Pimples on Face – Why Am I Prone to Acne?

If you have pimples on the face each month as your hormones work through their cycle, you may find yourself wondering about the best treatment for this consistent, but not constant, form of acne.

Each month, as a woman’s body changes its hormonal make up, testosterone is released in higher amounts for a few days than the rest of the month. Testosterone increases the production of sebum by the sebaceous glands on the skin, most often on the face.

This oil can become trapped in the glands or spill over into the follicles and mix with dead skin. Either condition causes one of several forms of acne.

This is why many women are more prone to acne at some points during their cycle – either during their period, just beforehand, or during ovulation. Many women also experience severe acne during pregnancy.

Unfortunately, treatment options are more limited for pregnant women, who should consult with their obstetricians before using any topical or oral treatments for acne.

Although the typical treatment for pimples on face may include a packaged topical cleansing system, this might be overkill for someone dealing with the issue of less frequent hormonal acne.

If you find that these systems are helpful sometimes, but over-drying when they’re not really needed, try to pinpoint at what point during your cycle you notice the beginning signs of pimples.

Time your use of the cleansing system to begin a few days before you expect the breakout to begin, and continue using it for a day or so after the breakout clears up. Hopefully it will be a lighter breakout than normal.

Any spots that do develop can be treated with a topical ointment or gel (try something like Revitol). Some women find relief with certain oral birth control products, but they should only be considered as a treatment for acne as a last resort, and under the care and advice of a doctor.

Adult women who experience pimples on face are almost always experiencing hormonal acne. As we age, the one thing we can count on is continual change, so even those of us who rarely had pimples in high school may be experiencing acne well into our thirties or even forties.