What Causes Hormonal Acne

So what actually causes hormonal acne? Most of us have a very basic understanding and think “well hormones cause it right?”
Sort of.. but it’s not that simple.
As a holistic health practitioner, what I want to know is WHY are your hormones doing what they are doing. And this is where it get’s a little more complicated.

With the current research available, it is important to note that hormonal acne has been determined as induced by the western diet. Acne was non existent in hunter gatherer days when humans ate a primarily Palaeolithic diet that consisted of mostly lean meat, fish, fresh produce, nuts and seeds, and healthy oils like olive oil and avocado oil.

Here are 5 of the most common causes I see for hormonal acne..

1. High Sugar Diets/High GI Foods

Foods that have a high glycemic index simply means how quickly a food will spike your blood sugar. Examples of high GI foods include white bread, high processed breakfast cereals, soft drinks, lollies, fruit juice, white potatoes, chocolate, energy drinks, pastries, just to name a few.

There is overwhelming research that shows an association between high GI foods and hormonal acne as these diets increase insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, which stimulates androgen (male hormone) production, which then stimulates excess oil production on the skin, which ultimately results in hormonal acne.

When you stop eating sugar and dairy, your skin should clear within 3-4 months.

2. Dairy
Similar to high GI foods, dairy can be highly inflammatory, and its all because of the A1 casein protein from cows milk. The inflammatory response from this A1 casein is the perfect storm to create hormonal acne. We are probably all familiar with the idea that dairy can cause hormonal acne, but what a lot of people don’t realise is that it is not the complete form of dairy that is the issue. The issue is as mentioned, the A1 casein. Switching to A2 milk may be of benefit here.

Additionally, sheep’s milk, camel’s milk, and goat’s milk all do not contain A1 casein, so this swap could also be of benefit. Or you can switch to a good quality nut milk. If you are in Australia, I like the brand “pure harvest” available at Coles and Woolies, its affordable, and has clean ingredients.

3. Poor Gut Health

There are links between gut health and acne where scientists are saying those with acne also have intestinal permeability. What does this mean? Simply put, it means things other than nutrients and water are making it through the lining of your small intestine and into your bloodstream, this is also known as “leaky gut”.

How does this relate to hormonal acne? When unwanted substances make their way into the blood stream, this can start to cause systemic inflammation, and excess hormones to start circulating through the bloodstream.

Another way poor gut health effects our skin is that our body removes what it does not need through regular and healthy bowel movements. If there is gut dysbiosis, excess estrogen may start to recirculate in the bloodstream if it is not removed from the body during this process. When excess hormones are circulating throughout the body, we start to produce more oil on the skin, resulting in hormonal acne.

4. Poor Liver Function

Similar to gut health, liver health is also essential when it comes to healthy skin. Above we discussed excess hormones being expelled from the body through regular bowel movements, but before that, they need to be processed through the liver. The livers role is to process any toxins and bacteria that could potentially wreak havoc. These toxins may find their way into your system through diet, environment, and even things like our skincare, makeup, deodorant, personal care products. When you hear people talking about going “low tox” this is usually one of the reasons why.

When we overload the liver, it is working overtime and prioritising too many things at once, that it may become overwhelmed, resulting in poor liver function.

(It’s important to note that toxins are everywhere and they’re inevitable. That’s why it’s so essential to take good care of your liver, and limit exposure as best as you can, with whatever is within your control).

5. Excess Androgens

Excess androgens (testosterone, DHT & DHEA) can lead to hormonal acne, and is most commonly seen in patients with PCOS. Androgens are male hormones that women do need, but in smaller amounts. Many women with PCOS experience insulin resistance, which means the body does not respond effectively to insulin. Insulin is created in the pancreas and its purpose is to keep blood sugar stable. When the body is producing too much insulin, it signals the ovaries to pump out more androgens.

As a result, there ends up being an excessive amount of androgens floating around in the body, which causes the skin to start producing more oil, this then clogs the pores, and results in hormonal acne.

If you are experiencing hormonal acne and are wanting to figure out what your root cause is, you can book your consultation with me here. This is where we deep dive for 60 whole minutes on your symptoms, your diet, your lifestyle, and anything else I believe is relevant.