How Do Hormones Impact Acne?

Hormonal Acne Newport Beach

Acne is something that happens to all of us, and we’ve all felt the sting of self-consciousness because of it. It can be particularly frustrating when our best efforts don’t minimize breakouts at all. Fluctuating hormones may be the culprit. This isn’t surprising to Dr. Zenovia Gabriel at ZENA Medical, who has pioneered the research on the links between hormones and acne (along with other skin concerns) throughout her career and even conducts clinical trials with patients in her office.

How Do Hormones Impact Acne?

Dr. Zena has made it her mission to understand all the ways in which hormones impact the health of the skin when she noted skin issues occurring during major hormonal events. These can include puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. She’s spent years developing treatment protocols to combat hormone-related skin issues, the biggest being acne. But what exactly is acne?

The body produces an oil called sebum to keep the skin from drying out. Hormonal imbalances, particularly in estrogen and testosterone, can send sebum production into overdrive, clogging pores to create acne. Breakouts occur when many pores in the same area are clogged. 

There are a few causes of acne, of which hormones are the most common. Testosterone levels rise during puberty—for male development in boys and muscle and bone strength in girls—which increases sebum production, leading to acne. Imbalanced estrogen levels can also contribute to acne formation, which is why acne can occur around menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.

How Can I Treat My Acne?

Dr. Zena has designed a four-pronged approach to acne treatment, beginning with the use of topical skincare products. 

Step One

Dr. Zena’s Clear Complexion Collection or prescription serums, all infused with her skin-balancing REG-ulate360 Complex™ acne-fighting ingredients may be recommended for you. 

Step Two

The second step involves medical-grade facials, like HydraFacial®, combined with precision extraction. 

Step Three

The third treatment involves light-based therapy to speed healing. 

Step Four

Finally, the protocol finishes with a low-dose regimen of the prescription medication Accutane®, antibiotics if required, or an antiandrogen like Spironolactone.

These four methods are designed to target each aspect of acne development and clear them completely. The low-dose method for Accutane® has been a game-changer. The lower dosage helps to curb the typical uncomfortable side effects while still addressing the acne problem at its source. Accutane® is an oral retinoic acid clinically proven to clear up acne and prevent future breakouts.

Am I a Good Candidate for Acne Treatment?

There’s no need for you to suffer through acne’s effects on your skin and your confidence. Anyone with acne who is tired of ineffective treatments is a good candidate for acne treatment at ZENA Medical. With several approaches to correcting acne problems, ZENA Medical will have a solution for your skin concerns. Schedule a consultation with Dr. ZENA and the highly-trained ZENA Medical staff to get started.

What Results Can I Expect?

Your results will depend on your best treatment protocol as determined by Dr. Zena. Most patients suffering from acne can expect improvement to their skin around 8-12 weeks from the start of treatment. Patients taking Accutane® may experience a noticeable reduction in their acne within 2 weeks of their first dose. At ZENA Medical, we’re confident we can help you become acne-free by 3 months based on our years of treating acne-prone skin in our clinic. Our four-step treatment protocol can help you achieve clear, acne-free skin and keep it, even in the face of fluctuating hormones.

Take the Next Step

If you’d like to learn more about acne treatments, we encourage you to schedule a private consultation with your personal assessment at ZENA Medical in Newport Beach, California today. Call us at (949) 200-8222 or fill out our convenient online contact form. We look forward to meeting you!

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*Individual Results May Vary

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