Discover symptoms, causes, and effective solutions for clearer, healthier skin
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE HORMONAL ACNE?
Most people associate acne with awkward teenage years, but for many adults, acne is still part of their everyday lives. While all acne is driven by hormones, “hormonal acne” commonly refers to adult acne. It's more common among women, but does exist among men, and can be identified by a few observable characteristics.
It persists past your teen years into adulthood
It appears primarily around your chin and jawline
It usually worsens around the time of your period
It is resistant to topical products and/or medication
WHAT CAUSES HORMONAL ACNE?
Hormones are chemical messengers that tell your body how to behave - sleepy, stressed, hungry. They also tell your skin how to behave - oily, dry, irritated. So, when your skin (or mood) is erratic, it’s safe to assume certain hormones are also struggling to stay balanced.
HORMONE IMBALANCE
Healthy, acne-free skin relies on a delicate balance between three sex hormones – estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Any imbalance can trigger a domino effect of hormonal fluctuations that lead to hormonal acne.
Estrogen is responsible for a variety of functions like menstrual cycle, sleep quality, mood, and skin health. Estrogens can be classified as “good” or “bad.” The “good” are able to leave your body easily, while the “bad” linger, sticking to hormone receptors and causing damage. Since they stay in your body, too many “bad” estrogens can cause harmfully high estrogen levels, creating a hormone imbalance known as estrogen dominance.
Progesterone is estrogen’s sister hormone. It works — in combination with estrogen — to help regulate menstrual cycle and skin health, by keeping the acne-causing form of testosterone, DHT, balanced. Since estrogen and progesterone work together, too much estrogen means your body has too little progesterone in comparison. When relatively low, progesterone can no longer keep DHT in check, resulting in the hormonal chaos that leads to acne.
Testosterone controls hair growth, libido, weight, energy levels, and skin health. It’s the focus of most acne conversations since it converts into an active form, called DHT, which directly impacts the amount of oil your pores produce. High levels of DHT – caused by low progesterone and high estrogen – triggers an increase in oil production. Eventually the oil builds up, clogs pores, and causes hormonal acne.
WEAK LIVER & GUT
When there are too many estrogens in your body, your liver and gut struggle to process and eliminate these excess hormones, which then recirculate through your body, perpetuating hormone imbalances and hormonal acne.
Your liver removes the “bad” things from your body, while recycling all the “good” things. It processes everything from food, alcohol, and caffeine, to chemicals, medications, and hormones. If your liver is overworked, which it often is, “bad” estrogens aren’t properly processed and eventually recirculate back into your system, contributing to hormone imbalances and hormonal acne. That’s why a healthy liver is synonymous with clear, glowing skin.
If functioning properly, the liver packages up all the “bad” estrogen and shuttles it to the gut to be eliminated for good. However, sometimes the gut contains certain bacteria that have the ability to reactivate these estrogens. These reactivated estrogens are reabsorbed back into the body, continuing the cycle of hormone imbalances and hormonal acne. This is a main reason why gut health has become such a hot topic in when it comes to acne.
WHAT CAUSES HORMONE IMBALANCES?
You may be wondering what causes hormone imbalances, like high estrogen, in the first place. While genetics plays a role, there are several other contributing factors. Everything from the foods you eat to the products you use impacts your hormonal landscape, and therefore, the health of your skin.
Your genes are like the blueprint of your body, containing individualized instructions that tell your body, including your liver and gut, how to produce, process, and eliminate hormones. Based on these instructions, your body may be more prone to high or low levels of certain hormones, or more sensitive to normal levels of certain hormones, making you more likely to have hormone imbalances, such as estrogen dominance.
Hormonal fluctuations throughout your cycle can exacerbate existing hormone imbalances like estrogen dominance, especially during the second half (luteal phase). During this phase progesterone should exceed estrogen, but with estrogen dominance, levels of estrogen may be higher than progesterone, upsetting the natural hormone ratios expected at this time and causing hormonal pimples to pop up in the week(s) leading up to your period.
Acne medication can temporarily reduce hormonal pimples, but these hormonal acne treatments often create or worsen hormone imbalances in the process. Birth control pills contain synthetic estrogens that can contribute to estrogen dominance. Antibiotics can affect the bacteria in your gut, clearing out a lot of the good ones your body needs to eliminate toxins. Since drugs (including caffeine and alcohol) are processed in the liver, a high intake can contribute to a sluggish liver.
One of the biggest influences on our hormones are “xenoestrogens,” a fancy word for synthetic estrogens found in plastics, non-natural personal care products, and even foods, particularly those that are non-organic or processed. These artificial "bad" estrogens look identical to the “good” ones found in our body. They sneak onto our hormone receptors and stay there, causing increased estrogen and, eventually, estrogen dominance.
When it comes to hormone balance, the old adage “food is medicine” couldn't be more true. Diet influences how hormones are produced, processed, and eliminated. For example, consuming animal products containing hormones or antibiotics, or produce sprayed with herbicides or pesticides, can cause a major increase in estrogen, while a lack of fibre can make it difficult to eliminate these excess estrogens from your body. Following a hormonal acne diet can significantly reduce breakouts.
When you’re stressed your body focuses on the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. As a result, your body tends to ignore the production and maintenance of progesterone. The more stressed you are, the more cortisol your produce and the more progesterone you lack. When your body lacks progesterone, it can’t keep DHT (the acne-causing form of testosterone) balanced. This leads to an increase in DHT and oil production, and eventually clogged pores and hormonal acne.
Eating well and avoiding stress can help maintain hormonal balance, but many of these factors aren’t in your control. The average person is exposed to thousands of chemicals daily. They’re almost impossible to avoid. So, while many of us do our best to stay healthy, we could all use a little help when it comes to keeping hormones balanced and hormonal breakouts at bay. This is where Cocoon's powerful, natural hormonal acne supplement can help.
AN ACNE SUPPLEMENT FOR HORMONAL BALANCE THAT WORKS
The reality is, when it comes to persistent hormonal acne, topical treatments are often ineffective. They only address the surface-level symptom, but not the root cause. While they can be a great addition to your skincare routine, long-lasting, acne-free skin starts from within.
Cocoon's hormonal acne supplement, Balance, contains a comprehensive mix of targeted ingredients that work by limiting estrogen build up and supporting healthy liver and gut function. In this way, your body can properly process and eliminate excess estrogens, so you can achieve healthy hormone balance and acne-free skin that lasts.
DIM (Diindolylmethane)
The superpower behind broccoli's benefits
A phytochemical derived from cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli. Helps convert estrogen into a form that’s easily recycled or eliminated by your body, preventing estrogen build-up and hormonal pimples.
GLUTATHIONE
The body's master antioxidant
A compound produced naturally by the body. Oversees all operations in the liver, helping process harmful toxins, like excess estrogens, which would otherwise stick to receptors, accumulate in your body, and impact your skin.
CALCIUM D-GLUCARATE
The body's estrogen eliminator
Once consumed, turns into glucaric acid, a potent compound produced naturally by the body. Helps ensure excess estrogens move smoothly through your gut, for proper elimination and reduced hormonal acne.
MORE THAN JUST HORMONAL ACNE RELIEF
Chances are, if you're experiencing hormonal acne you're also experiencing the many other symptoms that result from hormone imbalances. High estrogen is a major culprit of mood swings, bloating, irregular periods, and more. By supporting healthy hormones, Balance not only helps manage hormonal acne, but also the many other aspects of your health that are impacted by estrogen dominance.
Proven to support healthy estrogen balance, directly targeting the internal root cause of hormonal acne driven by high estrogen.
SAFE
A drug-free hormonal acne solution developed with professional biochemists and naturopathic doctors. Health Canada approved, FDA compliant, and made in Canada.
SIMPLE
A quick and easy, prescription-free hormonal acne treatment that requires just 1 capsule per day.
