The CO2 Laser for Acne Scars - My Experience So Far

3 Habits I Wish I Had Changed in my 20s

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. [https://naturopathicbeau.kartra.com/page/organicregistration?utm_source=podcast-name&utm_medium=podcast&utm_term=46251&utm_content=&utm_campaign=organic-funnel]

Use Light to Heal Your Skin and Your Existence

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. [https://naturopathicbeau.kartra.com/page/organicregistration?utm_source=podcast-name&utm_medium=podcast&utm_term=46251&utm_content=&utm_campaign=organic-funnel]

Why Stopping Acne Meds Can Trigger Worse Breakouts

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. [https://naturopathicbeau.kartra.com/page/organicregistration?utm_source=podcast-name&utm_medium=podcast&utm_term=46251&utm_content=&utm_campaign=organic-funnel]

How Quitting Alcohol Changed My Skin And Sleep

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. [https://naturopathicbeau.kartra.com/page/organicregistration?utm_source=podcast-name&utm_medium=podcast&utm_term=46251&utm_content=&utm_campaign=organic-funnel]

The CO2 Laser for Acne Scars - My Experience So Far

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. [https://naturopathicbeau.kartra.com/page/organicregistration?utm_source=podcast-name&utm_medium=podcast&utm_term=46251&utm_content=&utm_campaign=organic-funnel]