Healing cystic back acne naturally has been one of the hardest things to do, until I figured out my personal key to doing it.
And I am so excited to share it with you today!
This is a topic that’s kind of gross, and one that no one probably wants to talk about, but I am.
What is Cystic Back Acne?
Click HERE to save this information for later.
Prepare to see some gruesome images, but if you click HERE you can see what cystic back acne is. According to WebMD it is,
You get a pimple when a pore in your skin gets clogged, usually with dead skin cells. Sometimes bacteria get trapped inside the pore, too, causing the area to become red and swollen. Cystic acne happens when this infection goes deep into your skin, creating a red, tender bump that’s full of pus. It may hurt or itch. If a cyst bursts, the infection can spread, causing more breakouts.
Healing Cystic Back Acne Naturally
Click HERE to save Healing Cystic Back Acne Naturally for later.
You probably think that healing cystic back acne naturally requires a product.
And, in fact, skincare companies will make you believe that their product is the one for all skin healing. That is false.
In fact, my motto is ‘minimizing is maximizing.’
I added nothing.
Instead, I removed things and focused on the root of the problem, not the symptom itself. (But p.s. I do still believe that certain oils and other things can help with scarring, bacterial buildup, etc. Read: Perioral Dermatitis.)
Honestly, I’m not really sure when mine began. I really began to notice it at the end of 2015, and into the beginning of 2016. I shared with you this picture back in April when I mentioned how far I had come post 30-days strict AIP.
Cystic Acne on Back
But since then, my back has improved even more. (Nevermind the fact that I’m peeling. I fell asleep outside on Memorial Day weekend. Horrible!)
Namely, it has vastly improved in the past couple weeks, and there are two major things I have changed which I believe whole-heartedly helped me heal.
1. Stevia
Or maybe I should say, a lack thereof Stevia. At Nutiva, we launched a new protein powder, the Organic Plant Protein Superfood 30 shake. One major differentiating factor for the product is that, unlike most other protein powders, it does not contain Stevia. And so in our communications, we highly emphasize this fact because many people either do not like the Stevia aftertaste and/or cannot tolerate it or both.
One day, on Instagram, a fan commented that she was so excited to finally see an Organic protein powder come out that does not contain Stevia because Stevia always makes her cystic acne flare.
It took all of .83 seconds for a spark to fly across my thoughts, “Could Stevia be my thing?!” The truth is that I had been consuming a lot more Stevia since SIBO severely limits the use of honey (High-FODMAP).
But I never thought too much of it because I always made sure it was pure, organic liquid (and therefore thought I was okay).
Almost immediately upon making that correlation, I quit Stevia. It’s been about a month now, and I am completely fine keeping it out of my diet. Within just days of dropping the Stevia, my back began to heal.
2. Starving Gut Bacteria
For the past couple weeks now, I have been starving my gut bacteria. The first few days were grueling, but then I started adding back in a few things here and there (still Low-FODMAP and generally speaking, SCD).
Within those first few days, I noticed, even more, improvements in the cystic back acne.
For about a week now, I have been eating more FODMAP + starchy foods (in anticipation for the antibiotic to start, which was on Sunday) and truth be told, it shows on my back (just a little currently, and not nearly to the degree that the Stevia affected it.)
Click HERE to get 6 other ways I healed cystic back acne naturally.
Keeping Track
How do you know these things?
Easy, peasy, squeezy.
You keep a meticulous food and lifestyle journal. I’ll teach you how! Grab your PDF version for instant download HERE, or have me ship the journal right to your doorstep.
Back Acne Scars
Side note: My back really has all but healed, and what you see are mostly just scars. Does anyone know how to get rid of those?!
They say that cystic acne has everything to do with hormones.
I believe that. I also believe that hormones and the gut go hand-in-hand. Remember, everything goes hand-in-hand with the gut.
And if you want to listen to a great podcast about hormones and the gut and everything going hand-in-hand, check out Episode 8 of the podcast.
Both things from above all point back to my gut. It is clear to me that the lingering SIBO is still not allowing my body to process and digest appropriately. If it were, I would not continue to develop skin manifestations because of it.
But now, I think this piece to the puzzle has been solved, and healing back acne naturally (for me) just means keeping right on the path I’m currently following.
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
- Skincare and Makeup in Leaky Gut Associated Dermatitis
- Toxic Beauty
- 15 Internal and External Skin Health Tips
Xox,
SKH
🤰 bloating be gone! weight loss through optimal gut health for women
💃ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢᴜᴛ. ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪfe.
🫶🏻 founder gutbyome.com
Ahhh. Good ol’ cystic acne. I’ve had it not only on my back, but my face for YEARS. It can be so incredibly painful. It’s been a lot better for me recently, but I still get a breakout every now and then. Definitely going to be checking out this new protein powder though! I can’t stand the aftertaste I get from stevia.
As for the scarring, I’ve had some pretty significant luck with DoTERRA Correct-X. It’s not perfect, but it definitely helps lighten the dark spots that get left behind.
THANKS!!! Super helpful:) Also, during these past few days, my back has gotten even better. I’m 99.9% certain it all comes down to the Stevia. Bummer! I’ll plan to write about it again in the next few weeks.
Thank you for writing this! I, too, have a horrible cystic acne reaction to stevia. I’ve been eating so clean for a few years but my one “cheat” was a double chocolate whey protein bar by a popular company. I’d never struggled with acne but when I started eating 2 bars a day my entire face exploded with deep cysts. I wondered was it the whey? But my chiro suggested it was stevia and that stevia is lurking in all kinds of stuff we wouldn’t suspect. Sure enough- the 2 processed foods I was eating, the bars and then these electrolyte packets I was adding to my water, have STEVIA! Ugh. Soon as I cut out the bars it almost entirely cleared up!
Problem is, I’m unable to find a sweet tooth satisfying substitute for those late afternoon cravings..
Hi, Rosheen! Thank you for sharing your experiences, too. I am going to research the topic more closely now that I have found my direct correlation. I’ll be back to share what I find out in due time. Take care!
Bio Oil twice a day for six months to a year has significantly reduced or completely removed my skin scars.
Thanks! Do you have a link for the oil so I can check it out?
Sure. If the ingredients are safe for you, it is truly magical oil for old and new scars. Good luck! http://www.drugstore.com/bio-oil-skincare-oil/qxp165709
Sarah,
Thanks for posting! First off, your story is SO inspiring! I too have struggled with cystic acne on my back and face for years, and that is one of the main reasons I started blogging a few years ago. I still get a cyst here and there on my back and hormonal breakouts on my face but have been generally cyst-free for over a year. Dry brushing made a HUGE difference for me. Diet changes were also important, but the dry brushing really cleared things up drastically. As for scars, a vitamin-c serum has made a dramatic difference, as well as emu oil. I also use a neem salve, and that seems to help as well. Hopefully we can cross paths at Expo West! We follow each other on Twitter (Cthomas8), and I am a New Hope Blogger!
Hope to see you at the show!
Chelsea
Love this! Thank you, Chelsea! I’m really looking forward to meeting you:)
Check if you are allergic to nightshade vegetables such tomatoes. Good luck.