Hormones & acne
The hormone, Androgen, is at large a key player in driving hormonal acne. Let’s break down it’s role and how it contributes to Acne.
Androgens play a role in the hormonal development and are also believed to regulate the function of the reproductive system, bone, kidneys and liver and are important for oestrogen synthesis. Additionally, androgens are known to be involved in the pathophysiology of Acne.
Androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands, which prompts the skin to create more sebum, the natural oil that our body produces. Excess androgens can then block pores and increase the risk of bacteria resulting in acne. Excess androgen can also present as excess hair growth (hirsutism), ovulatory dysfunction and insulin resistance.
So how exactly does an overproduction of androgens occur?
Well there could be an underlying condition that is driving the androgen excess such as PCOS. Another factor could be if you have recently come off the pill, evidence has shown that there can be a surge in androgen production due to the pill shutting of our natural hormone production which when we come off it can cause an imbalance in hormones, thus increase in androgens. Additionally, interruptions to enzymes involved in androgen production/metabolism can also be at fault.
So how does one reduce their over production of androgens?
First it is important to investigate what exactly is driving your Acne & androgen production. This can be done via thorough case taking, pathology testing and further investigative tools.
Identify any triggers & other contributing factors - this may be lifestyle, diet, environmental or even what products we put on our skin. Additionally, looking at the body as a whole and examining if there is anything else going on in the body that may be contributing to this presentation.
Formulating the right treatment plan - now this is something I advise to do with the guidance of a qualified practitioner. There are a lot of resources out there at the moment, so it can get quite overwhelming and confusing, so this is where it a great way to get assistance from a practitioner to not only improve your outcomes quicker but reduce time wasted on the wrong products/supplements.