Hormones and Acne
Health and Fitness March 10th. 2010, 1:08amMy doctor told me I would grow out of my acne but I am now 15. If it is true that I will grow out of it, please can you tell me when?
Your acne will get better with time but no one can tell you when that will be and it is certainly not a reason to stop you finding a good acne treatment. Acne starts when hormone changes occur around and after puberty. These new levels of hormones stay the same for many years – until the menopause in women and longer for men.
It is surprising that people do grow out of it but many more people seem to carry on having problems well into adult life. You need to find some acne remedies to deal with your acne as a ‘now’ thing so that when it does stop happening you won’t be left with scars to remember it by.
Help! Every month, just before my period, I get spots around my chin. They don’t even come to a head; they just sit there and hurt. Do I have acne?
Yes, you probably have. Acne is triggered by the skin’s abnormal reaction to hormones, so the changing levels of hormones at the time of your period cause acne even though your skin doesn’t react to different levels at other times of your cycle. This is a good example of needing to see your doctor when the spots appear, as there will be nothing to show if you have to wait a week for an appointment. It also illustrates how important it is for people with acne to be able to tell their own story about the pattern of spots and when they get them, rather than just being looked at quickly. Your history of getting spots at the times of your periods will suggest a different approach to treatment, and consequently a more tailored acne remedy, than if you had spots all the time. You could also think about taking a photo of yourself with spots to show the doctor how bad it can be.
