Fat Pimple On Your Chin? It Could Be An Indicator That Your Periods Are Near

Written by Manjima Tarafdar

Our hormones and body go through a series of changes during our monthly menstrual cycle, and our skin is no exception to the same. So, when our skin breaks out into pimples and suddenly starts feeling more oily or drier than normal just before the start of our periods, it is not a coincidence. It is our hormones fluctuating and causing our skin to react in different ways to it, probably just a reminder than it is not just period cramps or bloating that we are about to face.

Period breakouts are normal; 65% of people have reported worsening of their acne during their cycle. The hormones fluctuate throughout our menstrual cycle. The estrogen and the progesterone levels drop during the cycle. This drop triggers our sebaceous glands, which either secrete more sebum, making our skin oily, which further clogs our pores, resulting in breakouts.

In many cases (like mine), the normally dry skin tends to dry out more, making the skin peel and breakouts pour in as the skin starts overworking itself to make more sebum to compensate for the dry skin. Hormonal imbalance leading to changes in the level of progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone (contrary to the common notion, testosterone is present in everyone’s body irrespective of their gender and affects everyone differently depending on the levels of the other hormones).

The levels of testosterone fluctuate tremendously towards the ends of the periods and trigger the sensitivity of the sebaceous glands, which results in the blocking and clogging of the pores again, leading to pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. Therefore, it becomes vital to understand one’s skin and cycle and how it affects us.

The easiest way to distinguish between normal acne and period-related acne is to keep a check on the timing. It is very likely for period acne and other skin problems (excessive oily skin or dryness) to occur just a week leading to the period or during the period, and generally, once the period ends, the skin clears up, or the condition improves.

Breakouts in and around the vaginal area are also very common. They can be painful and alarming. The hormones are not to be just blamed for that; it could also be due to the use of menstrual products. Backne and pimples on the chin are also common forms of period acnes.

The most effective method of treatment is to follow a skincare regime all throughout the year. The basic and most sought out skincare products consist of a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen (sunscreen is very important as it protects our skin from the harmful UV rays and also helps with skin pigmentation and spots, which can occur from prolonged exposure to the sun) and the night time skincare products generally consist of a cleanser and a moisturizer.

Skincare is very personal and tends to vary from one individual to the other. Adding treatment products with a basic skincare routine can be very beneficial. A toner helps with balancing the skin’s pH, hydration, exfoliation or better absorption of other products.

Serums and spot treatments also help to deal with the skin problems one is dealing with. Hyaluronic acid helps with the absorption of moisture and helps the skin from drying out. Products containing glycolic acid, tea tree oil, and 2% salicylic acid are great for treating acne and pimples.

Skincare is self-care and must be seen as taking a little extra time from our daily schedules to take care and pamper ourselves. It should not give us a headache but instead be a mode of relaxation. We need to acknowledge all forms of beauty and not give in to the societal norms of beauty.

It is important to understand acne, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and other skin problems are normal, and the idea of flawless, smooth skin is a myth. Textured skin and scars are normal, and we just need to have a skincare routine and diet, which keeps our body and skin healthy. Having a healthy and structured routine not only helps our daily lifestyle but is also extremely vital for our mental health, and this must be one of our major concerns.