If you’re like us, you probably thought that after the pimply tween-age years, acne was supposed to buzz off. But no, for many of us, acne lives on! In fact, hormonal acne most often occurs between the ages 20-40 but even if you’re over 40 you might not be out of the woods. 30 years of potential pimples? Umm, that’s not what we signed up for.
Remember, spots are really just messengers from your body saying that something is up, so don’t shoot the messenger! Instead of blaming your zits, send them some gratitude for letting you know that there’s something your body is asking you to pay attention to and look a little deeper. Here we take you through five clues your pimply pals are alerting you to give your hormones some love.
1. Your pimple gang generally hangs around your jawline or chin
Acne that is linked to androgenic hormones, such as testosterone (our ‘male hormones’), tends to show up in places where grown men develop facial hair—such as the jawline, sides of the face, neck and chin. One reason for this is that androgens control the stimulation of our oil glands. Higher levels can increase sebum production which can clog pores in these areas and lead to the inflamed little bumps we all know.
2. You break out before your period
*Small family of zits moves in on chin*
Me: “Ohh, my period must be coming soon.”
Sound familiar?
Acne is a common PMS symptom linked to fluctuating and falling sex hormones as is the case for the few days to a week before your period begins.
Essentially, both oestrogen and progesterone work together like a seesaw to balance the effects of testosterone and keep sebum production under control throughout the month. When both of these hormones fall away to trigger a bleed, androgens can seize this opportunity to rear their head and host a breakout party for one.
This is why it’s common to experience your worst acne flare-ups during the week before your period (as if you didn’t have enough going on already that week).
3. Or about halfway through your cycle
The androgens we talked about earlier don’t fluctuate too much throughout your cycle and stay at reasonably similar levels except for one time: ovulation.
In females, testosterone gets itself all excited and spikes around ovulation, which is when an egg is released from the ovary and occurs around day 14 of a regular 28-day cycle. Ovulation is also the time where you are most fertile, which is where the testosterone spike comes in—a subtle nudge from mother nature to get busy in the name of reproduction. By the way, here are 5 hormonal reasons your sex drive has gone on vacay.
So, if you experience a few chin or cheek zits around the middle of your cycle, this slight surge in androgen activity may be why.
4. You’ve recently stopped taking the pill
When we take the pill, our sebum (skin oils) are suppressed to ‘childhood’ levels. Which is also how the pill can make your skin as clear as it was at primary school. Healthy adult skin responds to this by putting sebum production into overdrive in an attempt to find balance. Unfortunately, when you stop taking the pill, your skin doesn’t immediately get the memo and this overdrive production can persist for months after you stop taking the pill. As your ovaries kick back into action and your own sebum production ramps up, you end up having twice as much potentially-pore-blocking sebum on the go.
Fear not, this too shall pass, given time. Oestrogen helps to reduce sebum production and progesterone helps keep testosterone in check, so once these gals are back on their feet things should resolve themselves.
5. Your stress level is 100
A bit stressed, hon? We know of cortisol as our ‘stress hormone,’ but it’s actually crucial for a whole range of functions in the right amounts. Have you ever noticed that you are more susceptible to breakouts when going through a particularly stressful period in life, or when you’re not getting enough sleep? In both these instances, cortisol is the first hormone to the party. Cortisol prepares the body to ‘fight or flight’ in response to real or perceived stress. One way it does this is through releasing glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream. High blood sugar = high insulin = increased androgen activity = inflammation = acne.
High stress levels and clear, glowing skin just don’t mix. Here are a couple more ways in which stress affects your body.
‘So I’m pretty sure it’s hormonal. What’s next?’
Realising that your pimples might be hormone-driven? That’s ok. The best thing to do is to test your hormones to get the lay of the land. Check out the Eve Hormone Balance Test and Eve Stress & Adrenal Tests.
Is testosterone a factor for you? Lower progesterone or oestrogen levels? Is cortisol spinning your hormones into a tizz? Depending on your unique hormone balance, there are different foods, types of exercise, lifestyle factors and nutrition that may support your skin towards smooth, zit-free clarity. There’s an answer to every riddle. You’ve just got to start by figuring out what you’re working with.
Looking for more information? Head over to our FAQs page where you can find out about Eve.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not designed to diagnose, treat or cure. We are all unique. For your individual health concerns it is important to discuss these with a relevant health professional.
