
Your Guide to Handling Hormonal Acne
Are you breaking out with ). Here are some things you can do about it. as an adult? You may be experiencing (also known as
Many of us ladies remember the first time a ). But what makes different from other types of ? Will it go away on its own or does it require intervention? appeared on our . For some of us, it was no big deal. For others, it was just the beginning of a long journey with (also known as
Don't worry, we'll answer these questions (and more) below. We'll also go over some of the most effective ways to reduce associated with . and
What Is ?
is a very common condition. It's not usually a problem when you're a child, but when you reach the age of puberty and beyond, you may struggle with it off and on.
Approximately 80% of people develop types of , is primarily triggered by our hormones. That's why many of us experience breakouts around our periods, during pregnancy, and around the time of menopause. sometime between the ages of 11 and 30. For some of us lucky ladies, decides to stay with us into our 40s and 50s. Unlike other
Almost everyone is at risk of developing . Try not to feel embarrassed when fluctuations cause you to break out in pimples. We've all been there, girl! at some point. If you're somehow lucky enough to escape it during puberty (which would be a small miracle!) you'll probably eventually experience
What Does Look Like?
A types of . is a , right? Not quite. You probably aren't in the habit of studying your , but there is something that differentiates from other
When you went through puberty, your was probably clustered primarily around your chin, forehead, and nose (also known as the "T-zone"). But when you're experiencing as an adult, you're more likely to get breakouts that are concentrated along your chin, cheeks, and jawline. As an added bonus, you might even get breakouts across your shoulders and back!
Other than location, , which is a particularly painful type of that forms just below the surface of the . If you experience , don't try to pop your pimples! There is no way for the trapped fluid to escape, so you'll just end up pushing all the nasty stuff deeper into your and causing more inflammation. can look a lot like any other run-of-the-mill type. It can come in the form of blackheads, whiteheads, papules, and pustules. You may even develop
What Causes ?
occurs when the pores become blocked by excess oil or , but the condition can be exacerbated by changes. Before you can take the necessary steps to reduce your , you need to learn more about and causes.
When you're going through puberty, is caused by changes in . hormones are male hormones (including ) that both males and females have.
Like the (specifically ) can also lead to . fluctuations can cause the sebaceous glands in your to produce too much oil. This excess oil can clog your hair follicles and interact with -causing bacteria to stimulate breakouts. you experienced during puberty, changes in your
Several things can trigger changes that lead to , including:
- Family history of
- fluctuations in women (especially around pregnancy, menopause, menstrual periods, or after you stop taking )
- Certain medications (including steroids, lithium, pills, and anticonvulsants)
- Certain conditions (such as hypothyroidism and )
Contrary to what some people believe, , all the face washing in the world won't keep the pimples away. is not caused by poor hygiene (though poor hygiene can certainly make breakouts worse). Even if you are very meticulous about keeping your face clean and nourished, you may still experience frequent breakouts. When you have a
Does Go Away?
may go away temporarily, but until you address the underlying cause of your breakouts, your is likely to return (either regularly or occasionally). If your is triggered by something like medication or , it is unlikely to go away unless you stop taking the medication.
Not so fast, though! Before you stop taking any type of medication, you should always consult your doctor. You may need to taper off of certain types of medications or switch them out with other varieties, depending on your underlying health conditions.
If you're given the green light to discontinue a medication that's causing your ). You'll also want to follow a regular skincare routine to help you maintain healthy, . , congratulations! The next step is to learn how to eat healthy foods that include -supporting vitamins (such as and
How Do I Know if I Have ?
Still unsure whether you have ? Here are a few indications that you might.
- Your breakouts tend to occur during certain phases of your menstrual cycle (usually the week before your period).
- You have other symptoms of a imbalance (such as unexpected weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, and vaginal dryness).
- Your doesn't respond to traditional treatments.
- You are experiencing (these can be large, red, and painful). Don't squeeze them, since they're unlikely to pop and you may develop lesions or scarring if you keep messing with them.
- You're going through obvious changes, such as pregnancy or menopause.
- Your breakouts are mainly limited to your chin, jawline, upper back, chest, and neck.
- You're taking some form of pills can disrupt balance and lead to mild or . .
Another clear sign that you may be suffering from is if you're dealing with a lot of emotional stress. This type of stress can cause changes in your cortisol levels.
Cortisol is a . that's closely associated with oil production in the . If it becomes imbalanced, it could cause your body to overproduce oil. As mentioned earlier, excess oil and can clog the pores and contribute to mild or . So make sure you take care of yourself and try to minimize your stress if you're dealing with
How To Recognize Severity
When it comes to , there are different degrees of severity. Here's how to tell whether you're dealing with , , or .
If you only have occasional breakouts that are limited to small areas of your , you probably have . breakouts don't usually cause the to get inflamed and red. They also don't normally lead to scarring.
causes more noticeable breakouts. These may include blackheads and whiteheads. breakouts tend to be more frequent than breakouts and they may cover larger areas of your . People often take prescription medications to deal with .
Unlike mild and causes significant inflammation in the . Blemishes tend to be large, swollen, painful, and red. can be widespread on the body and is rarely limited to just the face. Some people choose to take prescription medication as an for . ,
If you don't want to take medication, we have good news for you! We have a few non-medicinal suggestions for treating the underlying cause of your and minimizing future breakouts. We'll talk about those suggestions a little later in this guide.
What Are Triggers for ?
There are some potential triggers that you should know about if you're experiencing breakouts. They include:
Insulin resistance
Insulin isn't just a that's important for diabetics. Everyone should understand the role insulin levels can play in and overall health.
Insulin is released by the pancreas and helps to regulate blood sugar levels. When blood glucose gets too high (like it did when you ate that chocolate donut last night), insulin levels spike. This is a natural response to your rapidly increasing blood sugar levels.
When insulin spikes too frequently, your cells don't respond very well to it anymore. To rectify the problem of insulin resistance in the cells, the pancreas secretes even more insulin into the body. The cells become increasingly resistant to insulin and the damaging cycle continues (unless something interferes with it).
Insulin resistance is one of the more common triggers of . When insulin rises, it causes (including ) to increase. As a result, the produces more oil, which often leads to the development of .
Sluggish liver function
Many people are surprised to learn that a sluggish liver can cause . But the link isn't too surprising once you understand how the liver impacts the health of the . imbalances that lead to
The liver is the body's largest internal organ and it has a lot of responsibilities. Some of those responsibilities include converting T4 thyroid into T3, making bile to break down the fats we eat, and eliminating excess toxins and hormones from the body.
When the liver is unhealthy, it becomes sluggish and is no longer able to remove toxins and hormones from the body efficiently. As a result, the body becomes inflamed and is more likely to experience inflammatory conditions (such as ).
Estrogen dominance or deficiency
Women with normal estrogen levels typically have healthy-looking is a common result of estrogen imbalance. . Estrogen binds to the receptors that ramp up oil production in the . When you have too much or too little estrogen, your body struggles to regulate its oil production.
Low progesterone
Low progesterone is a problem impacting many women. Low progesterone levels may be caused by estrogen dominance, lack of ovulation, or poor ovarian function.
One of progesterone's many responsibilities is to regulate conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). When progesterone levels are low, DHT production tends to become too high. Too much DHT can trigger breakouts.
High cortisol
Cortisol is also known as the "stress ," because it easily becomes imbalanced in response to high levels of stress. This important also helps to regulate the body's circadian rhythm (i.e. the sleep/wake cycle).
When cortisol levels are high temporarily, they don't generally cause noticeable or lasting issues. But when cortisol levels are chronically high, they can cause inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can lead to conditions like .
Low thyroid function
The thyroid gland is located in the neck and releases thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) into the body. When thyroid are too low (as seen in cases of hypothyroidism), the body may have trouble converting beta carotene into . This may not seem like a big deal, but has a lot of important responsibilities, including promoting health. When our bodies are deficient in , the health of our suffers.
Low thyroid hormones can also cause a deficiency of progesterone. This, in turn, can lead to the formation of . Common causes of hypothyroidism include nutrient deficiencies, insulin resistance, family history of thyroid issues, and chronic inflammation.
Excess
Some women experience excess production as a result of a condition called . Women with PCOS may experience a variety of symptoms, including and hair issues, menstrual irregularities, insulin resistance, and obesity.
If you're not sure whether your hormones are currently imbalanced, there are blood tests you can take to find out. Your body can also give you clues when your hormones are out of whack (see the section "How Do I Know if I Have " above to review those cues).
No matter what's triggering your problem, here's what to know about options and how to avoid imbalances that are causing your breakouts.
How Can I Clear ?
Some people have success using topical products with clear . Others may discover that these products work at first, but stop working over time. To clear effectively and for the long term, we need to focus on the cause of our : imbalances. to
For those of us with imbalanced , is one potential . But this type of therapy comes with a wide range of potential side effects. To avoid those side effects, it may be preferable to take natural supplements and make lifestyle changes that can help bring the hormones back into balance.
Some people find great success clearing by adopting a special diet for . These diets may vary, but most include the following general recommendations:
Do Eat:
- Healthy fats (such as avocados, seeds, coconut oil, and whole eggs)
- Vegetables (such as zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and spinach)
- Legumes (such as kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, and black beans)
- Fruit (such as berries, oranges, bananas, grapes, and apples)
- Quality protein (such as chicken, eggs, tofu, and salmon)
- Whole grains and starchy vegetables (such as buckwheat, oats, sweet potato, brown rice, and quinoa)
- Unsweetened beverages (such as water, lemon water, hibiscus tea, and green tea)
- Anti-inflammatory spices and herbs (such as parsley, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic)
The list of whole, nutritious foods you can enjoy to combat is a long one. Most people should be able to find several foods from the above list that they wouldn't mind eating regularly.
Don't Eat:
- Highly processed foods (such as sugary cereals, white bread, frozen meals, and fast food)
- Milk and other dairy products (such as yogurt, cheese, and milk)
- Sugary foods and beverages (such as juice, cake, cookies, energy drinks, and candy)
You'll notice that eating whole foods and voiding , but will also help you feel healthier and more energetic overall! -triggering foods will not only help clear up your
How Can I Reduce My Risk of ?
You can reduce your risk of by taking preventative measures to keep in balance. Sometimes we can't avoid temporary imbalances in hormones (especially during times of emotional stress). But we can eat healthy foods and take supplements to help bring our hormones back into proper balance.
Hertime is a great supplement for combatting a . It contains a variety of -supporting vitamins, minerals, and herbs. You won't find any inflammation-inducing fillers or sugars in Hertime, either. Each user-friendly packet gets its refreshing taste from stevia leaf extract and natural flavors. To learn more about this product and other Mixhers products that can make your (and your life) better, head over to Mixhers resources and take a look around!

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