Understanding Women's Acne: Its Origins Just Might Surprise You!

Persistent chronic acne is a problem that plagues countless women worldwide. We typically think of acne as an issue that only affects teenagers, but in reality, acne affects women (and men) of any age-in fact, some women don't experience their first acne breakouts until well into their 30s or 40s!

There are lots of products and treatments on the market today that claim to quickly treat acne breakouts among women, but how can you be sure what they're saying is true? The only way to know how to effectively fight against women's acne is to take a look at its origins-both what they are and what they aren't. While lots of women think they know what is causing their acne, the real answer might surprise them...and you!

Women's Acne - Where It's Not Coming From

For most modern women, makeup is a lifestyle essential, and there is lots of information available today that makes the claim that this reliance on cosmetic products is the cause of acne in women. Statements like this, while not entirely false, are also not entirely true.

Yes, makeup does have the potential to clog your pores, which can lead to a buildup of the bacteria that causes breakouts. And yes, the ingredients in makeup can lead to further inflammation of skin that is already affected by acne. However, this doesn't indicate that makeup use is a primary cause of acne-rather, makeup simply has the potential to further complicate your preexisting acne problems - IT IS NOT HOWEVER A CAUSE OF ACNE.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to mitigate makeup's effect on your acne. For one, you can reduce the overall impact of makeup on your skin by ALWAYS removing it at the end of the day so that you give your pores at least a little time to breathe easy. You can also decrease the make-up use by making sure you do not apply it when you workout, go for a walk or take your dog for a walk!

Finally, look for cosmetic products that are labeled as "non-comedogenic." This makeup has been specially designed not to clog your pores and is typically easy to find anywhere beauty products are sold.

Women's Acne Is Not an External Problem - It's an Internal One

So if acne isn't coming from the things we put onto our bodies, then where is it coming from exactly? Simply put, it's all in your hormones.

The main culprit behind women's acne is hormones known as androgens. The most common form of androgen is testosterone, and despite what you think, this substance isn't male-exclusive-women's bodies produce it as well, albeit in smaller doses. When the levels of androgen in your body begin to fluctuate, it can cause the sebaceous glands located beneath your skin to overproduce sebum, an oily substance that has the potential to clog your pores and begin the cycle of acne. Also if for some reason a woman's estrogen level drops below a normal level, it will affect the delicate balance between androgens and estrogens and this lack of balance may cause androgens to over stimulate sebaceous glands, and as a result, cause the over production of sebum that will clog pores. In this case we talk about hormonal or androgenal acne.

There are several reasons why your androgen levels may be in fluctuation. They include:

• The menstrual cycle-your androgen levels are typically at their highest around the mid-point of your menstrual cycle.
• Your mood level-your mood and stress level can cause the hormones within your body to fluctuate. Emotional highs and lows can lead to hormonal ones as well.
• Pregnancy or post-pregnancy -the radical changes that your body undergoes during pregnancy can very easily lead to variances in your hormone levels.
• Birth Control-Oral contraceptives contain synthetic versions of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. When you stop taking birth control your levels of these will obviously drop, making androgen a more prominent presence in your body.
• Menopause-similarly as to when to you stop using oral contraceptives, when your body begins to lessen its natural production of estrogen, androgen takes a more prominent role.
• Underperformance or over performance of sexual glands and thyroid.

How Can Women Treat Their Acne?

As you can probably tell, treating the symptoms of acne (blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cyst.) is not worth the effort if you're not working to control the primary cause of acne-that is an overproduction of sebum by your sebaceous glands. Without treating the causes of acne, even if your symptoms do get better for a while, there's nothing stopping them from returning when your hormone levels begin to fluctuate again.

So, what can be done to address the causes of acne and the different hormonal imbalances that play such an important role in the acne formation process?  All natural AcnEase is a product that has been specifically developed to prevent the impact of hormonal imbalances on sebaceous glands. To do this, it doesn't directly affect your hormone levels, but rather moderates the influence they have on your sebaceous glands and their production of sebum. By fighting acne at its source, you not only reduce the symptoms of acne (your current breakouts), but most important PREVENT new acne from forming (reducing the risk of further breakouts).

Persistent chronic acne is a reality for many women today, but by properly treating its origins you can make it a thing of the past! 

With a Promise of Clear Skin,
Dr. A