FEMALE ACNE AND HORMONES

What Causes Acne?
Acne is an androgenic disorder, like hirsutism [Hormones and Unwanted Hair], which means that it is set off by the effects of the family of hormones called androgens. These include testosterone, DHEA-S and others. Testosterone is the most important of these. While androgens are often thought of as male hormones, this is misleading because adult women have active levels in their blood. Women’s levels are only about a tenth of those found in men

The first event leading to acne is stimulation of the sebaceous (oil making) glands by testosterone. Next, the pores plug up and trap the oil inside. Bacteria grow in the trapped oil, causing the production of irritating chemicals. Finally the body’s immune system comes into play. There is both good and bad news about this immune response. While it fights the bacteria, it also causes the redness, swelling, pus-like fluid and later scarring which make acne so unsightly.
Many women notice that their acne is worse in the week before their period. The exact reason for this common pattern is not known, but obviously it is related to hormonal changes during the cycle, perhaps a rise in testosterone at midcycle.

Other Oily Face Conditions
In addition to pimples, increased oil can cause flat areas of inflammation on the skin. In the midline this is called seborrheic dermatitis; in the butterfly area of the nose and the skin next to it, the inflammation is called acne rosacea. The latter can be very embarrassing because it sometimes makes the nose red, which can be confused with the signs of excessive alcohol use.

Hormones and acne

Adult acne and hormones:

Acne by its very nature can be considered a hormonal disease. Hormones are responsible for the maturation of the oil glands in our skin. This is why children do not experience acne.

Testosterone

There are several times in our lives when our hormones can become unbalanced and wreak havoc, including puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and, well, any other time they feel like it. More specifically, acne may be precipitated by androgens, male hormones present in both men and women. The oil surplus created by these hormones may be instrumental in clogging hair follicles where bacteria grows and causes acne pimples and blemishes.

Estrogen

Hormonal acne is seen mostly in women due to the natural cycles a woman goes through, such as menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. Because of this, doctors sometimes prescribe low-dose birth control pills and/or androgen receptor blockers to reduce blemishes by keeping androgens steady.

I have received many e-mails from women in their late 20s and older who are experiencing an acne flare-up or even acne for the first time in their lives. These women have also reported that the Regimen helps clear up their adult onset hormone induced acne.