Many women will break out on their chins and jaws and this area is particularly prone to fluctuations in the hormones progesterone and testosterone, especially around your period.
But if your breakouts are quite severe you might need to speak to your doctor as you might have undiagnosed polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which affects around five to 10 per cent of women of reproductive age in in the UK.
‘PCOS is often underdiagnosed and one of the common symptoms is lower facial acne,’ says Dr Starrit.
Hormonal acne such as this is caused because women with PCOS tend to have high levels of testosterone which promotes oil production and pimple formation.
Other symptoms she explains, include having weight you can’t shift.
‘About 30-40 per cent of women with PCOS will be overweight and about 60 per cent of them will have facial acne,’ she says. Irregular periods are another warning sign.
What you can do:
Talk to your doctor if you have any of the symptoms as he/she can do an ultrasound to spot ovarian abnormalities and also a blood test to check your hormone levels.
Most doctors will prescribe progesterone only contraceptive pills to help PCOS, says Dr Starrit.
‘It’s an important distinction for your doctor as some Pills are "androgenic" which means the hormones in them mimic testosterone and may make PCOS and its symptoms worse.
'The progesterone only ones shouldn’t do this.’