Acne before or during menstruation appears in 80% of the gentle half of humanity. Girls under 30 develop rashes less frequently than women over 40. Why do pimples appear on the face before menstruation?
The fact is that every month natural physiological processes occur in a woman’s body that affect hormonal levels. Therefore, during certain phases of the cycle, sharp changes in mood are observed, the intensity of the production of sebaceous glands, aggression, fatigue, and acne increases.
This condition is also called premenstrual syndrome, and it negatively affects health.
Causes of rashes on the face during menstruation
The reasons for the appearance of various types of rashes during menstruation are factors such as:
- adolescence;
- taking hormonal medications;
- presence of stress;
- presence of gastrointestinal disease;
- poor climatic conditions, for example, high humidity or dryness;
- low-grade cosmetics;
- systematic squeezing of pimples;
- the presence of propionic bacteria in the body, which work faster in the middle of a woman’s cycle, which leads to the formation of a rash;
- consumption of fatty, unhealthy foods and alcohol;
- lack of proper hygiene and cleanliness in the house: dust, poor cleaning, lack of skin care leads to the formation of pimples and blackheads.
Stages and types of acne
Before looking for ways to get rid of acne, you should know the stages of acne, as they have different approaches to treatment. There are four degrees in total:
- first – from 1 to 10 inflamed fragments;
- the second – from 10 to 40 rashes;
- third – more than 40 acne elements;
- fourth - multiple pustules filled with pus, which can merge with each other.
The last stage is the most severe, characterized by the formation of scars and stagnant spots. The inflammatory process affects the deeper layers of the skin, resulting in pain and itching in the affected areas.
The fourth degree is divided into three main types of acne - conglobate, indurative, phlegmous. These types of rashes are dangerous because they can leave behind deep scars and scars. If you try to squeeze out such suppurative elements, you can provoke the development of sepsis.
How can you prevent acne?
Acne doesn't just happen. The reasons have already been described earlier. To prevent this disease from forming on the skin, you should follow simple rules:
- Wash your face twice a day every day. Do this with warm water. It will help open the pores and remove dirt from them. Do not burn your skin with hot water. Before this activity, it is important to wash your hands, because they may become contaminated.
- Try to do at least minimal skin care. Use moisturizing toners, creams and smears. They will saturate the skin with useful microelements and help it to be beautiful. Plus, it will relieve dryness.
- Never go to bed with makeup on. It is this that causes clogging of pores and the formation of negative consequences. In addition to acne, irritation may occur.
- Touch your face and hair with your hands as little as possible. They contain a million bacteria that easily penetrate the skin and cause inflammation.
- Do not share towels, hygiene products, rubber bands, or other similar items with brothers, sisters, and other household members.
- Try to wash your bedding and pillows more often. Dirt accumulated on laundry negatively affects the health of the skin.
- Wash your hair more often. It is oily and dirty hair that becomes a factor in the appearance of acne on the forehead.
- Try to drink your daily amount of water and eat foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates. All this gives additional energy and maintains body tone.
- Do not eat foods that contain a high glycemic index. These are instant food, chocolate and others.
Important! You need to give up alcohol and cigarettes. In addition to “clogging” the pores, they negatively affect the entire body. Lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise.
Treatment with medications
Acne treatments offered by many pharmaceutical companies reduce the level of hormones that affect their formation.
If you choose the remedy yourself, this can cause unwanted side effects, which is not allowed. The first step to getting rid of the problem is a visit to a professional doctor who has extensive experience in cosmetology. It is he who will select a remedy that is normal for a particular person, or will refer you to a dermatologist to identify the problem of acne formation based on the tests received, which will have to be taken.
Often this problem is solved through complex treatment. Preparations in the form of antiseptics, ointments, gels and creams are accompanied by taking tablets. They, in turn, are often aimed at destroying bacteria that cause inflammation.
Hormonal medications may also be prescribed to restore optimal hormonal levels.
Your doctor will tell you in detail how to deal with acne before your period, and will help you choose products based on your skin type. There are four types in total:
- dry;
- normal;
- combined;
- fat.
Most often, acne and acne appear during and after menstruation on combination and oily skin. It is in this group that they appear not only on the face, but throughout the body. This type of skin requires more care compared to others. It needs not only to be intensively cleaned, but also additionally moisturized.
Let's delve a little deeper into the reasons
On what day after ovulation do comedones appear? It is known that before the onset of menstruation there are three phases: follicular, ovulatory and luteal. In the last two phases, the amount of estrogen decreases. The hormone reduces the production of sebaceous secretions.
But there is more progesterone and androgen. These are the reason for the increased supply of sebum. The gland duct becomes clogged, and either black spots or inflammatory processes form. We conclude that inflammation can appear from ovulation itself and before the onset of menstruation. However, this does not apply to all owners of the fair sex, but only to those whose hormonal surges are more pronounced.
During pregnancy, it is also possible that pimples may appear on the body, which is also associated with a huge change in hormonal levels. Therefore, the appearance of acne is caused not only by menstrual periods.
Folk remedies
Those who trust folk remedies the most make their own acne medications at home.
Like tablets, all products are divided into those that need to be taken internally and those that need to be applied to the skin. Often these are masks with lotions, compresses and poultices made from natural products, which are not so difficult to make yourself. For internal use there are various herbal decoctions with infusions. Masks are prepared using a mixture of cucumber with honey, lemon or brewer's yeast. For example, a cucumber mask perfectly moisturizes the skin, saturating it with beneficial microelements. To do this, you just need to grate a cucumber and apply it to the surface of your face or back for twenty minutes.
Instead of lotions, lovers of traditional medicine use a decoction of sage with calendula, chamomile or, for example, tartar. They can tone the skin and make it cleaner.
As an example, we suggest preparing a lotion that contains nettle, birch leaves and sage. To make it, you need to crush all the leaves and pour boiling water: 2 tablespoons of the mixture, 1 liter of water. Leave for 15 minutes. Then you can wipe your skin with a cotton pad. Exactly the same decoction is suitable for oral administration. To make it more tasty, you can add a teaspoon of honey and lemon.
Features of hygiene on critical days: is it possible to take a bath during menstruation?
Ways to delay your period for a few days, and whether it’s worth doing, read here.
How to remove irritation in the intimate area after shaving: .
Methods to combat emerging rashes
It is useless to fight rashes caused by any hormonal fluctuations. The menstrual cycle is no exception. Pimples that have already appeared can only be masked and relieve pain if it is present (as is the case with the formation of boils).
What you absolutely cannot do is squeeze out blackheads. Most often they are deep subcutaneous and extremely painful. Attempts to physically remove such pustules lead to damage to the epidermis and an increase in the infected area. Such a pimple against the background of red skin damaged by nails looks even worse than before the manipulations began, takes a long time to heal, leaves a scar and provokes the appearance of other similar pimples next to it.
Fighting blackheads
At their core, blackheads (comedones) are non-inflamed closed pores. When bacteria enter them, they turn into pimples. Their appearance is provoked by an increase in sebum production. The upper part of such a fatty plug oxidizes, which leads to its darkening. Such formations on the skin of the face and body are a prerequisite for the appearance of acne, and therefore require proper removal.
The easiest way to get rid of comedones is mechanically. To do this, it is important to first steam a clean face, without traces of makeup and dust. Herbal decoctions with the addition of essential oils that have antiseptic properties are well suited for this purpose. Comedones from steamed skin are carefully removed with fingers wrapped in a cotton pad. The procedure is completed by wiping with disinfecting tinctures. At the end, it would be appropriate to wash your face with cold mineral water or wipe your skin with chamomile cosmetic ice to tighten the pores.
It is important to cleanse your face of comedones without waiting for your period. Get into the habit of doing this procedure regularly to prevent acne.
Cleansing the skin of dead cells
This procedure is mandatory to prevent the appearance of acne and blackheads. Gentle scrubs, gommages, and clay masks come to the rescue in solving the problem. It is important to cleanse your skin regularly because cell renewal occurs every second. But the main thing is not to overdo it and not leave the skin completely defenseless. Such a mistake will only provoke the appearance of acne.
Scrubs and masks can be purchased ready-made or prepared independently using clay, oatmeal, bread crumb, honey with sugar and other abrasives. Essential oils are added to such masks to disinfect, accelerate regeneration, and stimulate internal reserves. The use of seasonal berries and fruits is popular due to their high content of fruit acids and vitamins that nourish the skin and increase local immunity.
The fight against acne is a long process and does not always pass without a trace. Therefore, it is important to try to prevent the problem rather than solve it later. To do this, you need to regularly cleanse the skin of your face and body, without focusing on your period. It is permissible to do this both at home and with help in a professional salon.
How to treat inflamed acne
If hormonal fluctuations in the period before menstruation still provoke the appearance of acne, then the fight against such rashes should be reduced to drying and disinfecting them.
You cannot steam a face with any inflamed formations. It is not recommended to use masks. A smart solution would be a careful targeted antiseptic effect with alcohol-containing tinctures of herbs (calendula, sage), tea tree oil, and pure alcohol. There is no need to wipe the entire surface of the skin with such products so as not to dry it out. Avoid greasy creams during active breakouts.
If such inflammations appear constantly, cover a large area of the epidermis and do not go away completely, only worsening a few days before menstruation, then this is a reason to consult a doctor. A surge of progesterone can provoke deterioration of the skin condition due to another problem. The doctor will conduct the necessary examinations, take tests and identify the cause that provokes increased secretion of the sebaceous glands during periods not associated with the active production of progesterone.
To disguise isolated rashes, select a special green pencil. It will make reddened areas less noticeable. Apply foundation over the concealer. Choose high-quality cosmetics that do not clog pores so as not to aggravate the situation.
Inflamed pimples caused by a surge in hormones before the onset of menstruation are best left alone. Such rashes are easier to prevent, so focus on preventive measures. They are designed to improve skin health and prevent the creation of favorable conditions for acne.
