Do Fall Flare-Ups Have You Spooked?

It’s that time of year and that means pumpkin spice and everything nice! Fall is a beautiful time of year but for many people prone to breakouts, there are some things that are not so nice, like acne flare ups. It can be really frustrating to experience a sudden increase in breakouts and not know why. Some attribute the start of school and other stressors to their sudden increase in breakouts, but what happens when these breakouts continue even after certain stressors are no longer a factor? As it turns out, hormones undergo dramatic seasonal fluctuations, with testosterone levels reaching their highest in October and their lowest in May. As I’ve mentioned in other blogs, testosterone controls the oil glands and high levels of it causes problems for acne sufferers. Although there isn’t a lot of information about why these annual hormonal rhythms exist in people, there are interesting ideas behind it. Testosterone regulates sex drive, so if it’s highest in the fall, humans would naturally be more interested in procreation in the fall. This means if conception occurs, a baby would be born nine months later, in the summer months. When you consider the harsh conditions people endured in earlier times, it makes sense that a child’s survival would be more likely if it didn’t have to come into the world during harsh winter months. Although this is no longer crucial given current technology and the ability to stay warm and sheltered, our bodies still remember these patterns. It’s a very sensible theory and though not everyone experiences these fall flare-ups, many do. If you notice this fall flare-up and you're not already on my program come in for a consultation and treatment and nip breakouts in the bud!