HORMONAL ACNE CAN GET COMPLICATED…
and I’s usually more than just one hormone involved that is causing it.
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Estrogen: Estrogen is a hormone of growth, and too much of it, or too much of it in ratio to progesterone, can b very inflammatory to the system. It also depends on how you are processing your estrogens, for there are 3 main pathways to look at (2-OH-E1, 4-OH-E1, 16-OH-E1). 4-OH-E1 being the most damaging pathway which lead to DNA damage, and the 16-OH-E1 pathway can sometimes lead to PMS. This happens all the liver, which is why it’s important we aren’t recycling used up hormones and properly supporting drainage (check last post)
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Progesterone: Too little progesterone can lead to estrogen dominance, but is not the root cause to acne. It is usually the result of stress on the body. Stress signals to the metabolism to slow down, and this can lead to a shift in the skin’s microbiome and its ability to regenerate, leading to an accumulation of dead skin cells.
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Androgens: Elevated androgens (whether it is testosterone, DHT, DHEA) can stimulate cell growth, and in this case, skin cells, as well as sebum production, directly causing acne. Elevated androgens are usually caused by blood sugar issues, poor liver detoxification or estrogen metabolism.
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Insulin: Elevated blood sugar is stressful on the body, directly influencing cortisol levels and raising androgens (particularly DHEA), leading to an over production of sebum. Elevated insulin can be due to poor diet, stress, poor sleep, mineral imbalances, etc..
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Cortisol: High stress can release stress hormones, particularly CRH which actually binds to skin receptors which encourage oil production and the development of acne, as well as inflammation. Cortisol can raise due to under eating, over exercising, food intolerances, blood sugar dysregulation, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, infections, etc.
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IGF-1: Works with Growth Hormone, thus an elevation can cause acne to profuse. High IGF-1 levels can be due to blood sugar issues, stress, thyroid issues, liver issues or medication.