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Hormonal acne affects 5% of women and 1% of men over 25. This makes it one of the most common skin problems in the UK. In this guide, we explore the causes of hormonal acne and how fluctuations in skin hormones can affect your skin. From specific hormonal skin changes to natural treatments for hormonal acne, let’s delve into hormones and skin.
Hormonal acne is a type of acne triggered by fluctuations in hormone levels, particularly androgens like testosterone. It commonly affects women during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause but it can also occur in men. Signs of acne include pimples, blackheads, whiteheads or cysts on the face. The placement of your acne can depend on your age. For example, teenagers typically have acne on their forehead, nose and chin whereas adults commonly find acne on their cheeks and jawline.
Most acne is caused by excess oil production on the face. This excess oil clogs the pores on the face which can lead to pimples, blackheads and more. Common causes of excess oil production and acne include:
Hormones and oily skin are closely related. The sebaceous glands on your face excrete an essential oil also known as sebum. This oil keeps your skin healthy. However, excess oil production can be triggered by fluctuations in a range of hormones, particularly androgens. More androgens in your blood cause more of these hormones to bind to the sebaceous glands in your face and, as a result, more oil is produced causing skin problems such as acne.
There is also research to suggest other hormones such as oestrogen also affect the amount of oil your face produces but more research is needed in this area. Early findings also suggest high doses of oestrogen stop the production of oil.
Here are some skin hormones that you should be aware of:
If you are living with hormonal acne, you may find your acne flares up just before your period starts. This is because your oestrogen levels are dropping leading to breakouts. Once your period begins, you may find these breakouts to start to clear up. This is due to the increase in oestrogen levels during your period. Although it is not completely clear why this happens, it is thought the balance between oestrogen and progesterone fluctuating is what causes acne during your period.
If you experience hormonal acne alongside any symptoms of PCOS, such as irregular periods, it is advised you speak to your GP about hormonal testing.
During pregnancy, you will experience changes in your hormones which can also affect your skin. With heightened levels of oestrogen and progesterone, around 50-70% of women experience a skin condition called melasma. Melasma is known as chloasma when it occurs during pregnancy. A sign of chloasma is dark brown skin patches that occur around the forehead, nose, upper lips and cheeks. You may also experience hyperpigmentation on existing moles, freckles and birthmarks.
Melasma causes no harm to you or your baby, it is simply a cosmetic concern. You can reduce your chances of developing melasma by wearing protective sunscreen and limiting your exposure to the sun.
If you do develop melasma or chloasma, your skin patches should fade within three months post-pregnancy. If the marks do not disappear, you should consult your doctor for advice.
Menopause can affect the body in numerous ways. As hormone levels drop, you may start to experience changes to your skin including:
Although skin hormones are commonly associated with hormonal acne, there are a number of other factors that can affect your skin in numerous ways. Some examples include:
Hormonal acne can be treated at home with some natural remedies. We recommend these seven natural treatments to help soothe and manage your hormonal acne:
If your acne is more severe or these treatments do not work for your skin, you could contact your GP or a dermatologist for further advice and treatment. Typically, the GP will prescribe treatments such as a combined oral contraceptive pill, topical treatments like retinoids or antibiotics, or oral antibiotics like tetracycline and isotretinoin depending on the severity of your symptoms.
Understanding what causes your skin to flare up with either hormonal acne or other skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis is the first step to treating your skin effectively. At Home Health, we have a range of health guides on hormones, such as progesterone and acne, as well as treatments like tea tree oil to help you manage your skin. Learn to love your skin by finding an effective treatment today.
Androgens such as testosterone and progesterone can cause the skin to produce more oil. The sebaceous glands in your skin, where oil is produced, are triggered by an increase in androgens in the blood. This increase in hormones causes more oil to be produced leading to skin conditions such as acne.
Changes in skin hormones can cause acne to flare up due to the overproduction of oil on the skin due to fluctuations in progesterone levels. Other common hormonal skin changes include dryness, eczema and psoriasis.
Acne and other skin issues can be treated with natural treatments such as a change in diet, more sleep and products such as tea tree oil. For more severe cases, hormonal acne can be treated with a prescription from the GP for topical treatments, contraceptive pills or oral antibiotics.
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