Hormonal acne is the most common form of acne in adult women. It manifests itself over hormonal fluctuations, more or less pronounced. How to recognize hormonal acne? How to treat it? Which care routine to adopt? Veld's gives you all its secrets to regain control over your skin.
Hormonal acne is a particular form of acne. It mainly concerns adult women:50% of women aged 20 to 29 are affected , and 25% of women aged 40-49 .* To recognize hormonal acne and find out if you are affected, some specific signs to look out for:
What characterizes hormonal acne is the fact that it continually returns according to the hormonal cycle of the woman. According to women, there may be a pause or an accentuation of the phenomenon during pregnancy, or at menopause. The rest of the time, the menstrual cycle sets the pace . You probably suffer from hormonal acne, if you constantly have blemishes that appear the week just before your period, or during ovulation. The pimples usually remain for 8 to 10 days, before returning to healthier skin.
Everyone's skin is different and the form of hormonal acne can vary from woman to woman. However, in the majority of cases, it has been observed that hormonal acne does not trigger the same pimples as those of adolescent acne. In adolescents, we see the appearance of small white-tipped pimples and blackheads. In case of hormonal acne, we rather observe inflammatory acne :either large red and painful pimples, or many small red pimples, also painful.
Last point to recognize hormonal acne:it often appears on the same areas of the face. Namely, mainly on the chin , and around the jaw . According to the "face mapping" technique, which identifies the origin of imperfections according to their location on the face, the lower part of the face is linked to the reproductive organs, which would explain this particular location of the pimples. Of course, in combination to oily skin, with a tendency to imperfections, pimples can appear on the rest of the T zone (nose and chin).
As we have seen, hormonal acne affects many women. Its intensity can also be weak or very strong, and in some women, the aesthetic discomfort can be very important. This is often the case in people with a breeding ground for acne. Because, if hormones have a huge influence on the condition of our skin, many factors come into play :
This last factor can particularly aggravate hormonal acne. Indeed, in case of stress, the cortisol level increases, which promotes the appearance of imperfections .
Since hormonal acne follows the fluctuations of the female cycle, it is impossible to get rid of it completely, unless you act directly on the hormonal side. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to act to limit its impact on your life.
Do you know how a pimple forms? Dilated pores are clogged by excess sebum and impurities that settle on the skin, creating inflammation, which evolves into a pimple. The key to preventing acne therefore lies in cleansing the skin. In the morning, opt for a tonic lotion or floral water , for light cleansing to remove excess sebum. In the evening, remove your make-up, then cleanse your skin with a face cleanser suitable for your skin type.
To clear the way, once a week, you can exfoliate, just after cleansing your skin. If you have pimples or acne scars, choose a gentle exfoliation , for example with fruit enzymes or very fine grains, so as not to aggravate the lesions. This regular scrub will tighten pores and eliminate excess sebum to prevent the appearance of pimples .
Sebum contributes to the natural balance of the skin. Indeed, healthy skin is characterized by a right balance between sebum and water naturally present in the tissues. If you have oily skin, it has excess sebum, but not excess water. It is therefore necessary to continue to hydrate every day.
This is all the more true in the face of inflammatory acne, which can be caused by hormonal activity. The skin is put to the test, it becomes irritated and sensitive. She needs to be soothed, with full daily hydration , and possibly, soothing and anti-inflammatory active ingredients, such as Condurango, contained in our Pure Pulp range.
The characteristic of hormonal acne is to appear per period, the week before the rules or during ovulation. If you have a regular minimum cycle, it is possible to anticipate this period and take matters into your own hands. Just before this famous week a little painful, or as soon as the first imperfections appear, react.
Exfoliate from the start of the week, to unclog pores. Later in the week, you can perform mask :purifying for oily skin, soothing for sensitive skin. For these particular periods, you can equip yourself with targeted care. An emulsion, or an anti-blemish serum , to be applied before the day cream, can help limit the appearance of pimples as much as possible, and make those that appear despite everything disappear. There are also local application treatments, to be applied directly to pimples to treat them quickly.
Finally, to anticipate this period, you can also limit foods that are too rich refined sugars and saturated fats, which promote the appearance of imperfections.
If your hormonal acne is severe, if it makes you suffer particularly, or causes strong aesthetic discomfort, a dermatologist can help you find a solution. It may also be interesting to do a hormonal assessment , to check that you are not suffering from a hormonal imbalance that could be the cause of these skin problems.
Depending on the diagnosis made, your dermatologist may recommend a specific skincare routine , or taking medication. In some cases, hormone treatment may be offered. Either to regulate a possible hormonal imbalance, highlighted by the assessment, or to influence the female hormones at the origin of acne .
Be careful though, many acne treatments are controversial because they can cause serious side effects. So take the time to discuss with your dermatologist and consider the different possible options.
* Christin N.Collier et al. The prevalence of acne in adults 20 years and older. J Am Acad Dermatol, Volume 58, Issue 1 – 2008
