kateandlisaPeriod Symptoms Series
Why Can I Get Cyclical Acne?
Hormone acne can have a couple main root causes and when it shows up can give you some clues as to why it’s showing up:
Elevated androgens: testosterone and/or DHEA linked with acne around ovulation or more painful/cystic acne
Imbalances in estrogen/progesterone: linked with PMS acne you get before your period
These all can be made worse by: 
- Harsh skincare products
- Dehydration
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Alcohol
- Poor estrogen detox
- Not enough fiber/healthy fats
- Gut issues
- Stress
- Nutrient deficiencies
With estrogen dominance as the root cause you want to look at a few things:
What pattern do you have?
- high estrogen + low progesterone
- high estrogen + normal progesterone
- normal estrogen + low progesterone
- normal estrogen + normal progesterone (low Pg/E ratio)
What phase 1 estrogen detox pathway am I preferring?
- 2-OH = protective (this is what we want!)
- 4-OH = inflammatory (we don’t want this!)
- 16-OH = mixed, but if favoring can mean more estrogenic (more symptomatic)
How is my phase 2 estrogen detox?
How are my stress levels? My cortisol levels?
How is my gut health? Am I having a daily bowel movement? (have to have to clear estrogen)
Do I have symptoms of inflammation: gut issues, joint pain, skin rashes or psoriasis, allergies, autoimmune conditions
With elevated androgens as the root cause you want to look at a few things:
- Which hormones are high? Testosterone, DHEA or both?
- What metabolic pathway am I favoring? 5-alpha or 5-beta (5-alpha is more androgenic, meaning if we are favoring this pathway symptoms can be worse)
- How are my stress levels? My cortisol levels?
- How is my gut health?
- Do I have symptoms of inflammation: gut issues, joint pain, skin rashes or psoriasis, allergies, autoimmune conditions?
Curios about your hormone levels?
Book a discovery call to review your symptoms or do functional lab testing and find out what your hormones are doing! (Click below)
Tune in next week for week 4 of the Period Symptom Series!
