Hormonal imbalances are the cause of Acne, as reported by Doctors. This pimple causing hormone is known as the Androgens, the same group of hormones that increases during puberty and gives support to teenagers.An increasing number of people are growing up still having acne.
Unfortunately, this is due to genetic factors. Some people are more sensitive to fluctuations in androgens; they do not know that Acne and other Skin problems have also been linked to stress and negative emotions, which would explain the prevalence of adult acne. After all, who doesn’t have too much stress today?
How hormonal imbalance leads to acne
Studies show that acne has been linked to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The body responds to blood sugar wings by releasing insulin, IGF-1 and certain androgens hormones.
All of these hormones have one thing in common; that they cause. Insulin and androgens stimulate the skin glands to produce sebum thus blocking and clogging the pores in our skin. They also increase the turnover of skin cells, they cause the skin cells to grow and die more rapidly, and this means that there are more dead skin cells blocking our pores.
Treatments for hormonal acne
Pharmaceutical companies have been busy developing new means of treatment since the Doctors discovered a link between hormones and acnes. Hormonal acne treatments include the following:
Oral contraceptives (birth control pills): Diane-35, Tri-Cyclen, Alesse, and Yasmin
Antiandrogens: Spironolactone
These drugs have the purpose of attempting to balance the hormone levels, either by blocking a certain hormone action (in case of anti androgens), or by introducing a synthetic female hormones into the body (in case of birth control pills).
Also, the blue light acne treatment has been proven to have a beneficial effect.
Side-effects of hormonal acne treatments
Hormonal acne treatments are unpredictable. Dermatologists know that most women taking this drug get clear skin after going on the pill, but in acne forums, there shows that for every woman that got clear with the pill, there is one whose acne got worse.
Other Major Side-effect includes:
Weight gain
Changes in libido (some women notice an increase, others notice a decrease)
Mood swings
Uncontrolled appetite
However, these side effects vary from person to person. Hormones are part of the body’s messenger system; interfering as well as tampering with this system can result to unpredictable side effects.
The best way to cure hormonal acne
The above treatments are unpredictable because they attempt artificially to manage the symptoms and ignore the root cause of the hormonal imbalance that causes acne.
Most people have a little knowledge of the major cause of these hormonal imbalances. Diets, sedentary lifestyle choices and emotional health problems such as stress levels, your point of views towards life are the root causes of this imbalance. Studies shows that 75% of adult acne has emotional factor, and that most skin conditions respond so well to stress management and relaxation techniques. Other studies also link acne to sugar and refined carbohydrates and further to insulin and androgens.
A pill can only go so far. Thinking who could fall for that, we laugh at commercials promoting weight loss pills. But when it comes to acne, are we not guilty of exactly the same behavior? We have more beyond the magic pill and silver bullet mentality. Absolute freedom from acne is earned and is not purchased through a pill. It’s earned through diet and lifestyle choices, keeping stress under control.