I always ask my patients about whether or not they deal with acne. It can be a good indicator of what’s going on in the body in terms of hormones, reactions to food and stress levels. One of the most common responses I get from patients is that their acne gets worse before their period. Why does this happen? Is it a normal phenomenon that we just have to live with or is it a sign that something is off?

Hormonal Fluctuations

For most women, the spike in acne happens within the week before the period starts. If they normally have clear skin, this is when a few pimples can pop up. If they struggle with acne already, this is when it can get even worse. 

Influencers in the wellness world like to blame estrogen for a lot of problems but when it comes to acne around the period, the main culprits are progesterone and testosterone. Progesterone is supposed to be high in the week before the period and it plummets as bleeding begins. This natural, high progesterone level can trigger an increase in sebum production in the skin which can clog pores. Before the period, estrogen is on the lower side but relative to this, testosterone is on the higher side. This relatively high testosterone can also contribute to more sebum production. For some women, this spike in sebum is the perfect fuel to grow acne causing bacteria. 

What Can Be Done

These are all natural, normal hormonal changes. However, for women who are already dealing with hormonal imbalances like elevated testosterone throughout the month, insulin resistance, or low estrogen, these normal hormonal fluctuations could exacerbate their acne. There are natural ways to bring these hormones to a healthier level.

Other ways to combat acne around the period include a good skincare routine, wise diet choices and a concrete stress management plan. 

So to answer my questions above, these acne-causing hormonal fluctuations are natural and normal but there is still a lot that we can do to minimize their impact on our skin. If you need help managing your acne naturally, book a free 15 minute consultation to learn more. We work on diet, hormones, sleep, stress management, inflammation, skin care and sometimes facial acupuncture to address acne.