Hormonal acne, the combo every woman dreads. Everyone knows acne is already a nightmare in itself. To add raging hormones into the mix? Not a very pretty sight, for sure. Yet, a lot of women suffer from it. Sometimes, unknowingly. As a result, they don’t know how to deal with the zits and breakouts, either. But here’s the thing, there’s a good chance this dreaded combo has hit you if your pimples…
Pop up once a month
Hormonal acne is often brought about by menstruation. As your hormones fluctuate at that time of the month, the zits go popping. You might also notice that the pimples appear at the same spot every month. These are ‘underground pimples’ (cystic acne in med speak). It’s the kind that gets lodged deep within the skin. They’re like balloons attached to the sebaceous glands, being filled by oil as it swells up. But when the inflammation subsides, the acne remains. The next time you get your period, it then gets inflated again. So how do you deal with the period pimples? Your acne treatment, Provo-based dermatologists explain, should focus on keeping your pores from getting clogged. Products with alpha-hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid and lactic acid can help here. Salicylic products are effective, too.
Appear at the bottom part of your face
Particularly, at the jawline and chin. Sometimes, even down at the neck. When there’s a hormonal imbalance in the body, the oil glands become very active. Most of these glands are around those areas mentioned. They overproduce sebum, which then results in clogged, dirty pores and, eventually, nasty breakouts popping up there. If the hormonal acne is just mild, topical retinoids is good enough for treatment. You can get this over the counter, but consider talking to your dermatologist for a prescription-strength product. Just a word of caution, retinoids can make you vulnerable to sunburn. So it’s important to use sunscreen every day. Look for a product that has at least SPF30. Re-apply it every 3 hours to make sure you’re all covered.
Keep popping way beyond your teen years
Your pimples are most likely a hormonal thing when you still experience them in your 20s and 30s. In these ages, you’re vulnerable to hormonal fluctuations brought about by pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation. But apart from these natural causes triggering adult acne, there’s also the possibility of a hormonal disorder. The polycystic ovarian syndrome causes estrogen and progesterone levels to drop and testosterone levels to rise. Acne is one of its hallmark symptoms, along with with irregular menstruation, excessive hair growth, and weight gain or difficulty in weight loss. Some doctors recommend oral contraceptives or anti-androgen drugs to manage symptoms. It helps deal with cystic acne. Consult your ob-gyn to know which treatments are best for your health condition.
Do You Have Hormonal Acne?
It’s never easy to deal with the occasional zits. But it’s a lot harder to cope with raging hormones ~and~ acne breakouts. But hey, it’s not impossible to fix it. There are many ways to treat such. Ask your doctor about it.
