Hormonal acne before your period: how to adjust your skincare.

Yes, for many women with hormonal acne, it can help to slightly adjust your skincare to your cycle. In the 7 to 10 days before your period, sebum production increases and your skin becomes more susceptible to inflammation. This can lead to chin pimples and impure skin. By cleverly adapting your hormonal acne routine to this phase, you can help limit an acne flare.

Adjusting skincare to your cycle for hormonal acne

Many women wonder if they should adjust their skincare to their cycle for hormonal acne, especially when chin pimples keep recurring before their period. The good news is that small timing adjustments are often sufficient.

Why acne worsens before menstruation in the luteal phase

In the late luteal phase, which is the last 7 to 10 days before your period, progesterone and androgens rise while estrogen drops. (Read more: Hormonal acne explained). This leads to:

• Increased sebum production
• Faster pore clogging
• More inflammation
• Higher chance of hormonal acne

Research shows that adult women in this phase have an average of 20 to 25 percent more inflammation. This explains why impure skin before your period can be so predictable. (

When to adjust your hormonal acne routine

You adjust your routine when:

• Your acne worsens 7 to 10 days before your period
• You primarily get chin pimples before your period
• Your skin feels oilier that week
• Your impure skin cyclically recurs

Then a slight adjustment can help.

What you can concretely increase in the luteal phase

Exfoliating in the luteal phase

If you normally use an exfoliant, AHA (lactic acid, glycolic acid, mandelic acid), BHA (salicylic acid), twice a week, you can increase it to 3 or 4 times that week if your skin is stable.

This helps to liquefy sebum and reduce microcomedones. But only increase if your skin is calm.

Extra focus on sebum regulation

Niacinamide can help to lightly regulate sebum production.
This can be used daily in your hormonal acne routine.

Retinol around menstruation

Should you pause retinol around your period?

Not as a standard. But if you notice your skin becoming more sensitive in that phase, you can temporarily reduce the frequency or not combine retinol with extra acids.

Stability is more important than aggressive treatment.

When NOT to increase

You should not increase your routine when:

• Your skin feels tight
• You see increased redness
• Your skin reacts with a burning sensation
• You suddenly get flaking
• You see small inflammations increase

These are signs that your skin barrier is overloaded.

How do you know if you've overdone it

Watch out for:

• More redness
• Skin that shines but feels tight
• Small stinging pimples
• Products that suddenly burn
• Worse makeup application

Then you scale back:

• Reduce frequency
• Hydrate more
• Support barrier
• 5 to 7 days of rest

What you can do for acne before menstruation

• Keep your basic routine stable
• Slightly increase 7 to 10 days before
• Protect your skin barrier
• Reduce stress
• Consciously examine high sugar intake
• Avoid overtreatment

When you should not adjust your routine at all

If your acne:

• Is equally present throughout the month
• Does not have a clear cyclical pattern
• Primarily shows comedones on your T-zone
• Reacts to wrong products

Then your acne may not be primarily hormonal.

Do you doubt whether your acne is hormonal?
Then first read our blog about acne before your period.

Also read more about diet and acne if you suspect that insulin and sugar play a role.

Conclusion

For hormonal acne, it can be beneficial to slightly adjust your skincare to your cycle. Especially in the 7 to 10 days before your period, when chin pimples and impure skin are more common. By cleverly tailoring your hormonal acne routine, you prevent overtreatment and support your skin without trying to force your hormones into balance.

Frequently asked questions about adjusting skincare for hormonal acne

Should I exfoliate in the luteal phase
Yes, but in a controlled manner. Too much can damage your skin barrier.

Should I pause retinol around menstruation
Only if you notice your skin becoming more sensitive.

Can I completely prevent chin pimples before menstruation
Not always, but you can often reduce the severity.

Do I need to balance my hormones to stop acne
Not necessarily. Many women have normal hormone levels but a sensitive skin reaction.

How do I know if my acne is hormonal
When it cyclically worsens 7 to 10 days before your period and mainly occurs on the chin and jawline.

author: Sofie Dewitte

Sources

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