Naturopathic Beauty's Clear Skin Sessions

Accutane can feel like a miracle and a minefield at the same time. When someone tells you isotretinoin is “just for your skin,” that misses the point: it’s a high-dose vitamin A retinoid that interacts with receptors found throughout the body. I walk you through what that whole-body reach really means, why side effects can span dry eyes, joint pain, lab changes, and mood shifts, and why the required monitoring is a signal that this medication goes far beyond oil glands.

We also get into the science most people never hear in the dermatologist’s office: Accutane doesn’t rewrite your DNA, but it can change gene expression, essentially shifting which cellular instructions get turned up or down. That’s part of why it works so well during a course, and it’s also why pregnancy prevention rules are so strict. Retinoid signaling powerfully influences how cells grow and develop, which makes safety non-negotiable if you’re taking it.

Then we tackle the most emotionally loaded topic: relapse after Accutane. I share research on how often acne returns, why women appear to face a higher risk, and why hormonal acne, blood sugar dysregulation, gut issues, inflammation, stress physiology, and infections can keep driving breakouts even after oil glands shrink. If you’re deciding whether to start Accutane or your acne is back after a course, I offer a clear path forward: ask better “why” questions, look for pattern clues, consider functional lab testing, and support your nervous system so healing can actually stick.

Subscribe for more clear-skin science, share this with a friend who’s weighing Accutane, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question.
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 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.