I've never seen a naturopath but I am familiar with the concept. I just had to reply because I wanted to say, you should DEFINITELY find out what is in the "herbal mix" before you continue to take it. If you have a reaction or generally don't tolerate it, you will need to know why. Knowing the ingredients is extremely important you could be taking something that is potentially dangerous or that you don't want to be taking. Another (less important) thing to consider is if you want to take it long term, it's very possible that you could get the active ingredient for much cheaper elsewhere.

If he doesn't want to tell you what he's giving you, I would go to someone else. You have the right to know what you are putting into your body. I remember reading an article where a naturopath in the state I used to live in was arrested for not having a license and the woman he was treating actually died. That is an extreme case and I don't mean to scare you, but if he's acting at all shady I would find someone else.

I'm really sorry that you're struggling, though. Try to stay as positive as you can, even though it's extremely difficult. I hope vitex clears you up and you don't have to deal with it anymore. Accutane is an option but usually with hormonal acne it eventually comes back, which it sounds like you've already experienced. Have you considered spironolactone? I just think that it would be a less extreme route and it works for most with PCOS.

Gracie, i have had lots of experience with naturopaths and holistic people - 3 in fact. None of them helped my acne - not in the least bit. Not to say this person might not help you. I think they basically take a history from you and tailor a regimen for you based on what YOU tell them which might not be necessarily what your body needs. It's a lot of trial and error which can end up being really frustrating when you still have acne or worse, a worsening of acne. It was a nightmare for me as my acne just kept getting worse and worse and the funny thing is that all three prescribed me different supplements of what they thought i needed.

I agree with the above poster that you should know what the mixture is. One holistic person gave me something that i had a bad reaction to as well as some hormonal stuff that my GP said i should not have been taking.

I wouldn't have to much faith in holistic people but by all means, give it at least 3 months.

Accutane is not a cure for hormonal stuff so i agree with the above poster that Spiro might be worth a try

Thank you very much for your responses. I really appreciate the feedback as nobody else I know has experienced this before.

I've never seen a naturopath but I am familiar with the concept. I just had to reply because I wanted to say, you should DEFINITELY find out what is in the "herbal mix" before you continue to take it. If you have a reaction or generally don't tolerate it, you will need to know why. Knowing the ingredients is extremely important you could be taking something that is potentially dangerous or that you don't want to be taking. Another (less important) thing to consider is if you want to take it long term, it's very possible that you could get the active ingredient for much cheaper elsewhere.

If he doesn't want to tell you what he's giving you, I would go to someone else. You have the right to know what you are putting into your body. I remember reading an article where a naturopath in the state I used to live in was arrested for not having a license and the woman he was treating actually died. That is an extreme case and I don't mean to scare you, but if he's acting at all shady I would find someone else.

I'm really sorry that you're struggling, though. Try to stay as positive as you can, even though it's extremely difficult. I hope vitex clears you up and you don't have to deal with it anymore. Accutane is an option but usually with hormonal acne it eventually comes back, which it sounds like you've already experienced. Have you considered spironolactone? I just think that it would be a less extreme route and it works for most with PCOS.

hey Gracie,

Did the agnus castus tincture you tried last month not work ? Did the herbalist gave you a similar one?

My advice for herbalists/ naturopaths is: if possible, try to find someone who specializes in female issues and skin issues. Most of them, like most doctors too, have no idea how to treat acne so they will usually give you more stuff than you need. Last naturopath I went to wrote a long list of supplements for me to take and I just didn't take them because he didn't explain the logic behind his approach.

It's a good sign that your naturopath is trying to treat you holistically by looking at the emotional aspects too. Based on my experience, when I'm happy with my life I don't even worry about my skin because it gets better on its own. I know acne and happiness can be interrelated though, and it's a vicious cycle.

Did they recommend yoga or other blood-flowing exercises to stimulate good circulation? That might help too.

He just kept referring to it as 'the main herbal mix' without elaborating what exactly would go in it and stated that it would be hormonal balance, liver support and something for anxiety. I should of asked there and then what exactly will be in this but I just didn't...I have e-mailed him to ask him to tell me what ingredients it contains and if he doesn't, like you said, this is very shady.

I was doing so well on vitex a couple of months back and then something happened...i am getting back on track now I think but I'm scared maybe in my hope and desperation to get clear as quickly as possible I have maybe gotten in too deep with this naturopathy stuff. The guy seemed pretty legit and he had a good website but I can't find any reviews on him...

yes I've been on roaccutane twice and my acne returned both times i know i shouldn't really go back on it but i just want my life back again just for one year...i know that sounds ridiculous. Spiro has been offered to me as an option by an endocrinologist but I didn't like the sound of it. As an anti-androgen doesn't it have many side effects?

Yeah, from that description the mix could really be anything. I hope he emails you back soon.

WishClean is definitely right... your happiness has a big effect on your skin. The panic, anxiety, and trying to rush the clearing of your skin does not help in fact it is counterproductive. I know it is extremely difficult, but please try to be happy and positive despite your skin. I am personally a believer in the law of attraction... if you focus on your skin being clear and the happiness that comes with it, you will see better results. The dermatologist told me I would have to be on spironolactone my whole life to have clear skin, yet I do without taking pretty much anything but vitamins now. I did use supplements to get back on track, but I think my mindset is the biggest part. I was in a very negative place when my acne was at its worst, but I did everything I could to flip that around even when I still had cystic acne. The results have been amazing.

You don't have to listen to me, but please don't go back on accutane. It's incredibly harsh on your body and clearly it hasn't worked for you. You may not have had any repercussions from taking it before, but you never know what taking it one more time could do. I have been on accutane before (took it back in high school) and it was an awful experience. And like you, the acne came back a few years later. I just don't see even being clear for one year being worth taking that crap and the risks associated with it.

Spironolactone is also a pharmaceutical so you need a prescription. I'm not a supporter of pharmaceuticals but with that being said, it did a great job of clearing my skin when I took it. I had side effects which is why I stopped taking it, but not everyone does. From what I've seen, my case seemed pretty unusual. I also don't have PCOS so it might be a better option for you. Anyway, I would definitely recommend giving it a shot before you give up or take accutane again, especially since you've been offered it outright. However, it does take a while to start working, as with any hormonal treatment. It took me 6 months to see full results.

How long have you been on vitex?

okay, so I've been away on holiday in spain and then just been catching up on everything since I got back. I decided to go ahead and take what he had mixed for me anyway despite not knowing what was in it, bit of a risk but I think I was just at my wits end....whilst I was away my skin miracurasly cleared however I know the sun is very beneficial to skin and so just attributed it to that and enjoyed the fact that my skin was doing so well. my naturopath mailed me back whilst i was away and I discovered that the mix contains:

white peony

liquorice

dandelion

barberry bark

oat seed

ashwaghanda

so i was like oh cool, good to know. i researched some of the stuff and he has put stuff in there for liver support and anxiety and the like. anyway since i got back my skin has only continued to improve, i have suffered a small break out this week because it is around my time of ovulation but nothing like the big cystic breakouts i was getting. anyway trying not to get too excited yet but hopefully i am getting back on track!

hey Gracie,

Did the agnus castus tincture you tried last month not work ? Did the herbalist gave you a similar one?

My advice for herbalists/ naturopaths is: if possible, try to find someone who specializes in female issues and skin issues. Most of them, like most doctors too, have no idea how to treat acne so they will usually give you more stuff than you need. Last naturopath I went to wrote a long list of supplements for me to take and I just didn't take them because he didn't explain the logic behind his approach.

It's a good sign that your naturopath is trying to treat you holistically by looking at the emotional aspects too. Based on my experience, when I'm happy with my life I don't even worry about my skin because it gets better on its own. I know acne and happiness can be interrelated though, and it's a vicious cycle.

Did they recommend yoga or other blood-flowing exercises to stimulate good circulation? That might help too.

okay, so I've been away on holiday in spain and then just been catching up on everything since I got back. I decided to go ahead and take what he had mixed for me anyway despite not knowing what was in it, bit of a risk but I think I was just at my wits end....whilst I was away my skin miracurasly cleared however I know the sun is very beneficial to skin and so just attributed it to that and enjoyed the fact that my skin was doing so well. my naturopath mailed me back whilst i was away and I discovered that the mix contains:

white peony

liquorice

dandelion

barberry bark

oat seed

ashwaghanda

so i was like oh cool, good to know. i researched some of the stuff and he has put stuff in there for liver support and anxiety and the like. anyway since i got back my skin has only continued to improve, i have suffered a small break out this week because it is around my time of ovulation but nothing like the big cystic breakouts i was getting. anyway trying not to get too excited yet but hopefully i am getting back on track!

I always admire people who can stay positive and strong even when they are at thier lowest. Something that I can definatly improve on is not freaking out over every tiny little thing. I was putting a huge pressure on myself and every single new tiny breakout would send me right back into a massive freak out again. Since I have been on the mix from the naturopath, my mind set has definatly improved. although my skin has improved also, so it's hard to say if the two are connected.

i agree with you about roaccutane. Even though sometimes I am so tempted to go back on it, I know deep down that it isn't the right thing to do. It really did take a massive toll on my body, weight loss hair loss lack of appetite...not to mention other gross things I won't go into. I did get perfect skin but at a price. and like you said, we just don't know if it causes other issues down the line. I don't really want to go on spirinolactone...however I would consider it as an option should I feel the need to try it. Would you reccomend? Is it usually relativley side effect free or does it just depend from person to person?

I have now been on vitex (tincture) for around two months. I began taking full strength capsules at the start of May but switched to tincture around the end of May. xxx

I'm glad your skin has improved! I definitely think the sunshine, relaxation, positivity, etc. helped. I'm also glad that your naturopath answered your question and gave you the ingredient list. I hope your skin continues to get better and better! (:

There are a lot of doctors (MDs) who aren't really that informed about acne. However they can give you access to things that no other people can (prescriptions).

There is a difference between "naturopaths" and "naturopathic doctors." Actual naturopathic doctors (NDs) do have some degree of medical training but it is not comparable to a MD. Most states won't even license NDs to actually practice medicine. The only thing they can really do is run glorified vitamin shops.

If you're just talking about a "naturopath" with no degree, it's just a fancy term for someone who thinks they know a lot about herbs and is going to charge for their "advice." They will probably claim some sort of certification, which amounts to some online certification program run by someone else equally unqualified (in any legal sense of the word). One of the sweetest but also dumbest people I know recently went through an online course and got "certified" as a naturopath. She showed me the "courses". It was laughable.

I mean, really, any advice you can get from a naturopath you could get from Google and then go buy the stuff from the vitamin store. At least if you're persistent and willing to read a lot. If you don't like searching through forums, reading dozens of academic articles, or that kind of work...then maybe it's worth it to go pay a naturopath $100 to tell you what vitamins to buy.