Hormonal acne is that adult female acne on the jawline, lower cheek, or neck that refuse to go away, no matter what you do!
Thankfully, we now have some very effective hormonal acne treatments that are tried and tested as well.
Hormonal acne is more difficult to treat as the cause lies not just on the skin but within.
However, the topical products still matter and they are also very important along with the inner cleansing methods.
I have suffered from this stubborn acne forever, and that’s why I am in a position to write this article and tell you, what works and what does not.
Believe me, I have tried a lot of remedies, and here are the ones that really work!
Table of Contents
Signs that You Have Hormonal Acne
- Acne on the Chin and jawline area – Most acne on the chin and jawline can be hormonal but there are exceptions as well. So acne on your chin, lower cheek, and jawline area are mostly hormonal but it has the word ‘mostly’ in it. Know why acne occurs?
- It flares up near your Periods – As we females go through the roller coaster of hormones throughout the month, hormonal acne also goes through the remission and relapse phases. It flares up when you are near your period, just to aggravate your PMS symptoms (God save the innocent people around us 😉
- You are either a Teenager or in your 30s – Most hormonal acne sufferers are either teenagers or thirty-something! The early 20s are the most forgiving in terms of hormonal acne but some are not that lucky.
- You have noticed more facial hair in the recent past – If you are noticing an increase in facial hair near your chin and jawline then it is due to increased testosterone in your body. As if we had fewer problems to deal with already (rolling eyes).
- Your periods may or may not be irregular – Irregular periods are a sign of PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome and other hormonal problems. Getting yourself checked for this is important to treat the underlying cause.
How to Diagnose the Hormonal Imbalance
To become absolutely sure, a PCOS profile test is your best bet. It checks for all the hormones in your body at that particular phase of your cycle, like luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, prolactin, blood sugar levels, and insulin levels as well.
These tests determine whether you suffer from hormonal disturbance or not. If you are diagnosed with it, then taking some hormone-balancing treatments such as Shatavari is the best choice to get rid of all its symptoms once and for all.
Recommended Read – 7 Habits to Fix Your Hormones & Stay Young Forever
Treatment Options for Hormonal Acne
Inner Cleansing
Eating right and having a good lifestyle are the key features of getting happy, acne-free skin.
Drinking about 8 to 10 glasses of water will help in flushing out the toxins through urine and sweat.
You should eat one fruit daily (for antioxidants) and have some nuts like walnuts and almonds for estrogen boost and omega-3.
Ditching fatty, oily, and spicy food is your best bet, or take any kind of cleanser tea like hormone imbalance tea (mentioned below) or green tea should be taken to reverse the damage. more tips for summer acne prevention
Various ways to use green tea for acne treatment
Breathing Exercises
Before you think that I have lost my mind, hear me out. The Kapalbhaati Pranayama or breathing exercises are the best way to align your hormones in line (source).
As stress is one of the main reasons for acne, the cortisol or stress hormone is the one to blame. When we are stressed, cortisol is released in the body and it leads to more oil production on the skin that eventually clogs the pores.
Pranayama decreases the level of cortisol hormone in the body thereby decreasing the incidence of those nasty bumps.
Clear Your Bowel Every Morning
That means you must not be having constipation. Being constipated is building toxins in your body that can create more popping pimples.
If your bowel moment is not regular then you must increase the fiber &water content in your diet.
Use the Right Skincare products for your skin
As there are a lot of skincare products in the market which claim to be treating acne, choosing the right product is very important.
Make sure that you know your skin type and that the product you are choosing is non-comedogenic, which means it must not block pores.
Cetaphil, Cera-ve, Plum, Dot&key, and Neutrogena are such non-comedogenic brands. Or
Give up all skin care products and clear your acne naturally
Use this DIY Acne Facewash & Scrub to clean your face daily.
Use Products for Sensitive Skin
If your skin is sensitive then the whole skin game is changed for you.
Read the symptoms of sensitive skin and if you have one then you must choose the products made for acne-prone sensitive skin.
Cetaphil is your best bet that is affordable and works well in restoring your skin barrier too but on the downside, it contains parabens so I don’t recommend making it your go-to skincare brand. Here is my full review on cetaphil for acne
Just finish one bottle and switch to some other, clean beauty brand like dot&key, organic harvest, forest essential, kama Ayurveda, plum, and many more.
Hormone Balancing tea
This tea is straight from the ancient science of Ayurveda which balances all your hormones when taken regularly.
You just need to boil one and a half cups of water and add a pinch of cinnamon or 1-inch cinnamon stick to it, one teaspoon cumin seeds or jeera, 1 teaspoon coriander powder or dhania and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds.
Give it a few boils so that the water changes color. Strain it and add 1 teaspoon of honey to this and drink it daily. It tastes good too. See the detailed recipe of herbal tea for hormone balance.
Note – If you are allergic to any of these spices then don’t use that particular spice or consult your healthcare professional.
Take Your Multivitamins
Also, don’t forget to take your daily dose of multivitamins (especially vitamin B12 and weekly vitamin D).
Vitamin D and skin-friendly niacinamide must be taken to get glowy skin from within.
Seek Dermatologist Care
If none of that works for you, then a dermatologist is your only option. Don’t hesitate to book an appointment as it will be of great help to your body, skin as well as your mental well-being.
Best Skincare Products for Hormonal Acne Treatment
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- Cetaphil – I have used it and found it the most promising product to date for adult-acne treatment. My acne has almost gone for good, my skin is looking and feeling better now. Except for one or two surprise acne, I don’t get much of them (I don’t know if it’s just Cetaphil or my improved lifestyle though). I highly recommend using Cetaphil Cleanser & moisturizer if you are looking for a brand that really works for sensitive, acne-prone skin the best way. I recommend using only one bottle.
- Benzoyl peroxide – You should consult a dermatologist before trying this. Benzoyl peroxide is another holy grail for inflammatory acne. The benzyl peroxide bar is here .
- Glycolic acid – This removes the dead skin cells from your face and prevents the formation of new acne. Glycolic acid is an active ingredient and it must be used once a week, in the beginning, to see how your skin reacts to it. See my full Pixi glow tonic review for acne and acne scars.
- Cera-ve – I haven’t tried it yet but the internet is raving about it and its amazing results on adult acne. You can explore Cera ve here.
Skincare Mistakes to Avoid when you have a Hormonal Imbalance
- Use only non-comedogenic products that say that it doesn’t clog pores (your foundation as well).
- Check if your skin is sensitive to certain ingredients like salicylic acid (present in most anti-acne products) or other chemicals.
- Most acne-prone people have pitta-dosha so avoid harsh and active chemical ingredients without your doctor’s prescription. Eat Gond Katira to reduce body heat and acne
- Change your pillow covers at least once a week
- Don’t ever sleep with your makeup on
- More skincare mistakes that are ageing you
Lifestyle mistakes to avoid in case of hormonal Pimples
- Avoid Spicy, fatty and salt-laden food (I know it’s hard but try it, your skin will thank you for it)
- Not more than one cup of coffee (I am not sermonising anyone here, just saying what the acne facts say!)
- Don’t forget to Take hormonal-balancing tea at least thrice a week.
- Stress makes it worse, so avoid it, distract yourself, listen to music, try mindful meditation or walk it out!
- Clean your phone screen every other day, even the cover with simple cotton and a few sprays of your toner. It’s a huge culprit of cheek acne!
These hormonal acne treatment measures have been tried and tested by me, but everyone’s skin is different and reacts differently so please do a patch test before trying any of these remedies. Also, please share this article to spread this helpful advice to our acne clan.
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