Hormonal Acne: Understanding the Root Cause and How Acupuncture Can Help

When we think of hormonal acne, it’s common to focus on the usual suspects like estrogen and progesterone. But in reality, acne is influenced by a broader range of hormones, as well as compounds that act like hormones. Investigating and addressing the entire hormonal landscape can help us achieve significant improvements in skin health. One powerful tool we have in our Naturopathic toolkit for this is acupuncture.

The Hormonal Landscape of Acne

First, let’s back up and highlight these “hormones.” Remember that with any condition (acne included), there often isn’t one single culprit causing all the issues. So if you’re looking to heal your acne for good, you need to consider the whole picture, and how all hormones might be influencing each other. These are some of the factors your health care practitioner should be investigating:

  • Insulin: High insulin levels can trigger excess sebum production, leading to clogged pores and acne. Insulin resistance (where your cells don’t respond well to insulin) can make this process worse, as well as contribute to androgen production at the level of the skin.
  • How acupuncture can help: Acupuncture can improve insulin sensitivity, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce insulin spikes. By improving insulin resistance, acupuncture may help decrease sebum production and reduce acne outbreaks.
  • Androgens: This group of hormones (testosterone, DHEAs, DHT) contribute heavily to sebum production and acne. Here, we may be dealing with excess androgens in the body, or a hypersensitivity to normal androgen amounts at the skin.
  • How acupuncture can help: Acupuncture’s effects on insulin resistance will positively influence androgens, and it also has the power to improve other symptoms of high androgens like hair loss or abnormal hair growth, often seen in conditions like PCOS.
  • Cortisol: Cortisol spikes during stress, leading to increased oil production and inflammation—both of which can worsen acne. Chronic stress and elevated cortisol disrupts other hormones (like insulin, thyroid, estrogen, etc), contributing to imbalances internally that show up on your skin.
  • How acupuncture can help: Acupuncture is known for its stress-relieving effects. By promoting relaxation and addressing the nervous system, it can lower cortisol levels and improve one’s perception of stress. This not only helps manage acne but also promotes overall hormonal balance and well-being.
  • Thyroid Hormones: Both an overactive (hyperthyroidism) and underactive (hypothyroidism) thyroid can affect your skin’s health. Thyroid hormones regulate oil glands and skin cell turnover, as well as influencing our metabolism and the efficacy of other hormones (insulin, cortisol, etc) – so any imbalance can contribute to acne.
  • How acupuncture can help: Acupuncture can improve thyroid function, whether it’s overactive or underactive. By supporting a balanced thyroid, acupuncture helps regulate a wide range of hormonal processes, including those contributing to acne.
  • Vitamin D: This one is interesting as Vitamin D acts like a hormone in the body. Deficiency in this vitamin alone can weaken the immune system and increase inflammation, making acne more severe. It also plays a role in regulating insulin and sex hormones, making it important to test not guess!
  • How acupuncture can help: While acupuncture alone won’t improve Vitamin D intake, it will support how the body metabolizes and utilizes vitamin D. It can also help reduce inflammation and boost immune function – both of which are also functions of Vitamin D.
  • Bile Acids: Bile is produced by the liver and acts as a “signaling hormone.” It plays many roles in the body, including nutrient breakdown, eliminating toxins, and metabolizing hormones. Poor production or flow of bile can cause a backup that can eventually show up in the skin.
  • How acupuncture can help: The liver and gallbladder are organs that have tons of influence on the rest of the body. Acupuncture has been shown to enhance bile production and flow, increase antioxidant levels in liver tissues, and reduce inflammatory messengers (called cytokines) – all of which will have an impact on skin!
  • Bile Acids: Bile is produced by the liver and acts as a “signaling hormone.” It plays many roles in the body, including nutrient breakdown, eliminating toxins, and metabolizing hormones. Poor production or flow of bile can cause a backup that can eventually show up in the skin.
  • How acupuncture can help: The liver and gallbladder are organs that have tons of influence on the rest of the body. Acupuncture has been shown to enhance bile production and flow, increase antioxidant levels in liver tissues, and reduce inflammatory messengers (called cytokines) – all of which will have an impact on skin!

Heal Your Skin Holistically

Acupuncture offers a natural and effective way to address the underlying hormonal causes of acne. By targeting these imbalances—not just the symptoms—acupuncture can be used as a tool to help you achieve clear skin from the inside out, as well as calm flare-ups and reduce scarring.

If you’re struggling with hormonal acne and are looking for a natural solution, consider trying acupuncture as part of your treatment plan. Community Facial Acupuncture sessions are available at Advanced Women’s Health (Ancaster, Port Credit, and Toronto West) and are a great way to try out this service and talk to our Naturopathic Doctors about whether it is right for you.

Learn more 

Community Facial Acupuncture @ Ancaster with Dr. Kaitlyn

Community Facial Acupuncture @ Port Credit with Dr. Ally

Community Facial Acupuncture @ Port Credit with Dr. Rebecca

Author:

Dr. Kaitlyn Holbrook, ND

References

PMID 31445362

PMID: 35124475

PMID: 30341025

PMID: 29354946