Acne can feel like a mystery when you’ve “done everything right” and your skin still won’t calm down. Today we zoom in on a hidden driver that shows up again and again in stubborn breakouts: insulin. And no, this isn’t just a diabetes conversation. We talk about how chronically elevated insulin can push acne pathways tied to IGF-1 and androgen activity, increasing oil production, inflammation, and clogged pores, even when your diet looks clean on paper.\n\nWe walk through five less obvious reasons insulin sensitivity can get derailed. That includes constant healthy snacking that keeps insulin elevated and interrupts the small intestine’s natural MMC clean-up cycle, plus the common “backwards morning” routine of coffee on an empty stomach that spikes stress hormones and leaves you anxious, shaky, or crashing later. We also unpack why exercising too hard without enough recovery can overload your stress bucket, and why a simple walk after meals can be one of the best insulin-supporting habits for both metabolism and acne.\n\nWe also clear up a major testing blind spot: normal fasting glucose or A1C doesn’t guarantee healthy insulin. I explain why fasting insulin matters, how two people can have the same blood sugar with totally different metabolic strain, and why chronic inflammation and infections (often in the gut) can interfere with insulin signaling. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start addressing root causes, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s struggling, and leave a review so more people can find the Clear Skin Sessions.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

Acne can feel random until you zoom out and look at metabolism. We’ve seen for years that insulin and acne are connected strongly enough that acne was once called “diabetes of the skin,” but the part most people miss is this: it’s not always high insulin. I walk you through the three distinct insulin patterns I see again and again in women with acne, and why choosing the wrong strategy can stall your progress or even make breakouts worse.

We start with the basics of what insulin does, then get specific about testing. Fasting blood glucose can look great while insulin is already dysregulated, so I explain why fasting insulin belongs on your lab list and how I interpret it alongside symptoms. Then we unpack the classic high-insulin picture often linked with PCOS, oily skin, cravings, energy crashes, and jawline acne, including how stress and cortisol can push insulin higher over time.

Next, we go into the pattern that surprises people: low insulin in a body that’s underfueled and depleted. If you’re training hard, eating “clean,” restricting carbs, waking at night, feeling cold, and dealing with low estrogen or missing periods, your acne may be asking for nourishment and rebuilding, not more restriction. Finally, we cover the “normal labs” pattern where fasting numbers look perfect, yet you crash after meals, get shaky, foggy, or hungry two hours later. That can point to gut-driven signals like GLP-1 and microbiome imbalance, meaning the deeper fix starts in the gut.

If you want a clearer roadmap, check out my free Clear Skin Masterclass linked in the show notes. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s stuck, and leave a review so more people can find testing-based acne help.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

You can do everything you’ve been told is “good for your skin” and still end up with worse acne, worse sleep, and a body that feels stuck. We get personal and practical as I share three habits I followed for years that quietly fueled my breakouts, along with the inside-out acne healing lessons I wish I’d learned sooner. If you’ve ever felt like your skin is in charge of your life, this one is for you. 

First, we talk about sunlight and why avoiding it can backfire. Morning light is one of the strongest signals for setting circadian rhythm, which shapes cortisol and melatonin, sleep quality, immune function, and even nighttime skin repair. We also unpack how sun exposure differs from vitamin D supplements, and why getting outside consistently can support whole-body health when you do it responsibly and avoid burning. 

Next, we dig into stubborn low ferritin and why “just take iron” often turns into a frustrating loop. Low iron markers in acne can point to gut health issues, including microbial overgrowths and poor absorption, plus broader nutrient depletion from restrictive diets or a long history of antibiotics. Then we cover overexercise and stress physiology, including how intense daily workouts can dysregulate cortisol and keep the nervous system in survival, a state where healing slows down. 

If you want a clearer roadmap for acne, hormones, digestion, and functional lab patterns, check out my free clear skin masterclass linked in the show notes, and if this helped, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more women can find real support.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

Your skin is not just reacting to products, food, or hormones. It is also reacting to time. Dr. Stacy Shillington sits down with circadian light expert Rudy Nassif to explain why the skin is a clock-regulated organ and how the light entering your eyes can quietly drive acne, inflammation, poor sleep, and that wired-at-night, groggy-in-the-morning feeling.

Rudy shares his personal turning point after years of fatigue, depression, and feeling “broken,” followed by a dramatic shift living with natural daylight and real darkness on an off-grid farm. From there, we break down the fundamentals of circadian rhythm: morning sunlight helps set the brain’s central clock, and darkness after sunset allows melatonin to rise. We also talk about why melatonin is more than a sleep hormone, how blue and green light at night can disrupt your repair biology fast, and why “eight hours” of sleep is not always equal.

We go deeper into mitochondria, energy, and the idea that modern indoor lighting can stress the system that powers healing and skin renewal. You will also hear practical strategies for building sunlight resilience safely, including how to use sunrise, sunset, and solar noon, plus what to do in winter when sunlight is limited. We wrap with Rudy’s approach to daytime, evening, and nighttime lenses to manage artificial light, along with simple bedroom rules to protect sleep quality.

If you want clearer skin, better sleep, and steadier energy, start with the environment you live in every day. Subscribe, share this with a friend who struggles with sleep or breakouts, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

You finally quit the acne medication you were told would “fix” your skin and somehow your breakouts come back worse. If you have ever stared in the mirror after stopping the birth control pill, antibiotics, spironolactone, or Accutane and thought, why is this happening to me, we get it and we break it down clearly.

We walk through why post-pill acne and post-medication acne rebound is so common when the root cause was never addressed. I explain the core idea we use in naturopathic acne treatment: your skin is a mirror, and acne is a sign of a deeper pattern inside the body. We connect the dots between chronic inflammation and common underlying drivers like gut imbalance, detoxification bottlenecks, insulin issues, and infections that can quietly worsen while a medication suppresses symptoms.

Using the birth control pill as the main example, we talk about what it does to hormone production, why suppressing androgens can temporarily clear skin, and how nutrient depletion can build over time including zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins. We also cover how the gut microbiome can shift in an unfavorable direction and why that matters for skin health. Then we unpack the “androgen rebound” effect after stopping, when androgen activity and receptor sensitivity surge and create the perfect storm for oil production, clogged pores, and painful flare-ups.

You will leave with a grounded plan: what to do if you are still on medication and want to come off without an onslaught, and what to do if you already stopped and your skin is raging, including why testing can be the turning point for stubborn adult acne. If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who is dealing with post-pill acne, and leave a review so more people can find clear skin answers.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

Alcohol can feel like a small, normal part of life until you realize it’s quietly pulling the same biological levers that drive acne. I’m Dr. Stacy Shillington, a naturopathic doctor who’s helped women heal acne for 20 years, and I’m sharing the personal turning point that made me stop drinking for good and why the results shocked me even with all my clinical knowledge. My skin improved, my mood steadied, and after nearly a decade of insomnia, I finally slept deeply again and woke up rested.

We break down the real connection between alcohol and acne: not that alcohol directly “causes” breakouts, but that it amplifies the pathways behind hormonal acne and inflammatory acne. You’ll hear how alcohol spikes blood sugar, insulin, and IGF-1 to stimulate oil production, how it raises inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress, and how it can overload liver detox so hormone metabolism slows. We also talk about the gut-skin axis, because gut lining irritation and microbiome disruption often show up on the skin, especially when you’re already acne-prone.

If you’re not ready to quit completely, I still want you to have options. I share practical, skin-friendly harm reduction tips like choosing lower-sugar drinks (dry wine, champagne, tequila with soda, vodka, gin), avoiding sugary cocktails and beer, eating protein or fat before drinking, hydrating with electrolytes, and supporting detox with cruciferous vegetables and antioxidant-rich foods. I also explain why alcohol wrecks deep sleep, drives cortisol higher, and slows skin healing, which is often the missing piece for persistent breakouts.

If you want a structured clear skin plan, I’ll point you to my seven-week clear skin program and my one-on-one program for complex cystic acne cases. Subscribe, share this with a friend on a clear skin journey, and leave a review if it helps so more women can find this support.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

Thinking about laser resurfacing to fade acne scars but not sure where to start? We pull back the curtain on fractional CO2 with a step-by-step guide to matching treatments to scar types and a candid look at real downtime, pigment changes, and the slow arc of collagen remodeling. You’ll hear why some scars respond beautifully to fractional CO2 while others demand TCA cross, punch excision, or subcision first—and how sequencing those choices makes all the difference.

We begin by mapping the three major scar types: ice pick (deep, narrow channels), boxcar (shallow to moderate depressions with sharp edges), and rolling (wavy, tethered skin). From there, we outline a practical roadmap: TCA cross or excision for ice pick, subcision plus CO2 for rolling, and microneedling priming followed by fractional CO2 for boxcar. Along the way, we demystify the tech—how carbon dioxide energy creates microcolumns that trigger collagen and elastin—and compare fractional versus fully ablative approaches, including realistic recovery windows and comfort strategies.

I also share my own procedure day and three-week check-in: painless under the right meds, five days of sticky occlusives and vinegar soaks, then the reality of pinkness and temporary pigmentation as the barrier rebuilds. We get specific about who should hold off: anyone with active acne, rosacea, a fragile barrier, or a strong tendency to hyperpigment. The golden rule stands—clear first, treat second. Stabilize inflammation for six to eight weeks or more, then use scar-specific tools for results that last. Ready to plan your path to smoother skin with fewer setbacks? Follow the show, share this episode with a friend who’s scar-curious, and leave a review to get a free first module of the Seven-Week Clear Skin Program.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

Breakouts that bloom along your jawline a week before your period aren’t random—they’re hormonal signals. We unpack how the menstrual cycle shapes your skin, why low progesterone lets androgens run the show, and how insulin swings, inflammation, and sluggish detox pathways keep cystic acne on repeat. You’ll hear a clear, practical framework for understanding PMS acne and a plan to calm it without chasing yet another serum.

We start by mapping the follicular and luteal phases in plain language, then connect the dots: when progesterone underperforms, estrogen becomes unbuffered, androgen activity climbs, and pores clog. We explain why lab tests can read “normal” while your face tells a different story—the issue is often receptor sensitivity fueled by infections, mold exposure, oxidative stress, or blood sugar instability. If you also see mid‑cycle flares, we break down the temporary estrogen and testosterone bump around ovulation and the common role of insulin dysregulation.

Next, we move into action. You’ll get five immediate steps to lower the volume on hormonal acne: stabilize blood sugar with structured meals, protect sleep to lower cortisol, ensure daily bowel movements for estrogen clearance, remove inflammatory triggers like sugar, dairy, and gluten, and train your stress response with short, twice‑daily flow sessions. These shifts support optimal ovulation, strengthen progesterone signaling, and reduce the flare window. For lasting results, we share why targeted testing matters—GI mapping to assess the gut, organic acids for cellular function, and oxidative stress insights to personalize detox and antioxidant support.

Our goal is bigger than clear skin. By fixing the systems that drive acne—hormones, gut health, detox, and the nervous system—you gain steadier moods, fewer PMS symptoms, better digestion, and sustainable energy. Ready to stop guessing and start healing from the inside out? Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to get the first module of our seven‑week Clear Skin Program free.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

The sugar high feels harmless until your skin tells a different story. We open up about slipping into a holiday chocolate spiral and the exact reset that brought calm, clarity, and a brighter glow back—without relying on shaky willpower. If you’ve ever wondered why cravings feel relentless or why your skin flares after dessert, this conversation connects the dots between dopamine, inflammation, and breakouts in a way that’s simple and actionable.

You’ll hear why processed sugar hits hard on two fronts: insulin dysregulation that fuels acne and glycation that stiffens collagen and speeds wrinkles. We break down the surprising role of chocolate’s alkaloids in inflammation, how taste receptors get desensitized by constant sweetness, and the reason a cold turkey approach often works better than “cutting back.” Then we map out the plan: purge the pantry, switch to whole-food sweetness from fruit, and rebuild meals around protein, vegetables, and gluten-free complex carbs to stabilize energy and skin.

The real magic lives in the craving toolkit. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, and goat or sheep yogurt can stop a sugar urge in its tracks. L-glutamine offers fast support when your brain screams for a fix. Holy basil tea steadies stress so you don’t raid the cupboard at night. We also share simple state-change moves—walks, cold showers, music breaks—that help you ride out the first tough week. Expect quick wins like calmer pores, deeper sleep, and sharper focus, with a clear note that complex acne often needs deeper testing and a tailored protocol.

Ready to reset your glow and quiet the cravings? Subscribe for more clear-skin strategies, share this with a friend who needs a sugar break, and leave a quick review so we can gift you the first module of our seven-week Clear Skin Program.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.

A hard year can leave its mark on your face—and your spirit. After navigating loss, stress, and the shift into full menopause, I set a bold goal for 2026: rebuild health from the cell up and let the skin show the results. This episode lays out six priorities that work together to calm inflammation, balance hormones, and restore that clear, confident glow without needles or quick fixes.

We start with food that actually feeds skin: traditional cooking that soaks, ferments, and slow-simmers to unlock minerals and reduce anti-nutrients. I explain why I pause dairy, gluten, and sugar for acne-prone bodies, then bring them back with intention. From there, we zoom into cellular health—supporting mitochondria with hydrogen water, red light therapy, and PEMF—and how high oxidative stress shows up as breakouts, dullness, and fatigue. I share my “power hour” routine and when these tools matter most, especially through perimenopause and menopause.

Next, we move to targeted, needle-free skin strategies. I’m leaning on IPL, gentle peels, and Clear + Brilliant, plus an exciting autologous stem cell approach using hair follicles. Pair that with barrier-first skincare, smart actives like retinaldehyde or azelaic acid, and face yoga to keep expression natural and tone strong. We dig into peace as a performance enhancer: meditation, prayer, and daily bookends that raise HRV, restore sleep, and support digestion. Gentle detox remains a year-round rhythm—saunas, castor oil packs, herbal teas—especially important for “slow detoxifiers” whose skin speaks first. We round it out with smart movement: daily yoga, Pilates for strength, and nature walks for metabolism and mood.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and build a system that clears acne from the inside out, this conversation gives you a practical map and momentum for the months ahead. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a hopeful reset, and leave a review—then grab the first module of the program free as our thank you.

Watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass to learn my method to heal chronic acne.  Based on 20 years of healing acne as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Click here to listen now.