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Acne can be incredibly frustrating, especially when it just won't go away. That is why it is important to know what type of acne you have, so you can choose the right treatment and get rid of it as soon as possible. Below we discuss in detail how best to recognize your acne, what symptoms occur and what the possible causes are. Furthermore, we provide supportive advice in many forms, from diet tips to skin care. The severity of the different types of acne increases as the list goes on.

Our take on skin and acne

The philosophy of Mothr Earth Proof® is that your skin is a dynamic reflection of your diet, how you feel (stress), how much you move (circulation) and your mental state (whether you digest your impressions). So your skin health is closely related to the health of your body, how well you digest (i.e. your digestive fire), your gut (how clean are it, do you go to the toilet every day) and your liver (can it do its detoxifying work or is your liver overloaded). Therefore, apart from a great skincare routine, it is essential to give your skin extra support by taking good care of the digestive energy of your stomach/milk/pancreas, the detoxification of your liver and keeping your gut clean.

Your gut health as a cause of acne

Although no significant scientific evidence has yet been found, many studies have been done on the effect of your gut flora on your skin. Many studies suggest that your gut has a major impact on the health of your skin. This is because an unhealthy diet can lead to bacterial overgrowth in the gut, for example, which can exacerbate rosacea and acne. You can read more about how that works in our blog on skin irritation and rosacea.

Detoxification by the Liver Important in Acne

Another important aspect when it comes to acne is your liver. Your liver regulates the detoxification process and keeps your hormones in balance. Once your liver is overloaded by fatty foods, alcohol, too much sugar and a lack of vitamins or minerals, it can no longer optimally detoxify the body and break down substances, causing inflammation in all sorts of places in your body. Acne is an example of this. What are the different types of acne?

All forms of acne at a glance

1. Youth pimples (Acne vulgaris)

Recognition: Small red pimples and blackheads on the face, back, and chest.
Symptoms: Inflammation, sometimes itching or pain.
Cause: Hormonal fluctuations during puberty, menstruation, and stress.
Supportive advice: vitamin A, zinc supplement and Big Burdock capsules, for anti-inflammatory action, blood purification and hormonal balance, and a probiotic supplement for a nice gut microbiome.
Diet: no alcohol, no smoking, no dairy, no chocolate and no fatty fried foods, lots of green vegetables and lots of yellow, red and blue fruits.
Skincare: Our Step 2 Skin Drink Serum helps to keep skin hydrated and calm. It contains anti-inflammatory factors that soothe the skin in a gentle way. In addition, Step X Garden Mist - anti-inflammatory toner for the skin (coming out soon, May 2025)

2. Blackheads (open and closed comedones)

Recognition: Black (blackheads) and white dots (whiteheads) on the skin, often nose, forehead, and chin.
Symptoms: No inflammation: skin looks blemished.
Cause: Accumulation of sebum and dead skin cells in the pores, often due to hormone imbalance (unbroken by liver) or clogged pores due to cosmetics.
Supportive advice: Vitamin A, zinc, probiotics and Omega 3.
Diet: lots of cooked/steamed vegetables and fruits in addition to healthy proteins such as chicken and fish.
Skin Care: Our Step 1 Scrub & Shine cleanses all blackheads, clears your skin and regulates sebum production. Step 2 Skin Drink Serum helps to hydrate the skin and contains anti-inflammatory factors that gently soothe the skin. In addition, Step X Tone - anti-inflammatory hydrating mist toner for the skin (coming out soon, May 2025)

3. Sun allergy (Mallorca acne).

Recognition: Red vesicles and bumps with fluid on sun-exposed skin areas (chest, shoulders).
Symptoms: Itching, small red pimples.
Cause: sun exposure or tanning bed combined with common cheap sunburn brands.
Supporting advice: use other sunscreen brands such as Vichy, Aveda, less sun exposure and protective clothing, hat/cap
Diet: Add Beta Carotene capsules to your diet to help against skin damage and sun sensitivity, swallow a red algae supplement.
Skincare: Use Step 2 to moisturize and soothe your skin. Use Step 4 to repair your skin and combat sun damage. Always use an SPF overyour skincare as the last step.

4. Yeast pimples (Pityrosporum folliculitis)

Recognition: Small red bumps, especially on the oilier parts of the face: Forehead, nose, chin and sometimes jawline.
Symptoms: May itch.
Cause: Excessive growth of yeast on the skin, often due to heat, moisture and oil.
Supportive advice: do not use skin care with oil, as the yeast bacteria on the skin will grow. For example, swallow a Ginger complex+ for your digestion or if you want to solve your disbiosis you can Use flora correctly.
Diet: yeast acne is also likely coming from your gut. A disbiosis in your gut microbiome may be the cause. Check if you just went through an anti-biotic regimen, drink a lot of coffee, don't eat too healthy, have a lot of sugar and if you have developed candida. The candida can also get into your gut, which sometimes manifests itself in your skin with yeast pimples. The important thing is to adjust your diet and be fairly strict in your diet: completely stop sugar and anything sweet. Because sugar is a breeding ground for yeast. Add lots of fresh herbs to your food: a bunch of cilantro daily, some parsley, fresh mint, basil and oregano. Drink lots of chamomile tea and avoid coffee and spicy foods. Eat only pure natural foods and consult a natural dietician if necessary .com
Skin Care: use only oil-free skin care, such as our Herbal Miracle Mask® and Step X Toner. Both on the market around May 2025.

5. Acne comedonics

Recognition: Mainly blackheads, without inflammation.
Symptoms: Impure skin due to visible black comedones.
Cause: Clogged pores due to sebum and dead skin cells.
Supportive advice: Cleanse skin daily to remove clogged pores and dead skin cells.
Diet: eat steamed and cooked vegetables and fruits as much as possible and add fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro, mint, parsley to cleanse your body. Avoid unhealthy fats.
Skin care: use Step 1 Scrub & Shine every day. This highly effective exfoliator completely cleans your pores while refreshing the old polluted sebum with moisturizing and anti-inflammatory shea butter with green tea. Do this every day and you will be rid of blackheads forever. Possibly with drier skin, you can also start using Step 2 and Step 3 to get vital skin.

6. Acne Tarda (adult acne)

Recognition: Pimples in adulthood, often face, chin and jaw line.
Symptoms: Inflammation of the skin.
Cause: Hormonal fluctuations; often in women over 25.
Supportive advice: take Big Burdock capsules, vitamin A and zinc and balance your hormonal fluctuations with a high-dose Omega 3 supplement combined with GLA from Borage oil. This provides balance and prevents inflammation throughout the body, including the skin. For women, it is important to actively monitor hormone balance.
Diet: avoid all unhealthy fats, avoid all forms of sugar, do not eat dairy or soy, eat lots of steamed and cooked green vegetables, fresh herbs, eat regular homemade bone broth (for repairing your intestines and absorbable collagen) and some chicken or fish.
Skincare: REMEMBER: with severe acne, start with only Step 2 Skin Drink Serum to soothe your skin and the diet mentioned above combined with the supplement advice. In addition, use our Herbal Miracle Mask® (coming out in May 2025) once a week to fight inflammation and reset your skin. Only after your inflammation is gone, start working with Step 1 Scrub & Shine to reduce your scars and combat hyperpigmentation. If you have this form of acne, please email us for specific skin advice.

7. Acne excorieé des jeunes filles

Recognition: Scabs and scars from scratching pimples.
Symptoms: Damage to the skin, especially in adolescent girls.
Cause: Scratching and compulsive behavior.
Supporting advice: Stay away from the skin! Let it rest and try to touch it as little as possible. Swallow Big Burdock herb to cleanse your skin and balance your hormones. In addition, take some zinc.
Diet: Eat lots of green vegetables and fresh fruits and eat healthy fats.
Skincare: Mothr Earth Proof's Step 2 Skin Drink Serum with Aloe Vera and Symphytum is perfect to help calm the skin and any irritations. Once the inflammations are gone, you can also start with Step 1 Scrub & Shine to keep the skin clean and clear.

8. Acne rosacea

Recognition: Bright red discoloration and bumps, especially on cheeks and nose.
Symptoms: Redness, sometimes burning sensation, small burst veins (rosacea)
Cause: Multiple studies indicate that Rosacea stems from H. Pylori bacteria or Sibo in the small intestine. It is not acne and until now has been seen as a chronic skin condition, often in adults. But in a large number of cases, it appears to go hand in hand with a SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or H. Pylori Bacteria that causes stomach ulcers and a leaky gut causing more substances to enter the bloodstream than intended. Apparently the body starts expressing this in the form of inflammation on the cheekbones and nose right around acupuncture points related to the stomach, small intestine and colon. In any case, what the studies done show is that if the SIBO or H. Pylori Bacteria is treated, the rosascea also disappears.
Supporting advice: It is best to go to your doctor to have the cause examined: an H. Pylori Bacterium which can cause an ulcer and not enough stomach acid (your digestion is then insufficient) or an SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). Follow your doctor's advice and adjust your diet to build a healthy gut flora.

Diet: Avoid all spicy herbs, alcohol, coffee/caffeine, tomato, peppers and eggplant, also avoid foods high in histamine and you could use this supportive complex Quercitin+ complex Once you know you have a SIBO, you can also adjust your gut flora with Flora Correct.
Skincare: Use our Step 1 Flower + Shine Cleanser (coming out May 2025) daily. This is a gentle cleanser with chamomile that nourishes and cleanses your skin. Then use our very skin-soothing Step 2 Skin Drink Serum that gets rid of redness and inhibits inflammation. And also use the Herbal Miracle Mask® (coming out May 2025) once a week to combat outbreaks and soothe and purify the skin.

9. Cystic acne

Recognition: Deep, red, painful cysts under the skin.
Symptoms: Severe inflammation, risk of scarring.
Cause: Hormonal imbalances, often hereditary.
Supportive advice: Consult a natural dermatologist for very severe cystic acne.
Diet: Stop dairy and unhealthy fats, swallow Big Burdock herb, swallow a zinc supplement and take a Sylymarin +complex to support and cleanse your liver, consider a liver cleanse, follow a diet that balances your hormones , eat lots of green steamed and cooked vegetables and lots of fresh fruit and some chicken or fish. Eat bunches of fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, parsley and mint every day.
Skin Care: Especially use Step 2 Skin Drink Serum because of the skin soothing effect that Chamomile, Symphytum and Aloe Vera have on the skin. For this form of acne, use only Step 2 Skin Drink Serum and the Herbal Miracle Mask® (coming out in May 2025) once a week along with Step X Tone (garden mist toner to calm your skin and prevent inflammation, coming out in May 2025).
Customized skin advice: if you've been to the doctor and you know what type of Acne you have and you're interested in what else you could do to get your skin nice and smooth again, send us an email for specific skin advice. We'd be happy to take a look with you.

10. Acne conglobata

Recognition: Large, inflamed pustules and cysts that come together.
Symptoms: Severe inflammation, deep scarring.
Cause: Genetic, especially in young men, often persistent into adulthood.
Supportive advice: See your family doctor and get a determination of what type of acne you have. Then see a naturopathic dietician who will help you with a specific nutrition plan. These severe forms of acne involve a total approach that incorporates your diet so you begin to understand what you can and can't do food and where your acne is coming from. It's important to not just look at your skin.
Diet: Take a vitamin A, take a Sylymarin+ complex and balance your hormones through a balanced diet. Eat lots of green vegetables steamed and cooked and raw, eat lots of fresh fruits, eat lots of fresh herb bunches such as basil, parsley, cilantro and mint. Avoid all forms of unhealthy fat and avoid all fried food and junk food.

Skin Care: Use Step 2 Skin Drink Serum every day, Use the Herbal Miracle Mask® once a week to soothe your skin and keep it clean.

11. Acne inversa (hidradenitis suppurativa).

Recognition: Painful inflammation in body folds such as armpits and groin.
Symptoms: Abscesses, scarring, often chronic.
Cause: Inflammation of hair follicles and sweat glands, possibly hereditary predisposition and vitamin and mineral deficiencies (which are often also hereditary because e.g. eating patterns are passed down over generations), probably also a hormonal imbalance.
Supportive advice: Wear loose clothes to avoid friction and irritation. See a naturopath to change your dietary patterns. Take vitamin A and a liquid mineral complex from Nutergia, for example. Balance your hormones.
Diet: stop all dairy, don't eat soy, eat mostly lots of fresh and cooked green vegetables, eat legumes, avoid unhealthy fats and fried foods, eat lots of fresh fruits, avoid histamine-containing foods. Calm your bowels. Cleanse your body with your diet. Consider a Pancha Karm cure with a specialist such as Ewa Panas to cleanse your whole body.
Skin care: use Step 2 Skin Drink Serum to calm your skin and keep it clean. Do regular mud body wraps, go to the sauna, ensure good hygiene.

12. Acne fulminans

Recognition: Sudden severe inflammation, often on the face, neck, and back.
Symptoms: Fever, joint pain, sick impression.
Cause: Very severe form of acne in adolescent boys, possibly due to immune reaction to bacteria. Seems to be an inflammatory reaction caused by hormonal fluctuations combined with improper diet.
Supporting advice: see your doctor and have it diagnosed that you have this form of acne. Then find a natural dietitian in your area and scrutinize your diet. Stop all unhealthy fats, all dairy, all soy, all histamine-rich foods. Take vitamin A, Zinc and vitamin C, combined with a Quercitin+Complex. No sugar, no alcohol, no overly spicy foods with the exception of pepper.
Diet: eat lots of raw and cooked green vegetables combined with chicken and fish, eat lots of fresh fruits, red and blue berries. Avoid all sausage, all pork (often gives joint pain and inflammation), all beef, no fatty sauces, no chips or fries or other fried foods.
Skincare: Step 2 Skin Drink Serum to soothe your skin and once a week do the Herbal Miracle Mask® (coming out in May 2025) to cleanse and calm the skin. Get treated by an esthetician who works with natural products.

Did you know that: the steps of MOTHR EARTH PROOF® can help you prevent acne "outbreaks" and help reduce impurities and inflammation. Also take a close look at the dietary recommendations and if necessary, seek expert help in establishing a dietary style to combat your acne.

Read our blog on what 5 general tips can further help your blemished skin.

Do you have questions about your skin?

Want to learn more about what skin care is best for you or have questions about something? Then don't hesitate to contact our skin specialist.

DISCLAIMER: Each form of Acne requires a specific approach; for the more severe forms, consult with your doctor and with your Natural Dietician. Often you can get rid of it with targeted and natural dietary advice, with some patience. Avoid unnatural and aggressive skin treatments, they often only work for a short time and only on the outside, they do not address the cause.