7 Myths and Facts About Hormonal Acne

Hormonal acne can be frustrating, persistent, and confusing. With so much conflicting advice, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Does dairy really cause hormonal acne? Is medication the only solution? If you're searching for answers, you've come to the right place. This article breaks down the biggest myths and facts about hormonal acne so you can take the right steps toward clearer skin.

Myth #1: Only Teenagers Get Acne

Fact: Adult acne (often called “hormonal acne”) affects 20-30% of adults aged 20-40, and this number is rising

While acne is common during puberty, it’s not just a teenage problem. In fact, according to the Canadian Dermatology Association, acne affects 20-30% of adults aged 20 to 40. Unlike adolescent acne, which is triggered by normal puberty-related hormone surges, adult acne is usually a sign of an abnormal hormone imbalance—such as high estrogen, low progesterone, or excess androgens (like testosterone). If your breakouts are persisting into adulthood, it’s worth exploring your hormone health.

Myth #2: Hormonal Acne is a Skin-Specific Problem

Fact: Hormonal acne is usually an internal issue that shows up on the skin

While almost all acne is viewed as a skin condition, it’s more often a symptom of what’s happening inside the body. Something is triggering your hormones to produce the excess sebum that leads to clogged pores and breakouts. This is why adult acne is often referred to as hormonal acne—breakouts after puberty are typically a sign that something's off with your hormones. Some adults experience bacterial acne, which is caused by external factors like pollution, humidity, and certain beauty products, but this is generally less common. 

Myth #3: Dairy, Meat, and Soy Cause Hormonal Acne

Added hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and other chemicals are the real issue

While dairy and meat naturally contain small amounts of hormones, these alone don’t necessarily cause hormone imbalances or hormonal acne. The bigger concern is that many livestock are given synthetic hormones to promote growth, antibiotics to prevent infection, and feed treated with pesticides. These chemicals can disrupt your hormone balance and contribute to breakouts.

Soy contains phytoestrogens, plant compounds that mimic estrogen in the body. While some worry phytoestrogens could lead to hormone imbalances like estrogen dominance and trigger hormonal acne, phytoestrogens are actually “good” estrogens. They help block harmful, synthetic, acne-causing estrogens (found in pesticides, plastics, personal care products, etc.) from attaching to estrogen receptors in the body. The real issue lies in the pesticides, chemical additives and processing of many soy products, such as soy protein isolate found in protein bars and powders, which can contribute to inflammation and hormone imbalances.

If dairy, meat, or soy seem to worsen your acne, consider trying organic, unprocessed options before eliminating them entirely.

Myth #4: The More Skincare You Use, The Fewer Hormonal Breakouts You’ll Have

Fact: Over-cleansing and excessive use of actives can worsen breakouts

In an effort to reduce oil and prevent clogged pores, many people over-wash, scrub, and use harsh actives. However, your skin’s moisture barrier needs oil (and other components) to function properly. Over-cleansing, scrubbing, and overuse of actives can strip this barrier, leading to irritation, inflammation, and more breakouts. In some cases, your sebaceous glands may overcompensate by producing even more oil, worsening the problem. Instead, stick to a gentle, simple skincare routine—cleanse no more than twice a day and avoid over-exfoliating.

Myth #5: Medications Are the Only Effective Hormonal Acne Treatment

Fact: Diet, lifestyle, and supplements can play a powerful role in clearing hormonal acne

Medications like birth control, spironolactone, and Accutane aren’t the only option, and they don’t work for everyone. These acne treatments largely act as a band-aid solution, managing symptoms temporarily rather than addressing the root cause. For many, their acne returns, sometimes worse, after stopping the treatment.

Acne-causing imbalances don’t happen randomly. They’re often triggered by poor diet, stress, and other lifestyle factors. Addressing these root causes by making intentional choices about what you put in, on, and around your body—hormone-balancing foods, healthy stress levels, non-toxic skincare—can bring your body, hormones, and skin back into a balanced state in a way that offers lasting results. 

Supplements can also be a powerful treatment in your acne-clearing journey by providing concentrated doses of nutrients your body needs to restore balance. For example, our hormonal acne supplement, Balance, contains 150mg of DIM, a compound that detoxifies excess estrogens (often high in women with hormonal acne). To get this same dose from broccoli, you’d need to consume about a pound every day.

Myth #6: Breaking Out After Starting a New Product Is Always a Bad Sign

Fact: Temporary skin purging can happen when starting a new acne treatment

When implementing a new skincare routine, supplement, or diet change to address your hormonal acne, your skin may go through a temporary purging phase for different reasons. 

Acne can form deep within the skin and take up to 4-6 weeks to surface. Topical acne treatments like retinol speed up cell turnover, bringing pre-existing breakouts to the surface faster, which can make it seem like you're breaking out more. However, if you’re simultaneously addressing the root cause of your acne, this phase should be temporary.

Certain foods and supplements, like Balance, help detoxify excess hormones and other toxins that contribute to breakouts. However, if hormone and toxin levels are extremely high or key detox pathways (like the liver and gut) aren't functioning optimally, the body may struggle to eliminate all these toxins. It may push them out through the skin, temporarily increasing breakouts. This detox response usually subsides within a few weeks as hormones begin to stabilize.

Myth #7: Too Much Testosterone Is The Only Hormone Imbalance That Causes Acne

Fact: There are other hormone imbalances that can cause acne—testosterone is just one piece of the puzzle

While certain androgens (male hormones like testosterone) directly influence oil production in the skin, there are many other hormones that, when imbalanced, can trigger a domino effect that increases these androgens. For example, estrogen dominance—a common hormone imbalance in adult women, where estrogen levels are higher than progesterone—can also lead to acne. This happens because progesterone plays a crucial role in managing DHT, the main acne-causing androgen in the body that controls oil production in the skin. When progesterone levels are too low to keep DHT in check, DHT levels rise, which can lead to excess oil, clogged pores, and breakouts. Identifying the root cause of your acne is key to finding an effective acne treatment plan.

Not sure what’s causing your acne? Take our naturopath-designed quiz to find out.