When you start to hit your late 20s and approach your 30s, life can feel like a constant balancing act—especially when it seems like work ties up most of your schedule. It seems like there’s never enough time to have a social life, work, and work on your health. This makes it easy to overlook the small things that could be wreaking havoc on your skin, like blood sugar spikes. If you've been struggling with persistent cystic acne, you may be surprised to learn that imbalanced blood sugar could be the missing piece of your clear-skin puzzle.

In this blog post, we'll discuss the connection between blood sugar spikes and cystic acne, with some easy-to-implement strategies to help you balance your blood sugar and get on the path to clearer skin.

Disclaimer: the information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat. Make sure you contact your doctor if you think you have a medical problem. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links.

What is Cystic Acne?

Cystic acne is not your average pimple. Unlike surface-level whiteheads or blackheads, cystic acne forms deep beneath the skin, creating painful, swollen bumps that can last for weeks. These cysts often occur on the jawline, chin, and cheeks—areas commonly affected by hormonal fluctuations.

As a naturopathic doctor specializing in helping women overcome acne, I often see patients who feel frustrated by this type of acne. It doesn’t respond as quickly to conventional treatments or skin care products. What many don’t realize is that cystic acne is closely linked to what’s happening on the inside of the body, particularly hormone imbalances and inflammation, both of which can be affected by blood sugar spikes.

How Blood Sugar Spikes Affect Skin Health

Blood Sugar 101

To understand the connection between blood sugar and acne, let's start with the basics. After you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, a form of sugar that your cells use for energy. When your blood glucose levels rise after eating, your pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that helps shuttle glucose into your cells.

However, when you consume high-glycemic foods, like sugary snacks, white bread, or processed foods, your blood sugar can spike rapidly. These spikes force your body to produce excess insulin, which sets off a chain reaction that can trigger acne.

Insulin’s Role in Acne - The Chain Reaction to Acne

Excess insulin in the bloodstream has several effects that can lead to acne, particularly the cystic variety:

Increased Androgens: Insulin spikes lead to higher levels of androgens (testosterone, DHT). Androgens stimulate your skin’s sebaceous glands, leading to more oil production, clogged pores, and ultimately, acne.
Inflammation: Blood sugar fluctuations cause chronic low-grade inflammation in the body. This inflammation can worsen existing acne, particularly cystic acne, which is already an inflammatory skin condition.

Signs Your Blood Sugar Could Be Affecting Your Skin

There are certain signs that indicate your blood sugar may be out of balance, often thought of with other issues (like low cortisol)

Energy crashes: Do you feel great after lunch but then hit an afternoon slump? This could be a sign of a blood sugar spiked and then a sharp drop followed.
Sugar cravings: Craving sweets or carbohydrates frequently is a telltale sign that your blood sugar levels are in need of some support.
Frequent hunger: If you’re always feeling hungry, even shortly after meals, it could mean your body isn’t efficiently processing the sugars you’re consuming.
Jawline and chin breakouts: These areas are typically where cystic acne appears when there’s a hormonal component, often exacerbated by blood sugar imbalances.

Habits That May Be Spiking Your Blood Sugar

You might be wondering how blood sugar spikes could be sneaking into your routine. Here are some common habits that could be disrupting your skin:

The Morning Routine

Starting the day with a sugary latte or a muffin on your way to work can be a hidden culprit. While the caffeine jolt helps you wake up, the sugar and refined carbs can spike your blood sugar levels first thing in the morning, setting the stage for a day of energy crashes and inflammation.

Snacking All Day Long

In many corporate environments, snack options like chips, granola bars, and cookies are always within reach. While convenient, these foods are often loaded with refined carbohydrates and sugars, which lead to significant blood sugar spikes. Even "healthy" snacks like protein bars can be packed with hidden sugars.

And if you’re finding yourself constantly hungry, you may find yourself reaching for these high sugar snacks for a little energy boost.

Stress & Blood Sugar

Corporate life can be stressful, and stress in itself can affect your blood sugar levels. When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that increases blood sugar to provide quick energy. If your stress is chronic—thanks to work deadlines, long hours, or personal pressure—this constant elevation of blood sugar can contribute to acne.

Towards the end of medical school, I started to breakout with cystic acne, it was all over my cheeks and jawline. With all of the stress I was under and constantly skipping meals, my blood sugar was screaming for help. It wasn’t until I came out of school that I realized how much the stress had impacted my body and my skin.

How to Balance Blood Sugar for Clearer Skin

The good news is that with a few simple changes, you can balance your blood sugar and, in turn, improve your skin. Let’s talk about it.

Focus on Low-Glycemic Foods

Eating low-glycemic foods helps prevent the rapid spikes in blood sugar that lead to insulin surges. These foods are digested more slowly, providing a steady release of energy without triggering excess oil production.

Some examples include:

Whole grains: quinoa, brown rice, oats
Vegetables: especially leafy greens
Lean proteins: chicken, turkey, beans
Healthy fats: avocados, nuts, seeds

Meal Timing Matters

Instead of three large meals that could cause blood sugar spikes, try eating smaller, balanced meals more frequently throughout the day. This helps to keep your blood sugar levels stable and provides a constant source of energy.

Smart Snacking

When the afternoon cravings hit, reach for snacks that pair protein and healthy fats. Combine these foods to prevent the blood sugar spike-and-crash cycle.

Pair almonds or a piece of fruit with nut butter
Toast with almond butter
Cottage cheese with berries

Moving Your Body

Moving your body is something I always recommend for those who are dealing with blood sugar issues and it doesn’t have to be super intense workouts either. Going for a 15 minute walk after meals has been shown to be a great way to reduce blood sugar.
I often recommend doing this after dinner because your body is less sensitive to insulin at this time.

How does this work? Your body takes the sugar from the meal you just ate and brings it to your muscles to be used as fuel, instead of it hanging out in your bloodstream. So grab a family member, pup, or your partner for an after dinner stroll!

Herbal Bitters: A Natural Way to Support Blood Sugar

In addition to focusing on whole foods and balanced meals, herbal bitters are a powerful, natural tool for supporting blood sugar regulation. Herbal bitters, like gentian, dandelion root, and burdock, stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and bile, which help to regulate how your body processes sugars.

Taking a few drops of herbal bitters before meals can help slow down the absorption of sugar, preventing the sharp spikes that often lead to acne.

Managing Stress to Prevent Blood Sugar Spikes

Quick Stress Relief Strategies

You can’t always control the stress that comes with a busy corporate job, but you can control how you manage it. Simple stress-relieving practices can help lower cortisol levels and prevent blood sugar from spiking in response to stress. Try these:

Breathwork: Taking five deep breaths when you feel stress rising can immediately reduce cortisol and help you reset. A great time to focus on belly breathing can be during your commute to work.
Mini-meditations: Apps like Headspace offer quick, 5-minute meditations that can be done at your desk.
Lunchtime walks: Not only can taking a short walk during your lunch break help clear your head and reset both your stress levels, it gives the sugar from the meal you just ate a job to do. The sugar will be shuttled to the cells of your muscles to be used as fuel to keep you going on your walk.

Sleep’s Impact on Blood Sugar and Skin

Lastly, sleep plays a significant role in balancing blood sugar. When you're sleep deprived, your body produces more cortisol and your blood sugar regulation suffers. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night to support both your skin and your overall health.

Actionable Steps to Take Today

Meal Prep for Balanced Meals: Spend an hour on the weekend prepping low-glycemic meals that are easy to grab on busy weekdays. Think quinoa salads, chicken wraps, or chia seed pudding.

Start with Herbal Bitters: Consider adding herbal bitters to your routine. A few sprays before each meal can make a noticeable difference in how your body handles sugar.
Monitor Your Blood Sugar: If you’re curious about your own blood sugar patterns, you might consider using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for a week to see how different foods and stressors affect your levels.

Now what?

Blood sugar spikes could be playing a bigger role in your cystic acne than you realize. But with a few mindful changes, like choosing low-glycemic foods, incorporating herbal bitters, and managing stress, you can balance your blood sugar and start seeing clearer skin. Small, consistent shifts are often the key to lasting change. You’ve got the tools! Now it’s time to put them into action!

Often times, looking at labs can be helpful in identifying the root cause of your acne. If you want a personalized approach to your acne, set up a free discovery call with me so we can discuss how we can approach your breakouts through my Acne Healing Package.

Could Your Blood Sugar Spikes Be Causing Cystic Acne?

What is Cystic Acne?