All Dermatology Articles (330+)
Acne & Scars•3 min read•Apr 01, 2017

Do Pimples Near the Menstrual Cycle Indicate a Hormonal Imbalance?

Do Pimples Near the Menstrual Cycle Indicate a Hormonal Imbalance? A lot of young women we see here experience a flare of acne, just before or during their peri...

Dr. Divya Sharma
Dr. Divya Sharma, MBBS, MD
MBBS (Gold Medalist) • Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Dermatology
Do Pimples Near the Menstrual Cycle Indicate a Hormonal Imbalance?

Do Pimples Near the Menstrual Cycle Indicate a Hormonal Imbalance?
A lot of young women we see here experience a flare of acne, just before or during their periods and get very alarmed about it, considering the possibility of a hormonal imbalance. To get straight to the point, this bout of acne does not indicate a hormonal imbalance at all and is actually one of the most commonly circulated medical myths that I have come across. This phenomenon rather indicates that you have a normal hormonal cycle! Why does it happen then?
Premenstrual hormonal shifts are thought to make oil glands and follicle openings more prone to blockage, which can trigger acne. This hormone does two significant things to the skin. First, it swells up the oil glands, causing them to squeeze against the orifices of the glands (where the oil exits), blocking the oil pathway. Second, this hormone also increases the production rate of oil (known as Sebum). Now a blocked orifice with extra oil than usual is double trouble and can lead to an opportunistic infection by bacteria, causing swelling and inflammation, ending up as acne.

What can you do?
You can actually do a lot to help the situation. Treat premenstrual flares with a dermatologist-guided acne regimen; a balanced diet and adequate fluids support general health. Also stay off maida, trans-fats, and junk food.

Click for Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYZcGNiAQik

Do Pimples Near the Menstrual Cycle Indicate a Hormonal Imbalance?
A lot of young women we see here experience a flare of acne, just before or during their periods and get very alarmed about it, considering the possibility of a hormonal imbalance. To get straight to the point, this bout of acne does not indicate a hormonal imbalance at all and is actually one of the most commonly circulated medical myths that I have come across. This phenomenon rather indicates that you have a normal hormonal cycle! Why does it happen then?
Premenstrual hormonal shifts are thought to make oil glands and follicle openings more prone to blockage, which can trigger acne. This hormone does two significant things to the skin. First, it swells up the oil glands, causing them to squeeze against the orifices of the glands (where the oil exits), blocking the oil pathway. Second, this hormone also increases the production rate of oil (known as Sebum). Now a blocked orifice with extra oil than usual is double trouble and can lead to an opportunistic infection by bacteria, causing swelling and inflammation, ending up as acne.

What can you do?
You can actually do a lot to help the situation. Treat premenstrual flares with a dermatologist-guided acne regimen; a balanced diet and adequate fluids support general health. Also stay off maida, trans-fats, and junk food.

Click for Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYZcGNiAQik

References & Further Reading

Claims on this page have been reviewed against current peer-reviewed literature and clinical guidelines, including:

  1. Reynolds RV, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2024. PubMed PMID: 38300170
  2. Meixiong J, et al. Diet and acne: a systematic review. JAAD Int. 2022. PubMed PMID: 35373155
#Acne & Scars#Dermatology#Dr. Divya Sharma
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