{"id":32279,"date":"2022-11-06T22:15:15","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T22:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=32279"},"modified":"2023-02-17T01:48:27","modified_gmt":"2023-02-17T01:48:27","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-hormonal-acne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/how-to-get-rid-of-hormonal-acne\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes, It\u2019s Possible to Get Rid of Hormonal Acne. Here\u2019s How"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wondering how to get rid of hormonal acne? Experts break down what causes those pesky breakouts\u2014and share exactly how to treat them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

Perhaps you *always* break out while you\u2019re on your period<\/a>. Maybe you dealt with intense acne during puberty, pregnancy, or after getting off hormonal birth control<\/a>. Or maybe you notice that after you eat certain foods your face is suddenly filled with pimples. What you\u2019re experiencing is completely normal and extremely common: It\u2019s called hormonal acne. While hormones control bodily functions like sleep<\/a>, mood, energy levels, digestion<\/a>, and more, they also impact your skin. When your hormone levels are out of whack, it can trigger increased oil production and lead to brand-new breakouts.<\/p>\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve already identified hormonal acne as the cause of your acne<\/a>, you\u2019re halfway there.<\/p>\n\n\n

The good news? There are ways to keep your hormonal acne under control. We spoke to leading skin experts to learn about what causes these breakouts and the best treatments for hormonal acne.<\/p>\n\n\n

Read on to learn how to get rid of hormonal acne\u2014once and for all.<\/p>\n\n\n

What Is Hormonal Acne?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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True to its name, hormonal acne is acne caused by hormone levels. \u201cHormonal acne describes acne breakouts that are associated with fluctuations or over-production of androgenic hormones,\u201d explains Jaimie DeRosa, MD, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and founder and lead facial plastic surgeon of DeRosa Center Plastic Surgery & Med Spa<\/a> in Boston and Palm Beach. Androgenic hormones are a group of sex hormones. While all genders make androgenic hormones, males make most of them (testosterone is an androgenic hormone).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why Is Acne *So* Hard to Get Rid Of? Dermatologists Explain.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What Does Hormonal Acne Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Hormonal acne varies from person to person, but the location can be a telling sign. \u201cHormonal acne usually flares up around your jaw and chin due to increased oil production,\u201d says Purvisha Patel<\/a>, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Tennessee. \u201cHormonal acne can look like anything from a whitehead, blackhead, papule, pustule, cyst, or nodule.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cIn women, hormonal acne typically presents with inflammatory lesions as well as comedones and deep nodules,\u201d Dr. DeRosa says. \u201cLate-onset acne (adult acne<\/a>) typically has fewer lesions and is usually found in the U-zone (the bottom third of the face around the jawline and chin).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

What Causes Hormonal Acne?<\/h2>\n\n\n

So, what exactly causes hormonal acne? Hormonal acne results from an increase in sebum or oil production in response to increased androgen hormones, such as testosterone. \u201cThe oil then interacts with bacteria and dead skin cells, resulting in a clogged pore,\u201d Lian Mack<\/a>, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York explains.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cThe increase in oil production may be due to a number of factors, including underlying skin conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome<\/a> (PCOS<\/a>), fluctuating hormone levels, a familial predisposition, or side effects of medications like steroids,\u201d Dr. Mack says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

While not a direct cause, \u201cHormonally-driven acne may be worsened by diet, more specifically carbohydrates, refined sugars, and dairy<\/a>,\u201d explains Dr. Mack.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to Get Rid of Hormonal Acne<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you\u2019re dealing with hormonal acne, you\u2019re not alone. It can be difficult to treat, but there are options. \u201cTo get rid of hormonal acne, three things have to happen: topical treatment, diet, and lifestyle changes,\u201d Dr. Patel says. \u201cA lot of people immediately resort to [prescription] medication and don\u2019t try to change anything else.\u201d It\u2019s also important to see a medical professional to ensure you don\u2019t have a hormonal imbalance<\/a> linked to some other medical condition (such as PCOS). Here\u2019s how to treat hormonal acne, according to experts.<\/p>\n\n\n

1. Build the Ideal Hormonal Acne Diet<\/h3>\n\n\n

As mentioned above, diet does have an impact on hormonal acne. Growing research shows an association between certain foods and hormonal acne outbreaks.<\/p>\n\n\n

Dairy\u2014specifically skim milk\u2014has been shown to exacerbate acne<\/a>. \u201cThere are a few theories as to how dairy affects acne,\u201d Dr. Mack says. \u201cFirst, cows may be given artificial hormones, which affect the milk that they produce\u2014and ingestion of the milk results in an increase in hormones in our bodies. Additionally, milk naturally has growth hormones in it that can affect acne.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just dairy you should be wary of, though. \u201cWe also know that refined sugars worsen hormonally driven acne,\u201d Dr. Mack says. \u201cExcess sugar consumption has been linked to inflammation<\/a>. This inflammation in turn drives the inflammatory acne cysts seen in hormonally-driven acne.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Experts recommend limiting dairy and high glycemic-index foods and eating a well-balanced diet. \u201cYou should be drinking six glasses of water a day, getting eight hours of sleep, taking a multivitamin daily, and taking a probiotic to calm the gut,\u201d Dr. Patel says. \u201cIt is important to eat an anti-inflammatory diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains.\u201d You can also incorporate other hormone-balancing foods<\/a> (like eggs, fatty fish, leafy greens<\/a>, and avocados) into your diet to help support clearer skin.<\/p>\n\n\n

One important disclaimer: \u201cMore research is needed to determine if eliminating these foods from the diet will directly reduce oil production, so it is always important to discuss with a board-certified dermatologist prior to making any changes to your diet,\u201d says Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York.<\/p>\n\n\n

2. Choose A Hormonal Acne Topical Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n

Topicals can help with hormonal acne as well. Some of the top recommendations are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n