Women and Acne

• 15-30% of women will develop acne at some point in their lives. 15% of these people will develop some form of acne scarring.
• Women tend to be more motivated to undergo acne treatment, including initiating a visit to a dermatologist.
• Acne is more commonly limited to the face in women

Living with Spots

Spots tend to get worse 2 to 7 days before periods. This is due to the surge of hormone levels at this stage in themenstrual cycle leading to either increased or sporadic DHT sensitivity, which occurs only at this time. A large proportion of female adult acne sufferers are those whose spots are linked to their menstrual cycle.

Stress is a major cause of spot breakouts, particularly at exam time. Feeling anxious stirs up the hormones that set off oil production and cause oily skin thus leading to the formation of spots and blackheads. Long term stress at home or work can also cause a hormonal change leading to large breakouts of spots. See the Q&A section for more information.
Being hot and sweaty after exercise makes spots worse - so make sure you shower after.

Swap sugary snacks for plenty of water, fruit and even nuts, don’t pig out on junk! Bad diet over a period of time can again, lead to hormonal fluctuations which can in turn lead to spots; Eskimos didn’t get acne until they were introduced to western diets. There are no specific foods that cause acne; a healthy balanced diet will be reflected in your skin. Here are some healthy diet tips to help reduce spot outbreaks. Choose organic produce, rich in fibre and vitamins - essential for maintaining healthy spot-free skin.

Drink plenty of still water a day; it carries nutrients around the body and flushes out toxins that cause pimples and blackheads. Also, eat lots of fibre which also helps to move the toxins which can hasten the onset of acne, out of the body. Eat oily fish, which contains essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6; they are needed to keep your skin hydrated, preventing oily skin.

Cosmetics and Spots

A large number of make-up products and moisturisers are oil-based which can contribute to already oily skin – always check the ingredients in each beauty product you buy: you don’t want to cause further breakouts of acne. The main oil-based additives are as follows:

• Lanolin is simply sheepskin oil, extracted from wool. The fatty acids in lanolin, like fatty acids in our own oil, tend to aggravate some acne in the skin of individuals with genetic tendency toward the disorder.

• Isopropyl Myristate helps cosmetics apply more smoothly and gives them a slicker, sheer feel. This is a very penetrative oil which can easily find its way into hair follicles and can greatly affect the onset of acne.

• Cosmetic Pigments - especially red dyes - are considered to be comedogenic which means that they tend to clog pores thus leading to the production of pimples and blackheads.