Although it may seem like a far-fetched dream to imagine waking up each day with clear, glowing skin - with us it can be your reality. Just like any health complaint, acne is a single symptom. The best way to heal any symptom is to operate like a detective and identify where that symptom is coming from. Once we know its origin(s) we can heal it (for good). This root cause approach is the backbone of our process - and it's how we transform our client's lives every single day. Unlike the majority of doctors, dermatologists and practitioners, our solutions are much more than just topicals, diets and medications. We combine traditional herbal medicine with functional medicine to provide deeply healing naturopathic plans for our clients.
Feminology was idealised 5 years ago by Charlotte, a 23-year-old girl still struggling with cystic acne. She was on a quest to find a better way for women to heal their skin, maintain a healthy weight and transform their self-confidence without the use of medications, extreme exercise or restrictive diets. She felt like the health care system had failed her and sought out natural solutions to all the issues she was experiencing including; acne, PMS, chronic bloating, IBS, insomnia, heart palpitations, anxiety, PCOS, weight loss resistance, hair thinning, mood swings, depression and fatigue. Eventually, during her research she came across a YouTuber (who changed her life), she was vlogging her acne-healing journey with a Naturopath. At this point Charlotte had never heard of a Naturopath - but the concept of root-cause healing made complete sense. The YouTuber's Naturopath was running specific functional tests based on her symptoms that all lead to a diagnosis of PCOS, and she was recommended a naturopathic protocol to reverse her PCOS at the root cause. Charlotte experienced a huge epiphany at this moment in time, all of the puzzle pieces started to fall into place and she knew there was a better way. Within 6 months Charlotte was enrolled to study a Naturopathic Medicine and Herbal Medicine degree at the best natural healing school in the UK - and the rest is history. After qualifying, 4 years later Feminology was born into existence. In the past year, Charlotte has also qualified as a Mind-body Practitioner to assist clients with nervous system healing, stress management and positive psychology, due to the heavy influence of these three elements on gut health, inflammation, hormone health and metabolic health (which directly impact acne!)
I'm a Naturopath, Herbalist, Mind-body Practitioner and acne-solver who takes a root-cause approach to the skin. While skin problems exist on the exterior, in 99% of cases they're stemming from an internal problem. These problems can look like anything from gut issues, poor metabolic health, hormonal imbalances and chronic inflammation. Once you set things right at the root, your skin will start to function smoothly again.
My acne-healing journey...
I struggled with cystic acne for 10 years and was in despair with my skin every single day. At 15 years old I was at the GP's office getting prescriptions for DUAC and Lymecycline, and when that didn't solve my skin woes I was back for a prescription of oral antibiotics. Shortly after, at 16 years old, I was advised to go on hormonal birth control after being told this would "balance my hormones" - I tried a variety of birth control pills until I settled on Yasmin, and within months of taking birth control my acne improved, but my metabolism started to take a hit. I started to retain fluid, developed cellulite, easily gained weight and experienced lower moods. I knew synthetic hormones were not compatible with my body, but the desire for clear skin was too strong that I remained on it for the next 6 years until 22 years old. During this time I developed anxiety, a host of gut issues, sleep issues, weight loss resistance, depression and my acne was coming back. During this timeframe I also started taking Roaccutane, it was my last resort, I knew the side effects and risks but I was at rock bottom with my confidence and wanted to exhaust all options. While Roaccutane worked while I was taking it, whenever I stopped the medication my acne came back worse. After 3 courses of Roaccutane the specialist said it wasn't safe to take anymore - so I was left without options again and my overall health felt worse than ever.
At 22 years old I decided enough was enough, the pill wasn't working anymore, and I'd tried everything else, something else was going on in addition to hormone imbalances, it was like my body was screaming at me to stop. The next day I just stopped taking my birth control and waited to see what became of my symptoms over the following months. Luckily, my period came back within a few months, however, my acne got progressively worse and worse every week over the next 9 months. During this time I had cut out dairy, sugar, went vegan and was a ball of stress and anxiety. I started to spend a lot of money on expensive skincare and decided to make one last investment by paying £245 for a 15-minute appointment with a highly esteemed dermatologist. It felt like my last hope. I didn't know that this appointment would be the trigger that changed it all for me. I arrived at my appointment, fingers crossed for a promising outcome, and to my horror, the bog-standard advice I received was to cut out sugar, dairy and gluten and to of course purchase her pricey skincare range and go back on hormonal birth control or try taking high blood pressure medication?! I broke down into tears in the appointment out of sheer frustration and anger that this was the advice of a skin specialist! What?!
After that appointment I was so full of rage, when I arrived home I was determined to find the answers I was looking for. I spent hours and hours diving deep into how to heal acne and I finally came across the YouTuber I mentioned previously, who had a video titled "How I healed my hormonal acne naturally" and I'll never forget the rush of excitement, anticipation and relief that washed over me. It was like my prayers had been answered at last. This single video was a catalyst that led to a mountain of research and decisions that resulted in a 4-year degree in Naturopathic Medicine and Herbal Medicine so that I could learn everything about the body, disease, and how to use herbal medicines, food, lifestyle shifts and supplements to restore balance and reverse disease.
Fast-forward to today and I no longer have acne - I healed my skin from within, without medications, and without suppressing my body with synthetic hormones. The best part is that I get to deliver on my promise to myself. I promised myself that if I found a way to heal acne, I would spend the rest of my life helping other women heal their skin too. That's the best part.
Uncover your clear skin with Feminology.
I can’t thank Charlotte enough for everything she has done for me from the initial consultation to where I am now. From day one she has shown constant support, compassion and a mountain of positive energy through out, which has helped massively on this journey. It is clear her dedication and passion is to help people as well as ensuring you get through the healing process. A year a go I was feeling helpless with no where to turn, I can’t encourage you enough to get yourself in touch with Charlotte, I really wish I had done it sooner, I now have all of this incredible knowledge to keep my body balanced for life! No more mystery flare-ups!
- Tina
Our solutions follow a root-cause approach process. So whether you're acne is driven by hormones, gut infections or poor metabolic health (to name a few), you'll be getting to the heart of the issue. Within our one-on-one solutions, you'll work directly with Charlotte through the process below to identify the root cause(s) of your acne (yes, multiple). This is the foundational step before receiving your personalised naturopathic plan.
Once you're onboarded as a client we'll look in depth at all of the systems in your body linked with acne to identify the root cause(s). From gut health, to thyroid function, to blood sugar, to sex hormones - we assess it all. By getting nitty-gritty we find the answers!
As a naturopath Charlotte is concerned with the person that has the disease, and not the disease itself. Therefore getting to know your stressors, your thought patterns and your emotional well-being is just as important as the physical symptoms.
With this information we conduct the right functional lab tests to get to the heart of your acne. Plus, the added bonus is we find out what's causing all your other symptoms as well. When the results are in, we can make your naturopathic plan!
You deserve to feel confident, beautiful, and unstoppable. It's time you do something for you.
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