For many people, blackheads, whiteheads and pimples are a normal part of puberty. However, for some, acne can be a stubborn problem that occurs well beyond their teenage years. This is known as Hormonal Acne. Hormonal acne are characterized by painful and unpleasant pimples. It most commonly appears in adult women ages 20 to 40. In this article, I will be sharing about the science behind hormonal acne and the recommended treatment option.

Dr. Teo Wan Lin is an accredited dermatologist and an expert on cosmeceutical skincare research and development. She is the author of  “Skincare Bible – Dermatologist’s Tips for Cosmeceutical Skincare”  which was published July 2019 by Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor and Apple Books and available in bookstores islandwide from January 2020. She heads up Dr.TWL Dermaceuticals, a specialist cosmeceutical skincare line with evidence-based active ingredients for anti-ageing and skin health. Its subsidiaries, the Pi-Cosmeceutical Custom Makeup Lab and the Conscious Mask Bar are part of the Conscious Concept Pharmacy launched in December 2019, featuring environmentally sustainable makeup and skincare materials. In this article, she shares about hormonal acne.

1. What is hormonal acne?

Hormonal acne is characterised by flare ups during specific periods in the menstrual cycle. Individuals with hormonal acne often present with large painful cysts around the chin and jawline area. Mild hormonal acne is often a normal physiological occurence. However, more severe forms may be directly related to an underlying gynecological problem known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Other symptoms may include irregular menstrual cycles, excessive facial hair growth, weight gain in addition to adult acne. 

2. Who suffers from hormonal acne?

Sufferers of hormonal acne tend to be adult females who find that the acne persists beyond puberty. In my knowledge, there has not been any clinical epidemiological study performed by dermatologists on the incidences of hormonal acne. However, in my practice, out of 10 adult women that I see, a good 60 or 70% would report an influence of their menstrual cycle on their acne.

3. When should I see a dermatologist for my hormonal acne?

Finally, at the earliest onset of a flare up consisting of more than 5 pimples a month should warrant a visit to a dermatologist. This is especially if one does not have a history of having acne. The earlier the start of treatment, the lower the chances of morbidity from scarring. Acne has severe psychosocial effects as well. Dermatologists recommend that acne treatment should be commenced earliest as persistent acne flare ups cause emotional distress.

4. What is the best treatment option for hormonal acne?

The best treatment option for hormonal acne  is to first visit an accredited dermatologist. A clinical evaluation will be conducted to inspect for any other clinical signs suggestive of a more severe underlying gynecological issue such as PCOS.  Early detection and concurrent treatment of the underlying PCOS is key to effective control of hormonal acne. 

 The attending dermatologist will subsequently determine the acne treatment regime based on the appearance of the acne itself, rather than on the fact that it is hormonal acne. If it is predominantly nodules and cysts, treatment will likely be escalated to an oral medication isotretinoin (also known as Oratane or Accutane).

However, most hormonal acne patients have moderate severity, comedonal type acne with occasional painful cysts. These individuals start treatment  with an oral contraceptive pill that has cyproterone acetate in addition to the estrogen component. Cyproterone acetate has been proven to block the male hormone testosterone. This is helpful in treating hormonal flare ups of acne. This may also be administered with oral antibiotics which can help reduce inflammation in cases of moderate-severe acne.

Hormonal acne, like other forms of acne, is always treated with topical anti-inflammatory creams in addition to oral medications. An antibacterial cleanser is essential. I have moved away from prescribing chemical antibacterial agents like triclosan to natural derivatives. My patients use a Honey Cleanser Formula made with medical grade honey. Medical grade honey is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Individuals who suffer from extensive comedonal acne around the hairline may actually have concomitant fungal acne- a condition known as Pityosporum Folliculitis. Acne-prone individuals tend to have excess sebum (oil) production, and this also predisposes to increased fungal growth. Malessezia, which is the yeast organism responsible for fungal acne, overgrows in individuals with excess sebum production. This is worsened by humid weather. 

Physical therapies such as blue light and lasers help hormonal acne. Blue light helps to suppress the acne bacteria, propionebacterium acnes which is responsible for acne flare-ups.

Lasers such as the carbon laser are semi-ablative, meaning they do not directly traumatise the surface of the skin but still help to resurface gently. These can also help to control sebum production by directly shrinking oil glands. The results are cumulative, meaning that the more sessions undergone, the greater the effects of sebum reduction. 

In terms of answering your question as to the best treatment option for hormonal acne, it is important to highlight that acne is a medical condition rather than a cosmetic one. It is caused by a myriad of factors working together. Firstly, our personal genetics, the second being inflammation which is influenced by genetics as well.

Hormonal fluctuations in females during the menstrual cycle indicates that certain individuals are more sensitive to circulating amounts of testosterone than others. Hormones trigger off increased oil production- which aggravates acne inflammation. Bacteria also play a role in acne. Individuals with acne have higher counts of propionebacterium acnes. Diet plays a role as well, with dairy products and foods high in saturated fat causing flare-ups of acne. 

With this,  one can then medically target several of these processes in the treatment of hormonal acne. There is no one single method. It has to be addressed holistically. If you have primarily hormonal acne that is caused by PCOS, taking an oral contraceptive pill and treating the underlying hormonal issue would help to resolve the skin problem. However, 80-90% of the adult females I see have a combination of factors causing their acne. We have to approach the treatment holistically, addressing all these processes. 

5. How can I prevent hormonal acne?

Truth is, many individuals are predisposed to developing adult acne because of their genetics. Singapore’s humid climate is not helpful for acne sufferers, as the moist environment encourages growth of bacteria. Secondary skin infections like gram-negative folliculitis cause pustules and inflammation.

From what I observe, most adult acne patients start treatment too late. Prevention is always key. If you have greasy skin or are prone to hormonal flares of acne, a good skincare routine is helpful. For removing all the dirt, grime and makeup, I advocate double-cleansing. This helps overall to reduce the bacteria load your skin. Cleansing encourages a good balance of good bacteria, eliminating bad bacteria on one’s skin.

Individuals who have hormonal acne tend to get gram-negative folliculitis, a secondary bacterial infection caused by bad bacteria on the skin. Using a well formulated anti-acne pimple cream is also important. This helps to treat inflammed papules and can prevent progression to acne cysts. I have moved away from prescribing topical antibiotics (which lead to bacterial resistance with time) to botanical derived anti-inflammatory active ingredients such as Chlorella Vulgaris, an algae extract which directly blocks sebum production. Natural moisturising factors such as amino acids also helps to reduce inflammation. 

The use of antioxidants serums such as vitamin C reduce bacterial counts and can improve acne as well as acne scars.  I regularly prescribe hyaluronic acid serum which helps to regulate oil production. An underrated active ingredient is polyglutamic acid, an active ingredient which can hold 4-5 times more moisture than hyaluronic acid itself. The Mineral Booster which I formulated for problem-skin has predominant polyglutamic acid content and is very effective for moisturising throughout the day, over/under makeup. It is an excellent humectant with additional natural moisturising factors which enhances the skin’s natural repair barrier without a heavy cream formula which can increase facial oiliness.

“How do we avoid acne breakouts?” As dermatologists in Singapore, this is the commonest question we get asked. Certainly not a surprise, considering over 90% of the world population is affected by acne at one point or another in their life. Yes, acne is not a problem unique only to Singapore, which has a constantly hot and humid climate that some may try attribute their less-than-ideal complexion to.

Whilst the climate could play a role in proliferation of the P. acnes bacterium responsible for acne breakouts, the underlying cause of it is actually multi-factorial and intertwined with one’s genetics. Given the pervasiveness of acne, there are naturally burning questions surrounding what we can do to get rid of pimples that have popped up and how do we prevent them from reoccurring, which we discuss below.

Pimples that have come to the surface have two possible outcomes. One outcome would be the pimples going away, so the pus and all the debris get extruded out within two to three days. The pimple flattens out and leaves a mark and eventually it fades. The other possible outcome, which is undesirable, would be having the pimple grow bigger and bigger. This becomes cystic acne and may feel as being very deep under the skin. The pimple may also become part of broader acne breakouts, with multiple cysts and may even be painful. It is therefore a no brainer that we want to prevent the second outcome.

The crux here is to understand that having just 1 or 2 pimples a month is classified as physiological acne. This can actually be very well managed with over the counter topical acne creams. However, if you have anything more than five pimples a month, there is a need for prescription medications. Be it in the form of creams or oral medications, because otherwise, you will likely end up in an inefficient cycle, find that the problem keeps recurring and never goes away.

If you have anything more than 5 pimples in a month, it means that under your skin, you have at least 20 pimples gradually rising to the surface. These embedded pimples take turns to come out. That is why some people struggle with having acne which never seems to go away. The pimples do not appear overnight, contrary to popular belief. Micro-comedones, which are little bumps under your skin, rise to the surface of skin through the process of inflammation. These could take 1 to 2 weeks to appear. In the interim, over the counter (OTC) acne medications may be useful in resolving some bumps, especially where there are fewer bumps.

There are plenty of OTC active ingredients we know traditionally for treating acne. These include benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and some people use sulphur based solutions. However, in my opinion, these only work for very mild acne. I personally do not prescribe any of these in my practice anymore, because they cause irritation and very often the side effects outweigh the benefits. Furthermore, you can get a lot of sensitivity, redness, burning and stinging sensations.

If you have more than 5 pimples a month or experience acne breakouts, you have at least moderate to severe acne. This warrants a visit to your dermatologist for comprehensive management of your acne condition. The following are some tips which I would dispense to those having mild acne breakouts, and also applicable as adjuncts during acne treatment and maintenance thereafter.

1. Use anti-inflammatory creams on acne breakouts

In place of the traditional acne treatment ingredients, I am now proposing anti-inflammatory pimple creams that are composed of bioactive viable botanical ingredients. One such cream is the Blemish Spot Cream, which I have formulated using an algae extract and amino acids. This is instead of the traditional harsh chemical ingredients which work by drying out the skin.

With studies in more recent years, we understand more about acne being an inflammatory condition, which is genetically determined. Accordingly, we work towards reducing inflammations. Therefore, certain amino acids like serine and methionine, that help to repair wounds and reduce inflammations, would be effective. If you think of your pimple as an injury to the skin, which it really is, you want the skin to heal faster. By the same principles, the raw materials supporting wound healing, i.e. amino acids, have the effect helping the pimple to resolve.

In addition, lipid extracts from the algae chlorella vulgaris is also a critical anti-inflammatory constituent. A 2015 study showed that these extracts have tremendous efficacy in inhibiting human inflammatory mediators, with nearly 80% inhibition in some permutations, thereby reducing the pathogencity of P. acnes in causing acne breakouts.

Another key ingredient in the Blemish Spot Cream cream tackles oil production. Oil production significantly worsens acne, causing it to become more inflamed. The abundance of oil also becomes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, to even cause secondary bacterial infections. In this light, we use extracts from the Argania spinosa tree, colloquially known as argan oil, to reduce oil gland activity. Apart from regulating oil production, sterolins (a form of plant fats) in argan oil also has a potent anti-inflammatory effect from dampening overactive antibody immune responses.

Botanical-based anti-inflammatory creams have in fact increasingly taken the place of prescription antibiotic ointments in our practice. You may have heard of clindamycin, clindoxyl and erythromycin gels which are topical antibiotics that kill surface bacteria. The antibiotic gels, however, have demonstrated limited success in suppressing acne inflammation. Furthermore, I think it is important to highlight that these lose efficacy after a maximum of  3 months. This is because the body gradually develops resistance against topical antibiotics and should be closely managed by your dermatologist.

A more sustainable second category of prescription medication would be retinoid creams. Retinoids belong to the vitamin A group of topicals. Different trade names exist, although by and large the mechanism of action is similar. Essentially, retinoids such as tretinoin work by treating the microcomedones under the surface of the skin.

They accelerate the rate of cellular turnover of the skin, thereby bringing up to the surface microcomedonic bumps in the first one to two months of treatment. This is before they start to suppressing the growth of such microcomedones. However, these are not without side effects, such as redness and irritation which may occur during the course of treatment and needs to be monitored by your dermatologist.

For those with mild acne, the potent anti-inflammatory properties of the Blemish Spot Cream will be handy in resolving acne breakouts. This is especially when the pimples are not yet fully inflamed and in clinical practice for such cases, has demonstrated particularly quick spot resolution of comedones. For those undergoing acne treatments or maintenance post treatment, the Blemish Spot Cream may also be used for prevention of acne breakouts around acne-prone areas.

2. Use an anti-bacterial cleanser

I think for acne it is very important that you use an anti-bacterial cleanser. For the ladies, double cleansing works in this method – oil soluble pigments such as those from makeup, especially eyeliner, mascara, eye shadows pigments, need to be dissolved in either a micellar formulation or a oil based emulsion. The oil-in-water emulsion forms a milky formula which is what I usually recommend to my patients because this is much gentler on skin.

The second stage of cleansing is where acne-prone skin would benefit from if done correctly. An anti-bacterial face wash in the past to us meant using a chemical such as triclosan. Triclosan, while effective in preventing acne breakouts, has had some controversy in its use. Although not definite yet, it has some reported effects on the human hormonal system and that is why I have also stopped prescribing that. Instead, we use a medical grade honey cleanser which helps to emulsify the grim, dirt, and it forms a foam which is not based off a very strong lathering agent like the laureth sulphates.

We are using the natural emulsifying lathering properties of honey and the same would go with a product such as soya. The great things about these natural emulsifiers is that they form a layer of what we call a humectant after you wash it off. This is so that while your skin feels clean after a wash, it is not dehydrated. The humectant layer in fact stays on the rest of the day and helps to form a healthy skin barrier between your skin and the environment to help prevent the onset of acne breakouts. 

3. Healthy diets go a long way to prevent acne breakouts

The other aspect that should not be neglected would be your diet. I find that if you have problem skin and we start you on treatment, almost everybody will get well as long as they comply with treatment. However, the rate of recovery as well as the sustainability of the positive effects of treatment is significantly better in the group where they are conscientious with their diet.

We now know that diets high in trans fat, i.e. deep fried foods, dairy products, sugary foods, are pro-inflammatory which means that it can exacerbate your underlying acne conditions to cause acne breakouts. I tell my patients to stay away from that and also take an anti-oxidant rich diet. It is very hard to imagine that we are not what we eat. The same goes for skin, an organ that needs to be respected along with whatever nutrition that goes to your skin, which occurs via 2 ways.

Firstly, nutrition to the skin is topically applied and to me that is the most significant such as in the form of antioxidant cosmeceuticals. The second means, by consumption, is for the healthy functioning of all your tissues. This is for it to fight the daily assaults of free radical formation from environmental pollution, uv exposure, biological ageing. It is critical that have your supply of anti-oxidants in diet and all these do not have to be found in supplements which may be controversial, in terms of the amounts that have to be ingested in a sustainable manner.

We should perhaps instead look towards a healthy natural anti-oxidant rich diet. Do include lots of blueberries and even olive oil. Olive oil in our diet has been proven both by cardiologists as well as within the dermatology research community to have positive anti-ageing effects on the heart as well as on the skin. These factors do add up eventually for healthy skin that is free of acne breakouts.