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Betania Esthetics
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Learning Center
Skin can be a complex, beautiful yet problematic part of our lives. Our clients have so many questions, and we want to answer them! While navigating through, it is important to understand each of us are unique in our own ways. our bodies are all different, and each person is unique. Symptoms vary, along with the explanation as to why one persons issue may have different effects than others. Enjoy your learning experience and please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have!
Hormonal Acne
Acne related to Menopause
What is Menopausal Acne?
Simply put, it's a type of hormonal acne. Hormonal changes are one of the biggest reasons for acne, and there's no bigger time of hormonal change in a woman's life than menopause. (More on the specific difference between these hormonal changes and those that trigger other types of acne in a moment.) The condition is somewhat of a misnomer, given that it occurs not only during menopause but also during pre-menopause. Pre-menopause is the transition period that leads up to menopause, usually happening two to eight years earlier. Since the average age of menopause is 51, it’s not uncommon for women in their early 40s to experience menopausal acne. These initial hormonal changes may not be enough to stop your period fully, but they are enough to make your skin (and emotions, for that matter) go haywire. Adding insult to injury, it can then extend even into postmenopause, sometimes well into a woman's 50s.
Like other types of hormonal acne, the defining characteristic is deep, tender bumps or cysts, mainly around the mouth, chin, and jawline. (This, in contrast to regular acne, looks like blackheads, whiteheads, and pus-filled bumps on oily areas of the face, like the T-zone.) Another tell-tale sign that you're dealing with menopausal acne? It often manifests along with excess facial hair, especially on the chin and upper lip. Again, this goes back to those hormones.
From a topical standpoint, many of the same tried-and-true, acne-fighting ingredients (like benzoyl peroxide and retinoids) can play an important role in combatting menopausal acne—but with one important caveat. That major drop in estrogen also affects the dermal matrix of the skin, in short, leaving your skin drier and more reactive. What does that mean when it comes to creating an effective anti-acne routine? Be wary of another common acne-fighter, salicylic acid, as it can make your dry skin even drier. And as far as the other topical ingredients go, seek out gentle formulas, ideally ones that use time-released versions of the actives to help minimize the likelihood of increased dryness and irritation.
Teenage Acne
If there's one thing you can count on as a teen, it's acne. More than 85% of teenagers have this common skin problem, which is marked by clogged pores (whiteheads, blackheads), painful pimples, and, sometimes, hard, deep lumps on the face, neck, shoulders, chest, back, and upper arms.
To understand acne, you need to know how your skin works. The pores in your skin contain oil glands. When you hit puberty, there's an increase in sex hormones called androgens. The excess hormones cause your oil glands to become overactive, enlarge, and produce too much oil, or sebum. When there's too much sebum, the pores or hair follicles become blocked with skin cells. The increase in oil also results in an overgrowth of bacteria called Cutibacteriumacnes.
If blocked pores become infected or inflamed, a pustule/Papule -- a raised red spot with a white center -- forms. If the pore clogs, closes, and then bulges, you have a whitehead. A blackhead occurs when the pore clogs, stays open, and the top has a blackish appearance due to oxidation or exposure to air. (This has nothing to do with skin being "dirty").
Adult Acne and Men
When it comes to adult acne men face in particular, first and foremost, hormones are the name of the game. The male body produces higher levels of testosterone (compared with women), which is linked to oil production in the sebaceous glands, leading to more oily skin and clogged pores. But it’s our lifestyle choices as adults that can play a role in the formation of adult acne that men face as well, from stress to grooming habits.
Like facial hair. Beards and mustaches can act as a trap for acne-causing bacteria and oil. Plus, the products we use may not be appropriate for our skin. Men tend to use harsh cleansing and scrubbing products, which strip the skin of natural oils and weaken the skin barrier, putting them at greater risk of developing acne. And when acne is present, they don’t go through the necessary steps to get rid of it in a safe, effective way.
Menstrual Cycle
Your hormones fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle. Just before your period starts, estrogen and progesterone levels drop. This can trigger your sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum, an oily substance that lubricates your skin. Too much can result in clogged pores and breakouts.
Hormones can also increase skin inflammation and the production of acne-causing bacteria.