Adult Acne and Hormones

Off-balance hormones don't just affect adolescents. This article looks at how hormones can still cause acne problems in adulthood:

Many older people remember the teenage years when blemishes were considerable sources of anxiety. For many, one of the benefits of getting older is that you no longer have to worry about waking up with a new pimple or even a crop of them. Acne is usually associated with adolescence, with puberty causing wild hormonal fluctuations. However, many adults are faced with the adolescent curse too. In order for adults to treat breakouts, it is necessary to explore the causes of adult acne.

There are a few things to consider when breakouts are no longer part of growing up. The causes of adult acne don’t as a rule have anything to do with how a person cleanses his or her face. Unfortunately, a good cleansing regime doesn’t guarantee a blemish-free face. Adult acne breakouts usually have an internal source, and surprisingly, that can often be hormones.

As we age, we expect our hormones to be steady and under control, but hormonal imbalances are one of the major causes of adult acne. Often, and I can personally vouch for this, blemishes can occur for women during pregnancy or during a monthly cycle. Although the pimples typically clear up on their own, it may be a good idea to consult with your doctor, who can check for hormonal imbalances that may be causing the adult acne.

There are other ways you can tell if your hormones are off-balance. For example, hormones may be a factor if acne appears alongside a severe case of premenstrual syndrome. You may be able to treat both the PMS problems and the blemish problems at once. This could lead to considerably improved feelings each month for a woman.

It’s possible to spot signs of hormonal imbalance in men too when searching for clues to the cause of adult acne. Hair loss is a sure sign that major changes are occurring in a man’s system. Women are not free from from the worries of hair loss, either. If you are having both hair loss and acne breakouts, you may want to consult with a doctor who can tell you if there is a connection between the two.

There is one possible of cause of adult acne that doesn’t always involve hormones, apart from PMS cravings, and that is diet and water intake. While there is an ongoing debate about whether junk food causes acne, many people including myself find that if we eat too much junk food we get acne. Water is invaluable for flushing toxins out of our system, so too low an intake can also lead to adult acne.

If you suspect hormones are the cause of your adult acne, then keep a diary of your moods for a few weeks. This can help pinpoint where the problem lies. Sometimes we need to listen to our bodies. While it may take a little time and thought, if it helps to control adult acne breakouts, then it will be well worth the effort.