Do Thyroid Issues Lead to Acne? The Myths About Thyroid Pimples
Are Thyroid Issues Causing Your Acne?
Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. It causes whiteheads, blackheads or pimples.
The reasons why acne develops are many, and they include the overall health of the person, their diet, whether or not they are affected by bacterial skin infections, whether or not their pores are clogged, and which medications they are on.
One reason, however, stands out, and it is the levels of hormones in a person’s body, and whether or not they are in balance. Hormonal imbalances, such as those caused by thyroid issues, may lead to an abnormally high estrogen level in the body.
High estrogen levels are correlated with a greater likelihood of developing acne.
Can hypothyroidism and other thyroid problems cause acne?
Neck acne, or neck pimples in general, can be extremely irritating and cause great discomfort. They also affect people’s self-esteem since they are hard to hide.
One of the reasons why someone may develop neck acne is because of a major structure that is also located in the neck, and that is the thyroid gland. Studies share that among 220 cases, in 125 (56.8%) skin findings were detected.
The most frequently observed skin findings were chronic urticaria (6.8%), vitiligo (6.8%), diffuse alopecia (6%), acne vulgaris (5%) and acne rosacea (3.6%). [5]
Some of the main hormones that this gland produces are called triiodothyronine and thyroxine, which are more commonly referred to as T3 and T4.
Their function in the body is to determine the rate at which metabolism operates. In other words, they decide how fast or how slow many of the body’s operations are carried out.
As you can already understand, any imbalance in the levels of these hormones can affect many of the body’s organs, particularly the skin.
The condition in which there are greater than average levels of T3 and T4 is termed hyperthyroidism, and having lesser than average levels is termed hypothyroidism.
Thyroid Issues Can Lead to Acne
Notably, hypothyroidism leads to a host of symptoms that are considered precursors to developing neck acne and other types of acne.
These symptoms include:
Dry skin, which is strongly associated with neck acne;
Fewer nutrients are absorbed in the gut due to the slow metabolism, leading to nutrient deficiencies that may result in bacterial infections and skin changes;
High levels of androgens and estrogens, which result in the skin producing a lot of oils and clogging the pores.
So, while imbalances in thyroid hormone levels are not deemed as a direct cause of neck acne or any other type of acne, they do directly result in other conditions that are very strongly associated with acne.
Can thyroid medications cause acne?
For those with neck acne and other variations of acne that are caused by hyper or hypothyroidism, the thought of following a course of thyroid medication may be intimidating. This is because they are unsure as to how their skin will react to the medications and whether or not they will get an exacerbation in the pimples on neck or their acne in general.
The truth of the matter is that broadly speaking, thyroid medications are considered safe for the skin. They do, however, affect the thyroid levels, as is expected of them. For individuals who are susceptible to developing acne, the changes in hormone levels can manifest in skin changes and, unfortunately, lead to acne.
Additionally, as the body is adjusting to all of those fluctuations in the levels of hormones as important as T3 and T4, we might get changes in the gut microbiome. This may ultimately lead to manifestations of bacterial infections, including skin infections, leading to acne.
There might also be some excess dryness of the skin as a potential side effect of the medication, which is also a powerful precursor to acne.
Lastly, it is worth noting that irritations and rashes are possible in individuals who are sensitive or allergic to an ingredient in the thyroid medication that they are on.
Retinoids
These acne medications are used to combat any acne symptoms. Retinoids are high Vitamin A doses infused in creams or pills. However, the catch is that, if taken in large amounts, retinoids can lead to a decrease in the levels of thyroid hormones.
If you feel like your neck acne and your hypothyroidism may be related, and that you might be stuck in this cycle of hormonal fluctuations and acne exacerbations, consult your doctor and try to find out if these two are, in fact, related.
Isotretinoins
These acne medications are used when the condition is severe. Because isotretinoins are such powerful acne medications, they have a host of potential side effects, including an alteration in the levels of thyroid hormones.
Thus, if you are taking them to tackle your neck acne, you may also potentially be stuck in the cycle of having your thyroid and acne issues related.
Phototherapy
As you can probably deduce by now, the majority of the most popular treatment tactics for acne have many potential side effects.
But don’t lose hope!
UVTreat introduces its FDA-approved phototherapeutic devices that work on acne and other skin conditions.
You need to use the UV treatment in the doses and durations that are recommended to you by your doctor.
You’ll be able to rid yourself of acne and also save yourself from the harsh symptoms of mild, moderate, and severe acne.
The UV-emitting devices from UVTreat are safe to use for individuals with and without thyroid conditions, and they do not affect thyroid levels in the body.
Try it out for yourself and see the difference in your skin. You deserve a neck acne treatment that does not interfere with or cause any issues with your thyroid hormones.
Summary
In summary, thyroid hormone levels in the body have a direct effect on many of the body’s main operations, including issues related to the skin as well as the levels of important hormones.
An imbalance of these hormones, coupled with skin and gut changes, may lead to acne.
Unfortunately, many medications used to treat acne may also affect thyroid hormone levels. This is where UVTreat’s phototherapeutic devices come to the rescue!
These UV devices are safe, and effective, and don’t alter thyroid hormone levels.
Stewart TJ, Bazergy C. Thyroid autoimmunity in female post-adolescent acne: A case-control study. Dermatoendocrinol. 2017 Dec 12;9(1):e1405198. doi: 10.1080/19381980.2017.1405198. PMID: 29484104; PMCID: PMC5821156.
Charakida A, Seaton ED, Charakida M, Mouser P, Avgerinos A, Chu AC. Phototherapy in the treatment of acne vulgaris: what is its role? Am J Clin Dermatol. 2004;5(4):211-6. doi: 10.2165/00128071-200405040-00001. PMID: 15301568.
Artantaş S, Gül U, Kiliç A, Güler S. Skin findings in thyroid diseases. Eur J Intern Med. 2009 Mar;20(2):158-61. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2007.09.021. Epub 2008 Aug 5. PMID: 19327604.
One reason, however, stands out, and it is the levels of hormones in a person's body, and whether or not they are in balance. Hormonal imbalances, such as those caused by thyroid issues, may lead to an abnormally high estrogen level in the body.
Thyroid medications are considered safe for the skin. They do, however, affect the thyroid levels, as is expected of them. For individuals who are susceptible to developing acne, the changes in hormone levels can manifest in skin changes and, unfortunately, lead to acne. Additionally, as the body is adjusting to all of those fluctuations in the levels of hormones as important as T3 and T4, we might get changes in the gut microbiome.
This may ultimately lead to manifestations of bacterial infections, including skin infections, leading to acne. There might also be some excess dryness of the skin as a potential side effect of the medication, which is also a powerful precursor to acne. Lastly, it is worth noting that irritations and rashes are possible in individuals who are sensitive or allergic to an ingredient in the thyroid medication that they are on.
Notably, hypothyroidism leads to a host of symptoms that are considered precursors to developing neck acne and other types of acne.
