Hormonal acne is different from ordinary acne because it’s caused by hormones. Where ordinary acne is caused by too much oil being secreted just beneath the skin, hormonal acne comes about at puberty, when the body’s sexual hormones become active.
Too much testosterone is poured into the blood stream and it leads to outbreaks. It happens in both boys and girls, and with most people it fades away as they approach the end of puberty.
For others however, it can go on, leaving years-old scars and new pimples sitting on them. Needless to say, it’s a huge cause of embarrassment for sufferers and seems to go on for ages because it may be difficult to find the right hormonal acne treatment that works.
There are several other causes of hormonal acne as well, and these you can watch out for:
- In girls and women, hormone production is increased at menstruation. This may lead to outbreaks.
- Stress leads to production of excess hormones too, and you may notice that when you are stressed out, you break out.
- Dead skin cells – these accumulate with time if you don’t exfoliate regularly. It’s easy to avoid this one – exfoliate your entire body once every few weeks.
- Your skin pores may be too open, especially for girls and women who over-do facials. Open skin pores invite bacteria and this leads to acne.
- Anabolic steroids can lead to acne too.
Just like ordinary acne, there are measures you can take, other than treatment, to make sure that if you have hormonal acne, you can keep it under control and if you don’t have it, you don’t get it.
Hygiene Tips for Hormonal Acne
- Wash yourself thoroughly. Notice how dirty people usually have break-outs (may not necessarily be the other way around though). Wash well, wash frequently and be gentle with your skin when you wash. Don’t over rub it – you risk tearing it and leaving it open to infection. Use gentle soaps that are as chemical free as possible. Use warm water too; cold will close up your pores and you won’t get to the oil underneath the skin, and too hot will over-open your pores and leave your open to infection.
- Wear loose fitting clothing. Tight may be the new black, but if you’re prone to breakouts, leave tight alone. Wear clothing that allows circulation of air and allows your skin to breath.
- Wash your clothes and wash them well. Teenagers are especially susceptible to break outs – take time to make sure that each item of clothing you wear is clean.
- Don’t burst pimples whether they are on your face or on your body – it makes it worse.
- Don’t scratch – again, you’re opening up your skin for bacteria to nestle in there and cause more pimples.
Good hand hygiene is important – wash your hands often. You often touch yourself, so make sure that your hands are clean as much as possible.
Hormonal Acne Treatment Medications You Can Use
Because it’s hormonal, you will most likely need to see a dermatologist. Most will recommend a combination of something to take to keep your hormones under control and something topical to apply. Whatever pills you will be given will try to keep your hormones under control. Remember that your hormones do a whole lot of functions in your body, so find out about side effects first.
The pills may work, but the topical creams usually are a matter of trying until you find what works for you. And you may try for years. Most of the people will notice that the inflammation is not that bad once they are taking the prescribed hormone-control pill, but then again, they’ll need something to clear already existing acne. Some women have reported results with birth control pills for acne because birth control pills help to regulate hormones.
Try even remedies sold over the counter – you may get something that works. Some may come recommended, and may be work for you, but not necessarily. Don’t give up though – keep searching because you’re not going to live your whole life under acne.
All Natural Hormonal Acne Treatments
Much like the normal acne, hormonal acne can be cured using home remedies. They won’t attack the problem at its root though; they will just help to clear your skin. You still need to see your dermatologist so that they can prescribe a pill that will bring your hormones to level.
Aloe vera is excellent. The sap from the leaves applied fresh and left on for some time, will clear up an irritated skin in no time. The other option is neem leaves from a neem tree. If there’s a local Indian grocer near you, talk to him or her about it – it’s a wonder herb and does miracles for irritated and open skin. You need to boil the leaves and use the resulting water in your bath. It tends to help in a week or 2, and the condition usually will not recur for a long time.
Some people recommend garlic – pound it and apply the resulting paste on the affected areas before going to bed. Try apple cider vinegar for acne too – it stings for about 5 seconds but is excellent for drying off extra oil from your skin and works excellent as a toner. Mix it with an equal part of water if you feel it’s too strong.
Remember, the thing with hormonal acne, or any other kind of acne is not to give up. Keep on trying to treat it and you will eventually get a combination that works.
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