Painful Progesterone: The Cystic Acne

Since last couple of years, well, 10 to be precise, I have been suffering from cystic acne on my body.

They are painful and scarring and just really a torture. I went to several different doctors who gave me several different answers. What remained common was that they said there is no cure to it and gave me bunch of antibiotics which would suppress it for a while and then they would come back the moment I stopped.

The part that bothers me the most about this is that no one really understood the cause of it. Some said it was due to inflammation in my blood, some said it was auto immune, some said it was due to in grown hair, lesions, this, that, I’ve heard it all.

Until recently when I started to notice something. They always came somewhere around my menstrual cycle. They would start growing like a week before. I wouldn’t have noticed it, but lately I’ve also started to get those on my freakin face and @sjennon pointed out that they’re always coming back during my Pre-Menstrual Week.

I noticed and kept track for two-three months and the pattern repeated itself. So I’m finally seeing a ray of hope that there could be a remedy to this. There could be a possible explanation. I still have to go to the gynecologist but the problem that I have figured out through all my research is high progesterone levels.

Source

Progesterone and its consequences:

Progesterone is a hormone released by the corpus luteum in the ovary. It plays important roles in the menstrual cycle and in maintaining the early stages of pregnancy. It works in a balance with the hormone estrogen. Though when his balance is disturbed it can have many repercussions. High progesterone levels can cause following side effects Source :

1. Anxiety and mood swings are commonly associated with elevated levels of progesterone
2. Bloating
3. Depression with severe headaches
4. Hot flushes with burning on the skin
5. Recurrent urinary tract infections with urinary incontinence
6. Weight gain especially deposition of fat around the waist and buttocks
7. Acne with an oily skin

I realized I am suffering from almost all the symptoms and I never really understood as to why I had them because in all my blood reports nothing weird ever came up.

Cause of the acne:

Elizabeth Shimer Bowers: “And as levels of progesterone increase, skin swells and pores are compressed shut,” explains dermatologist Audrey Kunin, MD, of DERMAdoctor.com. As a result, pores never looked so minimized. “But this tourniquet effect also causes sebum to build up beneath the skin’s surface.”

In addition, higher testosterone levels around menstruation further activate the sebaceous glands to make even more sebum.

Sebum yields different effects in different women. “For some, it produces a healthy glow; for others, it creates a chronic oil slick,” Kunin says. The oil provides food for the bacterium P. acnes. This bacterium causes increased breakouts and inflammation around the time of women's periods.

Source

A lifestyle change is perhaps the key to it's remedy. Further reading suggested that a good routine should help reduce the oil build up. For example you can use cleansers containing Salicylic acid and Benzoyl Peroxide. Of course the best remedies and treatment can only be provided and suggested by the doctor.

As for in my case I hope the doctor can shed some light on my case and I hope FINALLY I get rid of this torture.

Fun post for New Year no? LOL. If any of you have some suggestions or comments do let me know.

@things out.