THE BEARD OF ACNE

Your skin is like your “check engine” light! It tells us a lot about what’s going on INSIDE you.

Typically, when you have the “Beard of Acne” along your jawline, chin and mouth, it’s a sign your hormones are imbalanced or fluctuating. However, don’t be surprised if they show up on the side of your cheeks or down your neck. 

When your levels of hormones rise (or create any sort of sudden change) they signal your sebum glands to produce more oil. When the excess oil sticks to your dead skin cells, they’ll eventually clog your pores. 

The hormones that cause this type of acne are fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone, HELLO menstrual cycle!

Don’t feel left out though, women experiencing perimenopause and menopause can also experience this type of acne likely due to a drop in estrogen levels or an increase in androgen hormones like testosterone. You can even experience this if you’re using hormone replacement therapies to ease your menopause symptoms.

Then there’s cortisol, the stress hormone that can cause these breakouts. Combine fluctuating hormones and some stress, and you’ve got your warning sign all over your face. 

A cascade of unrelated health problems also fuels the development of hormonal acne. For example, a damaged and depleted gut microbiome leads to estrogen dominance, testosterone sensitivity, and a deficiency in key micronutrients needed for skin health. 

Guess what?  Hormonal acne starts in the gut. 

It can be managed and I hate to say this because let’s be honest, I like food too and it’s easier said than done, but absolutely doable… FOOD IS POWER here. Shifting the way you eat and taking natural supplements can eliminate your hormonal acne. 

You don’t have to use other methods that can actually worsen your acne such as antibiotics, birth control and that God-awful medication doctors are still handing out like candy, Isotretinoin (originally Accutane). Again, none of these methods actually address the underlying issue. 

This particular acne is developing due to hormones but you can still help manage it topically. In fact, the more you catch up to the cycle of development, the easier it is to prevent and control. And surprisingly enough, sometimes the correct cleanser and vitamin A source changes it all.