It's hard to understand how treating acne topically can help breakouts that are caused internally, like hormones.
Hormones definitely do play a role in acne flare-ups: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), high-androgen birth control, pregnancy, miscarriage, breastfeeding, fertility treatments, hormone replacement therapy, testosterone, and emergency contraception pills are some of the instances of hormonal breakouts.
However, majority of the time, hormones are not the exclusive cause of acne as many people believe. There are several factors that influence the acne formation in addition to hormones. The areas that have the most significant impact on acne are: topical pore-clogging ingredients in skincare and makeup, certain foods and drinks, and ingredients in commonly used vitamins and supplements.
Until a person addresses these other factors, there is no way to know for sure if hormones are the cause of the acne or not. Surprisingly, we've only seen a small amount of true hormone-related cases. In these cases (PCOS, women going through fertility treatments, the wrong birth control and/or emergency contraception pills, and situations requiring regular testosterone injections) each client had never had acne before so the hormonal connection was clear. And, despite the hormonal influences in these cases, each client was still able to achieve clear skin through topical pore management.
When a client works with us and their skin begins to clear, clients often say "my skin looks great now, but I'm still going to get breakouts from my monthly cycle." My answer is that acne may still form deep down in the skin, but the correct products will never allow those pimples to flare-up.
We provide thorough skin guides and manuals in our clear skin program so each client we work with can often tell exactly what's causing their acne based on our extensive research for acne management. And surprisingly, most of the time it is not their hormones.
