Hormonal Acne and What Causes it

Acne is usually caused by bacteria, sebum and dead skin cells. They clog the skin pores and cause inflammation. The pores will continue to become filled and the inflammation will get worse and cause pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. Sometimes, acne is caused by an unknown source.

Hormonal acne is a fairly common problem. When a persons hormone levels are high, the body tends to produce more sebum. Hormonal acne is more common at different times in a persons life. Teenagers are very susceptible to hormonal acne. During the teen years, you experience puberty, body changes and emotional changes that could affect your level of hormones. Puberty is an especially common time for hormonal acne. It is usually the first time a persons hormones will increase and excessive sebum will produce. Most people suffer from acne during puberty. Teenage boys are likely to experience the hormonal acne for a longer period than teenage girls. This is most likely due to the fact that boys go through puberty at a later age than girls. However, girls have other times in their life that they experience hormonal acne.

Hormonal acne is very common during a females menstrual cycle. During menstruation, a females hormone levels are very unbalanced. They will quickly rise and even quickly fall. This will cause the sebum production to increase and decrease rapidly. The sebum will flow into the pores and cause the acne to form. For severe hormonal acne cases during menstruation a doctor may prescribe an oral contraceptive. The contraceptive will balance the hormone levels and keep the sebum from over-producing.

Menopause is also a common time where women experience hormonal acne. During menopause, hormone levels are exceptionally high and therefore, sebum production is increased. Women who have never experienced acne in their life may find that they have mild to moderate hormonal acne during menopause. Using some form of acne treatment will help control the acne.