I’ve been taking the supplement Maca to try and balance my hormonal acne. You can get hormonal acne for two reasons (I had both):
- For women - during PMT time
- For men and women - from stress
I took the maca for almost two months before I was confident with my conclusion. So were the results good or bad? You’ll have to watch to find out …
Fran
Fran Kerr is the founding editor of High on Health. To cure your acne, sign up to Fran's FREE acne cure mini-course or download her latest how to guide, Eat Away Your Acne.
23 responses ↓
Hiii!
Thanks for all the advices. I was another stupid to follow the http://www.acne.org recommendations. Mainly because even my dermatologist told me it was ok.
only 7 days. SEVEN-DAYS. And my skin is peeling off and i wake up at night because the contact of the skin in the pillow hurts and burns. My mom was scared on how my skin got soooooo red. It was like if i received a boiling water splash and got my skin burned. 7 days ago…i have a nice, luminous, glowing smooth skin. Yes…with some pimples, blackheads and whiteheads, but this is worse. Dry skin is much worse. I look older. And as a make up artist…it depresses me that i cant apply make up. It looks like if i did on purpose to look old.
I knew my skin was sensitive to water…but i wanted to give a 100% try on http://www.acne.org regimen. they say a water based cleanser. So i bought a foam for sensitive skin. Gosh…my skin looks like a cardboard. Even after applying jojoba oil and special moisturizer with shea butter, my skin is not satisfied…and feels tight. It has completely ate my skin.
Previous to that, i used Clarins. Which uses natural ingredients.
So im going back to Clarins. Except that now i’ll need for extra dry skin care. Plus a 99% plant extract S.O.S serum (for extremely damaged skins).
Anyway…i’ll be following closely your blog. I used lots of methods, and my acne is probably hormonal (i have many hormonal problems).
Anyway…keep up the great job
Thanks a lot
N.
Wow, Benzoyl Peroxide is definitely not for you. I get a bit annoyed with acne.org actually, how they claim that they will cure acne for everyone, it’s so not true!
Your dry skin will take a few days, even a week to clear up, but it will get better. After I stopped using Benzoyl Peroxide my skin was still sore and flakey for at least 4 days after.
You need to also be careful with foam cleanser, I find that the foaming dries my skin out too.
I haven’t tried Clarins before, but I’ve heard it’s a good brand. Let me know how that goes if you keep using it.
I have hormonal problems too, which is why I get acne. Try visiting a natural therapist - preferably a naturopath and asking them to recommend some supplements to help balance your hormones. I find that eating well and relaxation helps me a lot too
thanks for reading my blog!
Sometimes acne cures can be harder on the skin than acne. Benzoyl Peroxide is not one for people with sensitive skin.
Hi Fran. You mentioned on your video that you take Fish Oil everyday. My naturopathic doctor told me to take that, too, and it made my hair and skin oily. I’m convinced it made my skin WORSE, but she doesn’t know if it did or not. I know fish oil has so many benefits, but do you think it could actually make acne worse?
Hi Chrystine. The same supplement won’t necessary work for everyone and that’s great that you monitored your body to see what impact the fish oil had.
Fish oil actually isn’t necessarily the BEST good fat for your skin and acne. You can try cod liver oil or flaxseed (linseed) oil. You might want to try the flaxseed oil because cod liver oil is still fish (and maybe you have an intolerance to the the fish oils).
The reason why we want to take these oils is because they contain good fats and high omega 3 and omega 6 which are very good for our skin and important for healthy skin and reducing inflammation.
You can find flaxseed oil in the fridge section at health food stores or you could try looking for it in capsule form.
I wouldn’t worry too much about it though, out of all the supplements I’ve tried, fish oil has been good but hasn’t worked miracles. I get much better results with the evening primrose oil and vitex. It also depends on why you’re getting acne.
I think stopping the fish oil is probably a good idea if you’ve noticed that it’s making your hair and skin oily. Try having the flaxseed instead, or you can just make sure you eat plenty of good fats, which are found in flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sea vegetables, fish and avocados.
Does this help?
Hi Clara, you’re totally right. Benzoyl Peroxide in particular is a lot harder on your skin than the acne, for sure! I personally don’t think Benzoyl Peroxide is for anybody. But it’s especially not good for those with dry and/or sensitive skin.
Hi - watched with interest - I have just had Schuessler Tissue Salts for skin disorders recommended. Have you ever tried this?
Hi
No, I’ve never heard of Schuessler Tissue Salts - what are they?
Hi Fran,
We’ve been using, distributing and learning about Maca for many years, but never heard that it will be good for acne. Even us, the native people of Peru, do not use Maca Root for this kind of treatments.
Unscrupulous companies are promoting Maca as the panacea for all cures. And that’s not right. Ask them for technical information and studies that sustain their claims.
Even though this root may balance your hormones, folks have to be careful about peaks of high energy that can easily be achieved by ingesting too many capsules or consuming too much powder of this powerful carbohydrate. From a personal experience, I will equal one teaspoon of maca powder to one small cup of espresso, (of course without the caffeine) that will get you an energy rush.
Some of our skin care products are manufactured using Maca extract, but the main purpose was not to achieve positive results on acne. There are other properties for which Maca is used. Our represented Rais Vida is the pioneer in the development of skin and body care products based on Maca and other Rainforest plants.
You can watch the Maca Manufacturing Video or read more on our Maca Information page.
Cheers!
Hi person behind global fusion, and thank you for your response, it’s very informative
You’re totally right. I’m actually a little annoyed that maca is advertised for balancing hormones in women and a treatment for acne, because it’s a lot more complicated than that.
I’m learning more and more every day about the complexities with particular herbs such as maca and how my body may react in a completely different way to somebody else’s. There are so many holistic factors to keep in mind.
Thanks again for your post.
Hi Fran,
My name is Augusto Ellacuriaga, Founder/CEO of Global Fusion Natural Products from Denver, Colorado, USA.
Glad to hear you found my post informative. I too have found your blog posts interesting and informative. So, it is a pleasure chatting with you.
I am doing some research on Maca and that’s how I run into your site. Once done, I will share my findings with you.
Meanwhile, keep up the good work.
Cheers!
Augusto
Hello,
Thank you for your informational post. I’ve recently purchased Maca to help with PMT symptoms and although, I am currently dealing with adult acne, I did not purchase it to help with the acne.
That being said, I thought I would share with you what I have discovered. I went to a Naturopath and had a Saliva test done. The saliva test measures your hormone levels as well as cortisol levels (stress hormone). What I learned was fascinating. My Progesterone level is “below range” meaning I don’t have enough progesterone to counter the effects of the estrogen in my body. Even if my Estrogen level is normal, the low progesterone is not there to balance it. I have what is referred to as “Estrogen dominance”.
I was thinking that this was not a common occurrance and that I must be one of the only ones who suffers from it. So I began to research low progesterone. Turns out, this is an epidemic that is affecting women 30+ starting as early as in their 20’s. I read the most AMAZING book that is helping me to “fix” my body and my get my hormone levels back to normal and in sync.
Creams and tinctures will only mask the problem. I’ve always believed in treating the “cause” not the effect so I wanted to get to the bottom of things and believe me, I am 35yrs old, healthy, exercise, eat right etc etc. this should not be happening to me.
Dr. John R Lee has written a book called:
“What your doctor May NOT tell you about pre-menopause”
Pre-menopause is basically low Progesterone and you will be amazed at how many symptoms are caused and directly related to this and probably the number one reason for PMS, Acne, Water retention/Bloating (we all love that one), depression, mood swings etc, the list goes on and on.
A simple saliva test (done just after ovulation) will give an accurate reading of your hormones. It is a more accurate representation of your hormone levels because it represents how much of the hormones that were in your bloodstream actually made it into your tissues to do their job.
I started on my quest because of my Acne and wanted to be RID of it, it was driving me crazy. What I discovered about Progesterone and how a lack of it can affect your body is unbelievable. Women need to know this information!!
It is a wealth of knowledge and has changed my life for the better! I hope you too, will find it helpful, and if you do, please share the information with women around the world!
We are all in this together.
Sincere regards,
Page
Hi Fran,
I just discovered your site, it’s wonderful! I was wondering, now that a few months have passed, how has the daily Evening Primrose, premular and fish oil going?
Jodi
Hi Jodi, I’ve taken courses of those 3 supplements on and off for years, and they always work well. Because my acne was at its worst this time around, they didn’t clear it up 100%, but they definitely made a significant difference. Unfortunately it did take a while, at least 3 months. But it’s worked a lot faster for me in the past.
Hi Fran-
I’ve been using proactiv and it’s made my face really really dry that my moisturizer doesn’t even work anymore. I also get lots of acne around my jaw line. Do you think it’s a good idea for me to take maca supplements?
-Diana
If Proactiv is making you that dry, I’d cut down to using it just every other day or mabe not even at all. The active ingredient, Benzoyl Peroxide, is quite harsh and can dry out skin excessively.
Maca is okay. If you do decide to take it, only take it on days 1-14 of your cycle, and start off with a very low dose then gradually increase it.
Jaw line acne is often hormonal so it’s probably a good idea to visit a naturopath or health store for a recommendation of supplements to take.
Hi there,
I am writing in response to Page’s message - I have also taken a hormone test and been told that I basically have oestrogen dominance, although in my case I have high levels of progesterone, but even higher levels of oestrogen throughout my cycle (basically a real mess), it was explained to me that the oestrogen should trail off in the second half of the cycle, whislt the progesterone counterbalances it.
I think this is probably as a result of being on the pill for so many years (8 years on dianette). My main symptoms apart from carrying extra weight around my middle, bloating and a very low libido, are pretty bad jawline acne, and most bizarrely, very bad bowel cramps for the second half of my cycle. The cramps only took on an obvious pattern once I had stopped the pill (6 months ago), but have actually been bothering me for around 8 years. They have got so bad recently that I am woken in the night / pass out / nausea etc as a result - unbearable.
I am seeing an endocrinologist who is perscribing me progesterone supplements for the latter 2 weeks of the cycle. They definitely help a little: am no longer being woken up by the cramps and libido is getting back to normal, although my skin is still not good.
I will continue to take them for another couple of months, and then re-do the blood test to see where the hormones are.
I have also got a couple of Dr Lee’s books on natural progesterone, but have not yet found a good answer to the problem - would be great to hear from you PAGE, exactly which of his recommendations worked for you…?
Vicky
Hi everyone,
I have to admit that I have never heard of Maca before (the first time on this site). But I can say that I also suffer from hormonal acne and I also have other hormonal problems. But what really annoyed me was that all the dermatologists I went to always gave me all that chemical stuff which does not really help a lot and demages the skin totally. No one ever got the idea to give me something natural. So one doctor gave me Benzoyl Peroxyd and that is so agresive, my skin got so dry and very red, but it did not help me with my acne. So another doctor gave me a creme with antibiotica in it. Well this helped after a while, but you can’t take it all the time, so I got resistent to that antibiotica and the acne got worse than ever. So the third doctor wanted to give me Roaccutan. And when I read all the stuff that it could cause, I refused to take it. Cause I thought in the end it would be more damage than help. My gynecologist gave me the pill (it was one extra for acne), but my skin got totally different and my mood also changed. I was depressed and all that. I got totally dry skin, which I have even now, even though it was about 4 months ago that I took the pill the last time. Well I am 20 years old, and you can not say that i have this typical teenager skin. So I was looking for other things to help. I tried Neutrogena Visibily Clear 2 in 1, and I have to say that it worked a little. It works almost for the pimples, but my skin got totally dry then. And it does not really help for the whiteheads and blackheads which I have all over my face. So then I found a very good stuff, it is the oil of “Nigella Sativa” (I don’t know how this is called in english exactly). But this oil really changed a lot. My skin got better, not so dry anymore and it also helped with the blackheads. I put it on my face every night before I go to bed and I dake one tablespoon of it once a day (it tastes disgusting, but it’s also good for your immune system). So I think I’ll also try your tip with the olive oil and castor oil, cause I think that you can do more with the natural stuff than with all this useless chemical stuff from the doctor.
Diana
Hi, I came across this video and just wanted to let people know that taking maca in capsule form DOES NOT WORK. The extracts of maca are missing key components for it to work its magic. Take any one component out and you can be sure it will not work the same or maybe not at all. Maca powder (Lepidium Peruvian Chacon) 3-6 tablespoons a day.
Hi Fran really enjoyed this vid it was an eye opener for me. It clarified a few things about my body that I suspected but didn’t understand the reason why.
I’ve suffered from acne since I was a teen, had bouts of cystic in the past and get some from time to time now. My skin is very oily and I sweat profusely even in the winter sometimes. My body retains lots of heat didn’t make the connection to acne. Light Bulb Moment!! :))
Fran can you please provide me more info on the Chinese and Indian Medicine response to acne treatments. This site had been such an eye opener for me. I have gotten more info here than I have in the yrs of going to countless dermatologist. What a waste of money. Thank You so much.
Hi Tanya, what you need to do is find a good Chinese Herbalist. I was just lucky with mine because he’s my family doctor so I’ve known him for about 20 years.
What you could do is ask your friends and family to see if they know of a good one. Or you could contact a natural medicine college if there is one in your city. I’m sure they’ll be able to refer you to someone good. If not, just take a gamble I guess
There was a Chinese herbalist in Brisbane that worked specifically with women’s hormones. He actually helped women get pregnant but he worked with any hormone realted ‘illness’ too, which include the skin. So you could also do a google search for someone like that in your area.
My herbalist has been great for giving me chinese herbs and tablets to help ‘cool’ and ‘dry’ me out I guess. They’ve worked very well. You can also do a little research on the types of foods you should and shouldn’t be eating. Spicy foods for example just increase the heat in our bodies. Raw cacao on the other hand is very cooling and drying to the body.
Good luck and thanks for the comment ..
Hi Fran,
Thanks for a great video, I just happened upon it searching for maca info. I am an adult woman suffering from hormonal acne - and I have also been told I have too much dampness/heat in my body. I see you said that raw cacao is good to cool & dry, but I find cacao a bit stimulating. I can’t afford the chinese supplements/consultations but wondered if you could recommend any other foods or supplements to cool & dry me out a bit?!
thanks!
Marianna
Hi Marianna, I don’t actually have a list of foods. My herbalist used to always tell me to just avoid all spicy foods, and foods that felt hot. When I asked him what that meant, he said you can tell when you put a bit on your tongue if it’s a hot food. Cinnamon for instance is a hot food.
Otherwise you can find a book. One of the best books that I own (back at home) is “Healing with Whole Foods” - http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Whole-Foods-Traditions-Nutrition/dp/1556434715/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218897174&sr=1-2
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