Oily skin and acne are both symptoms which can be seen with the condition PCOS. This is because the condition can see an increase in certain hormones which can lead to a increase in sebum production resulting in oily skin and in some cases acne. Whilst oily skin and acne can appear anywhere on your body most women will notice outbreaks mainly on their face, chest and back.

My experience

Being a teenager who never had any major problems with my skin, it was a shock to notice my skin change in my late twenties. Certain areas of my skin are extremely dry due to certain conditions I have whilst my forehead, back and chest are oily thanks to PCOS. As a result the skin on my upper back and chest can get spotty and irritated which gets worse depending on the time of the month and in times of stress.

My top tips for oily skin/acne – as always please check with your doctor/specialist before trying any new ideas or tips.

• Speak to your doctor/pharmacist – The first thing I would strongly recommend is speaking to your doctor or pharmacist about your specific skin problems. Remember to inform them of your PCOS so they will take notice this is an ongoing problem rather than a one off event. Depending on the severity of your skin problems they may be able to recommend specific products you can use as well as talk to you about specific hormonal treatments you can try.

• Review your washing technique – Whilst it is important to wash your effected areas it is important to not over wash them. This is because if you have acne over washing (more than twice a day) can irritate your skin and start to make your skin dry. Using water that is too hot or too cold can also affect your skin, so try going down the middle and use lukewarm water.

• Check your beauty products – Look through any beauty or makeup products you use and the ingredients in them. This is because some products can actually make the oil in your skin worse. Finding the right beauty products for you may be a case of trial and error and will be very dependent on your personal skin type. In terms of makeup I personally find powder based products better than liquid as they tend to last longer and diminish the oily look of my skin. You could also look for products which are non-comedogenic as they are less likely to block your pores.

• Review your make-up – Another quick note about makeup is to make sure you remove all makeup before going to bed each night to avoid pore blocking. Also review how much makeup you are wearing because whilst your go to may be to cover up your affected areas it is also important to let your skin breathe.

• Carry blotting papers – You can purchase blotting papers from most beauty retail shops which can be useful when out and about and your having an oily skin moment. Whilst these aren’t designed for regular use they can help on occasions to eliminate shine and absorb any troublesome oily patches.

• Drink more water – Whether this helps with PCOS related skin issues is anyone’s guess, but drinking more water does help with your skin in general so it is definitely a help rather than a hinderance.

• Look at your stress levels – As with most symptoms connected with chronic illness stress can play a big role in making them worse. For more tips regarding stress you can read my previous articles on modern day stress here and managing stress at home here.

Carrying on PCOS month next week’s symptom will be: Unwanted/Excessive Hair Growth