Did you develop acne around puberty, and it just never went away? Or maybe you’ve come off hormonal contraception, and your acne has returned with a vengeance? Or, perhaps you’ve got a diagnosis of PCOS and struggling with acne, as well as a load of other hormonal issues? (I’ve been there). Whatever is happening with your hormones, I’m here to tell you how to balance them and finally clear your acne for good.

Skincare alone will not clear hormonal acne.

Unfortunately, skincare alone can’t clear hormonal acne – no matter how incredible the facials and products are. That’s because hormonal acne is an internal imbalance which needs inner work alongside topical treatments. Now, topical treatment works; it’s a vital part of achieving clear skin, but to truly gain control over your hormonal acne, you need to work both topically and internally. If you’re only focusing topically, you’re just managing the symptoms of your hormones.

How to do the internal work.

Hormones don’t just go off balance because they feel like it; there’s always something driving the hormonal imbalance. Sex hormones are essential for overall well-being. Alongside the known function of reproduction, your sex hormones also influence your mood, cognitive function, energy, muscle mass, hair growth, skin and weight! Healthy hormones = healthy body. 

This is how you balance your hormones:

1) Find out which hormones are off balance.

2) Find out why they’re off balance. 

3) Focus on the why.

Testosterone is the hormone that usually gets the blame for acne, and while it is raised in a lot of people who struggle with acne (especially people with PCOS), it’s not always the main issue. I like to get a complete picture of what’s happening – looking at all your hormones, including progesterone, oestrogen, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, thyroid hormones and insulin. 

Find out why your hormones are off balance.

Ok, so once you can see which hormones are off balance, you need to work out why they’re off balance. Some examples that can contribute to hormone imbalances include: 

• Stress
• Overexercising 
• Undereating 
• Chronic inflammation
• Hormonal birth control
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Thyroid imbalances
• Gut microbiome imbalances
• Mitochondrial issues

Finding out what could be throwing your hormones off balance is essential because if the issues come from inflammation and blood sugar issues, supplementing with high-dose zinc, saw palmetto, ashwagandha, or anything else targeted specifically at hormones will not work. The great thing about blood tests is that you can test all your hormones (including thyroid), vitamins, inflammatory markers and blood sugar to rule out what is affecting your hormones. 

Focus on why your hormones are off balance.

Now that you’ve discovered which hormones are off balance and need to focus on the why, it can almost feel like you’re working backwards to balance your hormones, but I want you to imagine an overflowing bath. If we throw a load of ‘hormonal-acne-focused’ supplements at your skin, you’re just mopping up the water on the floor. But, if we turn off the tap and pull out the plug, the bath will naturally drain and stop overflowing. By discovering why your hormones are off balance, you’re turning off the tap and pulling out the plug to achieve balanced hormones and clear skin. 

This process is challenging to work out on your own, so if you’re ready to balance your hormones for clear skin, I’m here as a nutritionist to help you reach your skin goals.