Acne is usually related to adolescence and youth, since it is a period in which our skin undergoes changes. But the truth is that adults can also have pimples. This is the case of hormonal acne, which can appear whether you’ve already had pimples during adolescence or not. At certain times in a woman’s life, as well as in a man’s, hormone levels can vary. One of the possible consequences of this increase in certain hormones in our body is the appearance of this type of pimples.
What is hormonal acne?
Hormonal acne is a skin condition caused by hormonal imbalances in the body. It is more frequent in women, since they suffer more hormonal fluctuations variations during menstruation and pregnancy. Due to these alterations, the skin loses its balance and very often produces more sebum than usual.
This oil accumulates in the pores of the skin, which tend to become infected due to the dirt and contamination that is deposited on our face. This small infection develops in the form of a pimple of greater or lesser size depending on the type of lesion.
Signs of hormonal acne
Knowing that you have hormone-type acne is the first step in finding the best treatment. Here are some signs that should get your attention.
- Hormonal acne pimples are usually larger and deeper than the lesions that occasionally appear in other types of acne. In fact, sometimes you get cyst-like pimples that can be very painful.
- Because the pimples are more severe, they are more likely to leave a scar. That’s why it’s important to take extreme hygiene measures so that they don’t become infected and you don’t try to remove or squeeze them.
- To detect whether you have this type of acne or not, you should look at the area where the pimples usually appear. In hormonal acne, the lesions usually appear on the lower face (cheeks, jaws, and chin) and neck.
- It is common for the skin to become more sensitive, so it requires even more special care using the best skin care products for hormonal acne in the market.
Main causes
Like we previously mentioned, the main cause of hormonal acne is hormone imbalance, but at what point in life are we most likely to have these hormonal changes?
- Puberty: Puberty is the time when we develop from a child to an adult. Hormones play a major role in this transition, as they are the ones that make some of the most important changes possible. It is common for teenage acne, which usually occurs from the age of 12 onward, to appear in the so-called T-zone (forehead, nose and chin), but also on the shoulders and back.
- Menstruation: Another time when our body is under a big influence of hormones is during the period and the days before it occurs. Many women notice that their acne gets worse in the pre-menstrual days. In fact, there are those who can predict that they will get their period because of the pimples that have appeared.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: One of the most common symptoms of this syndrome (PCOS for short) is the appearance of pimples on the face, because this disorder causes high levels of testosterone among women.
- Stress: Stress causes the skin to produce more oil, as it directly affects the androgen hormones. This is why you have noticed that the appearance of your skin was more unpleasant during certain stages of your life when you have been more stressed.
- Medications: There are medications that can alter hormone levels and, as a result, increase pimples. This is the case, for example, with some oral contraceptives, although some people don’t have this problem.
Treatments
The first step in effectively treating hormonal acne is to visit a dermatologist’s office. The dermatologist will analyze the lesions and make a diagnosis for your acne problem. In the case it is hormonal acne, the skin specialist may have to work in collaboration with other doctors such as the gynecologist, since it sometimes requires a contraceptive pill. This medication helps balance estrogen, which makes acne less severe.
Regardless, whatever treatment your dermatologist recommends, it is necessary to take into consideration a series of basic daily care that will help your skin look better.
- Follow a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Leave aside foods with saturated fats and you will notice that your skin looks better.
- Drinking a lot of water is essential to hydrate your skin from the deepest layers of the dermis.
- Moisturizing and cleansing your face is very necessary, but you must be careful not to overdo it or you could stimulate the appearance of more lesions. You can do some research on what are some of the best skin care products for hormonal acne that are suitable for your skin type. Using products that are 100% natural and organic, like Dr Hauschka’s cosmetics would certainly help. When drying your face, never rub your face with a towel; gentle touches are less harmful.
- Never go to bed without removing your makeup.
- Use oil free facial products that have a lighter texture. You will get moisturized without adding oil to your skin. There are a lot of great Skin care products in Singapore that you can add to your routine.