Hormonal acne in adults

A quick note: The information shared here is intended to support cosmetic and skincare decision-making only. It’s not medical advice and isn’t a substitute for personalised care from a qualified health professional. If you’re experiencing persistent acne or have questions about treatment options, please speak with your GP or another trusted medical professional.

We assume acne ends with our teens, but for many of us, it doesn’t.

Hormonal acne in adults is common, especially in women (can’t we just live?) and it behaves differently, which means your old go-to products might not help.

What’s going on?

Hormonal acne is driven by changes in hormones, particularly androgens. Androgens are hormones that tell your skin to produce oil.

Everyone has them, but when androgen levels increase or your skin is more sensitive to them, your oil glands become more active.

More oil can mean more clogged pores, which is why androgens are closely linked to breakouts (especially around the jaw and chin).

More oil = more chance of clogged pores.
Clogged pores = breakouts.

This change in hormones often line up with your cycle, stress or perimenopause. Sometimes all at once. Eye roll.

It’s also worth knowing, this type of acne often comes with sensitivity. So, your skin might be breaking out but feeling dry or irritated at the same time.

I feel like Betty Bad News today… I promise, I’m getting to some good stuff. But first we need to talk about where you might do more a little more harm than good when treating breakouts…

What not to do

As a skincare coach, the biggest mistake I see people make is trying to remove oil from their skin using strong cleansers, harsh treatments or by skipping moisturiser.

That’s not what your skin needs.

Oil (sebum) protects and supports your skin. It helps lock in water, keeping your skin hydrated and forms part of your skin barrier, which defends your body against irritation, bacteria and environmental stress.

When your skin has the right amount of oil, it’s more balanced, less reactive and better able to heal.

When you try to remove that oil, your body actually produces more to compensate.

More oil leads to more congestion. And you’re stuck in a loop.

The goal is to balance your skin hydration and oils, not remove oil altogether.

If you’re experiencing adult acne, I suggest following Sydney Beauty Creator Minnie Issac (minnieisaac_) and pharmaceutical scientist Hannah Collingwood English (hannahcollingwoodenglish) on Instagram. Both have experienced adult acne and share helpful advice, experience and product recommendations.

A simple skincare routine can help

The right topical skincare can help support your skin through treatment, and reduce the severity of some of the symptoms of hormonal acne, like redness, inflammation and irritation.

Morning

Start with a gentle cleanse. You want to remove excess sebum, wash away some bacteria and remove dead skin cells without disrupting your skin barrier.

Then hydrate. Even if your skin is oily. Especially if it’s oily.

A lightweight serum that hydrates without heaviness helps your skin behave more predictably.

Then sunscreen. Every day.

If your SPF feels heavy or clogging, it’s the formula, not the step. You still need it, especially when you’re dealing with acne and post-acne marks. Book a free 15-minute skin chat to talk find a comfy sunscreen for your skin.

Evening

Clean your skin thoroughly using a gentle cleanser. Using your fingertips and small circular motions, gently massage your cleanser onto your skin for 60 seconds. This will clear away some of the excess oils, dead skin cells and breakout-causing bacteria on your skin.

Use an azelaic acid lotion to help manage acne-causing bacteria, reduce inflammation and fade dark spots often left behind after breakouts.

Follow with a moisturiser that supports your skin. If your skin feels irritated, lean into calming, barrier-supporting products.

For active breakouts, use a targeted spot treatment. You don’t need to treat your whole face just the pustules and whiteheads.

Pimple patches protect your skin, stop touching/picking and can reduce inflammation and redness.  There not magic, but they’re pretty close.

If you’re starting a routine to address adult hormonal acne, avoid jumping straight into strong actives like Vitamin C or retinoids.

Start simple, let your skin settle, and introduce actives slowly to reduce the risk of irritation.

Before you change everything again

Hormonal acne doesn’t respond overnight.

Two to four weeks is a realistic timeframe to start seeing change.

How will you know if your new routine is working? You’ll notice:

• Less redness around breakouts
• Fewer new deep pimples
• Skin around the breakouts will look calmer and more hydrated.

If you haven’t noticed an improvement in your skin after 4-6 weeks, visit a pharmacist you trust and ask them for information about Adapalene, a Vitamin A (retinoid) product designed for breakout-prone skin.

A note on skin purging

Skin purging is when your skin breaks out more temporarily after starting an active ingredient that speeds up cell turnover, like retinoic acid (retinol).

It brings underlying congestion to the surface faster, so your skin might look worse before it improves.

Skin purging usually starts within the first two weeks of introducing an active ingredient like retinoids or exfoliating acids.

It can last up to four weeks, depending on your skin cycle, and should gradually improve as your skin adjusts.

Be patient with your skin (and kind to yourself)

There can be some trial and error when treating adult hormonal acne.

You’re not doing anything wrong. You might just need to do a little more research and testing to figure out which products work best on your skin.

Give it time, keep things consistent and resist the urge to change everything at once.

The Great Skin Guide is a founder-led blog for honest, simple and fun skincare content. I hope you love reading it as much as I love writing it.

Tenille Hellier is the founder of It’s Tenille, an online personalised skincare service based in Adelaide. A certified skincare coach, Tenille built her practice on the idea that skincare should be as simple as possible for consumers. Her personalised skincare programs and product recommendations are based on her rigorous product selection protocol because Tenille believes every product should earn its place in your routine. Book a free 15-minute skin chat with Tenille to figure out the right next step for your skin.

You can find Tenille on Instagram, Facebook and Substack. She’s not cool enough for TikTok.