How to Treat Hormonal Acne
Treating hormonal acne can be as simple as concocting a home-based remedy or as complex as consulting a dermatologist for regimented personalized treatments that could span from weeks to months.
Hormonal acne is acne triggered by hormonal fluctuations.
These fluctuations can result from lifestyle changes, food choices, and health-related issues. These issues usually occur in adulthood and may be blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and painful cysts.
Hormonal acne primarily stems from the overproduction of sebum, an oily substance produced by skin glands, which clogs pores, forming pimples.
Unfortunately, it is often unavoidable as it affects much of the population during their lifetime. This type of acne usually occurs during puberty, affecting 50 per cent of women between ages 20 to 29.
It is not limited to only puberty, as it can strike later during adulthood, affecting about 25 per cent of women between ages 40 to 49.
Hormonal acne predominantly affects women because of the constant fluctuations in their hormones. The women most likely to be affected are pregnant women, women going through menopause, menstruating women, and women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
These hormonal fluctuations augment acne issues by increasing overall skin inflammation, boosting oil (sebum) production in the pores, clogging skin cells in hair follicles, and promoting the growth of acne-causing bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes.
How to Treat Hormonal Acne
When it comes to treating hormonal acne, the options vary based on the severity of the condition. They should be personalized to your specific needs. These treatments can also be used as a form of prevention. Here are some essential steps to consider:
1. Daily Skin Cleansing: Maintaining a regular skincare routine is crucial. Wash your face in the morning and evening, apply a pea-sized amount of an acne product to avoid drying out your skin, and always use sunscreen every day.
2. Birth Control (Oral Contraceptives): For women, oral contraceptives can help regulate hormonal fluctuations that contribute to acne. However, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional before considering this option.
3. Dietary Changes: Altering your diet can have a significant impact. Cut down on sugar, dairy products, red meats and refined carbohydrates, and you may experience mitigated symptoms.
4. Prescription Topicals: Retinoids, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatories are the first defence against hormonal acne. Retinoids regulate oil gland shedding. It should be used sparingly and with sunscreen because it increases sun sensitivity.
6. Oral and Topical Antibiotics: These products effectively kill skin bacteria, which can infect clogged hair follicles. However, they should be discontinued after a maximum of 8 weeks of usage to prevent building a resistance to antibiotics. They’re available as oral tablets, lotion or gel applied once or twice daily.
7. Oral Medications: In more severe cases, oral medications can work from the inside out to balance your hormones and clear up the skin. Standard options include oral contraceptives and anti-androgen drugs, spironolactone, Accutane, and antibiotics.
Oral contraceptives used explicitly for acne treatment are usually a combination of different drugs. Taking oral contraceptives is not recommended if you smoke or have a medical history of blood pressure, blood clots and breast cancer.
8. Hormonal Therapies: These are mainly for women with acne, especially if linked to their menstrual cycle or conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A medical doctor must recommend this treatment.
It is essential to know that over-the-counter (OTC) products are primarily effective against mild acne. This is because hormonal acne typically takes the form of cystic bumps deep under the skin and out of reach for most topical medications.
Based on the severity of your acne, different treatment options may be recommended to reduce sebum production, pimple formation, and painful inflammation.
In cases of cystic acne, steroid injections, such as intralesional triamcinolone, may be recommended for relief.
