How To Treat Hormonal Acne Internally

Treatment For Hormonal Acne

It is very important to start with your internal medication first so that it can be more beneficial for you. If you are having mild acne, then only medications can be helpful.

Lets check How to treat hormonal acne and what is the clinical treatment which is good to control hormonal acne:

• A chemical peel like lactic acid peels, glycolic peels, yellow peels etc is good for acne treatments.
• Lasers like CO2 and Q switch are also good for acne.
• Dermatologist concern is very important, dont use over the counter medications.
• Do a blood test to know your acne a better way.
• Take medications like Benzoyl peroxide and anti inflammable drugs etc.

Cleanse And Tone With Active Ingredients

The purpose of nighttime cleansing is to remove makeup and pollutants, leaving the skin fresh for its nightly regeneration. Morning cleansing gently removes the dead skin cells that have been replaced overnight, and dissolves excess oil.

I used to crave that squeaky-clean-skin feeling from facial cleansers, before I learned that the harsh foaming ingredients were stripping my skin of protective oils. Enessas cleansers remove impurities without stripping the skin.

The beloved Bergamot Purifying Cleanserfeatures calming bergamot oil, along with Red Seaweed and Bladderwrack to stimulate circulation and eliminate toxins. Gingko Biloba and Roobios Leaf extracts are rich in minerals and aid in collagen production.

Toning is a chance to introduce highly active, acne-preventative ingredients to your skin. Dont miss this opportunity! I adore Enessas Tea Tree HydraClear, which fights acne with anti-inflammatory essential oils and anti-bacterial herbal extracts such as goldenseal and Reishi Mushrooms. It also adds moisture, without feeling heavy.

Your Diet May Be The Culprit

Food is one of the primary contributors to fluctuating or increased hormone levels in our bodies.

The typical American diet is acidic and high in saturated fats, processed grains, meat fats, and refined sugar. It is also low in fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, fiber, and antioxidants. Research has shown that this can cause an imbalance in testosterone and androgen levels, respectively. Therefore, a healthy diet is one form of natural treatment for hormonal acne. Another way to balance hormone levels is by taking certain herbs and vitamins. Both these items are discussed in more detail below.

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Best Vitamins And Minerals For Hormonal Acne

A. Vitamin A

Topical medication containing Vitamin A is frequently used for the treatment of acne. Consuming Vitamin A improves the condition of your skin and is also beneficial in reducing inflammation caused by hormonal acne.

B. Vitamin B6

Studies have shown the positive effects of Vitamin B6 in regulating estrogen and testosterone levels in your body. Furthermore, including Vitamin B6 in your diet can help reduce the harmful effects of the DHT hormone that causes hormonal acne.

C. Vitamin B3

Niacin or Vitamin B3 is a great stress relieving hormone. If stress is causing you to develop hormonal acne then including Vitamin B3 in your diet can be beneficial. Vitamin B3 is also known for regulating excess sebum production and improving blood circulation which can prevent further development of hormonal acne.

D. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a well known antioxidant that strengthens the epidermal barrier and improves your overall skin condition. It is also known for balancing progesterone levels.

E. Magnesium

Magnesium is a good balancer of both estrogen and testosterone levels. This is why magnesium supplements are often included in hormonal acne diets.

F. Zinc

A deficiency in zinc can put your testosterone hormone levels in turmoil. It is also known for reducing inflammations and regulating oil secretion. Further it assists in healing hormonal acne by preventing the growth of Propionibacterium acnes bacteria.

G. Omega 3 Fatty Acids

The Last Word

Natural Topical Ingredients For Hormonal Acne

Natural herbal ingredients can visibly clear the skin, reduce signs of redness and irritation, and offer a balancing sensation to overly dry or oily skin types. Oils may not be the first ingredients to come to mind when addressing hormonal acne, but its important to remember that balance is key and there are several natural oils that help to beautify the skin and lessen the appearance of breakouts.

Evening Primrose Oil is one ingredient that works well on hormone imbalance acne, helping to diminish the appearance of breakouts and clogged pores. The oil is rich in Omega 6 essential fatty acids including the rare Gamma-linoleic acid. By keeping the skin well nourished it calms oil production from pores, reduces the appearance of redness, and helps you create an even-toned, radiant look. This oil is also well suited to protect and condition menopausal and post-menopausal skin, which may suffer from increasing dryness. All ages can benefit from this ideal natural hormonal acne treatment oil.

Several other oils that can be extremely helpful for hormonal acne are hemp seed oil and tamanu oil. Hemp has a perfect ratio of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and offers softening, absorbent properties that are good for all ages. Tamanu is an ideal oil to help skin that is recovering from breakouts. It has some very unique phytochemical nutrients that help your skin build new cells, making those breakout marks a thing of the past quickly.

Read Also: How Do I Know If I Have Imbalanced Hormones

Tips To Clear Hormonal Acne From The Inside Out

Note from Dr. Zenovia: Always remember, our skin is a visible indicator of internal body functions. Acne is best treated with a comprehensive approach which includes a healthy diet and lifestyle, in-office skin treatments, prescription or over the counter topical products, and medication. It is therefore important to consult a board-certified dermatologist if youre interested in clearing your skin.

Take Care Of Your Gut

No, its not sexy or exciting, but taking good care of your gut health is almost always the first step toward healing.

First, its important to remove foods that are irritating your gut or triggering inflammation. Common culprits include gluten, dairy, vegetable oils, and refined sugar .

Second, regularly consume foods rich in nutrients that can heal the gut. Foods that are rich in omega-3s and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D, such as salmon, sardines, and pasture-raised eggs, all play an important role in supporting proper gut function since Omega-3s help to reduce inflammation, and low Vitamin D has been associated with decreased immune function.

Drinking bone broth, which is rich in collagen and glutamine, can also help to restore gut integrity.

Third, its important to eat probiotic rich foods regularly, and add in a high-quality probiotic supplement that will support your microbiome . For a more in-depth look at healing the gut, check out 3 Simple Gut Healing Strategies That Will Revolutionize Your Health.

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What Are Hormonal Breakouts

As the name suggests, hormonal acne is directly related to your hormones.

Hormonal acne is linked to changes during a womans menstrual cycle when estrogen and progesterone fluctuate.

This, however, is not limited to the week of menstruation only, these changes occur throughout the month often reaching a peak the week before menstruation begins. This is why you may notice those pesky pimples rearing up a few days before your cycle starts.

These hormones can also affect testosterone levels, which can increase sebum in the skin contributing to breakouts.

In fact, testosterone levels may even increase during ovulation.

I also want to mention that cortisol, the stress hormone, plays a major role too and if youre under chronic stress it can completely throw off your hormones, causing those pesky pimples.

Your adrenal glands secrete cortisol, increasing internal inflammation and since acne is an inflammatory condition, it makes sense that internal inflammation will manifest externally as inflamed pimples.

Of course, hormonal changes dont just occur during menstruation, they fluctuate during other important times in a womans life, such as during pregnancy and during menopause.

Low Dose Birth Control Pills

These tablets and devices are low in Estrogen and, therefore, tend to increase the bodies Androgen levels as the Estrogen drop. Think of a teeter-totteras one goes down the other goes up.

As a general rule of thumb, those with the potential for higher androgenic symptoms should be avoided for people prone to acne because they promote breakouts. As an acne sufferer, it is critical to speak with your doctor about selecting a form of birth control that is higher in estrogen and lower in androgen potency.

SOLUTION: Take out the IUD or come off the low-dose birth control pill and switch to a safe tablet if you are on birth control for a said reason. Here at Natural Acne Clinic, we are not proponents of using birth control pills or devices to balance hormone levels or to clear acne. With that said, it is ok to be on certain types of birth control to prevent pregnancy and keep your skin clear.

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Why You Are Experiencing Adult Acne

Maybe you feel like your skin is going through its second puberty. Maybe this is your first go-round with acne. Either way, breakouts are no less distressing as an adult.

Hormonal acne symptoms tend to show up on hormone sensitive areas of the face the cheeks, jawline, chin, and neck and tend to be deeper rather than surface blemishes. Acne is one of the most common skin complaints in adults and grown up breakouts can be especially stubborn to deal with, since traditional acne products are often ineffective. Thats because what you are seeing on the outside is a result of whats going on inside. Bacteria is only playing a small part in hormonal acne, so you’ll need a new strategy to deal with it.

Our hormones fluctuate throughout our monthly cycle. Estrogen is at the helm of good looking, well behaved skin, and its responsible for keeping the complexion looking young, firm, and healthy. Since its the happy skin hormone, the complexion usually looks clear when estrogen is balanced.

Estrogen peaks during the second week of the cycle, during ovulation, then dips just before your period begins. During this dip and the progesterone surge that accompanies it is when most women see an uptick in breakouts that often last throughout their period. Women in perimenopause or those who are past menopause can also experience hormonal acne symptoms, since estrogen tends to diminish as we age.

Three: Eat Your Way To Clear Skin

Food is one of the most powerful levers you can pull when it comes to easing hormonal acne. Thats because the right foods address not just one but several root causes of acne. Specifically, you can use food to reduce system-wide inflammation, which fuels acne address hormone imbalances, like estrogen dominance, which exacerbate skin issues support your bodys natural ability to detoxify, balance your blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, which calms your oil glands and and patch up micronutrient deficienciesthat can contribute to breakouts.

Wanna do a deep dive on eating for acne, including which foods to prioritize? Heres where to turn:

• To learn which foods to eat to support detoxification, go here.
• To build an anti-inflammatory, micronutrient-rich eating plan, go here.
• To find out the worst foods for acne, go here.

Whats on your plate is one of your best defenses against breakouts. Make food a top priority in healing the root causes of acne.

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Identify And Reduce Sources Of Estrogen

In our chemical-laden, processed-food culture, we face an epidemic of hormonal imbalance. In particular, estrogen dominance arises when we inundate the body with excess estrogen, and the body cant detox all the estrogen. Estrogen dominance is a primary root cause of acne.

Xenoestrogens are chemicals that look like estrogen. They attached to estrogen receptors, overburdening the body with estrogenic effects.

Common sources of xenoestrogens include:

• Plastics that leach chemicals into food
• Conventional body care products
• Conventional cosmetics

Phytoestrogens, found in plant sources, also attach to estrogen receptors. Again, they do not act exactly like our own estrogen. Research is highly variable on the health detriments and benefits of phytoestrogen intake. I do not recommend consuming foods high in phytoestrogens, particularly when struggling with acne. Men, boys, and young girls should use more care to avoid phytoestrogens.

Common sources of phytoestrogens include:

• Sesame seeds

Other Supplements That May Help

Aside from vitamin D and green tea extract, the following supplements may help reduce acne symptoms:

• Fish oil. Some evidence suggests that supplementing with omega-3-rich fish oil may reduce acne severity in some people. However, the results are mixed, with some people experiencing worsened symptoms (
• ).

Summary

Vitamin D, green tea extract, B vitamins, and zinc are just some of the supplements that may benefit people with acne.

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Hormonal Acne: What You Should Know

Brandi Jones MSN-Ed, RN-BC is a board-certified registered nurse who owns Brandi Jones LLC, where she writes health and wellness blogs, articles, and education. She lives with her husband and springer spaniel and enjoys camping and tapping into her creativity in her downtime.

• Frequently Asked Questions

Acne is a skin condition that affects approximately 650 million people worldwide. Hormonal acne develops due to changing hormones. It occurs in males and females during puberty and is more common in males during adolescence. In adulthood, it is more common in women.

This article reviews hormonal acne causes, symptoms, and over-the-counter , natural, and prescription treatments.

Hormonal Acne: Natural Remedies

Here are my top lifestyle tips and non-toxic product picks to help:

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Signs That Acne Is Caused By Imbalanced Hormones

So timing that is, when you breakout is a major sign that acne is hormonal. Breakouts during the luteal phase are a sure sign that your hormones are out of balance and could use some TLC.

Another sign of hormonal acne is where you breakout. Breakouts along the chin and jaw line are a sign of hormonal acne. Pimples on the temple are another common sign of a hormonal imbalance that stems from liver congestion due to excess estrogen. If youve got pimples on your forehead, its usually a sign of a gut imbalance.

Here are more telltale signs of specific hormone imbalances and root causes of acne:

None of the root causes of acne can be spot treated. Hormone-driven and inflammation-driven acne are caused by imbalances inside your body that need to be addressed at the core. I offer phase-specific skin care advice below, but any long-term fix for easing acne must go beyond skin care strategies. A holistic, sustained and sustainable fix for adult acne must include food, supplement, and lifestyle strategies.

How To Treat Hormonal Acne Naturally

In some cases, plant-based treatment options may be used to clear up mild hormonal acne.

Natural treatments are usually free of the side effects sometimes caused by prescription options. But they may not be as effective. Research on natural options is lacking, and at this time nothing has been proven to produce results. Talk with your doctor about potential risks and to ensure the treatment wont interact with any medications youre taking.

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Take Your Vitamins And Herbs

While hormonal acne is stubborn, there are some easy strategies you can take to balance hormones for acne relief naturally and it starts with vitamins and herbs.

Vitex for Acne

In women, hormonal acne typically manifests along the jawline and chin. If this sounds familiar, taking Vitex for acne may be a successful treatment.

Vitex agnus castus, also known as Chasteberry, is a womans herb thats been traditionally used for hormonal imbalances. Its been used for menstrual symptoms of low progesterone in the luteal phase . These symptoms include depression, crying, mood swings, acne, nervousness and anxiety.

Vitex has also been used as a natural remedy for treating such symptoms of high estrogen levels as pain, tender breasts, bloating and heavy periods.

Current research shows that Vitex can support healthy hormone levels and relieve pre-menstrual symptoms. It can also be an effective natural hormonal acne treatment.

How does Vitex for Acne Work?

The Vitex herbs act upon the pituitary and hypothalamus glands by increasing luteinizing hormone production and mildly inhibiting the release of follicle-stimulating hormone . This results in a shift in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone, with a rise in progesterone. The ability of the Vitex to increase progesterone levels is an indirect effect.

Vitex itself is not a hormone, but rather an herb that helps the body balance natural estrogen and progesterone. By balancing the estrogen, the androgens then come into balance as well.