Why Breakouts Are Common During Hormonal Disorders
Breakouts, or acne, happen a lot when hormones get out of balance because these chemicals control how much oil your skin makes. Hormones like androgens, which include testosterone, tell the sebaceous glands in your skin to produce sebum, a natural oil that keeps skin moist. When androgen levels rise too high or estrogen drops too low, glands make way too much sebum. This extra oil mixes with dead skin cells and blocks pores.
Clogged pores trap bacteria, like Cutibacterium acnes, which causes swelling and redness. That leads to pimples, cysts, or nodules, often deep and painful ones. These breakouts usually show up on the jawline, chin, lower cheeks, neck, chest, or back, unlike teenage acne that hits the forehead or nose more.
Hormonal disorders make this worse by messing with the balance. For example, polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, raises androgen levels in women, keeping skin oily and breakout-prone all the time. During menstrual cycles, hormones shift each month, spiking androgens right before your period and causing flare-ups. Pregnancy brings big hormone surges that overactivate oil glands, while postpartum drops can do the same.
Menopause is another big trigger as estrogen falls sharply, letting androgens take over without a counterbalance. This makes skin drier overall but also prone to inflammation and stubborn acne because glands stay sensitive. Perimenopause, the years leading up to it, starts these changes early with ups and downs in estrogen and progesterone.
Stress plays a role too, even if it’s not a full disorder. It raises cortisol, which boosts oil production and inflammation indirectly. Conditions like thyroid problems or certain medications can shift hormones further, adding to the problem. Women face this more often than men because of cycles tied to reproduction, but anyone with hormone imbalances can get hit.
Sources
https://www.medicaldaily.com/hormonal-acne-adults-acne-causes-skin-hormones-explained-474128
https://www.draliabadi.com/blog/hormonal-acne/
https://www.drbatras.com/hormonal-acne-what-causes-it-and-how-to-treat-it
https://www.newriverdermatology.com/blog/how-to-manage-hormonal-acne-during-menopause
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMpW2srUQPQ
https://www.westchestercosmeticdermatology.com/blog/adult-acne-why-it-happens-and-how-to-treat-it/
https://www.draliabadi.com/menopause/perimenopause-and-acne/
