Menopausal Acne
When you hear the word acne, does the image of a teenager instantly come to mind? Breakouts can occur at any age especially when our hormones are thrown off balance. Menopausal acne (or hormonal acne) is an unfortunate result of our unpredictable hormones. As the name indicates, this type of acne occurs during a womans menopausal years (typically between the ages of 45- and 60-years-old).
To understand menopausal acne, we must first understand what essentially happens under our skin. We all know that when new skin cells grow, old ones must die. Unfortunately some hormones - including testosterone and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) - cause the oil glands to produce an excess quantity of sebum. Menopausal and post-menopausal women experience a dramatic decrease in estrogen levels, and an increase in testosterone. This causes the skin glands to produce more oil than they usually do, and as a result, more acne breakouts occur.
Menopause is a stage of rapid changing in a womans life. In addition to all the uncomfortable emotions caused by menopause, the sudden appearance of acne can add to your frustration.
Options for clearing up acne include:
- Consuming a healthy diet. Add calcium, whole grains and fiber; while cutting out sugar or overly-processed carbohydrates from your daily diet.
- Drink plenty of water. Eight to ten glasses of water per day is recommended to adequately hydrate the body.
- If your diet is lacking, take supplements. Certain multi vitamins, natural herbs and minerals have been shown to combat excess oil. For instance, vitamins B and C are recommended by medical experts for treating menopausal acne.
- Make skin cleansing part of your twice daily regimen. Cleanse you skin gently and thoroughly at least twice per day once in the morning and once before bedtime with a gentle exfoliating face wash. Moisturize your skin after cleansing and follow up with a good toner to enhance your skins firmness and to help you feel refreshed.
