How Do Dermatologists Treat Hormonal Acne?

How Do Dermatologists Treat Hormonal Acne? Hormonal acne is painful, pesky, and unpleasant. They can take over your life and turn things for to worse. Women around the ages of 20 to 40 may be affected by it. It does not spare those who are posting 40 as well.

According to different dermatologists, there can be a resurrection of pimples around menopause as there are hormonal variations in the body during this time. How can you know if you are dealing with hormonal acne or just regular pimples?

Dermatologists use a few key characteristics to pinpoint if a pimple is caused by hormones. Keep on reading to know more on this topic.

What is hormonal acne?

Hormonal acne is formed as a result of fluctuation in hormones. It is often associated with your menstrual cycle. It occurs on the lower half of the face. So, the jaw and chin are the places where it occurs.

It can be explained as a form of pimples that happen to produce more cystic blemishes. It occurs deeper in the skin than an average blackhead or whitehead.

Hormonal acne is not the same for everyone. Dermatologists will help you to determine if you have mild, moderate, or severe cases of this issue. But before you take the treatment from a dermatologist, you need to be sure that you are suffering from pimples caused by hormones.

Signs that will help you determine if you have hormonal acne

There are several signs which can help you to determine if your pimples are indeed caused by hormones. According to different dermatologists, you probably suffering from hormonal acne if:

• No longer a teenager

In teen years, pimples are very common. But if you are in your 20s and still suffering from breakouts, then chances are they are pimples caused by hormones. It is the type of pimples that appears in your 20-something age. According to dermatologists, this is because during these years women tend to be hormonally active.

• Pimples around jawline and chin

You can guess if you have this kind of pimple by checking out the location of the breakout. When you are suffering from this type of problem, you generally will notice inflamed cysts around your lower face, especially the jawline and your chin area. According to dermatologists, it is mainly because of too much oil production that clogs up the pores.

• Once a month

Hormonal breakout tends to show up in the same place each month. It manifests in a cyclical pattern. It is caused around your menstrual cycles. It will be the same for postmenopausal women as well. This is because they still deal with monthly fluctuation in their progesterone and estrogen levels.

How do dermatologists treat hormonal acne?

Your treatment will be based on your type of hormonal acne and the severity of it. You need to visit a qualified dermatologist as they will be able to provide the needed help. Normally, dermatologists treat hormonal acne with 3 different ingredients. They are:

• Tropical Retinols

Many dermatologists consider topical retinol to treat mild to moderate acne. It happens to slough off dead skin cells at a more optimal rate. As a result, the dead skin cells do not bind together which does not clog up your pores.

They come with limited severe side effects. It also ensures that no new pimples are formed. You can get retinol-containing products over the counter. But a dermatologist will be able to provide a higher concentration.

• Antiandrogen drugs

These are available as oral therapies. It can reduce the number of excess androgens (mainly male hormones) that can cause hormonal acne. They are known for blocking androgen receptors.

This will decrease the effects and action of testosterone in the body. At a lower dose, it can eliminate cystic pimples. It also decreases overall oil production in the skin.

• Isotretinoin

If you have severe hormonal acne, then you might be prescribed Isotretinoin. It happens to be a form of oral Vitamin A. It helps to reduce the amount of oil released by the oil glands in your skin. Thereby, the skin renews itself more quickly.

Isotretinoin is advised when other acne medicines and/or antibiotics do not work. It is not always the first choice of dermatologists as it comes with certain potential side effects.

Conclusion

Now you know what are the ways a dermatologist treats hormonal acne. Besides these, there are many other treatment plans and methods used by dermatologists. Do your best to find a qualified dermatologist that knows his way around, and you will be able to permanently say goodbye to your problem.