Testosterone is a steroid hormone, mostly associated
with men as it is responsible for the development of male sex organs. Despite
this testosterone is still present in women and when trying to fight acne, both
males and females should consider how testosterone is affecting breakouts.
Acne is formed when skin follicles get clogged with
oil called Sebum. The purpose of sebum is to carry dead skin cells to the
surface of your skin, however when too much of it is produced the oil can clog
up and break out as pimples on your skin. Testosterone plays a part in this, as
it increases Sebum, increasing the likelihood of follicles blocking.
All is not lost though, testosterone is variable and understanding
what changes it can help reduce your breakouts. Dairy, sugar and starch foods
have been discovered to effect testosterone levels. Another link is the amount
of exercise you are undertaking. It has been found lifting weights increases
your testosterone by up to 30% immediately after you exercise, which often
results in breakouts. All heavy resistance training has similar effects, with
each session increasing testosterone levels.
So how do you reduce your testosterone while staying
fit and healthy? Some suggestions include reducing dairy, using medications
that reduce testosterone levels or for females, the birth control pill which
contains estrogen and progestin counteracting testosterone. It terms of
reducing exercise, it is not recommended you stop physical activity. Consider
the benefits of testosterone before trying to reduce it such as improved
strength, red blood cells production, sex drive and bone density. Rather than
abolishing all of these health benefits, a better option can be to ensure you
thoroughly wash your face after exercise and avoid irritating acne after
breakouts occur.
