Sometimes, yes—with guidance.
Here are a few we look at (personalized, of course):
🔹Zinc – for oil regulation + skin healing
🔹Omega-3s – anti-inflammatory support
🔹Berberine or chromium – to support insulin balance
🔹Probiotics – because gut health = skin health
Pero listen: not every skin issue needs a supplement shelf. Sometimes your skin just needs a better plan.
The Bottom Line: It’s Not Just Acne. It’s a Message.
Your skin’s not being dramatic—it’s being honest. Breakouts that won’t quit are often your body’s way of saying: "Oyes... pon atencion."
And when you listen with love, instead of reacting with another product… that’s when things really shift.
If you’re done guessing, done hiding your face in photos, and ready to get to the root—I’m here. Let’s build a plan con cariño, cultura, y ciencia. From the inside out.
Book a call and let’s help your skin feel seen, safe, and supported again: https://soulbodyholisticx.com/book-now
For a curated list of recommended supplements, including those listed above, go HERE.
I hope this has helped you shed some light on your skin health.
A tu salud,
Dr. Alma 💙
References
Meixiong J, Ricco C, Vasavda C, Ho BK. Diet and acne: A systematic review. JAAD Int. 2022 Mar 29;7:95-112. doi: 10.1016/j.jdin.2022.02.012. PMID: 35373155; PMCID: PMC8971946.
Smith RN, Mann NJ, Braue A, Mäkeläinen H, Varigos GA. A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jul;86(1):107-15. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/86.1.107. PMID: 17616769.
Mahmood SN, Bowe WP. Diet and acne update: carbohydrates emerge as the main culprit. J Drugs Dermatol. 2014 Apr;13(4):428-35. PMID: 24719062.
Raza Q, Hina R, Nawaz S, et al. (November 02, 2024) Effect of a Low-Glycemic-Load Diet and Dietary Counseling on Acne Vulgaris Severity Among Female Patients Aged 15 to 35 Years. Cureus 16(11): e72886. doi:10.7759/cureus.72886
Guertler A, Neu K, Lill D, et al. Exploring the potential of omega-3 fatty acids in acne patients: A prospective intervention study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024 Jul 10. doi: 10.1111/jocd.16434. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38982829.
Can omega-3 fatty acid intake affect acne severity? News Release. Wiley. July 10, 2024. Accessed July 15, 2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1050496
