Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is among the most frequent endocrine dysfunctions in women of childbearing age and can lead to various issues, including severe acne. What has been neglected in addressing PCOS-related acne is the role that Demodex mites perform in intensifying it and developing refractory Demodex acne. Simply put, Demodex can grow in the right conditions with polycystic ovary syndrome and develop resistant pimples that do not go away with traditional PCOS medications. This article discusses this type of acne and proposes a solution for people whose acne persists during or after PCOS. Stay tuned with Ungex till the end of this article.
What Is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovary syndrome, also identified as Stein–Leventhal syndrome or hyperandrogenic anovulation, is among the most prevalent hormonal and metabolic concerns in women of reproductive age. PCOS can significantly influence the quality of life. Sufferers experience issues such as infertility, insulin resistance, hair loss, menstrual irregularities, obesity, unwanted hair growth, and severe acne.
As the name suggests, polycystic ovary syndrome produces cysts on the outer edge of the ovaries. The affected ovaries enlarge and are not able to release eggs (ovum) regularly, resulting in fertility-related issues. Yet, what creates most PCOS-related complications is not ovarian deformity but hormonal imbalance. Under these circumstances, too many androgens (male hormones) are released from the adrenal glands and ovaries, responsible for complications linked to PCOS. These male hormones cause:
- Hirsutism: Unwanted, coarse, and thick hair on the face, back and chest
- Resistance to Insulin
- Weight Gain
- Resistance to weight loss
- Acanthosis nigricans: Patches of dark skin on the back of the neck
- Acne
- Hair falling
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Some kind of cancer
- Mood disorders
Among these widespread symptoms, we will address acne in the current article.
- Why does PCOS cause breakouts?
- Why do pimples sometimes continue even after the PCOS is under control?
- How to get rid of them?
These are the questions we are going to discuss in the following sections.
Why Does PCOS Cause Acne?
As discussed, PCOS is a hormonal issue that can cause frustrating health issues like acne. Polycystic ovary syndrome can upset the body’s normal hormone balance, causing androgens and insulin to rise. These hormones both play a crucial role in producing PCOS symptoms, including acne.
Androgens and Acne
When you get acne, people usually say: “It’s your hormones,” that’s right. Although they are not connected to all kinds of pimples, hormonal imbalance can play a notable role in causing breakouts.
Want to know more about acne and its causes? Let’s delve deeper.
Different hormones are recognized to play a role in acne development, including androgens, insulin, estrogen, adrenocortical hormones, and growth hormones. Among all these hormones, androgens play the most crucial part.
Androgens are male sex hormones. The androgen that is probably most well-known is testosterone. Although these hormones are typically considered male hormones, small amounts of them also synthesize in the female body. Ovaries androgens account for 50% of androgen synthesis in females, with adrenal making the other 50%.
Puberty is associated with an increase in the production of androgens in both males and females. If you think way back to junior high health class, you may remember your pimples among the first manifestations of when your puberty started.
Androgens cause sebaceous glands to grow and boost skin oil production. Excess sebum can seal the pores and lets bacteria, fungi, mites, and other harmful microorganisms grow inside this humid closed ecosystem. Demodex mites use skin oil as their primary food source, increase, and produce pus as waste products. The skin gradually swells, and acne develops.
Furthermore, androgens may cause follicular keratosis, marked by extreme keratin development in hair follicles. This protein can help close the skin pores and end up in acne.
Insulin and Acne
Excess insulin secretion can boost your chance to get acne in the following ways:
- This hormone makes male hormones more effective. As discussed, androgens can cause acne by activating the skin oil glands and producing more sebum.
- Insulin produces Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) that increases sebum generation by making oil glands grow. This factor also makes the skin cells overgrow and clog the skin pores.
Why Do Your Pimples Keep Breaking Out Even After Getting PCOS Under Control?
There is no definite cure for Polycystic ovary syndrome. Still, weight loss and exercise help sufferers adjust their hormone levels. When these women lose weight, they improve their hormonal balance by keeping their androgen and insulin levels under check, which enhances fertility and reduces PCOS symptoms, including acne. Some medicines and lifestyle modifications also help manage this syndrome which is beyond the scope of this article.
Interestingly, recent researches have revealed that the factors involved in PCOS-related acne are beyond hormonal imbalance. Sometimes bumps continue and even intensify after controlling the leading cause. One of the factors that are involved is a skin mite called Demodex. This parasite can worsen PCOS-related acne and prevent its treatment.
What Are Demodex Mites?
Demodex is a species of microscopic mite that usually lives in small numbers inside your follicles and oil glands. It seems almost all adult human beings have a number of these mites living on them. They are part of the skin’s natural flora. However, resembling other microbes that live in or on the body, they become problematic when their population becomes too large. Access to adequate food supplies is among the agents that provide suitable conditions for growing microorganisms, including Demodex mites.
Skin oil (sebum) is the primary food of these parasites. They quickly proliferate on oily parts of the skin like the face, especially the forehead, chin, cheeks and around the nose and mouth.
Demodex mites usually thrive in follicles and skin oil glands to hide from sunlight and reproduce by laying eggs. They hate ultraviolet radiation and sun exposure. That’s why they spend most of the day under the skin and only crawl up to the surface at night. Demodex mites use their eight tiny legs to climb up into the surface and travel around the skin.
Polycystic ovary syndrome causes hormonal changes that provide these pests with large amounts of oil. These microscopic arachnids feast on this oil and quickly grow their population.
Demodex Can Cause or Exacerbate Acne:
In a large population, Demodex mites can produce or worsen acne via different mechanisms. Since up to 25 mites can fit into one follicle, they can physically block the tiny skin holes as well as follicular ducts.
Furthermore, Demodex mites carry toxic bacteria that play an effective role in pimple development. These bacteria leak out of their corpses, penetrate into the pores and across the surface and trigger theformation of pimples.
As you know, acne is an inflammatory subject—Demodex increases this inflammation by releasing substances that provoke the immune system for reactions that raise the acne.
Once these pests multiply, you cannot successfully treat the skin concerns they make until you eliminate them. So, if Demodex is a part of your acne development, getting rid of your pimples is needed to get these parasites under check.
Is It Demodex That Prevents Your Acne from Healing?
It is a bit challenging to answer this question. If you have PCOS under control but still suffer active pimples, you should check your Demodex Density.
There are two techniques for estimating Demodex mites density: The microscopic test (Standardized Skin Surface Biopsy) and Online Demodex Mite Density Test.
If you are fascinated by the words “microscopic” and “surface biopsy” and think you will hunt all the mites under the microscope lens, you have the wrong idea. Demodex mites usually sneak under the skin and get attached to the hair follicles and oil glands. That’s why the number you count under the microscope is not precisely their present population.
In a microscopic test, after removing the surface layer of the skin with sticky tape, your physician gives the sample to a lab to count the number of Demodex pests. If the mites’ number passes five in each square centimetre of skin, Demodicosis or overpopulation of Demodex spp is confirmed. Performing this test demands a high level of skill, and the results may change at different times of the day and night.
However, although Demodex may keep a low profile, their symptoms are not something you can skip. These signs are what you can easily track via the online test.
The Online Demodex Mite Population Test is an absolute and correct test to determine your Demodex mites density. If the results show infection, you would better not hesitate to take proper action to eliminate Demodex mites. You can use Ungex products. These natural herbal-based products help you remove Demodex from the site and restore your skin and hair health.
How Ungex Helps You Overcome Your Stubborn Acne
Ungex Aussie-made products are formulated to fight against Demodex mites. As they are gentle to your skin, you can incorporate them into your daily skincare routine. Ungex products have no significant side effects and are entirely safe for use on your pimples and other parts of your skin. Once you eliminate Demodex mites, their manifestations- including acne – slowly fade away.
Since PCOS has no definite treatment, Ungex products, including PDT and SDT, help you manage your PCOS-related pimples. You may not be able to keep the sebum overproduction under check, but removing these pests prevents them from increasing steadily and leading to different manifestations.
Beyond the products, Ungex provides you with a guideline that can help you fight against Demodex mites and also helps you control PCOS by building good habits and stopping bad ones. Excess skin oil due to increased androgens and insulin can also lead to other skin issues. Ungex products and protocol promote skin and hair health and help you deal with Demodex-related concerns.
Ungex consultants will give you free advice to get the most out of your products during the treatment period. No matter how dense Demodex mites are, Ungex helps you get rid of all Demodex generations and experience healthy, acne-free skin.
References:
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Acne: Connection, Treatment, and More
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Acne
How Hormones Can Trigger Your Acne
Profiling and Hormonal Therapy for Acne in Women
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