How to get your hormonal acne under control

22 Jul How to get your hormonal acne under control

Essentially, all acne is hormonal. But when you hear the term ‘hormonal acne’ thrown around, it’s often in reference to acne that’s developed due to fluctuations in hormones, normally due to your menstrual cycle, pregnancy or menopause.

“Distribution of the breakout and when the breakout occurs is usually a good indicator of ‘normal’ hormonal acne,” says Dr Michael K Molton MBBS FCPCA (Dip Cosm & Derm Laser) and President of Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia.

Hormonal cystic acne may also be an indicator that you suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). “While it is common for some women to get ‘breakouts’ after ovulation, it is important to exclude the diagnosis of PCOS from that of ‘simple’ acne that is a nuisance [and] does not impact on the health of individuals,” says Dr Molton. “PCOS is thought to be related to excess amounts of androgen production in multiple tiny cysts embedded within the ovaries and this can be connected to the excess production of defective insulin as time passes. In women with PCOS, there are multiple ‘bursts’ of androgens occurring throughout the menstrual cycle at odd times, which sends the female hormones into a spin for women of reproductive age. The result is not only acne, but irregular periods and sometimes difficulty in conception.”

We know, what you really want to know is how to get rid of hormonal acne. And thankfully, there are a number of approaches you can take – many of which you can mix and match to find the winning formula for you.

Read the full article and find out how to treat hormonal acne here >