Hormonal Acne: How to get along with it every month?

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I believe most of us are familiar with hormonal acne, so-called period breakouts, an apparent sign telling the time of a month has come. I thought the hormonal acne is just same as typical acne I had when I was a teenager. However, in fact, they are somewhat different. What is hormonal acne and how to deal with it every month?

Hormonal acne is literally an acne related to fluctuations in your hormones. Although an acne typically breaks out due to hormone fluctuations during puberty, hormonal acne can also affect grown-ups. If you aren’t in your teen years and have acne, it’s mostly hormonal acne. It is especially common in women because menstruation, menopause and increased androgen levels can be huge factors which trigger this.

Unlike puberty acne, hormonal acne usually forms on the bottom of your cheeks and around your jawline, not forehead, nose or chin. It may form as blackheads, whiteheads, small pimples or cysts as well. They tend to pop up on same spot each month. Fortunately, doctors say you can work with hormonal acne by making better choices of what products you use everyday and how effective they are. In addition, you can work with your skin by knowing your “28-day skin cycle” from greasy and acne prone to dry and normal.

Here’s what you need to know & what you can do recommended by Dr. Terry Loong:

1. On the first day of your period, you’re probably already in acne-prone zone. Work hard to remove dirt and sebum when you take your makeup off and cleanse. Avoid greasy food if possible.

★Increase exfoliation to 2-3 times per week or more and stimulate cell turnover by using products that remove dead skin cells and brighten skin.

2. By 5th day your period, your skin may become dull and dry. Keep hydrated with moisture-retaining skincare products to protect and repair the skin’s barrier. Drink lots of water and eat healthy fats, such as oily fish, seeds and avocado.

★Look for anti-inflammatory properties like green tea and aloe vera. Green tea is  renowned for decreasing inflammation in body. Drink few cups of green tea everyday as your skincare routine. Lotions or gels containing at least 2% of green tea can be effective.

★Tea tree oil works for decreasing inflammation as well. Dilute one to two drops of tea tree essential oil with about 12 drops of carrier oils such as coconut, jojoba and olive.

 
3. For the middle part of your cycle, your skin should be at its clearest. Ingredients can be absorbed better during this time since the skin starts to glow again. The blood circulation should be increased as well. Get sufficient sleep, exercise and meditate to keep your skin healthy and happy.

★It’s a good time to use an anti-ageing mask and maximize your skin's rejuvenation powers with an antioxidant serum.

 

Some say the best remedy is to protect beforehand. If we cannot stop the typical signs comingover and over again every month, we may at least control and take care of them. If you arewilling to put some efforts and learn about beneficial skincare ingredients, the entire process ofperiod and its effects won’t be too bad.
 

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/hormonal-acne#natural-treatments

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/beauty-hair/a32868/hormonal-skin-cycle/

https://www.self.com/story/hormonal-acne