| Wednesday, January 2, 2008 |
| PCOS and Acne |
Acne is one of the prominent symptoms of PCOS. Adult acne in many cases has been proved to be related to PCOS. PCOS acne may appear in face, neck, back, chest or other areas. The acne problem in PCOS is related to the hormonal changes in your body and hence the topical or conventional acne treatments will not work effectively for you. Acne is caused by the excess oil that gets trapped into your skin pores.
If you have any digestive problems like constipation you are more likely to get acne. Your body tries to get rid of excess hormones by all means. If it couldn't do it then it tries its last resort to get rid of acne i.e. through your skin.
In women with PCOS, androgen levels are often high and elevated. This results in the overproduction of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). DHT promotes more oil production which gets clogged in your skin pores. Following are the common types of acne that can be caused by PCOS.
If you are experiencing acne in your adulthood it is advisable to check for PCOS. It is one of the early symptoms of PCOS if you are not Insulin Resistant.
Blackheads: This type of acne results when oil and bacteria rise to the top of pores that are partially blocked. When the oil mixes with your skin melanin, the pimple takes on a darker appearance, making it look "black," hence the name blackhead.
Whiteheads: A whitehead is the result of oil and skin cells completely blocking your pores. This debris gathers beneath the surface of your skin, resulting in a pimple that appears to have a white head
Cystic Acne: This type of acne can be very painful might be of four or five millimetres or more in diameter. They occur when oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria are pushed far down into your pores leading to hard bumps that you can feel underneath your skin and that may swell and remain for weeks.
Causes of Acne
There are variety of reasons why a person might be suffering from acne. But, hormonal imbalances are the most common reason for PCOS people to suffer from acne. Women with PCOS have high level if androgens, which in turn increases the DHT levels which results in more sebum production causing acne. Also, 70% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance. Insulin resistance prevents you from ovulation which also increases your androgen levels thereby making the condition worse.
Treating your Acne
There are many over the counter medications available for the treatment of acne. They might be able to reduce the acne but might not actually cure it. Elevated androgen levels are the main cause of acne in women with PCOS, you need to treat this underlying problem to treat acne in women with PCOS. Most of the doctors prescribe spironolactone or Birth Control Pills for PCOS related acne. They require prescription from your gyno. or dermatologist. Spironolactone is primarily a blood pressure medication. It is designed to suppress the adult hormone that causes blood pressure. The adult hormones suppressed by Spironolactone are similar to DHT in women with PCOS, it lowers the androgen levels and helps to treat the acne. Similarly, birth control pills also lower the androgen levels in you blood and help with acne symptoms.
As you might notice, the solutions for PCOS sufferers are generally aimed at masking the symptoms rather than curing. So, if you want to really get rid of the underlying symptoms of PCOS then you might have to go for some natural remedies that could regulate your hormone levels.Labels: Acne, Adult Acne, PCOS and Acne |
posted by Priya @ 10:09 PM   |
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| 1 Comments: |
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PCOS, the Hidden Epidemic
The fundamental problem with PCOS is anovulation and not making progesterone for two weeks every cycle.
This lack of progesterone leads to hormonal imbalance in the ovary, causes the ovary to produce testosterone and leads to the irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. This is aggravated by obesity and insulin resistance.
Progesterone is missing, therefore replacing it makes sense.
To read more, click here:
Understanding PCOS, the Hidden Epidemic by Jeffrey Dach MD
my web site
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PCOS, the Hidden Epidemic
The fundamental problem with PCOS is anovulation and not making progesterone for two weeks every cycle.
This lack of progesterone leads to hormonal imbalance in the ovary, causes the ovary to produce testosterone and leads to the irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. This is aggravated by obesity and insulin resistance.
Progesterone is missing, therefore replacing it makes sense.
To read more, click here:
Understanding PCOS, the Hidden Epidemic by Jeffrey Dach MD
my web site