Acne Supplements: What Really Works [And What Doesn't]

If you've tried every cream, cleanser, and treatment without success, the solution to your acne might be hiding in your diet.

Acne is influenced by internal factors, including diet, hormones, and nutrient deficiencies. So what is the solution?

Today, acne supplements are rising in popularity as an alternative or complementary treatment, and they could be the solution for you.

How Supplements Help Combat Acne

How do skin supplements for acne work?

As mentioned, acne can be caused by several internal factors, and for some people, acne is the result of nutrient deficiencies and poor or incomplete diet.

This is an often overlooked aspect that can contribute to acne or exacerbate acne symptoms.

If this is the case, supplements can be used as a complement to topical acne treatments, giving your body the key nutrients it might be missin,g while topical treatments give your skincare from the outside.

What you eat has a direct impact on your skin health, as your food is the primary source of supportive nutrients for the blood and cell health of your entire body.

The best acne supplements can:

• Regulate inflammation
• Moderate oil production
• Support healthy hormonal balance

Deficiencies in key nutrients can trigger acne. In particular, deficiencies in essential fatty acids like Omega-3 can cause increased sebum production, which blocks the pores and leads to acne as well as inflammation, which leads to redness in the skin.

Magnesium deficiencies are one of the most common deficiencies across America and they can cause hormonal imbalances, leading to deficiencies in proper skin health.

Zinc deficiencies can severely impact acne by negatively influencing the production of key hormones that exacerbate acne symptoms.

These are just a few of the many key vitamin deficiencies that should come from a healthy, well-balanced diet, but if you don't get enough from your natural food sources, they should be supplemented in order to improve your entire health, especially your acne.

The Best Supplements for Acne According to Experts

What supplements are good for acne? According to experts, the best acne supplements contain a mixture of the following ingredients:

Zinc: Reduces inflammation and regulates oil production

Zinc supplements can help you get adequate levels of zinc without having to add seeds and shellfish to your diet. By increasing supplements with zinc, you can regulate the production of androgens, which directly influence acne severity and reduce eczema and other skin conditions.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Balances hormones and reduces redness

Finding the best skin supplements for acne often includes products with omega-3 fatty acids in them. Those who don't get enough omega-3 fatty acids from healthy fats in seeds, fish, and nuts can experience severe inflammation and redness, as well as hormonal imbalances that increase the severity and frequency of acne. Supplements can help reverse this.

More than that, omega-3 fatty acid supplements can better regulate skin cell turnover and prevent water loss from the skin, helping to shed dead skin cells more quickly without them clogging the pores and keeping the skin well hydrated, reducing things like redness.

Vitamin D: Supports immune function and reduces acne severity

Vitamin D helps to reduce acne severity and support your immune system by reducing inflammation and fighting off bacteria. Many people who struggle with breakouts struggle with the buildup of unwanted bacteria on the face but the best supplements for acne can help overcome this.

Probiotics: Restores gut health, which impacts skin clarity

Probiotics can help restore your gut health and this is another often overlooked aspect of acne breakouts and severity. Probiotics can inhibit the growth of specific bacteria known for causing acne while also enhancing your immune function in response to your skin health.

More importantly, the right probiotics can reduce inflammation, balance your gut microbiome, and in so doing, make it possible for your gut to absorb all of the other key ingredients like vitamin D, vitamin A, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Sometimes, people struggling with acne breakouts actually get enough of the key nutrients from their diet, but poor gut health limits their body's ability to absorb those nutrients. The best supplements for skin health can help with this.

Vitamin A: Regulates skin cell turnover

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for cell turnover. Without the right levels of vitamin A, your skin might produce too much sebum, leading to clogged pores and inflammation. Vitamin A also helps support your immune system, decreasing dry skin and breakouts.

Note: Be aware of excessive intake of vitamin A in particular and always follow guidance on supplement frequency and quantity. Too much vitamin A can lead to toxicity, so be aware of where you are getting vitamin A from your natural food sources and how much you are getting with supplements.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Reduces redness and improves skin barrier

Many people fail to get enough vitamin B, and supplements with a vitamin B complex in them can help your body increase the health of your skin barrier and reduce redness on the face. Your vitamin B complex is essential, and hormone regulation, circulation, and oxygenation, all three of which directly influence your skin health. As such, supplements can overcome skin rashes, dermatitis, inflammation, and acne.

Choosing the Right Supplement for Your Skin

When you need the best supplements for acne, there are some key steps to choosing the right supplement.

Skin Type and Acne Triggers

When picking acne supplements, be aware of your skin type. You might have combination skin where some parts of your skin, like your T-Zone, are particularly oily, but other parts are not. If you have acne and oily skin or acne and sensitive skin, you'll need to use this information to help you choose the right supplements.

Additionally, you'll want to be more aware of your acne triggers in terms of your decisions, avoiding things like chemicals or additives that you know are particularly triggering for your outbreaks.

Reputable Brands

The best supplements for acne will come from reputable brands. What makes a brand reputable? They prioritize clean, tested formulas and can back their claims with science.

You should be able to look at quality ingredients and read about the high-quality tests and other trials through which the supplements were placed.

It is important to note that the field of supplements is not one heavily regulated by government agencies so there is a lot of leeway in terms of the products and the ingredients that are promoted. That is why it is so essential that you look for clean products with tested formulas that don't have a lot of fillers or irritants like alcohol or synthetic chemicals in them.

Ingredients

Naturally, this leads to the ingredients. Knowing your personal triggers for acne breakouts is a key factor here because you'll be able to check for allergies or unwanted additives in each of the supplements before you take them.

Summing Up

It is important that with skin supplements for acne and lifestyle changes you remain consistent. Many people make the mistake of stopping because they don't see immediate results, but be patient. Effective acne supplements exist, but not all are created equal. Remember too, that supplements are a helpful addition to their acne-fighting arsenal but are not a "magic pill."

Discover Dermoi, the only concept store for scientifically-verified skincare. Our expert scientific team performs a thorough analysis of each skincare product, ensuring only the most effective options are available to you. With Dermoi, every item is backed by science, offering transformative benefits for your skin.

Need help with skincare? Our scientific specialists are ready to answer any questions you have. Get in touch via email at [email protected] or give us a call at (0)20 3963 9930, Monday to Friday, from 11am to 4pm.