Hormonal Acne: Causes and Best Ways to treat them
Most people follow a good skin regimen to keep the skin healthy and problem-free. Still, putting the efforts in vain, acne and other skin concerns pop up once in a while. Acne is ever a worrying skin concern, especially hormonal acne. This condition is primarily caused by hormonal fluctuations. According to studies, hormonal acne affects nearly 50% of women in the U.S. during their twenties and forties. If you are someone who is fed up with hormonal acne, this blog post is for you; Get to know its causes and the ways to treat them;
What is Hormonal Acne?
Acne is a familiar term for many, but what exactly is hormonal acne? It is nothing but the same as it sounds like- acne caused due to hormonal fluctuations. It is also known as adult acne, and it commonly occurs between the ages group twenty to fifty. Hormonal acne can be seen in the form of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples or even sometimes as painful cysts. Commonly, his particular type of acne also occurs during puberty. However, it is also common in adults of all ages even after fifty, which means during the menopause time as well.
Unlike the normal acne, which is caused due to environmental changes, diet, makeup or lack of skincare can be easily treated if you can find out the actual reason behind it. While hormonal acne is solely a result of fluctuations in estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone levels. While it is common among both men and women, it is especially prevalent among women.
Let’s peep into the major causes of Hormonal Acne in detail;
Menstruation
Menstruation, as discussed above, is one of the leading causes of hormonal acne. It is because, during this time, the hormonal levels are continuously fluctuating. Before the menstrual cycle, the progesterone and estrogen levels drop, leading to excessive sebum production. As a result, the pores get blocked causing breakouts on the skin before the period cycle begins.
Menopause
Due to decreased estrogen levels, hormonal acne is more prevalent during menopause. Moreover, during menopause time, hormonal ups and downs are common mainly because of the reduced production of hormones.
Puberty
Many changes both physical and hormonal happens in the body during the period of puberty.The fluctuations in hormonal levels tend the sebaceous glands to produce excess sebum, leading to clogged pores; the major cause of acne.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
It is common health condition that badly affects hormonal levels. During this condition, the production of male hormones, mainly testosterone, increases, causes variations in hormonal levels. Besides, it also stimulates excess sebum production causing acne on the skin.
Stress, lack of adequate sleep, and birth control pills can also cause hormonal acne.
How to identify hormonal acne?
Most acne looks moreover similar; let’s see what makes hormonal acne different and how to know whether it’s hormonal acne;
Hormonal acne is mainly seen on the face, chest, shoulders, and back in different forms like pimples, blackheads, nodules, whiteheads, cysts etc.
As the reasons are various, it’s always better to consult your dermatologists to find out the actual skin condition and its cause. A detailed examination, including the products you use, family history, medications used, and menstrual history, will be examined in detail.
Hormonal Acne: Treatments
Hormonal acne is unavoidable, but at the same time, it isn't incurable. There are different oral and topical medications that can help control acne breakouts.
For mild hormonal acne, over-the-counter products may be used. Whereas, for inflammatory acne, topical antibiotics or retinoid can be used. If the condition of the acne is severe, you will need antibiotics. Finally, for cystic acne, steroid injections are recommended.
Note: It is always a good idea to ask your healthcare provider before using oral or topical medications.
Natural Remedies:
When we consider skincare, natural remedies play a vital role. There are many home remedies to treat various skin concerns. Let's see the natural remedies that are being used to treat hormonal acne are;
Green Tea Bags:
Green tea is found effective in reducing inflammation in the body. Drinking green tea and topically applying it on the skin helps eradicate toxins and control sebum production.
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil natural ingredient helps in decreasing the inflammation that is causing acne. You may use tea tree oil in the affected area after diluting it with carrier oil. Ensure you conduct a patch test before using the product on the skin. If you find any sort of irritation on the skin, it's best to avoid using it.
Allergies and skin irritations are significantly less when using natural remedies. Still, to be on the safer side, get your dermatologists' opinions before using any ingredients on the skin.
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Hormonal Acne
It is not only medications that work for hormonal acne; making a few lifestyle changes can greatly help control this skin condition. Some best natural ways to prevent hormonal acne are;
Follow a balanced diet
Avoiding food that is high in antioxidants can help reduce inflammation and provide you with clean and clear skin. Control the use of dairy products, sugar, and refined carbs. Avoid junk foods, especially fried foods, from your diet.
Reduce Stress levels
Stress is always a major cause of hormonal acne. Stress causes the body to produce more testosterone, which stimulates the oil glands to produce more sebum, resulting in acne. You try out different options like meditation, workouts, and regular walks to balance the stress levels.
Follow minimal skincare
When your skin is irritated, don't layer them with different skincare products. It can harm the skin more than good. Instead, go minimal- use a gentle and soothing cleanser, an oil-free and lightweight moisturizer, followed by a sunscreen. You may even use the acne treatment medications recommended by your dermatologists.
Try using natural skincare products as they are gentle and extremely soothing. Check out the natural skincare range by Savarnas Mantra to maintain clean, nourished and healthy skin.
It can be annoying to see breakouts on the skin, especially those painful ones. Making changes in diet, lifestyle, and skincare can tremendously help control hormonal acne. When acne persists, it is better to seek out the attention of your healthcare provider.