Acne breakouts can be frustrating, especially when you don’t know the cause. In this post, Dr. Zenovia breaks down the four main causes of acne and how to identify, prevent, and treat hormonal acne breakouts.

Causes of Acne

There are four main pathophysiologic causes for acne. Acne is inflammatory, comedonal, bacterial, and hormonal. Depending on your acne cohort, your blemishes may come mainly as a result of one of these four factors. For example, if you are a thirty-year-old female, your acne may be more hormonal. If you’re a sixteen-year-old male who doesn’t always cleanse their face at night, your acne may be more bacterial.

Hormonal Acne Formation

Hormones, therefore, play a role in the formation of all types of acne, but the amount of hormonal involvement differs based on your age cohort. We never see three-year old's or eighty-year old’s experiencing acne breakouts because hormonal influence isn’t prevalent at those life stages. Acne spikes between 11-16 years of age and again from the age of 25-40. These are our two epidermal acne curves.

Hormones play an active role in the formation of acne as well as the skin aging process. For women and men, fluctuations in hormone levels such as testosterone increase sebum production. When this secretion is coupled with a clogged follicle it leads to bacterial overgrowth, causing inflammation and acne breakouts.

Identifying Hormonal Acne

Hormonal acne is characterized by raised, red, and tender bumps or large red/white bumps filled with pus. Cysts are deep pimples without an opening on the surface. These pimples tend to be deeper than superficial whiteheads or blackheads. Hormonal acne often involves the lower half of the face including the cheeks, jawline, chin, and neck. Hormonal body acne is also common because we have a higher density of sebaceous glands per hair follicle on our chest, shoulders, and back. 

Read More: Hormonal Acne in Men is Different 

Hormonal Acne Treatment

Sticking to an acne-fighting skincare routine will help remove excess sebum and clear clogged pores. Dr. Zenovia's Clear Complexion Collection is a complete acne complexion-correcting line consisting of five breakthrough products specifically curated to treat blemishes, balance oil production, and help reduce the appearance of acne scarring while keeping the skin calm. Dr. Zenovia's products are the only dermatologist-developed topical, over-the-counter skincare products on the market scientifically formulated to address hormonal acne at the skin level.

Consult a board-certified dermatologist for treatment if you are experiencing moderate to severe acne. A dermatologist can determine if prescription treatments will help.