Hormonal acne cysts may be similar to acne from your teenage years, or you may suddenly develop them in adulthood even if you never had acne as a teen. These blemishes are typically large, swollen, painful and filled with pus. For some people, diet may make acne worse. Hormonal acne may also be exacerbated by stress, which can also affect your diet. A dermatologist, especially one who includes nutrition as part of your treatment, can help you control cystic acne.
Definition
Hormones play a role in acne when it first develops, usually during the teenage years. Your hormones trigger sebaceous glands in your skin to produce sebum, or oil. Other factors play a role too, such as the buildup of dead skin cells and acne-causing bacteria that live on the skin. In a press release from the American Academy of Dermatology from 2004, Diane S. Berson, an assistant professor of dermatology, explained that when adult women suffer acne breakouts, hormones are most often the primary cause. As a result, this type of acne often does not respond well to the same types of acne treatments that may have been effective in your teens.
The Role of Diet
The typical American diet is rich in refined carbohydrates such as sugar, meat and dairy. These foods increase levels of the hormone insulin, which boosts the amount of inflammation in your body that can aggravate acne. High levels of insulin and inflammation also elevate cortisol and other steroids that have similar effects to androgens -- male hormones -- such as increasing oil production that contributes to acne. Keeping cortisol levels low is one of the dietary goals when treating acne, according to dermatologist Nicholas Perricone in “The Acne Prescription.”
Gender Differences
Women suffer more from the effects of diet in hormonal acne than men, notes Perricone. Although both sexes feel the effects of overindulging in foods that boost hormones like insulin and cortisol, women also have to cope with the resulting increase of androgens in their bodies. On the other hand, men are not as affected by this surge in male-type hormones. Furthermore, women also may suffer from acne breakouts once a month around the time of menstruation or during pregnancy and menopause -- other periods when hormones fluctuate.
Recommendations
If you’ve been treating adult or hormonal acne cysts on your own with little improvement, book an appointment with a dermatologist. Try to find a dermatologist who combines a nutritional approach with a conventional one for treating acne. Changing your diet by avoiding insulin- and cortisol-raising foods such as refined carbohydrates and dairy may be beneficial. Other treatments for hormonal acne include oral contraceptive pills, topical and oral antibiotics, and isotretinoin, a synthetic form of vitamin A taken orally. Speak to your doctor about stress-reduction techniques as well. When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to crave foods that boost insulin and can worsen acne, such as milk chocolate, baked goods and fast food.
References
- “The Acne Prescription”; Nicholas Perricone; 2003
- AcneNet: Adult Acne: A Fact of Life for Many Women
- Medical News Today: Millions of Women Facing Adult Acne
- Colorado State University: Western Diet Found to Influence Acne, According to New Study Led by Colorado State University Scientist; Jennifer Dimas; December 2003
Member Comments