Hormones are a key factor behind acne. They have a profound role in sebum production and skin cell growth, and they are also implicated in hyperkeratinization. The exact role of hormones in acne is still somewhat of a mystery and something for the scientists to sort out. But what’s important for us is the big picture. We know enough about the role of hormones in acne to devise effective treatment strategies.

The main hormones affecting acne are: androgens, growth hormone, insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). In this section, we’ll go over how these hormones affect acne and the interactions between them.