Zits: Where Does Hormonal Acne Come From?

Breakouts, blemishes, and zits… Want to get rid of them? It really helps to understand why they happen in the first place.

Hormonal acne is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: acne caused by hormones. No matter your gender, you’ve got a mix of testosterone, estrogen, and a bunch of other hormones that influence body changes throughout puberty. Females have way more estrogen than testosterone; males have the exact opposite balance. Both can have breakouts as a result.

Another group of hormones called the adrenal androgens - which circulate in the bodies of both guys and girls equally - can cause crops of acne, too. Androgens stimulate hair growth. As the skin churns out coarse hair, it makes extra oil and sweat as well.

If you’ve got acne - whether or not it’s caused by the hormones in your body - you may benefit from the help of a skincare professional. There are doctors that specialize in skin (called dermatologists) and also practitioners who aren’t doctors but spend their days helping people manage skin issues. If you are frustrated with your skin, think about checking in with one of these folks - what they teach you to do for your skin could make a big difference!