Is My Acne Hormonal?

All of us have hormones. They regulate our inner workings to help us perform bodily functions, from the most basic to the most complicated. Some people’s hormones are more in balance than others and this imbalance can cause a variety of problems with our adrenal glands, pituitary, and thyroid. But can hormones affect your skin as well?

Most of the research done on hormonal acne has been targeted toward women. With monthly cycles and other factors such as menopause, there seems to be a stronger correlation for the female experience with this type of acne. Not to say that male acne can’t also be affected by hormones, but for the most part it is largely more obvious in women for a longer period of their lives.

When it comes to acne, the androgen hormone is in charge of testosterone. Men and women both produce testosterone (and estrogen) and both sexes need it to function. However, women are often sensitive to extraneous testosterone in their bodies because they can’t use it all for their general operations. That excess testosterone doesn’t just sit around though. It’s in circulation— and it has to go somewhere.

Enter the skin. The skin has androgen receptor cells. This is where excess testosterone often goes to be purged. And the skin gets rid of it—often with cystic breakouts.

Hormonal acne for women is most often prevalent just before or during the menses cycle, when hormones are at their highest, although it can occur during ovulation or even after the period is over.

This type of acne generally appears along the chin and jawline. Unfortunately, because it is caused by factors within the body, it is considered noninflamed, which means that the acne doesn’t typically want to come to the surface. It stays deep in the skin, and presents itself in the form of a cyst.

Cysts are large and painful fluid-filled bumps that can tend to leave scars behind. They are caused by the buildup of excess sebum and oil but usually cannot be extracted because of how deep they are. For the most part, these bumps go away on their own with the help of proper products and the end of the cycle.

Acne caused by hormones presents itself pretty regularly in adolescents going through puberty as well. This sudden spike in hormones causes the skin to create excessive amounts of oil, dead skin cells, and sebum making teenagers break out like there is no tomorrow. The correct skin regimen, however, can help mitigate much of this so as to keep scars and other lasting effects of acne at bay.

Another large factor in hormonal acne is found in one of our most common food products: dairy. Milk is loaded with growth hormones that are given to the cows to produce more. When these end up in your body from drinking milk, it ends up wreaking havoc on your hormones, often causing breakouts and cystic acne.

The best way to tell if your acne is hormonal is to consider the following factors:

• The timing of your breakouts
• The location of your acne
• If you have had any food that contains hormones such as milk or food that contains androgens, like peanuts.
• The appearance of the acne (large bumps or cysts)

If you think you might have hormonal acne and you have tried everything under the sun, you want to give us a shot. We can schedule you a consultation today to help prevent and assist even the worst hormonal acne. Check out our results page to see the difference for yourself.

Give a call 801-800-6602 or schedule your appointment online today.