When a Grown Woman Has Acne, It May Be Due to Testosterone
Acne is known as a skin problem that plagues teenagers and some young adults. But acne can be a problem for adult women. When it is, it’s usually due to a hormonal imbalance.
Women who experience acne are usually found to have too much testosterone production. Every woman has some testosterone. It’s supposed to work in tandem with the estrogen production for various health benefits.
When this hormone gets off balance is when it begins to cause skin problems like acne. If the testosterone levels a woman has are within level, you’ll never notice any side effects and you shouldn’t have acne breakouts.
But if your levels are off, and your body is producing too much of this hormone, then that’s when you’ll start to notice. Testosterone causes the skin’s oil glands to step up production.
As a result of that, you end up with too much oil for the skin. This overproduction of oil will clog your pores and leads to acne outbreaks. The higher the level of testosterone, the more skin problems you’re like to have as well as other health problems.
Most women with testosterone hormone levels that are abnormal will notice that they’re experiencing symptoms when they have their menstrual cycle, a time when testosterone levels are boosted.
Because getting acne as a woman is a sign of elevated testosterone, you’ll want to get those levels checked. That’s because of the side effects that can go along with this rise in hormone levels.
Along with acne, it can cause you to be more irritable. It can cause you to develop traits that are associated with men – such as a sudden growth of facial hair. Some women reported an increase in hair growth on their face, stomach and back.
But if you have testosterone that causes acne outbreaks, it can also cause you to begin to have male associated hair problems such as a receding hair line or even baldness. It can also boost muscle development and give you features associated with a man such as a deeper tone to your voice.
A simple blood test can determine if you have a problem with your testosterone levels.
Two of the most common problems in women that cause a higher level of testosterone are polycystic ovary syndrome and adrenal problems, both of which can be treated. Once any underlying causes are treated, your acne should then clear up.