If you notice that a few blemishes seem to show up around the same time every month, there is a reason it keeps happening.
For some women, the skin becomes oilier or deeper blemishes begin appearing in the days before their period. You may even notice that they tend to show up in similar areas each month.
Your hormones change throughout your menstrual cycle, and your skin can respond to those changes too.
What Happens Before Your Period?
Estrogen and progesterone rise and fall throughout the month.
As your period gets closer, those hormone levels change again. Androgens, including testosterone, are also part of the picture because they can influence the glands that produce sebum.
For some women, that means more oil in the days before their period.
That extra oil can make clogged pores and blemishes more likely, especially if your skin is already acne prone.
This is why your skin may seem fine for most of the month and then become noticeably oilier or start breaking out before your period.
Why Do These Breakouts Sometimes Feel Different?
The blemishes that show up before your period may feel deeper or more tender than the smaller blemishes you get at other times.
You may also notice them around your chin, jawline, or lower part of your face.
That does not mean every blemish in those areas is hormonal. But if deeper blemishes keep showing up in the days before your period, the timing is a good indication that hormones are involved.
Pay Attention to When It Happens
For the next few months, pay attention to what your skin is doing around your period.
Notice:
- when your period begins
- when new blemishes first appear
- where they tend to show up
- whether your skin becomes oilier
- when the blemishes begin settling down
You may start to see that what felt unpredictable is actually happening around the same time each month.
Once you see that pattern, you have a much better idea of what your skin is responding to.
More Oil Does Not Mean You Should Strip Your Skin
If your skin becomes oilier before your period, do not start washing your face more often, switch to a harsher cleanser, or increase your exfoliation.
Your skin is supposed to produce oil. Trying to remove every bit of it is not the answer.
If the products you normally use are working well for your skin, keep your routine consistent.
You may notice that you need a little less moisturizer when your skin is oilier, but that does not mean you need to start changing products every month.
And if you already have inflamed blemishes, adding more cleansing or exfoliation can leave your skin irritated on top of everything else it is already dealing with.
If oily skin is something you deal with regularly, you may also want to read Does Oily Skin Need an Oil Free Moisturizer?
Your Hormones May Not Be the Only Thing Changing
Think about what else tends to happen before your period.
Maybe you are not sleeping as well.
Maybe you feel more stressed or tired.
I would not point to one of those things and say that is what caused your breakout. But I do think it is worth paying attention to what else is happening with your body during that time.
Your skin is part of your body. What is happening in one area does not always stay separate from everything else.
What If Your Breakouts Are Severe Every Month?
Getting one or two predictable blemishes before your period is very different from dealing with painful or persistent acne every month.
If your acne is severe, leaves significant scarring, or you are also dealing with very irregular periods or other hormonal changes, talk with your healthcare provider.
At that point, there may be more going on than skincare alone can address.
So Why Does Your Skin Break Out Before Your Period?
Hormonal changes before your period can increase oil production and make blemishes more likely to appear.
That does not mean your skincare suddenly stopped working.
If the same thing keeps happening around the same time every month, pay attention to the pattern instead of immediately blaming your products or changing your entire routine.
And while you are paying attention, notice what you are eating during that time too. Your food choices may change before your period, and that is worth paying attention to along with everything else.
Sometimes your skin is responding to what is happening inside your body, and understanding that can change the way you respond to it.
