I Have A Question Regarding Probiotics And Acne . To

Posted on Tue, 12 Jan 2021

Question: I have a question regarding probiotics and acne. To set the scene, as a teen I had horrible acne. I generally have oily skin and I had acne on my face chest back and arms. Between 19-20 years old my skin has improved drastically, I finally grew out of my acne. My skin wasnt perfectly clear but I could manage it very well and having no active pimples was not an uncommon thing. For about a year I was on a hormonal birth control. It did not affect my skin at all and in September I had switched to a non hormonal iud. Since then my skin has been awful. I am oily everywhere, and within hours after showering my skin feels dirty again from the oil production. My scalp has gotten even oiler too. And of course my acne came back except this time it is way worse. I am breaking out all over my body, you name it. Face ears scalp even on my legs. Will taking probiotics help me manage the oily ness? Also is this something that will pass as my body adjusts to the hormones?

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Dorina Gurabardhi (0 minute later)

I have a question regarding probiotics and acne. To set the scene, as a teen I had horrible acne. I generally have oily skin and I had acne on my face chest back and arms. Between 19-20 years old my skin has improved drastically, I finally grew out of my acne. My skin wasnt perfectly clear but I could manage it very well and having no active pimples was not an uncommon thing. For about a year I was on a hormonal birth control. It did not affect my skin at all and in September I had switched to a non hormonal iud. Since then my skin has been awful. I am oily everywhere, and within hours after showering my skin feels dirty again from the oil production. My scalp has gotten even oiler too. And of course my acne came back except this time it is way worse. I am breaking out all over my body, you name it. Face ears scalp even on my legs. Will taking probiotics help me manage the oily ness? Also is this something that will pass as my body adjusts to the hormones?

Answered by Dr. Dr.Dorina Gurabardhi (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
The oily skin is probably due to the IUD.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

The IUD can cause oily skin due to hormonal changes.
It may cause an increase of the androgen hormone, which causes a stimulation of the oil glands in the skin.

Dietary changes such as taking probiotics can help.
I also recommend avoiding greasy food and sugar.
I also suggest maintaining good hygiene.

You can use exfoliating products to help clean the clogged pores.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Kind regards!

Dr.Dorina Gurabardhi
General and Family Physician

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Answered by Dr. Dr.Dorina Gurabardhi (0 minute later)

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee