01/29/2024
✨Hormonal Acne✨
An excess production or an increased sensitivity to certain hormones (androgens) may lead to the excess productions of sebum which clogs pores and, consequently, develop into acne and inflammation. Hormone shifts throughout your menstrual cycle can even impact the size of your pores! Specifically, the hormonal fluctuations in your luteal phase can narrow the size of your pores, making them more prone to develop acne. However, hormones are almost never the only culprit for hormonal acne.
In fact, inflammation, blood sugar dysregulation, gut health, your skin microbiome, exposure to endocrine disruptors, as well as diet, sleep and stress can all impact the development of acne.
- Eating a diet rich in high-glycemic foods will increase you blood sugar and insulin, which in turn can increase the production of androgens (these hormones increase sebum products) and inflammation. In particular, there is a correlation between IGF-1 and severe acne, as well as inflammation. Dairy products can also increase IGF-1. So limiting dairy consumption can help support healthy skin.
- Both stress and sleep can increase cortisol levels and hinder blood sugar balance, yielding an increase in androgens, inflammation and, therefore, acne.
- Exposure to endocrine disruptors can disrupt our natural balance of hormones, as well as their metabolism, leading to an increase in acne.
- An excess of estrogen can lead to an increased conversion of estrogens to androgens, increasing your susceptibility to hormonal acne.
- Subpar gut health can also play a role in the development of acne via inflammation, the gut microbiome and permeability.
