Functional Medicine
Acne Treatment
Accutane, antibiotics, topicals. You've tried them all. The acne keeps coming back because nobody addressed what's driving it. Hormones, gut health, insulin, inflammation. We test for the internal triggers and treat them directly.
Why Acne Keeps Coming Back
You've done everything right. Washed your face twice a day. Tried every cleanser, serum, and spot treatment on the shelf. Maybe your dermatologist put you on antibiotics. Maybe you did a round of Accutane. And it cleared up for a while. Then it came back.
Adult acne that won't stay gone is almost never a skin problem. It's a signal. Something inside your body is creating the conditions for breakouts, and until that something gets addressed, the acne keeps returning no matter what you put on your face.
The most common internal drivers of persistent acne:
- Hormonal imbalance. Elevated androgens (testosterone, DHT, DHEA-S) stimulate oil production in the skin. This is the main driver of hormonal acne, especially along the jawline, chin, and lower cheeks. It's extremely common in women with PCOS, during perimenopause, after stopping birth control, and around ovulation.
- Insulin resistance. When your body overproduces insulin (often from a diet high in processed carbs and sugar), it raises androgen levels and increases oil production. Insulin resistance is one of the most underdiagnosed drivers of acne. Most dermatologists don't test fasting insulin.
- Gut dysfunction. The gut-skin axis is well documented in the medical literature. SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), leaky gut, food sensitivities, and imbalanced gut bacteria can all trigger systemic inflammation that shows up on your skin. If your gut is a mess, your skin will be too.
- Chronic inflammation. Elevated inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR) create an environment where acne thrives. Inflammation can come from poor diet, stress, gut issues, food sensitivities, or hidden infections. It keeps the skin in a constant state of reactivity.
- Cortisol and stress. Chronic stress increases cortisol, which increases oil production, weakens the skin barrier, and slows healing. Stress acne is real, and it's not solved by better face wash.
- Nutrient deficiencies. Low zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids all impair the skin's ability to heal and regulate oil production. These are rarely tested in a conventional acne workup.
Dermatologists are trained to treat the skin. They're good at it. But when acne has internal drivers, treating only the skin is like mopping the floor while the faucet is still running. You have to turn off the faucet.
“Whatever is given through a mail-order service, there's no individualized chemistry, no metabolism assessment, no medication review. We spend an hour with somebody after having the blood work done. It's so individualized, and that's what every woman deserves.”
Dr. Rose on Women's HRT: Why Conventional Medicine Falls Short
Provider Insight
“I kept going back to my insurance-paying general PCP and OB, they just kept giving me more and more estrogen, which seemed to actually make the symptoms a whole lot worse. I was feeling really, really terrible.”
Cat: Weight Loss, Gut Issues, Menopause, Anxiety
Patient Story
“Most providers are running labs based on the medications they can give. If your medication only requires monitoring TSH, they don't care what the rest of the thyroid panel looks like.”
Colin Renaud, DC, PA-C: Providers Test Based on Medications, Not You
Provider Insight
“There were things on there that I hadn't known. For example, Hashimoto's disease. I had asked my physician to test me for that and they didn't. And that did come up on there.”
Laura: Hashimoto's Discovered After Years of Being Dismissed
Patient Story
Inside Med Matrix
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Advanced testing, personalized protocols, and real results from a team that treats the whole picture.
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How We Test for Acne at Med Matrix
We don't guess what's causing your breakouts. We test for it.
Every acne patient starts with a 100-biomarker blood panel and an InBody 770 body composition scan. We're looking at the full internal environment, not just your skin.
For acne specifically, we're looking at:
- Sex hormones (testosterone, free testosterone, DHEA-S, estrogen, progesterone): to identify androgen excess or hormonal imbalance
- Fasting insulin and glucose: to catch insulin resistance, which is one of the most common and most overlooked acne drivers
- Full thyroid panel: thyroid dysfunction affects skin repair, oil production, and immune function
- Inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR): to measure systemic inflammation that feeds breakouts
- Cortisol: to assess whether chronic stress is contributing
- Vitamin D, zinc, B12, ferritin: nutrient deficiencies that impair skin health and healing
- Gut-related testing when indicated: stool testing, food sensitivity panels, or SIBO breath testing if gut involvement is suspected
After your labs come back, your provider reviews everything alongside your health history, the type and location of your acne, what you've already tried, how long it's been going on, and your overall health picture. Then you sit down for a one-hour visit where you go through all of it together.
Most acne patients who come to us have already cycled through topicals, antibiotics, birth control, or Accutane without lasting results. In nearly every case, their blood work reveals at least one internal driver that was never tested for. That's not a failure of previous treatment. It's a failure of incomplete diagnosis.
How We Treat Acne From the Inside Out
Your treatment plan targets every driver your labs reveal. There's no one-size-fits-all acne protocol.
Hormonal balancing. If androgens are elevated or estrogen/progesterone ratios are off, we address them directly. For women, this may include bioidentical progesterone, DIM (diindolylmethane) to support healthy estrogen metabolism, or other targeted interventions. We don't use birth control as a blanket fix. We figure out which hormones are off and correct them specifically.
Insulin and metabolic support. If insulin resistance is contributing, we address it through dietary guidance, targeted supplements (like berberine or inositol), and lifestyle changes. Fixing insulin sensitivity often clears acne faster than any topical treatment. This is one of the biggest wins we see in our acne patients.
Gut repair. If gut dysfunction is part of the picture, we treat it. That may include antimicrobials for SIBO, probiotics, dietary changes (elimination of trigger foods), and gut-lining support. Clearing up the gut often clears up the skin within weeks.
Anti-inflammatory support. Targeted supplements (omega-3s, curcumin, zinc), dietary changes, and addressing the source of inflammation. When systemic inflammation drops, breakouts slow down and the skin starts healing faster.
Nutrient optimization. Zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, and omega-3s are critical for skin health. We bring these into optimal range, not just "normal" range. The difference between a vitamin D of 30 (technically normal) and 60 (optimal) can be significant for skin healing.
Stress and cortisol management. If elevated cortisol is part of your pattern, we address it with adrenal support, stress-reduction strategies, and targeted supplementation.
Most patients get a combination of several of these approaches. The plan is specific to your labs, your acne pattern, and your body. Nothing is generic.
The Med Matrix Process
How It Works
Your path to feeling like yourself again, step by step.
Discovery Call
Free consultation
Biomarker Test
80+ markers
Team Review
Full analysis
Consultation
60 minutes
Ongoing Support
Continuous care
Free Discovery Call
- Talk with our patient coordinator about your goals, symptoms, and concerns
- Understand your options and what to expect
- Get matched with the right provider for your needs
Result: A clear next step personalized to your situation, with no pressure or commitment.
80+ Biomarker Test & Full Body Scan
- Comprehensive panel of 80+ lab markers
- Full body composition scan
- In-depth health questionnaires
Result: A complete picture of your health, so nothing gets missed.
Medical Team Reviews Everything
- Providers review your labs, medical history, and questionnaires
- Cross-reference symptoms with biomarker patterns
- Identify root causes, not just surface symptoms
Result: A personalized treatment plan built from real data, not guesswork.
60-Minute Provider Consultation
- Sit down with your provider for a full hour
- Go over every result in detail
- Build your personalized plan together
Result: You leave with a clear understanding of what is happening and exactly what to do about it.
Ongoing Support & Progress
- Continued monitoring of your labs and markers
- Adjustments to your plan as your body responds
- Direct access to your care team
Result: Real, measurable progress you can feel and see in your numbers.
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Related Content
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FAQ
Acne Treatment FAQ
All types. Hormonal acne (jawline, chin, lower cheeks), cystic acne, adult-onset acne, acne that returned after Accutane, acne that won't respond to topicals, and breakouts triggered by stopping birth control. The common thread is acne with an internal driver. If it keeps coming back despite proper skin care and dermatology treatment, something internal is almost certainly involved.
Possibly, and that's fine. We're not anti-topical. We're anti-topical-only. External treatments can help manage symptoms while your internal environment improves. Many patients find they can simplify their skincare routine significantly once the internal drivers are addressed. Your provider will give you guidance on which external products are helpful and which ones you can stop wasting money on.
Initial onboarding is about $1,200 to $1,500 all-in. That covers your blood panel, body composition scan, provider prep time, and your full one-hour provider visit. Follow-up visits are $275. Supplements are typically $20 to $100 per month. Additional testing (gut panels, food sensitivity testing) is priced separately if needed. We accept HSA, FSA, CareCredit, and all major cards. New patients get a $100 voucher toward their first visit.
Yes. Accutane works by shutting down oil production, and it's effective at clearing acne while you're on it. But it doesn't address hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, gut dysfunction, or inflammation. That's why acne comes back after Accutane for many people. If your acne returned, there's an internal driver that Accutane didn't touch. We find it and treat it.
No. Men get hormonal and inflammatory acne too. While women are more likely to have acne driven by estrogen/progesterone fluctuations and PCOS-related androgen excess, men can have acne driven by elevated DHT, insulin resistance, gut dysfunction, and inflammation. We test and treat men and women equally.
Most patients see noticeable improvement within four to eight weeks. Hormonal interventions typically take one to two menstrual cycles to show visible changes. Gut and insulin-related improvements can happen within two to four weeks. Deep cystic acne is usually the last to clear but does resolve when the internal drivers are corrected. We recheck labs at 10 weeks and adjust your plan at 12 weeks.
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