Why do I get acne before my period?

Menstruation is something women experience every month. Because the hormones in women's bodies change during this period, many women may experience various problems before or during menstruation. Acne is a common premenstrual reaction. Although this is a normal physiological reaction, in order to protect your skin health, you still have to take good care of your skin when acne appears!

1. Why do you get acne before your period?

The week before the menstrual period is when skin problems occur most frequently. At this time, because estrogen levels drop, progesterone and androgen increase, the skin's oil production increases dramatically, greatly increasing the chance of acne. Many women who have obvious hormone responses will experience subtle changes in their skin over the 28-day menstrual cycle. For example, in the first and fourth weeks, the skin surface may be oily and a few pimples may suddenly appear; in the second and third weeks, there may be a slight dehydration and dryness. These phenomena will subside as the menstrual period progresses.

2. How to take care of large acne before and after menstruation?

1. Do a good job of oil control and moisturizing

Especially one week before the menstrual period, you should pay special attention to cleaning and maintenance. You can strengthen oil control on the oily T-zone and lightly moisturize the cheeks. In order to prevent dryness and reduce the irritation of alkaline lotions to the skin, it is best to choose a facial cleanser with more oiliness, and focus on the T-zone where oil is more produced, so as to thoroughly remove the keratin cells on the surface of the skin and dirt deep in the hair follicles. If you feel your skin is dry, you can spray your skin with moisturizing water after cleansing in the morning and evening. During your menstrual period, you can apply a moisturizing mask to your face one hour before going to bed every night for two consecutive days to keep your skin hydrated and prevent dryness.

2. Maintain sleep and avoid staying up late

Staying up late during menstruation will affect endocrine levels due to lack of sleep, making it more likely to induce the appearance of acne. If you normally sleep 6-7 hours, it is enough, but during this period it is best to ensure 8 hours of sleep a day, and pay attention to keeping warm, so that the body is always warm and comfortable, which is beneficial to the normal blood circulation in the body and is very effective in maintaining the level of estrogen in the body.

3. Don’t be too impatient when removing acne

During your menstrual period, even if you rarely get acne, you may develop a few due to changes in hormone secretion. Generally speaking, menstrual acne will slowly disappear with the end of menstruation, so there is no need to worry too much, and don’t be cruel and endure the pain to squeeze the acne excessively. Because the skin’s self-healing ability during this period is poor, it is likely to leave acne scars that are difficult to remove. You may try to use skin care products that contain tea tree oil, salicylic acid and other disinfectants and ingredients that accelerate the shedding of acne as first aid. If the inflamed area is large and the number of acne spots is large, you must seek treatment from a dermatologist.

4. Soothe the liver and regulate qi to keep a happy mood

Changes in estrogen secretion in the body before menstruation can also affect mood changes, causing feelings of loss, sadness, and irritability. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that this is caused by "liver qi stagnation." If you experience emotional instability, thymus pain, etc. during your menstrual period, it is recommended that you do some liver-soothing and qi-regulating conditioning. For example, doing some outdoor aerobic exercise can effectively relieve your mood. Massaging the Xingjian and Taichong points between the big toe and the second toe on the instep before going to bed every day can help clear the liver fire. In addition, starting to take the traditional Chinese medicine "Xiaoyao Pills" half a month before the onset of menstruation can improve menstrual syndrome, soothe the liver, clear away heat, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and prevent acne and pimples caused by excessive liver and stomach fire.

5. Eat blood-enriching foods

Starting seven days before the menstrual period, you may want to consume more foods that have blood-replenishing function, such as red dates, lotus seeds, Sichuan loquat, etc. You can boil them into nourishing porridge and drink it before going to bed. It can not only promote blood circulation and relieve menstrual discomfort, but also replenish blood and qi, making the skin rosy. In addition, the lack of trace elements such as iron, calcium, and zinc in the body is also the reason for dull skin color during menstruation. You can take or inject appropriate amounts of trace elements orally to supplement the body's needs.