Many women suffering from acne may not see much progress with standard treatments. If you are a woman with persistent acne that does not respond to the usual medications like OTC acne products or retinoids, it may be time to consider hormonal acne treatment.
Hormonal acne is commonly seen in adult women and occurs in relation to natural cycles that a woman goes through which affect hormonal levels, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. It is not unusual for affected women to experience acne for the first time in their lives at an adult age, like in their late 20s and older.
If this has been your experience, may want to consult with a specialist like a gynecologist or an endocrinologist who has experience in this kind of treatment. The doctor will ask you to undergo certain blood tests so he or she can determine the specific hormonal factors causing your acne. You will then be prescribed hormones in order to prevent these breakouts.
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Acne is initiated by masculinizing hormones called androgens of which testosterone is the best known. Testosterone is actually produced also by females, although in much lesser quantity than in males. The objective of hormonal acne treatment is to reduce the level of testosterone or counteract its effects, clearing up the lesions in the process.
Using oral contraceptives or birth control pills for acne may work because they lower free testosterone. They contain hormones like estrogen and progestin which directly interferes with androgen production.
Among the oral contraceptive brands that may be used for acne caused by hormones are Diane-35®, Tri-Cyclen®, Alesse®, and Yasmin®. They contain progestins with varying levels of androgenic or antiandrogenic properties.
Spironolactone (Aldactone®) is a drug with antiandrogenic properties that may be used by itself or in combination with oral contraceptives to treat hormonal acne. It is a drug originally developed for high blood pressure. It does so by blocking aldosterone, a hormone which raises blood pressure, which is chemically similar to testosterone. Some studies show that Spironolactone works as an effective acne medication with few side effects. However, more studies are needed to confirm this finding.