Hormonal acne causes
Have your blemishes become worse around your period, during pregnancy or as you go into menopause? Hormones could be playing a greater role in your skin dilemmas than you think.
An imbalance in hormones such as cortisol, oestrogen, and testosterone can result in breakouts. For example, many women find that when they start using birth control pills their skin changes too – with more tendency to break into spots. The unfortunate result of fluctuating hormones is that we can produce excess sebum, blocking pores and leading to dead skin cells accumulating and becoming infected.
Stress can also play havoc with your body and lead to hormonal acne breakouts. Hormones are produced by our body in response to the stress we feel. These hormones, such as cortisol, stimulate oil glands, which leads to excess sebum production, clogged pores, and eventually blemishes.
Can diet cause acne?
While diet is not the sole cause of adult acne, it makes sense that the fuel we put in our body could have a negative effect. It is worth scrutinising your diet to see if something you are eating isn’t agreeing with your skin and could be exacerbating your acne.
Dairy and acne
More and more women are finding that dairy affects their skin adversely. This could be because of the hormones that are present in dairy foods, but also because of the link between our gut, immune system, and acne-prone skin. Our microbiome is key to overall health, when we introduce foods that compromise this system, symptoms such as spots, rashes, and sinus problems could occur.
Whilst the list of things that could be causing your acne-prone skin is frustratingly long, it might be worth considering that a change in diet or addressing a hormone imbalance could benefit your skin. If you believe your skin is more susceptible to imperfections due to genetics it is important to look into a skincare regime that offers prevention as well as acne treatment. By understanding more about your acne-prone skin it will become easier to treat and prevent.
Read more about acne prone skin here.
This article is intended as general information only. You should seek advice from a professional before altering your diet, changing your exercise regime or starting any new course of conduct.
