Submit your skincare questions to Dr. Agnes, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine expert
When we try to understand the etiology (causes) of acne, hormonal imbalance is cited as one of the most common culprits for this skin problem.
Both women and men produce all three sex hormones: estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. Of course, depending on whether you are a woman or man, your glands produce more estrogen or testosterone, respectively. When a woman's body produces too much testosterone (androgens), this overproduction may result in concerns like acne, too much facial or body hair, and sometimes even changes in menstruation cycle or infertility.
Androgenal acne, or androgen-induced acne, which is triggered by an overproduction of androgens and their stimulating power to produce too much sebum (skin oil) that in turn may result in inflammation in the blocked hair follicles, is often addressed by doctors with spirinolactone (Aldactone), used as part of a treatment regimen.
Spirinolactone has an effect on the adrenal gland that reduces the levels of androgens circulating in the blood. This primarily works when the source of the androgen is the adrenal gland. Oral contraceptives (OCs) are another way to deal with fluctuating hormone levels. Both of these approaches are attempting to reduce the impact of fluctuating hormone levels on the sebaceous glands, which are responsible for secreting sebum, the primary culprit for acne. But using spirinolactone may cause some unwanted side effects (bloody or black stool, clear or bloody discharge from the nipple, dark urine and chills are just a few of them) and using OCs for acne has also recently raised serious concerns due to potential side effects.
AcnEase® is different in that it moderates the impact of fluctuating hormone levels on the sebaceous glands but it does not directly impact the hormone levels per se. It is also an all botanical ingredients-based Botanical Therapeutic® with a very strong safety profile and up to 96% efficacy in helping treat androgenal acne. This is why there is no conflict in taking oral contraceptives or spirinolactone while taking AcnEase®.
So, AcnEase® can either successfully replace OCs and spirinolactone when used for androgen-induced acne, or it may be added to the treatment.
To put it simply, women that use OCs and spirinolactone have two choices: they can use AcnEase® with those products or they can stop using OCs and spirinolactone and use only AcnEase®. However, to avoid an escalation of symptoms that may occur if you abruptly stop using OCs and spironolactone, one may want to consider a better strategy: to add AcnEase® to the current treatments, and then reduce the spirinolactone over a week or so followed by eliminating the OCs.
Acne manifests itself predominately on the face and torso but can also occur on the scalp and ears, and anywhere on the body where there are hair follicles. To properly classify your acne and choose the right treatment, visit our Help Center and use our Smart® System to select the best treatment for you.