How To Treat Hormonal Acne Naturally
What Causes Hormonal Acne + Breakouts
If you’re a female with a menstrual cycle, you experience a rise and fall of reproductive hormones each month (mainly oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone) which triggers both ovulation and menstruation.
These cyclical hormonal changes are normal, but corresponding symptoms like acne, breakouts or inflammation are not. Cyclical breakouts may happen during certain times of the month, but this is due to an underlying hormone imbalance, not your cycle itself. In other words, as Alisa Vitti says, “Your hormonal shifts load the gun, but any imbalances are what really pull the trigger. ”
Thus the most effective strategy to solve hormonal acne is to address any hormone imbalances, specifically by understanding the four phases of your cycle, how they can impact your skin if something is amiss, and how to clear up breakouts through naturally balancing and supporting your hormones.
The Connection Between Your Hormones, Cycle & Skin + What To Do About It
There are four phases your hormonal cycle and skin go through each month. To get to the root-cause of hormonal breakouts, it’s important to understand what’s happening during each phase to address underlying issues and support your skin.
FOLLICULAR PHASE
During the first 1-10 days after menstruation, oestrogen and testosterone slowly begin to rise, providing elasticity, thickness and moisture to your skin, thanks to the production of collagen. When hormones are balanced, your skin should be glowing, clear and radiant. Hormonal breakouts are much less common during this phase, but if you do experience them, it’s most likely a result of chronic stress, inflammation, or an underlying gut imbalance.
What To Do
+ Try adding more inflammation-fighting foods into your diet, such as omega-3 fatty acid rich salmon, eggs, leafy greens and citrus.
+ Work on coping techniques and reducing stress naturally to lower cortisol levels.
+ Eat regular meals with an optimal balance of protein, fat and fibre to balance blood sugar levels and avoid added sugars when possible.
Skincare Routine Tips
In a balanced menstrual cycle, your skin should be looking and feeling good during this phase, so now is the time to go light on makeup and simple with your skincare routine. Try cleansing with a non-toxic oil-based cleanser and warm water, follow up with a light moisturiser and schedule any facials or extractions during this phase.
OVULATORY PHASE
The 2-3 days after your follicular phase, oestrogen and testosterone will be at their peak, helping your skin look it’s best (hello mother nature’s way of helping you attract a mate to procreate). If you experience breakouts during this phase, it’s most likely because either your oestrogen is too high (leading to inflammation) or your testosterone is too high (causing your sebaceous glands to produce more oil that can lead to breakouts).
What To Do
+ Incorporate more cruciferous vegetables to support the elimination of excess oestrogen.
+ Add 1 tbsp of flaxseed daily during this phase to help lower testosterone
+ Limit excess alcohol + caffeine (which puts extra strain on your liver, leading to excess oestrogen) as well as added sugar and processed foods (which messes with insulin, leading to higher testosterone levels).
+ Swap endocrine-disrupting toxic beauty products for clean, non-toxic options.
Skincare Routine Tips
During a balanced, healthy menstrual cycle, this should be the phase where skin is looking and feeling your best, so you don’t need many products or treatments. Try and limit makeup and let your skin breathe and show off its natural beauty. It’s also a great time to incorporate practices like jade rolling or dry brushing, which helps your lymph offload extra oestrogen and prepares it for the next phase.
LUTEAL PHASE
The 10-14 days after ovulation are considered your luteal phase. During this time, oestrogen and testosterone begin their decline and progesterone begins to rise rapidly, in order to thicken your uterine lining and help prepare your body for a potential pregnancy. It also increases sebum (oil) production on your face, and can cause breakouts, blackheads and more oily looking skin, especially if there is an underlying hormone imbalance at play (typically related to low progesterone).
Because of this fluctuation in hormones, the second half of your cycle is a crucial phase where many women become susceptible to breakouts. Acne during this phase is typically an indicator that your body isn’t processing hormones properly, especially oestrogen and testosterone (which were just at their peak and if not eliminated efficiently fuel acne thereafter). For women with optimally functioning endocrine systems, these hormonal peaks don’t cause a lot of problems. But for women who can’t process hormones correctly, acne is often the unwanted result.
What To Do
+ Incorporate B-vitamin rich foods to support progesterone production.
+ Drink plenty of water, which helps to eliminate bloating, puffiness and excess hormones.
+ Blood sugar balance is KEY during this phase, so opt for whole, fibre-rich, complex carbs during this time (sweet potato, apples, squash etc) and be sure to pair with a fat and some protein.
+ Make sure you’re going to the bathroom regularly (if you’re constipated it’s easy for oestrogen to build up in your system). Water, fibre-rich foods, ginger tea, probiotics and a magnesium supplement can all help.
Skincare Routine Tips
Now is the time to up your skincare game in order to work with the excess oil being produced and prevent any breakouts. I swear by using an oil-based serum to counteract sebum production (sounds counterintuitive, but it works), as well as a clay-based mask to help draw out impurities and balance PH levels.
MENSTRUAL PHASE
During your period, all of your reproductive hormones are at their lowest. The decrease in oestrogen and testosterone can cause your skin to feel more dry and dull, however the menstrual phase typically offers healing from any breakouts you may have experienced during the luteal phase. If not, continual breakouts could be related to an underlying gut condition, excess stress, or PCOS.
What To Do
+ Add herbs + supplements like magnesium for cell renewal, probiotics to replenish good gut bacteria, an activated B-vitamin complex to help skin renew and regenerate.
+ Eat foods rich in zinc and iron (grass-fed beef, nuts and seeds) and collagen-rich foods like bone brother powders to help skin soak up nutrients and retain plumpness.
+ Drink plenty of water to keep skin from looking dull and dehydrated.
+ Rest and prioritise sleep.
Skincare Routine Tips
This is the time of your cycle to focus on restorative, regenerative and soothing skincare. Think gentle plumping masks or moisturising masks with raw honey. During this phase continue using a cleansing oil with warm water and a wash cloth, use one of the two hydrating/plumping masks above, add on a few drops of plumping serum and finish with a moisturising cream.
Why Hormonal Birth Control Isn’t The Answer To Treating Hormonal Acne
If you’ve been struggling with hormonal breakouts or cyclical acne for awhile, you may have been to a dermatologist or doctor who’ve recommend getting on the pill.
While hormonal birth control will flatten and suppress your natural hormone cycle, which can clear up skin issues in the short-term, it’s so important to understand the long-term effects of hormonal birth control on your body, which include a huge disruption to your microbiome, endocrine system and micronutrient levels — all systems critical for keeping your skin clear long-term.
This is why so many women experience acne post-birth-control-withdrawal, as the pill simply masked symptoms, not solved them (and may have made them worse).
The Bottom Line
Hormonal acne is a symptom of an underlying imbalance, and the most effective way at clearing it up for good is to practice cycle-syncing to support your skin and hormones through these fluctuations and phases.