Hormonal acne is an inflammatory skin condition that causes red, swollen pimples on your face and body. These pimples can grow into pustules, nodules and cysts.
If you’re prone to hormonal acne, there are many ways to treat and prevent it. Start a consistent skincare routine, avoid harsh scrubbing and don’t pick or pop your pimples.
1. Start a Consistent Skincare Routine
Acne can occur for a variety of reasons, including clogged pores, oil production, bacteria that trigger an inflammatory response, diet, and hormonal fluctuations. Fortunately, a skincare routine can help control breakouts.
The first step in a successful skincare routine is to cleanse the skin thoroughly. Choose a gentle foaming or gel cleanser that removes dirt and excess oil without breaking down your skin’s protective barrier.
Second, apply a light-weight moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated and plump. You should also use sunscreen, which protects your face from harmful UV rays and can prevent breakouts.
Finally, use a serum to deliver hydrating ingredients deeper into your skin’s layers. This is the best way to get results because serums have a smaller molecular structure than moisturizers, which means they deliver more active ingredients into your skin.
Creating and sticking to a skincare routine can be difficult, but it will pay off in the long run. It can help you reduce the appearance of wrinkles, even out skin tone, stop acne and enhance your complexion.
2. Avoid Harsh Scrubbing
During hormonal acne treatment, it is essential to avoid harsh scrubbing of the face. The reason for this is that exfoliating too much can make your skin dry and cause inflammation and redness.
Harsh scrubs can also cause micro-tears, which weaken your skin and can be more likely to result in infections. Additionally, scrubbing can damage the skin’s top layer and expose it to harmful UV rays and pollution simultaneously.
It is important to wash your face gently, twice a day, and after heavy sweating. Use mild cleansers and soaps with lukewarm water.
It is also important to moisturize your face after scrubbing. Without properly moisturizing, your pores will open up and become prone to accumulating dirt and grime, which could lead to blemishes and acne breakouts.
3. Avoid Popping Pimples
Hormonal acne is a type of inflammatory acne that happens when your hormones are out of balance. This includes fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone that occur during menstruation cycles and pregnancy as well as menopause.
This can cause your skin to break out and clog pores. It can also lead to cystic pimples, which are red, swollen, and painful.
One of the most important things you can do during hormonal acne treatment is avoid popping your pimples. Popping them can worsen the breakout, promote scarring, and introduce new bacteria to the area, causing infection.
Another major issue with popping your pimples is that it can increase inflammation. This irritated skin and swelling may trigger a new pimple in the same spot, and it can also result in an enlarged, painful pimple that takes longer to heal than if left alone.
To help prevent this from happening, it’s best to leave the popping part to a professional. If you do decide to pop your pimples yourself, be sure to wait until they’re firm and white before piercing the tip of them with a straight pin or a needle.
4. See a Dermatologist
If you’re battling hormonal acne, it’s important to see a dermatologist for treatment. This can help you reduce breakouts, lessen the risk of acne scarring and restore clear skin faster.
Dermatologists can evaluate your acne by taking a detailed medical history and blood work. They can also discuss your skincare routine, sleep habits, stress levels and diet.
Getting professional treatment for acne can dramatically improve your quality of life. Moreover, dermatologists can identify signs of systemic diseases and infectious conditions.
Hormonal acne is a common skin condition that affects many women during puberty and in adulthood. It occurs when hormones like testosterone, estrogen and progesterone fluctuate, causing oil to build up in your pores. This results in whiteheads, blackheads and pimples that often form into pustules, cysts or nodules.
