Hormone Therapy for Acne – Pros and Cons

Acne is associated so much with teenagers and young adults that a lot of people tend to forget that almost anyone can get it. And regardless of the person’s age, acne can have the same social and emotional effects that it does with adolescents.

Women who develop acne when they’re in their twenties and thirties may have special problems. Of course there’s the surprise – and annoyance – of having to deal with a condition they thought was long gone. But their changed appearance can affect not only their social but also their professional lives.

Doctors who treat women with acne may decide to prescribe hormone therapy – usually birth control pills. Here’s why they do that – and why it may or may not be a good idea.

Acne is thought to be at least partially hormone-related. When adult women experience flareups of acne during certain times in their menstrual cycle, it’s suspected that their hormones are fluctuating. Birth control pills can regulate these hormones, and may be successful at controlling acne when other methods have failed.

There are many different kinds of hormone therapy available. But when doctors are treating for acne (rather than pregnancy prevention) they’ll prefer to use brands that either reduce or don’t affect the levels of androgens – male hormones – in the body. They do this because of the belief that it’s the androgens that cause the sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum. If this action can be cut down, the pores will be less likely to get blocked, and the acne will subside.

Hormone therapy, though, is not a good idea for all women with acne. It’s contraindicated – meaning it shouldn’t be used – in women who have the following:- high cholesterol- cigarette smoking- a personal or family history of heart disease- clotting disorders of any kind- a hormone-related form of cancer, like breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer

And hormone therapy can have side effects ranging from mild to very serious, including the following:- nausea and vomiting- headaches- mood swings and depression- high blood pressure- clotting problems, including embolisms, strokes, and heart attacks- an increased risk of a hormone-related cancer (like the ones mentioned above)

There’s also the chance of a drug interaction if the woman is also taking antibiotics, anti-epileptics, and possibly some other types of medications as well.

The general opinion is that women with acne should try other forms of treatment first. If those methods don’t work, and there are no contraindications, then hormone therapy might be a valuable option. But even then, it would be good to have an ob/gyn specialist consult and do periodic followups.

This may sound like hormone therapy for acne isn’t a short term proposition – and that’s exactly right, it isn’t. Most of the time the woman will need to take the pills for several months or possibly even years.

Hormone therapy may be useful for adult women with stubborn, treatment-resistant acne. But it isn’t for everyone. If you’re thinking about using it, think twice – or even three times – and be sure to get all the information you can, from your physician and other sources as well, before you make your decision.