A Guide to Preventing Hormonal Acne

Hormonal imbalances can trigger acne. Whether it is during puberty or in adulthood, hormone fluctuations affect skin oil production, which in turn can result in acne. How do you prevent it?

What is Hormonal Acne?

During puberty, your body goes through many changes, including hormone fluctuations. The male hormones, collectively referred to as Androgens, can spur sebum production. This natural skin oil keeps your skin hydrated and supple.

However, in excess amounts, it can clog up skin pores, which then accumulates other substances like bits of hair and dirt, which stick to the sebum. This encourages growth of skin bacteria, which can then result in acne.

In the teen years, the acne mostly appears on the T-Zone of the face, in the form of several whiteheads and blackheads, In adults, hormonal acne comes in the form of deep cysts which appear around the chin and the lower part of the cheeks.

When women go through periods of hormone imbalances during their monthly periods, during pregnancy and menopause, this can cause acne breakouts. When female hormone levels fall, it increases the proportion of Androgens, which women also produce albeit in smaller amounts. These Androgens can induce increased sebum production, resulting in acne.

How Do You Know If You Have Hormonal Acne?

Some indications of acne that has been triggered by hormone fluctuation:

●     You are no longer in your teens, yet you have acne breakouts

●     The acne breakout occurs around the chin and lower part of the face

●     The acne appears regularly each month before your periods

●     Stress makes your acne worse

How to Treat and Prevent Hormonal Acne

When those pesky outbreaks appear on your face, you may be tempted to reach for the topical applications you used in your teens. However, as these acne outbreaks are cysts that go deep into the skin, these treatments may not be effective.

Birth Control Pills: These are often prescribed for treating moderate to severe acne in women. These pills work by lowering the levels of Androgens as compared to female hormones like Estrogen and Progesterone. This can prevent excess secretion of sebum by the oil glands under the skin. However, it can cause side effects like an increased risk of hypertension, migraines, and depression.

Retinol Creams: Retinoids are Vitamin A derivatives. They help in exfoliating, getting rid of dead skin cells. They also stimulate collagen production. All this helps get rid of acne by removing dirt and dead skin cells, clearing up the pores, and encouraging the growth of new healthy skin tissues. So, this is also a good treatment for acne scars. For retinol creams to work, you must use them continuously and wait for at least two to three months to show its effect.

Antibiotics: To control severe acne, you may be prescribed antibiotics. This helps in killing the bacteria that causes acne.

However, before you try homonal medicines, you can try other acne prevention methods

●     Wash your face twice daily with a mild soap

●     Exfoliate once or twice a week

●     Apply an oil-free moisturiser after washing your face

●     Try facial treatments like peels

●     Include probiotic foods in your diet, like yoghurt

●     If you are prone to frequent acne breakouts, cut down on dairy foods and eliminate high glycemic index foods from your diet

You can try specially formulated acne treatments like Kaya Acne Care kit that includes the best cream for pimples. You can also seek an appointment at Kaya Clinic to try out one of their special acne treatments.

Kaya Clinic Acne Treatments

Kaya Clinic has many products  and services targeting acne. These include anti-acne products, pimple mark removal creams, and treatment for acne scars. Their Black Peel Treatment is especially effective in treating acne.

The Black Peel Treatment at Kaya

This chemical peel has a base of black vinegar and other organic materials. This treatment exfoliates the skin, clears up clogged pores, and removes excess oil in the skin. This helps heal acne and prevent another breakout for a while. The exfoliation triggers skin tissue renewal. The amino acids and minerals present in the peel nourish the skin.

Vinegar has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, helping to cure acne. The peel contains Potassium Iodide that helps heal the papules and pustules. This peel also includes Jasmonic extracts which help in skin rejuvenation. New skin that emerges after a while is clear and free of pimples and acne scars.

There are many ways to deal with acne breakouts caused by hormone fluctuations. As a first line of defence, you can try topical applications like retinol creams, salicylic acid creams, cleansing your face and using good moisturizers that do not have an oil base. You can also try some good chemical peels like the Black Peel treatment at kaya Skin Clinic to clear clogged pores, encourage skin cells turnover, and also to reduce acne marks/pimple marks.