Acne is a common skin condition that many people experience during their teenage years. And while acne as an adult is also fairly common, a pimple here or there usually goes away in a day or two. However, if your acne lingers for weeks or months on end, it may be hormonal.
As you’ve probably guessed, hormonal acne is caused by fluctuations in your hormones. In adults, it tends to appear on lower areas of the face, like the chin and jaw. When it comes to managing hormonal acne, there are a number of different avenues to pursue.
But all of them aim to rebalance your hormone levels and so eliminate your acne. Read on to learn about four major strategies you can use to control your hormonal acne.
1. Find the Right Product for You
There are numerous products on the market for addressing hormonal acne. They usually fall into one of two camps: topical and oral. Both topical and oral treatments can be effective, whether over-the-counter or prescription. It’s just a matter of figuring out which works best for you.
Topicals are an excellent choice if you already have a skincare routine and can easily add another step to it. Just keep in mind that topical medications tend to take about four weeks before you’ll start to see their effects.
However, they can clear your face up effectively, so the wait can be well worth it. If you don’t want the hassle of a daily application, take a daily pill instead. There are many oral acne medications out there that contain digestible retinoids, similar to topical retinol.
Women can also take hormonal contraceptives to help manage their acne. Products such as Junel Fe birth control can regulate your hormones, which can mitigate acne as a bonus side effect.
2. Calm Down
Reproductive hormones aren’t the only kind that can cause acne. Breakouts can also result from the buildup of too many steroidal hormones. Typical steroidal hormones include adrenaline, norepinephrine, and catecholamines. But when it comes to acne caused by steroidal hormones, cortisol is the most common culprit by far.
Now, some level of cortisol-induced stress is natural — and even situationally healthy. But prolonged stress can take a toll on your body, and acne is one of them. The good news about stress-related acne is that you don’t necessarily need any products to treat it.
Rather, focus on incorporating stress-reducing methods and practices into your life. Focus on making space for activities that relax you, whether that’s going for a hike, taking a warm bath, or socializing with friends.
If you don’t have a list of activities that reliably soothe, explore some different options. You might take up yoga, meditation, or another form of breathwork. Get a good pair of headphones and listen to your favorite music for an hour.
Or journal to let out the thoughts inside that might be building like a pressure cooker. Once you’ve found a good de-stresser or two, incorporate them into your daily routine.
3. Rethink Your Diet
Managing your acne effectively may take more than choosing effective treatments and reducing your stress. If you aren’t attentive to what you eat, you may be directly contributing to acne production with every bite.
That’s because some foods, especially artificial or overly processed ones, tend to exacerbate pre existing pimples. Fortunately, other foods are good for rebalancing hormone levels and alleviating acne.
Foods to avoid include anything with a high glycemic index like refined carbohydrates, which can dramatically raise blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar spikes, so too does your insulin production, which can result in … you know what. Additionally, minimize or eliminate your consumption of dairy products, fast and processed foods, and foods containing saturated or trans fats.
On the flip side, there are certain foods you definitely want to eat more of. Fatty fish like salmon are abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation. Try to incorporate foods with antioxidants, probiotics, and zinc, such as berries, yogurt, and seeds. Experiment with your diet to see which changes help or harm your skin.
4. Protect Your Sleep
Missing a single night of sleep won’t hurt you overmuch. But miss too many in a row, and you’ll be dealing with more than just bags under your eyes. Your body uses sleep to repair cells, restore muscle fibers, and — most significantly for acne — rebalance hormone levels.
Missing too many dreamy nights may be one cause of your pimply face. And with one in three Americans being sleep-deprived, you’re not alone. Given that sleep is culturally undervalued, you’ll need to make a conscious effort to protect your sleeping hours. Thankfully, you can do a couple of things to help ensure you get enough shut-eye.
Eat your last meal a few hours before bedtime to give yourself time to digest. Additionally, turn off your phone at leastan hour before bed to allow your mind to relax. The blue light that most screens emit stimulates your nervous system, making it harder to drift off when you lie down.
Finally, get out of bed at the same time every day to set your body’s internal clock. It may seem like drudgery at first, but developing better sleep habits will pay dividends when your face is clear again.
A Healthy You Equals Healthy Skin
In many ways, your skin’s health reflects your body’s overall health. So if you’re experiencing prolonged breakouts on your lower face, it’s a strong indication that your hormone levels could be imbalanced.
Thankfully, you can use numerous strategies to address your out-of-whack hormone levels. Some may take time to work, but your skin and body will thank you in the long run.
