This one goes out to our amazing community of clients who have trusted Natology to treat a skin condition, which no matter how mild to severe, can be traumatic and debilitating to self-esteem and mental health… we’re talking about acne. According to the Canadian Dermatology Association, acne affects approximately 5.6 million Canadians and is more prevalent in women than men (Canadian Dermatology Association, 2024). Most acne cases are not solved by purchasing a benzoyl peroxide cream and pimple patch from the drugstore because there are several types and causes of acne. The discovery that acne does not have a one-size-fits-all solution is what triggered extensive research and plenty of trial-and-error solutions to eventually develop Natology’s tried and true method – The Natology Method – and put us on the map as Calgary’s holistic acne-specialized clinic. The Natology Method has brought hundreds of acne sufferers to Natology to not only treat their acne but find the underlying cause and prevent it from returning. So, we are starting this blog acne series (because acne is too complex of a topic to cover in just one blog post) by starting from the beginning with how The Natology Method is designed to address all acne types from surface-level congestion to painful deep nodules by first discovering the root cause.

What is The Natology Method?

The Natology Method is a holistic focused, synergistic integration of all Natology’s modalities to treat and prevent acne. This includes medical-grade skincare, targeted skin treatments, injections, and naturopathic care all working together to treat and prevent acne.

Through our experience as a holistic acne-specialized clinic, most cases require two or more modalities for treatment and prevention. Even mild congestion causing blackheads and papules requires a combination of facials and skincare to treat and prevent future breakouts.

When suffering with acne, it’s natural to hyperfocus on finding quick solutions and “acne remedies” for clearing the skin. Acne can make you feel helpless and like you have no control over your skin. The Natology Method aims to empower each acne-struggling client to not only learn how to treat their acne through a customized skin treatment plan, but also discover what caused it in the first place so they can not only clear their skin but keep it that way. All acne has a root cause. Once you learn what the root cause is, acne loses it’s power over you and you are able to take control of your skin health and take back your skin confidence.

The Type of Acne Matters For How To Treat It

Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are two of the most well-known ingredients for treating breakouts. You’re not alone if you’ve tried every drugstore cream and face wash advertising these ingredients with no luck. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid work extremely well at clearing out pore-clogging bacteria that cause superficial acne such as blackheads, whiteheads or comedonal acne and papules (pimples that eventually bring a whitehead to the surface). These types of acne are generally contained in a small area of the face such as the t-zone and are caused by excess oil production or trapped bacteria under the skin. Once the pores have been cleaned out the blemishes clear up quite quickly. 

However, in cases where acne is widespread around the face, or populates in sections of the face such as the lower half (cheeks, jaw, chin) or across the forehead, treating the skin with topicals alone will drain your bank account for no results or very short term management. Deep nodules (red, painful bumps under the skin that do not have a whitehead on the surface), re-occurring pus-filled pimples, and excess redness and inflammation on the skin indicate an internal imbalance that is manifesting on the skin. We’re not saying throw away the benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, but you’ll need to dig a little deeper to find the root cause triggering the acne, this is where The Natology Method comes in. When treating a new client, we always pay attention to the type of acne present on the skin and where it is located. For example, acne contained in the lower half of the face can often be a sign of a hormonal imbalance in which case we would start with hormone testing, whereas acne contained in the forehead and upper half of the face can be a sign of a food intolerance and we may instead begin with a food sensitivity test. 

Finding The Root Cause of Your Acne

At Natology, we use various methods of testing and tracking to find the root cause of acne triggers. These methods can include at-home hormone testing, at-home food intolerance testing, bloodwork, and finding patterns and correlations using an in-depth skin tracking journal. 

Common Mild Acne Triggers:

• Neglecting proper skin care
• Temporary increase in sugar, fat, or alcohol intake
• Irritation to skincare ingredients
• Onset of your period
• Build up of congestion under the skin

Common Moderate to Severe Acne Triggers:

• Dairy and alcohol intolerance
• High sugar and fat intake
• High cortisol levels
• Hormonal imbalances (PCOS being a popular one)

Naturopathic Consultation

Your skin is a representation of what’s happening on the inside. Don’t forget, your skin is your largest organ so moderate to severe acne is your skin’s way of signalling that something internal needs attention. With Natology being a holistic-focused skin clinic, naturopathic consultations and testing are a huge component of The Natology Method and treating acne from the inside out. Naturopathic medicine looks at the body as a whole and integrated system so looking at how elements like diet, lifestyle, supplementation, and hormonal imbalances may be triggering acne can give a clear roadmap to treatment and prevention.

Treating Acne on the Surface

In some cases discovering the root cause of acne is quick like when it’s a simple buildup of congestion that a facial can clear up, but in other more complicated cases, it can take time to find the underlying cause. It’s not always a straight line to treatment and prevention but we promise the journey is well worth finding your skin confidence. While undergoing the process of determining the root cause, surface acne can start to be treated through targeted treatments and skincare based on the acne type:

Skincare for Acne

We told you not to toss away the salicylic acid! Although, if it’s not medical-grade… perhaps you’ll want to toss it away. The benefit of using medical-grade skincare for treating acne is the products have been thoroughly tested for treatment against acne and are used in clinical practice by medical aestheticians like us because they work! Medical-grade acne skincare is formulated with ingredients to counteract common side effects from acne-fighting ingredients like dryness and flaking to protect and repair a compromised skin barrier at the same time. Naturally, acne-prone skin will result in a compromised skin barrier so actively working on repairing and protecting the skin barrier while fighting acne is going to be very important for later in your journey when the acne has cleared and now you want to focus on treating post-acne scarring and discolouration with treatments like chemical peels, laser peels, and microneedling. Natology carries carefully selected acne skincare lines that offer an array of products for an array of acne types.

Skin Treatments for Acne

Commonly, clinical facials are used to calm and clear the skin. During a clinical facial, medical-grade skincare such as gentle peels and masks are used to safely treat the skin in addition to extractions, LED and high-frequency to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation and irritation.

Chemical peels may also be used to safely resurface the skin, correct discolouration and improve texture and oil control. Another common treatment is a series of acne laser treatments that utilize heat to slow and control oil production for oily skin types and hormonal acne triggers. 

Other options such as Radio Frequency Micro-needling or laser treatments may be another option, but are successful for very particular cases.

Cortisone Injections for Cystic Acne

Cortisone injections, though not a long-term solution, are a lifesaver for those deep, painful cysts that will not budge. A cortisone shot (also known as a Kenalog injection) works by injecting a small amount of diluted steroid to shrink the cyst and significantly reduce inflammation, typically within 24 hours. While cortisone injections can feel like a miracle worker, this is a temporary solution as cortisone does not prevent the cyst from returning again.

The Only Holistically Proven Way to Treat Acne

Everyone who walks through our clinic doors wants to clear up their acne fast. But the reality is that even if a new skincare regime provides improvement to the skin, acne is an internal imbalance manifesting on the skin and as long as the internal is out of balance, acne will continue to be present. 

The Natology Method was developed around this knowing that the mind body is one synergistic working unit. Natology, being Calgary’s holistic-focused skin clinic, puts this knowledge at the forefront of all its client’s acne treatment plans because moderate to severe acne can’t be treated as separate from the mind body. Acne is truly a debilitating skin condition and one that you don’t have to live with. Knowledge is empowerment when it comes to your skin. Taking back your power and rediscovering your skin confidence begins with step 1: finding the root cause of your acne triggers.