Hormones and Acne

• Hormones and acne are directly related, which is why both teenagers and adults can experience the skin issue
• Acne breakouts can be treated with a variety of acne skin care products


Hormone fluctuation is a normal part of our life cycle and it causes several changes in the body. Contrary to many old myths, both men and women experience hormone fluctuation. However, women are more vulnerable due to their intricate internal structure. Moreover, women bear the children and the pregnancy process obviously involves lots of hormonal changes. Women’s hormonal changes are nothing abnormal. It is a natural process, but there are times when these changes can happen so rapidly that it adversely affects the body and mind.

Our skin, being the outer shell of human body, is especially prone to such hormonal attacks. Early skin aging, wrinkles and age spots are all related to hormones. Still, hormonal fluctuations run most rampant during pregnancy and menopause. When a woman is pregnant, uneven skin pigmentation and stretch marks become common skin problems. However, they usually fade post-pregnancy.

Menopause is also a normal phase of every woman’s life. It normally begins in the late forties. The Pre-menopause period is also known as perimenopause. The estrogen hormone levels fluctuate during perimenopause and eventually its production is halted. Every woman faces dramatic skin changes during this stage.

Recently, studies have shown that estrogen affects proper collagen formation. As estrogen levels drop, wrinkles and age spots appear on the skin. The skin also loses its elasticity. Results include increased sensitivity and dehydration followed by the appearance of hyper pigmentation.

Hormonal acne can also flare up suddenly during menopause. This happens due to reduced estrogen levels and the increased production of the male androgen hormones, which are responsible for the oil production within the pores. If oil glands produce too much oil they may cause acute acne.

Besides these normal life phases, our skin is likely to be affected by hormonal contraception. Contraception is one of the most recognized ways of preventing pregnancy. Contraception can include birth control pills, skin patches, injections, emergency contraception, copper-T etc. The most widely used form of contraception is birth control pills. But, these hormone pills have certain side effects as well like weight gain, headache, abdominal pain etc. Hormonal contraception affects skin in many ways and certain birth control pills are being used for treating hormonal acne. It is always better to consult a doctor before using birth control pills.

Hormonal acne is yet anther problem that keeps cropping up time and again. We have a misconception about hormones. We know that males have testosterone while females have progesterone and estrogen. But, the truth is that both the sexes have a proper balance of all three hormones. Hormonal acne is triggered due to androgen fluctuations and typically relates to testosterone, DHT (dehydrotestosterone) and DHEAS (dihyroepiandrosterone sulfate).

Hormonal acne is very common with adult women and sometimes even thought to be a real problem in social life. There are certain signs that will help you in understanding whether acne is hormonal or not:

• Adults having acne for the first time.
• Acne flares up before, during or after a menstrual cycle.
• Menstrual cycle is irregular (indicates hormonal fluctuations).
• Facial oiliness increases (over secretion of sebaceous glands).
• Hirsutism (excessive hair growth in odd places).
• Elevated androgen levels in blood.

All this happens due to a rise in the activity of the sebaceous glands and is further mediated by the fluctuations of different hormones. When the activity of the sebaceous glands increases, it leads to over- generation of sebum or oil. This eventually leads to clogged pores and pimples.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.