As you get older, it’s inevitable that you’ll begin to notice patterns in how you look and feel throughout the month: those weeks when you’re extra tired, a little moodier than you’d like to be, and especially those times when you just seem to break out no matter what you do. Hormonal acne is something you can experience at any age, but it’s not something that you just have to learn to live with anymore.

With hormonal acne, the best way to fight it is to be proactive rather than reactive. When acne appears in cycles, this means you have time to begin addressing the issue before it even pops up, simply by adjusting your skincare routine in advance. As you get to know your skin better, you’ll find it easier to address its needs according to the season, the time of the month, and even the day.

Acne is caused by hormonal changes that prompt your body to produce excess oil. This explains why our teenage years are often the most acne-prone, but unfortunately just because your hormones settle down after adolescence it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Hormonal changes throughout the month combine with everyday factors like stress, dead skin cells, and irritation caused by anything from diet to the wrong type of skincare products to cause breakouts.

A typical sign of hormonal acne in adult women is breakouts linked to your monthly menstrual cycle. These breakouts frequently appear in the jawline area, and often become noticeable in the week or so leading up to your period starting. If you generally don’t break out otherwise, or find yourself with different skincare concerns depending on the time of the month, it’s a good idea to adjust your skincare routine to adapt to oncoming hormonal changes - this way, you can reduce the appearance of breakouts before they even have a chance to show up!