Milk Thistle Acne

Disclaimer:  This content has been produced purely for informational and educational purposes only and is never intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical guidelines including diagnosis, advice, and treatment. 

Milk thistle is a natural herb with purple flowers and has been used in traditional medicine to treat liver diseases. The plant originated in Mediterranean regions and is grown in California and other parts of the world. Milk thistle possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, also known as “hepatic galactagogue, demulcent, and chalogogue”.

Milk

Besides using as a hepatic tonic, milk thistle is also widely used to treat various skin diseases including acne. Modern science has unrevealed its various health benefits and beneficial effects of milk thistle for acne and other skin diseases.

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 is a herb that has been used for thousands of years due to its healing properties. In 40 AD a Greek physician and philosopher named Dioscorides described the health-promoting abilities of this natural herb. 

On crushing, the plant’s leaves give a milky white liquid and contain a white pattern of spots that looks like leaves are dunked in the milk giving the herb name milk thistle or Mary thistle. It is also referred to as holy thistle and Silybum.

Milk thistle has been used to treat a broad spectrum of health conditions ranging from weight loss to skin health and increasing milk production. This potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory herb is available in different dosage forms like milk thistle capsules, tablets, powder, extract, tincture and tea.

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Acne is a common skin condition affecting 54% of people around the globe in their teens or adulthood. Acne sufferers go for different creams, lotions, and soap to get rid of acne. Most of the cream contains benzoyl peroxide which gives temporary relief from acne but can cause skin cancer. [1] [2]

You may have heard a lot of natural remedies that treat and prevent acne breakouts. One of those herbal remedies includes milk thistle with skin protective properties.

 Milk thistle contains two bioactive compounds silymarin and silibinin that are potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds help the liver in detoxification and prevent acne in the following ways.

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Acne appears when there is an excessive accumulation of toxins, and the body tries to get rid of these toxins. Liver is responsible for detoxification and converting these toxins to waste products. These waste products are then excreted through urine, stool, and sweating. If there is a disturbance in this normal process, toxins get accumulated, and the body attempts to push the toxins through the skin leading to acne flares.

Milk thistle contains antioxidant compounds silymarin which counteracts the effects of free radicals and supports the liver in detoxification that prevent acne. [3]

In addition to handling toxins, the liver also helps metabolize the fats and transform them into small packages which are then stored in the cells. When liver is unable to metabolize fat, fats circulate in the bloodstream and reach sebaceous glands leading to clogging the pores.

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Acne may also result from a disturbance in hormone levels, for instance, increased estrogen levels stimulate oil production on the skin that clogs the pores leading to the development of acne. Milk thistle can regulate hormone levels which reduce the risk of acne.

Overproduction of sebum makes the skin prone to acne and pimples. This sebum interacts with skin dead cells and acne-causing bacteria resulting in clogging the pores. Clogged pores may cause whiteheads, blackheads, papules, nodules, and pimples. Chemical compounds in milk thistle have the potential to naturally suppress the enzymes responsible for sebum production. [4]

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Glutathione is a compound with potent antioxidant properties protecting the cells from oxidative damage. Most people suffering from acne have low levels of glutathione than normally required. Glutathione helps the body detoxify the chemicals responsible for causing acne. [5]

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Heavy metals like mercury and arsenic interact with skin cells and cause inflammation and acne. Milk thistle can detoxify these heavy metals and convert them to compounds that are not reactive to skin cells and prevent acne and other skin conditions.

In addition to glutathione, milk thistle can also increase levels of superoxide dismutase, another powerful antioxidant. This antioxidant compound has the potential to reduce inflammation, prevent clogging of pores, and combat acne. [6]

Owing to anti-inflammatory activities, milk thistle is considered an effective remedy for inflammatory skin conditions including acne. This anti-inflammatory potential can relieve skin irritation and reduce redness caused by acne breakout. [7]

Silymarin (milk Thistle) And Skin

Silymarin and silibinin also possess demulcent properties that can improve skin tone making it smooth and glowing. Chemical compounds in milk thistle may reduce ugly scars caused by acne breakouts. This is the reason most dermatological products contain milk thistle extract containing silymarin and silibinin that help soothe skin conditions.

It may interact with some medications like blood thinners, antiallergic, and anti-anxiety drugs and should be consumed after consulting with your health care provider.

Milk

Milk thistle is a natural remedy to treat a variety of conditions such as high cholesterol, raised sugar levels, preventing gallstones, and helping in liver detoxification. Silymarin and silibinin, the bioactive compounds of milk thistle, contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and make this herb an effective natural remedy to treat acne and other skin conditions., named for the white veins on its prickly leaves, has historically been used to treat diabetes, indigestion, and liver disease. Its use in medicine dates back at least as far as classical Greece, where physicians used it to treat both the liver and gallbladder.

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It may seem odd that a plant commonly used to treat liver disease could help clear the zits from your skin, but there’s an important connection. The liver is the largest internal organ and, as part of its many metabolic functions, it is responsible for clearing toxins from your body.

Our daily bombardment of beauty advertisements seldom mention that our skin is basically a soft wrapper for keeping toxins out of our bodies. It’s an underappreciated service.

But what about toxins that are already inside us? Being the body’s largest organ, illness often manifests on the surface. When you’re sick, you may experience:

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Milk thistle increases glutathione levels and boosts your liver’s efficiency, which can have the added benefit of clearing up acne. A combination of three amino acids – cysteine, glycine and glutamine – glutathione is an antioxidant found in virtually every cell of your body. The highest concentration of glutathione is in your liver. Glutathione is essential for combating oxidative stress, the primary source for inflammation and cellular damage.

It’s goopy, it’s gross…and it’s totally necessary for your digestion. Bile is produced by your liver and stored in your gallbladder. It breaks down fats into fatty acids, and is critical for absorbing vitamins and passing waste through your colon. Yep, it’s gross, but it has a very important job to do.

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To keep your bile flowing, it’s recommended that you avoid too much sugar and processed foods, eat plenty of fiber, and drink lots of liquids.

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And taking a milk thistle supplement to strengthen your liver and ensure it keeps the bile flowing is a great plan, too! By supplementing with milk thistle, your bile can help flush away toxins and balance hormones that cause acne when they reach your skin. And speaking of hormones…

For women especially, acne can be the result of a hormone imbalance. Female hormonal acne can occur when there’s an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone.

Milk thistle assists in reducing inflammation, and can help your body fight the free radicals that contribute to acne breakouts. Best of all? It’s a natural plant, so there’s none of the nasty side effects of prescribed pharmaceuticals.

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Most people find that they can take milk thistle with no side effects at all, but a small percentage report gastrointestinal discomfort.Alright let me start this post with a big fat *DISCLAIMER*– acne is a complicated and complex medical condition, and should always be treated with the care of a licensed dermatologist. What worked for my skin and my body may not work for you. From hormones to digestion to genetics, there are many, many factors at play in treating acne, and unfortunately there is no one-size fits all approach or magic bullet fix. That said, I KNOW how hard it is to struggle with acne, so I want to share as much information as I can about my acne journey, in the hopes that it can help you in some way. As always, consult a doctor before adding or removing supplements to your routine (especially when we are dealing with hormones).

Okay so a little background on my skin. I suffered from moderate-severe acne in high school. My acne was always around my mouth / chin /jawline. My sophomore year I was so desperate to cure it I got on a daily antibiotic prescription, which I took for probably 6 months (so cringey to think about – are we surprised at all i’ve had so many gut issues? -___-). Eventually my skin chilled out, and I was pretty much acne free from 17-18 all the way through 26 (beginning of last year). My skin was SO good for a while – I got compliments all the time – and

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