Is Testosterone Higher In Autumn?

 Why does Adult Acne seem to be worse in the fall?

 

I’ve been hearing about this from colleagues for quite some time now - “testosterone goes up in the fall”.  Being responsible for oil production in the skin, any increase in this male hormone in turn increases oil in the skin, which can create inflammation in stuffed-up and/or sensitive pores, leading to breakouts.

But why does this happen? 

Related:  Hormonal Shifts and Breakouts

Wherever I saw this, reasons were never really talked about, because I wasn’t seeing this in discussions about it specifically, it was just mentioned as a known matter of fact, usually in the context of advice.  I simply was unfamiliar with the idea.  

So, I was finally able to set aside some time while I wasn’t able to work after breaking my arm (I know… it’s been quite a summer…) and do a little research.

 

The first thing of course that stood out, and mentioned the most often, was the issue of libido.  Lots about sex drive, sperm counts, and how to get testosterone to go up when you don’t have enough of it (which is not us).  But none of this explains why it goes up in the fall, and if this was all about fertility, wouldn’t late spring/early summer have the most births of the entire year?  As far as I know, I send a pretty similar number of birthday discounts to my clients every month. lol

 

For instance, here’s one source I found, but look at the number of participants in the study: 

“In a 2006 study, researchers examined seasonal testosterone fluctuations in the saliva of 220 women and 127 men. They also measured the waists and hips of the female study participants throughout the seasons. Similarly, women's and men's testosterone levels were highest in autumn. Unlike men, women also had high testosterone levels in the summer.”

I should point out here, testosterone does go up in both men and women, but in my experience, and that of my colleagues, this doesn’t create acne issues in men the way it does in women.  Women experience more hormonal fluctuations, but also women get a rush of testosterone every time they have an adrenaline rush, since women produce testosterone in their adrenal glands as well as their ovaries. whereas men produce it only in their testes.  

 

Anyway, it then goes on to say this:

“It's still a mystery why seasonal changes influence testosterone levels.  Whether it's triggered by decreasing daylight, increased social activity, or an evolutionary impulse has yet to be determined.”

Another source suggests that testosterone goes up slowly with more exposure to sunlight during the summer and peaks at the beginning of fall, because it stimulates production of Vitamin D, which is linked to testosterone production.  This would mean decreasing levels in the winter, accompanied by low energy, decreased libido, mood swings, and seasonal affective disorder.

Pretty cool info right there.  But I still feel like there has to be more to this.

So, I dug a little deeper.

Well, by "dug" I mean I asked my trusted gurus.  And guess what? NOTHING.  No answers beyond, "yeah, studies show it goes up in fall, no good info as to why." 

Ah well.  Mystery.

So.  What to do? 

Here are a few tips:

• Gentle cleansing: Wash twice daily with a cleanser most appropriate for your skin’s condition.
• Hydration: Use a spray-on alcohol-free toner to give your serums and moisturizer water and anti-inflammatory ingredients to bind to the skin and keep water there.  As well, use non-comedogenic (won't clog pores) sunscreen in the morning and barrier repair moisturizer at night to keep skin balanced in cooler weather.
• Chemical exfoliants: After hydrating serum and before AM or PM moisturizer, apply a serum containing Alpha Hydroxy Acid with or without Beta Hydroxy Acid to clear dead cells and excess oil inside pores.
• Targeted topicals: Working with an experienced Esthetician to determine the right topical active for your skin’s situation, apply either a benzoyl peroxide or retinoid product to reduce any bacterial problem if it exists, but especially to prevent and dislodge the clogging of follicles.  These products must be properly formulated, not only to work, but especially prevent backfiring of all your efforts.

 

Related:  To Med or Not to Med

 

A few words about medical treatments:

• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills): Doctors will sometimes prescribe these to block testosterone production by the ovaries, which can have a direct impact on formation of acne breakouts.  Too often I find, however, it begins with a game of throwing spaghetti against a wall to see what sticks, and way too often doesn’t begin with extensive hormone testing to see if there is a true, medically based imbalance.  Patients request it, it’s supposed to work, so let’s see what happens.  I can’t tell you how many clients I have cleared over the years whose breakouts could be traced straight back to the wrong birth control, even more so after several changes in prescription.
• Anti-androgen medications: Drugs like Spironolactone block the effects of testosterone on the body to reduce acne and excess hair growth.  On the rare occasion that I have recommended this, all other means of acne clearing in my arsenal will have failed, and hormone testing has definitively shown that her body is consistently and constantly over-producing testosterone.  For breakouts that are worsening because of a seasonal change, though, this would actually be overkill.  It’s actually a blood pressure medication prescribed off-label for acne stemming from excess oil.  It causes serious dehydration issues, as well as other potential side effects.
• Metformin: Doctors use this diabetes medication to lower insulin resistance, which helps lower testosterone levels linked to metabolic issues or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).  Now, acne breakouts can be a consequence of insulin resistance even without PCOS.  I have seen this be corrected with diet alone, which in turn did clear up most clients with this issue.  Once diabetes sets in, though, it’s very difficult to change things without medication.  Regardless, Metformin also has some nasty side effects, so it’s best to be absolutely sure you need this to help clear your acne.
• Glucocorticosteroids: Doctors use these steroid medications if the adrenal glands produce too many androgens.  It must be kept in mind, though, steroidal medications reduce the strength of your immune system, so your skin can end up having a tough time healing breakouts when bacterial proliferation is involved.

 

Interested in products that will help your seasonal breakouts this fall?

Now through Nov. 15^th

At Daniela's Facial Studio's webstore:

Here’s what you’ll need,
and what you’ll get:

Purchase all three of the following:

One Full Size Cleanser
One Full Size Antiox Hydrating Serum
One Full Size Zinc-Sulfur Mask

Receive all three of the following:

A Purse-Size Shine*Fix Setting/Blotting Powder with mini Kabuki Brush
a new concept in setting/blotting powder - no light reflecting shimmers that can make oily skin look bad, but full of soothing minerals and botanicals to help calm inflamed breakouts. In an oil-blotting setting powder!

A Night-Stand Size Overnight Acne LotionMask
overnight all-over or spot treatment that fights excess oil and calms inflammation with clays, hydrators, calamine, panthenol, and niacinamide.

A Fan Mask Brush for your clay mask
makes applying mask so much easier - neater, less waste, more precise.

Enter code “autumn” upon checkout.

the gift code will not show on your receipt, 

but not to worry, it will show on your order

 

Your adult acne problem has a source, and clearing your skin requires finding that source and either eliminating it or healing it.  You can start right now by checking out my Eval by Email® Adult Acne Clearing Program created specially for ages Gen-Y to Baby Boom!

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