Interview study, 2014
Does acne get worse around women's periods?
About two-thirds of adult women with acne reported that their acne gets worse around their period, with more than half saying it worsens in the week before their period starts.
What they did
Researchers surveyed women aged 18 and over at a dermatology clinic in New York who had acne in the last 30 days. They asked when their acne got worse and when it started.
What they found
Of the 18 women surveyed, 65 percent reported that their acne was worse with their period. Of those with perimenstrual acne, 56 percent said it got worse in the week before their period, 17 percent during their period, 3 percent after their period, and 24 percent throughout their whole cycle. Most had acne starting between ages 12 and 18. Thirty-five percent were using birth control pills.
What it means for you
Acne that worsens around the period is common in adult women and tends to happen at a consistent time in the cycle. This was a small survey from one hospital, so these findings may not apply to all women.
65%
reported acne worse with period
56%
reported worsening week before period
35%
using birth control pills
About the study
- Original title
- Perimenstrual flare of adult acne
- Authors
- Geller L, Rosen J, Frankel A et al.
- Journal
- The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology
- Year
- 2014
- Study design
- Interview study
- Participants
- 18
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25161758/
Topics
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