How do I know if my acne is bacterial or hormonal?

Acne effects people of all ages although it is much more frequent amongst those who are younger. No matter what age you are if you are affected by acne, you must choose the right treatment and selecting the right treatment depends on the type of acne you suffer from. Most people are affected by hormonal or bacterial acne.

When it comes to hormonal acne it is most frequently found in teenagers, pregnant woman who are going through their menstrual cycle and those who suffer from hormonal imbalances. When it comes to bacterial acne it is caused by an excessive quantity of bacteria on the skin and one of its most common signs are whiteheads, blackheads and small pimples that appear on the nose, chin and forehead.

When it comes to treating your acne no matter which type it maybe you should consult with your dermatologist who will prescribe the right treatment depending on your particular type of acne. Some of the most common types of treatments are topical and oral medications and changes in the manner of living which focuses on less stress and a healthier diet.

As we stated before the root cause of hormonal acne is hormonal imbalance which causes an increase in androgens. These androgens are actually males sex hormones but are present in both men and women although men have a higher level of them. In women androgens are produced by the adrenal glands and ovaries.

Androgens can overstimulate sebaceous glands which are small oil producing glands on the skin which cause an increase in sebum production. This increase in sebum production is more than the skin needs which in turn clogs the pores and creates a perfect environment for acne to appear and grow!

Hormonal acne tends to be much more frequent amongst teenagers and women. This has to do with teenagers and women suffering more from problems such as puberty, menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause. Most treatment for hormonal acne aims to decrease the amount of androgen which decreases the amount of sebum production.

When it comes to bacterial acne the root cause is the excessive growth of bacteria on the skin. Bacteria naturally appears on the skin but when their quantity increases, they tend to cause inflammation on the skin that appears in the form of pimples.

Your skin type also plays a role when it comes to bacterial acne. Those who suffer from oily skin tend to be more effected by bacterial acne. The oily skin encourages the production of bacteria on the skin. Bacterial acne can also be caused by other conditions such as stress, poor diet and hormonal imbalances.

When it comes to differentiating between hormonal and bacterial acne certain symptoms such as whiteheads, blackheads and pimples are associated with both types of acnes. But we must look for those signs that we can look for to differentiate each type of acne. For example, in women hormonal acne can appear on the lower face and jawline. The reason is because when women are going through menstrual cycle these area are more effected.

When it comes to signs to look for bacterial acne things such as appearance of red and inflamed cyst and pimples that tend to appear most frequently on the forehead, nose and chins are some signs to look for.