Experts talk about period acne and why they occur

Menses comes with a lot of discomfort for women and it varies from person to person. A hormonal rush/fluctuation is common during the phase. It is a common to feel fatigued, bloated or irritated just before you are about to get your periods. Anther common symptom is acne and it is the sebaceous gland that is responsible for production of that extra oil or sebum. It has to be noticed that a regular acne is different from period acne and is caused due to the variation in the hormone levels. The skin tends to flare up due to the extra levels of progesterone. People who already have acne, might notice that it could get worse and even painful sometimes.

Areas prone to period acne

Acne caused during a menstrual cycle occurs at the lower part of the face like on the chin, neck and jawline. To explain it better let us have a look at the period cycle which is typically of 28 days and is divided in two parts. In the first part, the estrogen hormone is released  and during the second half progesterone is released. But here the testosterone level remains the same  when the other two hormones are at low levels. This hormonal fluctuation is usually not handled by the skin and ends up in an acne flare up.

What actually causes acne?

The actual reason behind acne is the progesterone level as the sebaceous gland starts to secret more sebum which is a natural barrier of the skin. But during the menstrual cycle the sebum secretion increases  and its ends up clogging the pores and builds up under the skin surface and results in acne.

Period acne is red and inflamed. Due to the hormonal changes, the skin becomes more oily and gets confined with dirt and grim. This leads to the swelling of pores and the bumps on the face seem red and inflamed.

Photo Credits: Pixabay