Just when you thought perimenopause symptoms couldn’t get worse, enter perimenopausal acne. That’s right, on top of irregular periods, hot flashes, mood swings and sleep problems, our skin also reverts back to its teenage days thanks to changes in hormone levels during this stage of life. Breakouts are pretty common during the menopause transition. On top of fluctuating hormones, it can also be a time of increased stress, lack of sleep, and skin changes like increased oil production and inflammation. Here’s what you need to know about perimenopausal acne, including what to do to prevent and treat it.
Everything You Need to Know About Perimenopausal Acne
Perimenopausal acne can pop up due to the hormonal changes that occur during this transitional life stage. Before menopause, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels are all over the place. Your estrogen and progesterone levels start to fall quite rapidly and although testosterone declines as well, it doesn’t drop as quickly as the others. This excess in testosterone is a major culprit for perimenopausal acne.
As your hormone levels change, your skin produces more oil and sebum, and decreases the rate at which old skin cells are shed. These old skin cells can block your pores, creating inflammation and leading to breakouts. On top of this, anything that compromises the immune system, such as stress and lack of sleep, can upset your cortisol and insulin balance, and lead to middle aged acne.
5 Tips to Prevent Perimenopausal Acne
1. Check Your Skincare Products and Cosmetics
Although perimenopausal acne is hormonal, you still need to use skincare products that don’t clog your pores. Get rid of any skincare and makeup products that have pore clogging ingredients and make sure you’re not using any oil-based cosmetics, as they can clog your pores and make acne worse. Throw out any expired products, and clean and sanitize your makeup brushes and sponges on a regular basis.
2. Practice Stress Management
Stress can be a major trigger for perimenopausal acne as it elevates cortisol and androgens, stimulating oil production. When cortisol levels are high, your body becomes inflamed, which can activate skin issues. Adding stress-reducing practices into your life, such as meditation, yoga, walking, and deep breathing can help keep your body in check and prevent breakouts.
3. Follow a Healthy Lifestyle
Prioritizing healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating well, sleeping well, and drinking plenty of water can help mitigate hormonal fluctuations and symptoms such as acne. Focus on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, and lean protein. Limit processed, sugary foods, refined carbs, and alcohol. Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night and drink lots of water to keep your skin hydrated.
4. Exercise
Don’t let exercise fall by the wayside as you get older. Exercise can help prevent acne by reducing stress, increasing blood flow to the skin, and stabilizing blood sugar levels. A mix of cardio and strength training, as well as more gentle workouts like yoga and walking is amazing for your overall health. Make sure to wash your face immediately after exercising to prevent dirt and sweat from clogging your pores.
5. Revamp Your Skincare Routine
During perimenopause your skin can become more sensitive and prone to dryness or oiliness, so it’s important to personalize your skincare routine for your individual needs. Focus on gentle cleansing, as harsh cleaners can strip away your natural oils; ample hydration; and daily sun protection. Incorporate hydrating ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and peptides to hydrate and plump your skin, and add anti-aging ingredients like retinol to increase cell turnover.
7 Tips to Treat Perimenopausal Acne
- Steer clear of skin care and makeup products with pore-clogging, comedogenic ingredients.
- Use a cleanser that contains salicylic acid- this will help unclog pores.
- Never pick or pop your pimples- this can make them worse and cause scarring.
- Wear sunscreen everyday and reapply frequently if you’re spending lots of time in the sun.
- Use a topical retinoid at night- this will increase cell turnover, speeding up the rate at which dead skin cells fall off and preventing cells from clogging your pores.
- Adopt a gentle skincare routine. Cleanse in the morning, at night and after rigorous sweating. Avoid rough facial scrubs and harsh cleansers, which can irritate the skin.
- Keep your skin hydrated with a light-weight non-comedogenic moisturizer that doesn’t contain oil and won’t clog pores.
6 Best Drugstore Products to Treat Perimenopausal Acne
1. e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration Face Cream
This skin loving formula is packed with hyaluronic acid to moisturize and plump, niacinamide to minimize pores and even out skin tone, and vitamin B5 to soothe and hydrate. Use it day and night for plumed, nourished, and hydrated skin.
2. Olay Cleansing Melts + Retinol
These 3-in-1 cleansing pads clean, tone and refresh the skin. They’re formulated with retinol to improve skin texture and deep clean your skin without drying or stripping.
3. L’Oréal Age Perfect Night Moisturizer
This nighttime moisturizer promotes cell renewal, smoothing wrinkles and firming the skin. It’s formulated with antioxidants and vitamin E for robust hydration without greasiness.
4. CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Made with ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, this cleanser gives your skin a boost of hydration without stripping it of moisture. It removes makeup, dirt and excess oil, leaving you with refreshed skin.
5. Bliss Vitamin C + Tri-Peptide Serum
This potent vitamin C serum works to brighten your complexion to reduce the look of dark spots and protect collagen. It also helps boost your skin’s elasticity for visibly firmer skin.
6. Clean & Clear Persa-Gel10
Benzoyl peroxide is one of the best ingredients to use to kill the bacteria under the skin and help your pores shed dead skin cells. This spot treatment helps treat pimples and prevent future breakouts.
Acne can be a super frustrating perimenopause symptom. We hope you have a better idea about how to prevent and treat it from these tips.
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