Thursday, March 19, 2009

How Do Hormones Affect Acne?


Teenagers normally get acne. Why? This is the time they experience a change of androgen or sex hormones in their body. An increase of androgen hormones in teenagers cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and increase the sebum production. Excessive sebum production, abnormal shedding of dead skin cells, the "stickness" of the follicle walls and the presence of P. acnes bacteria cause acne flares.

As you can see, the presence of androgen hormones such as testerone, DHEA and 17-Hydroxyprogesterone plays an important role in getting acne on your skin. If there is no androgen hormone, you might not get acne at all. In some acne sufferers, a high hormone level circulating in the blood triggers acne. But for most people, the level of androgen hormone is normal in the blood.It is the abnormal response of the pilosebaceous unit of over accepting the hormones from the normal amount of circulating androgen hormones that make us getting acne.

By blocking the effects of androgens on the sebaceous glands with oral contraceptives, women who are affected by acne and yet show normal amount of androgen level in their blood test can be successfully treated.

In addition to androgen hormones, cortisol hormones also affect acne. Cortisol hormones are released by our body when we are under stress, such as in encountering a dangerous situation. As cortisol suppresses the immune system, it gives the chance for P. acnes bacteria to multiply, leading to a flare of inflammatory acne.

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