Women with acne

You thought that when you hit your 20's it would be the end of your acne woes. Right? Unfortunately for many women this is not the case. As the female body goes into and out of baby-bearing mode, many major hormonal changes take place that put women at risk of getting adult acne.

What to look out for

There are certain signs of acne-causing hormonal imbalances that a woman should look out for. If you have any of the following, you should go and see a dermatologist:

• If you have never had acne and it suddenly appears in adulthood or reappears after it has cleared up earlier.
• If your acne is not responding to any treatments.
• If your acne gets worse during menstruation or pregnancy.
• If you starts developing "masculine" traits such as excessive hair growth or hair loss.
• If your skin starts to darken under your armpits and in your body folds.
• If the middle part of your torso becomes obese.

All of the above could be indications of hormonal abnormalities in your adrenal or pituitary glands or in your ovaries.

It's blaming men!

Let's face it, many of the problems women experience are caused by men, and surprise, surprise it is the so-called "male" hormones that cause acne in adult women. Androgen (the male hormone) is present in both women and men. Androgen causes acne because it stimulates the sebaceous follicles where acne lesions start.

Teenagers usually have relatively large amounts of androgen present in their bodies. This is why acne is often mistakenly thought of as only a "teenage condition". Excess androgen leads to the over-stimulation of the sebaceous follicles and the result is acne. The androgen level is supposed to stabilise as the teenager reaches adulthood and any acne problems normally clear up.

Acne in adults

You're in your 20's or 30's and suddenly your womanly glow is replaced by an acne rash. Acne in mature females is thankfully usually only mild to moderate. The treatments that you might have used as a teenager will no longer be effective, because this time your acne is associated with a hormonal change.

Over-the-counter products will not be enough to treat adult acne in women. You will need to see your dermatologist who will give you a thorough medical examination and will prescribe an appropriate medical treatment.

Typical signs of hormonal acne:

• Acne that comes and goes with the ebbs and flows of the menstrual cycle. This is caused by changes in the body's hormonal balance.
  
• Acne that flares up during pregnancy.