The importance of skincare to battle hormonal skin woes
Hormonal Acne….It’s something not many of us mere mortals can escape and let’s face it, there’s nothing fun about an acne breakout. The worst part is it can affect us at any age and that red and inflamed skin is a real confidence killer, am I right? We have all wanted to avoid going to work, hide our faces and cancel on plans because of a terrible breakout. So the big question is, what can we do to help?
This is when a clean and natural skincare regime is super important. Establishing a skincare routine is needed to help clear hormonal acne and keep it at bay. When it comes to skincare for hormonal acne, the saying, less is more, couldn’t be truer. It’s also key to choose what ingredients you are putting on your face carefully.
Natural skincare products with clean ingredients can be the most healing for the skin, without all the toxins that imbalance hormones and make your skin even angrier.
Before we go any further, let’s chat on what exactly hormonal acne is?
Hormonal acne is pretty much as it sounds and is mostly associated with fluctuations in hormones. It can affect us at any age and is associated with teenagers, during pregnancy, during periods and when people go through menopause. Any time there is an influx of hormones, there’s the potential for an acne breakout.
During puberty, hormonal acne often affects the T-one (forehead, nose, and chin). Hormonal adult acne commonly appears around your chin, mouth, and jawline.
Now why is skincare so important?
Your skin is your largest organ and whatever you put on it gets absorbed, so we want to make sure it’s packed full of fabulous clean ingredients. We want to stay clear of chemicals that can be in some skincare products as they can interfere with our overall hormonal state, making the situation worse. Go for products that are natural and simple.
Finding a good skincare routine that suits you and your skin concerns and sticking to it in the long-term is what is going to treat hormonal acne best.
What are the best ingredients to treat hormonal acne?
- Salicylic Acid – A beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that cuts through excess sebum and skin cells to loosen blocked pores. This acne-fighting product can also reduce inflammation and can be found in cleansers and serums.
- Glycolic Acid – A alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) which assists to exfoliate dry, dead skin cells that can lead to spots. This ingredient can also help to hydrate the skin. Try Vitamin B Serum
- Benzoyl Peroxide – This ingredient works by killing bacteria on your skin and can also help to unclog pores by removing dead skin.
- Tea tree oil – An essential oil made from tea tree leaves.
- Vitamin C – An antioxidant with anti-inflammatory benefits. Try Vitamin C Serum
What else can we do?
Whilst skincare is important, there may also be certain changes you can make to your lifestyle to deal with any type of hormonal acne. Reducing the level of stimulants which can elevate levels of cortisol (stress chemical) and trying to avoid sugar, dairy, caffeine and red meat which can all lead to higher levels of inflammation.
Getting the right amount of sleep and drinking enough water might seem simple, but it’s something we are all guilty of letting slip. It’s also best to try and eat inflammatory-fighting, plant-based foods; leafy greens, berries and avocados which are all great options when you need to calm your skin and boost your antioxidant intake. Stress levels can affect our health in many ways and can impact the skin and lead to hormone related breakouts, so it’s important to manage. A few great ways to reduce stress levels in the fast-paced world we live in might be through regular exercise, mindfulness, or meditation.
And remember….
Hormonal acne won’t clear up overnight, be patient and remain dedicated to a great skincare regime as consistency is key. It can take 4-6 weeks before changes start to occur, and skin is rebalanced. A piece of advice that is always difficult to implement, but we’ve all heard before is leave your skin alone!!! Don’t pick, squeeze, scratch…you get the idea. This will only make things worse and can lead to scarring.