As many as 50 million Americans develop acne each year, and it’s not just teenagers going through puberty.

Individuals of all ages are susceptible to breakouts. In fact, adult acne is on the rise. One of the main culprits behind these later-in-life blemishes is hormones. 

In this article, we explain what hormonal acne is so that you can identify and understand it a bit better. 

We’ve also outlined some of the most effective treatment options for getting hormonal acne under control. 

What Is Hormonal Acne?

Hormonal acne develops when there is an imbalance or surplus of androgen and/or estrogen hormones in the body.

Androgens are a group of sex hormones that regulate human development. They also trigger puberty.

Among many impacts, estrogen can slow sebum (oil) production. Androgens, on the other hand, tend to speed it up. 

When these two hormones are balanced, your skin may be crystal clear. When they’re off-kilter, it can create the perfect conditions for breakouts.

This hormone imbalance can cause the skin to produce excess sebum that clogs the pores.

Other factors that can contribute to hormonal acne breakouts are:

• Acne-producing bacteria.
• General skin inflammation.

Who Gets Hormonal Acne?

Any person can develop hormonal acne, even if you’ve never struggled with breakouts before.

However, women are more likely to experience these breakouts due to hormonal imbalances caused by menstruation and menopause.

You may consider yourself too old to develop acne once you’ve been through menopause, but it’s not uncommon for flare-ups to occur.

Studies show that hormonal acne affects 26% of women aged 40 to 49 and 15% of women aged 50 and up. Even women who counter their menopausal symptoms with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) aren’t immune to hormone-related blemishes. The progestin introduced to offset the loss of estrogen and progesterone can be a catalyst for a sudden bought of acne.

How Can I Tell the Difference Between Hormonal Acne and Regular Acne?

It can be difficult to distinguish between hormonal and regular acne because the blemishes look very similar.

However, there are a few telltale differences between the two.