HORMONAL ACNE : WHY WE GET IT & HOW TO HANDLE IT

As women, there are few things in life we’ll be able to escape, and few things in life men will never experience quite like us – periods, severe emotional outbursts, and hormonal acne. Because life isn’t hard enough, right?…..

But hormonal acne doesn’t have to be the bane of your existence, if you know how to predict its ETA, and figuratively slam the door in its ugly face.

And that’s why I’m writing this today. I’m mid-horrible, hormonal breakout, so I took to the internet to compile some information and ideas for treatment. I’ve already noticed a difference in my skin, and while this course of action may not work for everyone, I’m confident that it may help some of you.

Let’s get started!

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WHY WE GET IT

As women, we’re riddled with hormones, both male and female. Generally our female hormones, or Estrogen and Progesterone, which are produced by the ovaries, dominate. The ovaries also produce male hormones, or Androgens, but at a much lower level. Around the time of ovulation (when your ovaries release an egg for fertilization) there is a spike in Androgens, which kick up oil production and alter the development of skin cells that line the hair follicles, predominately around the mouth and chin, or the beard area, and often times on the back, too.
Additionally, we all know that we naturally shed dead skin cells. Well these cells tend to become abnormally sticky, likely due to the increased oil production, and clog the pores. And TA-DA!! Acne. Yuck. So what can you do?

HOW TO HANDLE IT

You can do it yourself, or you can go down Prescription Avenue. Prescriptions, both topical or oral, can be very harsh on the skin and the rest of the body, so those really should be reserved for extreme cases. But here’s what been helping me:

• Exfoliate – gentle exfoliators are great for removing dead skin cells that can get trapped in your pores. One of my all-time faves is the Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask, because the Black Sugar sloughs away any gross dead skin, and the Charcoal helps to get the deep-down gunk out of your pores.
• Change Your Cleanser – your regular cleanser probably isn’t going to cut it while you’re waging this particular bumpy war. For the week you’re ovulating, and probably the week before, you’ll want to use something that contains Benzoyl Peroxide – you can buy products like this in any drugstore. One of my favorites is a 3 piece system by Equate, which is sold at Walmart, and it’s comparable to the Proactiv System, but it’s only $10! (I can’t find a link, but it comes in a green and white box). And as a bonus, it comes with a sample sized sulfur mask that is great for spot treating! Unless you tend to have breakouts all month long, I would reserve this for just these couple weeks, because Benzoyl Peroxide can really dry out your skin, doing more harm than good.
• Moisturize – back to this whole dry, dead skin thing…if you keep your skin moisturized, the less flaking you’ll have (and if you’re using Benzoyl Peroxide, you especially want to moisturize). Another good reason is while you’re trying to get the breakout under control, you may still need to conceal, and well, have you ever tried to conceal a dry, flaky pimple? I have, and it’s damn near impossible. MOISTURIZE!! One of my all time faves is the Garnier Nutritioniste Refreshing Gel-Cream.
• Hydrate – Your body, not just your face. Lots and lots and lots of water will help to naturally flush toxins from your body, and again, help keep your skin from drying out too much.
• Be Cautious With Your Makeup – that is, if you must wear makeup. If you don’t have to, don’t. Let your skin breathe. You really don’t want to give it anything else to clog up with. But if you can, pick up a foundation or concealer that contains Salicylic Acid, so you can ‘heal while you conceal’. Neutrogena and Almay both make great products, but if you need something a little bit more lightweight, Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream is great too.

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Alright guys! I hope you were able to pick up some helpful tips from this article! What do you do when you’re battling a hormonal breakout? Leave me a comment and let me know! I’m always open to new tips and tricks!

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