Clear Skin Secrets: How Red Clover Can Transform Teen Acne

Have you tried red clover as a natural remedy to help your teen struggling with acne breakouts?

I have two teens and a preteen, so suffice it to say, acne is a frequent topic in our home, and red clover is becoming a helpful tool in our herbal toolkit. Sure, we talk about reducing things like sugary sodas, fast food, and commercial baked goods. Nutrition is our second language, after all. But we ARE talking about teens here—teens with their own money now. Teens who are bombarded with ads, artificial flavors and smells, and cultural norms. Not to mention the variety of over-the-counter acne soaps, serums, and treatments that usually contain alcohol and other harmful chemicals that only perpetuate the situation. Why not tackle this from another direction, with a natural remedy that has been used for thousands of years? Red clover, Trifolium pratense, is a wonderful herbal remedy that works on our body’s lymphatic system by draining toxins that otherwise show up as acne.

We are adding red clover to an acne formula that also includes burdock seed, calendula, cleavers, and chaste tree berries. But it would still be helpful on its own as a simple remedy. Read on to find out why!

But first the disclaimer: I am an herbalist, not a licensed medical professional. The information provided in my content is intended to support your overall health and wellness and is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment. It is important to work with your primary healthcare provider and to inform them of any herbs or supplements you are taking. Herbs may have side effects, cause individual sensitivities, or interact with medications, and it is important to discuss these risks with your healthcare provider.

What is Red Clover?

Red clover is from the Fabaceae family, or the legume family. I tend to stay away from legumes, but in this case, I’ll consider the amount of the plant used and the overall nutritive benefits. We use both the blossoms and the leaves in teas, tinctures, and topical rinses. Energetically, red clover is cool, dry, and a relaxant, which is helpful with spasmodic coughs and long-term asthma.

Red clover’s actions make it a superstar for the skin. It is a nutritive, adding minerals to what’s becoming quite the mineral-deficient diet in America. Historically, people used to get lots of minerals from their diets because it was commonplace to eat a variety of “weeds.” Now, we rely on mineral “vitamins,” which really can’t hold a candle to their natural counterparts.

It is an alterative, meaning it helps purify the blood and improve circulation (also helpful with varicose veins and other places where blood can become stagnant). Naturally, if we’re improving our blood circulation, that can only enhance the look of our skin. But more importantly, we’re getting the toxins out.

Likewise, lymphatic herbs focus on the lymph system, flushing out toxins that way too. But red clover is not only helpful to our skin by draining out toxins; it also has an affinity for the respiratory system, helping the chest and breast area as well.

As a diuretic, red clover improves the function of our kidneys. That might not seem super important for a young teen until you realize that what the kidneys can’t or won’t flush, they dump back into the teen’s system. Who wants that?

Red clover is also antispasmodic (helpful in the case of nasty coughs) and anti-inflammatory, which is comforting when nursing moms get mastitis.

I mentioned above that red clover is in the legume family, so it is also phytoestrogenic. What this means is that it will bind to estrogen receptors in our cells. This is a little bit out of my wheelhouse, so I’ll just get to the benefits of calming acne. Overall, the lymphatic and nutritive benefits outweigh the small amount of phytoestrogens found in red clover. Plus, phytoestrogens can block the more harmful xenoestrogens. We find xenoestrogens in plastics, pesticides, makeup, and birth control. In this day and age, it’s very hard to avoid them completely (find a list of swaps to make in your home and daily routine to lessen your intake). Xenoestrogens throw off the alpha-beta estrogen balance.

In our case, we want to find red clover blossoms, especially those that have not been sprayed with pesticides. There are supplements geared toward women in menopause that are mostly concentrated phytoestrogens from the red clover leaf only. That’s not what we want for teens.

What is Trifolium pratense used for?

We’ve already covered much of what red clover is used for just by discussing its actions, but I’ll bullet the main points:

• Red clover assists the lymphatic system in clearing out the junk we get from our foods and environment, and that becomes stagnant with more sedentary lifestyles (e.g., sitting for 6 hours in classrooms). Anytime we flush the lymphatic system, we improve the health and appearance of our skin, where toxins might otherwise reside.
• It relieves dry coughs and asthma and loosens dry mucus.
• The leaves have been used by menopausal women who have lower estrogen levels and benefit from the concentrated phytoestrogens.
• It assists our kidneys and also helps relieve bloating during PMS, specifically back pain during PMS.
• It provides relief during mastitis by cleansing the lymph of excess milk flow into the breast tissues that cause inflammation.

What is the best method for taking Red Clover?

Red clover is best taken as a long infusion. We want to get all the mineral content available by letting it steep for 4-8 hours. Add an inch or so of blooms and leaves to a one-quart jar and then fill it to the top with boiling water. Prep before bed if you want to add the drink to your morning routine. Add nettles, dandelion, and licorice root for the ultimate boost of minerals.

Now, you might think you can’t get your teen to drink an infusion every day. Maybe, maybe not. Mine will drink what’s necessary and sometimes prefer it to a tincture (which tends to burn and make kids dramatically go “eeeh-ahhhh”). Not gonna lie, it’s quite comical. The infusion is more readily available today versus a tincture that needs to sit and macerate. I’ll make both—one for now, and one for the future.

To tincture, fill a jar ¾ full with mostly blossoms and to the top with your choice of alcohol. I prefer vodka. Let that sit for 6-8 weeks, shaking daily, and strain into a tincture bottle. Take it daily under the tongue, hold it for 30 seconds, and swallow. My kids grin and bear it when they don’t have time for a drink. Combine with tinctures of burdock seed, calendula, cleavers, and chaste tree berries (for females) for a well-rounded, formulated acne tincture.

What other steps can teens take to improve their skin and lessen acne?

Herbal remedies are not band-aids. Acne is due to changes in hormones but is also an indication or symptom of disrupted systems. Take the herbs and then try tackling the steps below one at a time so you and your teens are not overwhelmed:

1. Add more whole foods and fermented foods to the pantry and fridge. Make them easily accessible and ready to go. Throughout track season, my daughter’s lunch cooler had a variety of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, dry meats or lunch meats, and a few treats. She was less tempted to go to the concession stands and buy crappy pizza.
2. Reduce commercial skin care products and opt for simplicity. A Norwex facial cloth and some jojoba oil make up our skin routine. The cloth removes makeup, excess oil, and grime from the day. Jojoba oil is the closest natural substance to our own sebum, so the body doesn’t feel the need to produce even more, perpetuating oily skin. That’s it. You can throw in some rose water if you want; it smells good. I remember using harsh cleansers, a nasty-smelling cream, and taking pills for my acne as a kid. The cleanser and cream dried out my skin, causing more sloughed skin to clog my pores. The antibiotic pills likely contributed to my gut problems, but my mom didn’t know. More research is coming out on the gut every day. Read up.
3. Sleep. Yeah, I know. It’s a battle. This alone with my 17-year-old son puts me through the wringer. If you can get this through their heads, though, you get a red cape: Janky sleep schedules mess up EVERYTHING. They interfere with muscle recovery, circadian rhythms, blood sugar levels, AND skin repair. Our skin repairs overnight.
4. Move (bitch, get out the way). Seriously though, movement is huge. We discussed above how red clover helps move junk through our lymphatic systems. Actual movement helps too. Sedentary lifestyles clog up our systems. Daily movement increases circulation, helping our liver process and eliminate toxins. I’m also a huge fan of sweating out toxins. My kids do not fear or loathe sweat; they know a good sweat is vital to their immune health. Just be sure to wash it off.

What about hormonal acne?

Same protocol. Red Clover natural remedies will help cleanse the lymphatic system which keeps the liver from dumping excess hormones back into your system. It’s cyclical. The better your body can process necessary nutrients, the better it can maintain hormonal balance. It’s not a perfect system because all bodies are different and process differently. But it can be better.

What should one be cautious of when taking Red Clover?

Check with your doctor if you are already taking blood thinners. Not all blood thinners are made the same. Since Red Clover stimulates circulation, allowing the blood to flow more efficiently, not necessarily thinner, it could be harmful to those on blood thinners. Additionally, those about to have surgery or give birth may want to avoid Red Clover beforehand.

Wrapping it up

Teenage acne (and adult acne) is tough. It really is. But adding herbal nutritives like red clover back into your daily routine and diet can make it much easier to manage. Its lymphatic and alterative actions help flush toxins through our systems, leading to healthy, glowing skin. It’s also beneficial for dry coughs, mucus, asthma, and nursing moms who have mastitis. Because red clover provides us with essential minerals, it’s much more helpful than OTC products or harsh cleansers that may also have nasty side effects. That’s a win-win! Take it as a long infusion, a tincture, or both—whichever works best. Swap in some healthier foods and adopt a simple skincare routine. Add in some sleep and movement, and let us know how these changes help you and your family.