Herbs for Hormone Imbalance

I have suffered with acne for years. It makes my face look dreadful especially near my period when it usually flares up. The acne also affects my shoulders, and back usually very painful and I resort to the usual anti bacterial creams. I have tried diet changes but with little effect. I am now 26 years of age and would like to look and feel normal. It seems that is due hormonal imbalance. Is there any herb that can be useful for hormonal imbalance?

There are few theories about acne and one connects acne with hormonal imbalance. It is believed that the cause is directly related to the skins sensitivity to androgen production at puberty and androgens stimulate sebaceous gland activity causing over production of oil.
Get plenty of rest, fresh air with exercise, Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, raw and cooked, vegetable juices, along with whole grain breads and pastas, brown rice, soy products, organic chicken, and fish. Keep to a vegetarian diet as much as possible.
Herbal remedies used for this condition are usually a combination of liver (hepatic) and blood (alteratives) purifying herbs, and glandular and hormone balancing herbs. Herbal skin washes with astringent, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties are used to cleanse the skin and reduce redness and pain. It can be washed with infusions of pot marigold and witch hazel. Additional external remedies are Tea tree oil and herbal Swedish bitters, which can be swabbed on to painful cysts or left on overnight covered with a bandage or band-aid, then Nettle, burdock and cleavers taken individually or combined as a tea would make an excellent remedy for this condition. I would advise seeking out a qualified herbal practitioner just to be safe. A combination of herbs that would be prepared in equal parts: Oregon grape, Echinacea, Cleavers Red clover Burdock and Chaste berries could be added if hormone imbalance is suspected.

I've had similar issues. What has helped me is a combination of three things:

1. Trying to get my ph balance back to normal. If your ph is too acidic, it can cause all kinds of health issues, including acne and other skin problems. You can find info online about which foods become alkaline when digested. Exercise, fresh air, and deep breathing also help.

2. Drinking Women's Liberty tea by Traditional Medicinals - you can buy it online and at various stores, though it is fairly difficult to find unless you have good natural grocery stores in your area. It works to help promote healthy hormone production and regulation, so it helps to stop excessive hair growth, acne that is hormone related, and it helps regulate periods.

3. The oil cleansing method. If you use harsh chemicals in cleansers and treatments, it will only irritate your skin, causing more acne. Instructions on how to do it can be found here: beauty-treatments.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_oil_cleansing_method.

Personally, I blended Extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, grapeseed oil, and hazelnut oil. Then I added a few drops each of the following essential oils to help treat/prevent acne, blackheads, redness, and large pores: lemon, grapefruit, clary sage, peppermint, lemongrass, tea tree, lavender, and bergamot.

If you do something similar, be careful not to expose your skin to UV rays (i.e. the sun) for at least 24 hours after using it because some of the essential oils are phototonic (bergamot and lemon in particular) and will discolor your skin if exposed to UV light. There is plenty of research out there on which essential oils are good for treating different skin conditions, it just takes time to find it. Not all essential oils are phototonic, so you can make oil blends that are safe for use when your skin will be exposed to UV light.

Hope this helps, even though your question was posted a few years ago.

I had acne all my life. I'm now 38 and had tried EVERYTHING. A few months ago I began using a herbal tincture of Vitex/Chastetree Berry. I noticed an improvement within a week and things continued to get better. I even noticed a change in my moods fior the better, temporarily. Whenever I stopped taking it my acne flared up. I stopped taking it a few weeks ago and now my skin seems to have normalized. At last!

Vitex was actually recommended to me 10 years before and decided not to use it. I wish I had.

Note that acne can be caused by many things including,, but not limited to hormonal imbalance. Other things to look at include stress, the foods you eat, what you wash/moisturize with your face with, digestive issues and probably many other things. You may have to work your way the list systematically.

I had very bad acne as well for many years. I have tried hundreds of herbal remedies, cosmetics etc. I have found two things that worked: the contraceptive pill Dianette. But it made me put on weight, and when I stopped it my acne came back. Then the doctor put me on a course of Mynocycline (antibiotic). I had to take one pill a day for 6 months, then take one every two days, then one every day etc it took two years to completely come off them by the regular reduction, but at the end of this - the unbelievable thing happened - MY ACNE WAS GONE! I now keep it in shape with some topical lotions (Isotrexin daily) and Duac (in case the odd spot does pop up - but i hardly ever need this). So girls, I think that Mynocycline is the best cure for acne. Speak to your GP/Dermatologist and ask their opinion.
Good luck!