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Acne is one of the most challenging cases to treat. While it’s very common for women to suffer from breakouts around their period, acne during perimenopause is slightly different. While your hormones are naturally fluctuating even more than usual, you may find that you are experiencing other symptoms too. You need to have an understanding of what exactly is occurring within your body so that you can determine if these are the cause of your acne or if they’re simply just adding on to the issue at hand.
What is the cause of perimenopause acne?
- Fluctuating hormones
Hormones are responsible for a lot in the body, and when it comes to acne, they’re the cause of most problems. During perimenopause, estrogen levels tend to be lower than usual, which causes your skin to become more oily and developing breakouts. Progesterone can also decrease during this time which can cause even more oil production leading to an increase in acne symptoms. It’s not just these two hormones that fluctuate either; testosterone will rise while progesterone falls, so if acne is already an issue for you – it’ll almost certainly get worse during perimenopause!
- Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance occurs when cells no longer respond appropriately to insulin, a hormone that controls the amount of glucose in your blood. As this condition becomes worse, it can lead to type 2 diabetes and weight gain. When insulin levels rise within the body, it also encourages testosterone production, which can cause acne to arise. This increase in hormones will make your skin oily leading you to feel as though you may be more prone to developing breakouts on top of everything else!
- Low estrogen
As mentioned earlier, low estrogen is one of the major causes of increased acne during perimenopause. Estrogen regulates sebum production and keeps its fluidity under control – too much or too little, and you’ll find yourself with excessively oily skin and thus increasing the chances of developing a breakout. Women need to have a healthy estrogen level to prevent acne.
- Stress
Stress is becoming more and more common these days, but it’s often overlooked when it comes to acne breakouts. While high levels of stress cannot directly cause the development of acne, it can lead to an increase in sebum production which makes your pores more likely to get clogged. It cannot release toxins from within the body – these are what eventually create pimples on the surface of your skin. It goes hand in hand with low estrogen because stress also changes how our hormones work inside our bodies!
- Poor diet choices
When you’re eating food that doesn’t nourish your body or contains ingredients that can harm your body, you will notice that it’ll damage the skin. Junk food and refined sugars are among the worst for this as they encourage inflammation within the body, making any existing acne worse! To keep your skin healthy and prevent breakouts from occurring, you need to eat a balanced diet consisting of plenty of fruits and vegetables while cutting down on dairy products.
What are the characteristics of perimenopause acne?
- Cystic acne
If you are suffering from an increase in cystic acne during this time, it is apparent that your progesterone levels are lower than usual. As progesterone helps control sebum production, any further reduction will cause too much oil, resulting in inflammation within the skin. This type of breakout occurs around the jawline and chin areas because the hormones responsible for triggering them are stimulated by stress – they’re usually caused by hormonal changes rather than bacteria on the surface of your skin.
- Hormonal breakout bumps
Hormonal breakout bumps are often called ‘pimples.’ They tend not to have a white or blackhead but instead develop into full-blown pimples without any warning. They are usually found on the forehead, temples, and around the mouth. These breakouts are common in women undergoing perimenopause.
- Whiteheads
These are small and hard bumps that develop under the skin, which cannot be popped like blackheads because they don’t have a pore to squeeze out of. These breakouts remain in clusters and can look worse than blackheads, but they’re not as deep or harmful.
- Blackheads
Blackheads appear when the oil from your sebaceous glands mixes with bacteria on your skin, forming a dark lesion that looks like a black dot at its surface. They usually start around the forehead and nose area, although they can occur anywhere on the face, including lips, chin, and cheek areas!
- Skin discoloration & post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
The inflammation caused by acne can cause your skin around the pimple to become red and inflamed, known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. If you have light skin, it can be especially noticeable as a dark spot on your face. The more severe the breakout, or if it’s left untreated, the longer the PIH will last before slowly fading over time.
How is perimenopause acne diagnosed?
Perimenopause acne is diagnosed through a clinical examination of your skin for acne lesions. Medical history is taken into account, including the frequency and severity of breakouts that you experienced before or during perimenopause, as well as other symptoms such as weight gain – this can point to an underlying health issue.
How do skin doctors treat perimenopausal acne?
- Topical treatments – Benzoyl Peroxide/ Salicylic Acid/ Sulfur Acne Treatments
Benzoyl peroxide is an excellent treatment for killing acne-causing bacteria, but it can also dry out your skin too much, leading to increased redness and flakiness. If you’ve experienced this before, consider switching over to salicylic acid, which doesn’t strip away moisture from the skin as much! The best solution is to combine these two ingredients to balance, getting rid of breakouts while preventing excessive skin damage.
- Prescription Acne Treatments
If over-the-counter medications don’t work, the next step would be a topical prescription treatment, such as antibiotic pills and creams, which can help calm down acne by targeting the bacteria responsible for causing them. The trick with these is to take antibiotics exactly as your doctor prescribes you! It means taking them for the entire time even if you’re feeling better from the breakouts because this will prevent an increase in antibiotic resistance – it could be dangerous to stop taking them too soon, so follow your doctor’s orders! It would help if you also kept a close eye on whether or not this treatment has any adverse side effects on other parts of your body. Some medications have been known to cause congenital disabilities, so definitely do not use them if you fall pregnant while undergoing treatment.
3 Hormone Therapy
Perimenopausal acne can be treated with hormonal therapies that modulate the amount of estrogen and progesterone in your body. These drugs are typically taken as a pill or injection but can also be absorbed through patches. Be aware that not every treatment is suitable for every person – always talk to your doctor about what will work best for you since they have seen what has been performed on other patients before!
4 Isotretinoin Acne Treatment
Last but not least, perimenopausal acne can also be treated using isotretinoin, a potent oral medication designed to treat severe cases of acne. Unlike topical treatments, it works directly on the sebaceous glands responsible for producing oil to prevent new breakouts from forming. However, it has a lot of potential for serious side effects, so make sure you fully understand its products before starting treatment!
How long do perimenopausal breakouts last?
Perimenopause acne shouldn’t last longer than six months in most people. If your acne persists beyond this point or becomes more severe, it would be best to consider alternative treatments – these are usually related to underlying health conditions that can lead to increased acne severity, such as strokes and heart attacks. Speak with your doctor about this possibility if your breakouts are getting worse despite using topical medications consistently.
Five things you should know about perimenopause acne
- Stress is making your acne worse!
To help reduce stress levels, try exercising regularly and practice techniques such as yoga and meditation to relax your mind and body. You can also reduce the amount of stress you’re facing by taking up a new hobby!
- Your skin may get sensitive after using acne medication
If your skin becomes too dry and irritated, then consider switching over to products that don’t contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid (or at least lessen the amount you’re applying). Use moisturizers and calming serums to avoid further irritation before applying your topical acne treatments for maximum effectiveness!
- Acne treatment regimen may not interfere with the menstrual cycle
Many women see their symptoms worsen around certain parts of their process, such as right before menstruation starts – if this happens, plan out when you’ll be most stressed during your cycle and adjust treatment to better fit your needs at these times!
- Hormone fluctuations during menopause and perimenopause acne
If you’re suffering from significant hormone imbalances, then it would be best to speak with a dermatologist about possible treatments such as birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy if the former doesn’t work for you. This option may not be suitable for everyone either, so always consult a doctor before trying something new to prevent any dangerous interactions with other medications and health conditions that you may have!
- Take extra care of perimenopause acne while traveling
Perimenopause is one of the most challenging periods to manage since many outside factors can affect its severity, such as hormonal changes, stress levels, and travel. Make sure to take extra care of your skin while flying by applying sunscreen and moisturizers before starting your flight, as well as buying a mineral makeup kit during the trip so you can still present yourself as confident as ever despite any breakouts!
Some tips to follow if you have perimenopause acne
- Use anti-acne wash for your whole face two times a day, once in the morning before leaving home and then at night before going to bed. When using it, make sure that you don’t apply water on your face after applying the wash. Let it dry out on its own.
- Take a lukewarm shower every day. You can also take massage for your whole body, including head, hands, and feet, with hands without creating too much pressure. Do this for at least 5 minutes, and you will start noticing the change in your skin.
- Avoid eating junk food, especially overly spicy or fatty, and always drink lots of water throughout the day no matter how busy you are with your work and other activities. It will help in purifying blood and also in moisturizing skin from inside.
- Before going to bed, always rinse your face with lukewarm water and apply a thin almond oil layer to it. Massage gently for 5 minutes before going to sleep.
- Cut down on the amount of caffeine you have in your diet, as this can also contribute significantly to worsening acne symptoms. Reduce intake of tea and coffee as much as possible.
- Follow all the tips mentioned above religiously for at least two months, and you will notice a significant change in your skin. Further, if you want to achieve the best results, make sure that you take help from a registered homeopathy doctor who can guide you through everything related to perimenopause acne.
What is the best treatment for perimenopausal acne?Â
The “best” treatment for perimenopausal acne is a homeopathic acne treatment. It’s one of the safest and most effective treatments. Homeopathic treatment for perimenopause acne doesn’t not only treat your acne but also helps in balancing out both estrogen and progesterone.
Benefits of using the homeopathic treatment for perimenopause acne:
- Free of side effects:Â
Homeopathic acne treatment is free from any side effects, and there is no need to worry about any kinds of changes in your body. It works by curing the root cause, not simply suppressing symptoms like other treatments. It makes it very effective.
- Works on hormonal imbalance:
This treatment works by balancing out estrogen and progesterone levels in the body. It is beneficial for women suffering from perimenopause acne.
- Very affordable:Â
Homeopathic treatments are very cost-effective and readily available everywhere at a very reasonable price range. You can order it online if you wish to do so or buy it from your local store.
- Very effective:Â
Homeopathic treatment for perimenopause acne works by curing the root cause. It eliminates excess oil, bacteria, and toxin accumulation for acne for happy, beautiful skin!
- Can be used to treat other hormonal-related problems as well:Â
This treatment also helps fight many other hormonal issues such as heavy or irregular periods, PCOS, and many others.
- Safe to use:Â
It is an entirely natural treatment which means you can use it without any fear or doubt in your mind. This treatment has been used for hundreds of years worldwide as a safe and effective way to cure acne.
Homeopathic treatment for perimenopause acne has a lot of benefits. You can get more help if you get treatment from a registered homeopathy doctor. You can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy for a consultation.