Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHormones and PimplesAcne CausesPreventing BreakoutsAcne Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Hormones and Pimples
Acne Causes
Preventing Breakouts
Acne Treatment
Masturbation does not cause acne. While some people assume that hormones triggered during masturbation are linked to breakouts, this is a myth. Hormonal changes from sexual activity are temporary and don’t causepimples.
Understanding the true causes of acne can help you prevent breakouts and reduce stress that certain things are going to make you give you bad skin.
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Masturbation, Hormomes, and Pimples
People sometimes draw a connection between masturbation or sexual activity and acne because they believe that the hormonal changes that occur during these activities could make your skin erupt in pimples.
Hormones do affect your skin. Specifically, the sex hormones—androgens, estrogens, and progesterone—play a role in making the skin oily.Known assebum, this excess oil mixes with dirt and debris to clog pores and cause blemishes.
However, masturbation and sexual activity have not been shown to have any significant or prolonged impact on the sex hormones that regulate sebum.
Research does show that masturbation affects the release of the following hormones, but these do not play a role in acne:
So, if you recently masturbated or had sex and then woke up to a big breakout, it’s purely coincidental.
Masturbation and HormonesOrgasm causes both biological males and biological females to experience a surge of the hormone prolactin, but that surge is short-lived.In males, orgasm does not affect the balance of testosterone in the body.There’s little research on orgasm-induced hormone changes in the female body, but there’s no evidence that masturbation or orgasm causes the kind of hormone changes that can trigger acne in any gender.
Masturbation and Hormones
Orgasm causes both biological males and biological females to experience a surge of the hormone prolactin, but that surge is short-lived.In males, orgasm does not affect the balance of testosterone in the body.There’s little research on orgasm-induced hormone changes in the female body, but there’s no evidence that masturbation or orgasm causes the kind of hormone changes that can trigger acne in any gender.
Orgasm causes both biological males and biological females to experience a surge of the hormone prolactin, but that surge is short-lived.
In males, orgasm does not affect the balance of testosterone in the body.There’s little research on orgasm-induced hormone changes in the female body, but there’s no evidence that masturbation or orgasm causes the kind of hormone changes that can trigger acne in any gender.
What Does Cause Acne?
Multiplefactors contribute to acne—hormones, abnormal shedding of skin cells, bacteria, and genetics.
Other factors related to lifestyle can also increase the risk of breakouts, including:
If you’re prone to developing acne, you can change your skincare routine and make lifestyle adjustments that could reduce your risk of breakouts. These include:
There is also some evidence that shows that diet may affect your skin.Keep a food journal and see if certain foods trigger outbreaks. Then avoid those foods in the future.
When acne breakouts do occur, it doesn’t matter the cause. You just want to get rid of it. These are common ways to clear up pimples:
When to See a Healthcare ProviderIf over-the-counter products don’t work well for you, or if your acne becomes more severe, see a healthcare provider. The sooner you start the right treatment, the sooner you will start seeing results and clearer skin.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If over-the-counter products don’t work well for you, or if your acne becomes more severe, see a healthcare provider. The sooner you start the right treatment, the sooner you will start seeing results and clearer skin.
Summary
Masturbating or engaging in sexual activity does not lead to acne. It’s a myth. While these activities do trigger changes in various hormone levels, those changes are temporary and not linked to breakouts.
If you have acne that just won’t go away, abstaining from masturbation won’t help. However, seeing a dermatologist or healthcare provider will.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020 Mar;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8Ju Q, Tao T, Hu T, Karadağ AS, Al-Khuzaei S, Chen W.Sex hormones and acne.Clin Dermatol. 2017;35(2):130-137. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2016.10.004Isenmann E, Schumann M, Notbohm H, Flenker U, Zimmer P.Hormonal response after masturbation in young healthy men—a randomized controlled cross-over pilot study.Basic Clin Androl. 2021 Dec;31(1):32. doi:10.1186/s12610-021-00148-2Leeners B, Kruger T, Brody S, Schmidlin S, Naegeli E, Egli M.The quality of sexual experience in women correlates with post-orgasmic prolactin surges: Results from an experimental prototype study.J Sex Med. 2013 Feb;10(5):1313-1319. doi:10.1111/jsm.12097Masterson, Katrina Nice.Acne Basics: Pathophysiology, Assessment, and Standard Treatment Options.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2018;10(1S):p S2-S10. DOI:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000361Yang J, Yang H, Xu A, He L.A review of advancement on influencing factors of acne: An emphasis on environment characteristics.Front Public Health. 2020 Sep;8(1):1-16. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00450Dréno B.What is new in the pathophysiology of acne, an overview.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2017;31 Suppl 5:8-12. doi:10.1111/jdv.14374American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 skin care habits that can worsen acne.American Association of Dermatology Association.Can the right diet get rid of acne?Kircik L, Green L, Eastern J, Butners V, Gwazdauskas J.Evaluation of the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of an over-the-counter acne regimen containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid in subjects with acne.JDD. 2013 Mar;12(3):259.Fox L, Csongradi C, Aucamp M, Du plessis J, Gerber M.Treatment modalities for acne.Molecules. 2016;21(8). doi:10.3390/molecules21081063
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020 Mar;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8Ju Q, Tao T, Hu T, Karadağ AS, Al-Khuzaei S, Chen W.Sex hormones and acne.Clin Dermatol. 2017;35(2):130-137. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2016.10.004Isenmann E, Schumann M, Notbohm H, Flenker U, Zimmer P.Hormonal response after masturbation in young healthy men—a randomized controlled cross-over pilot study.Basic Clin Androl. 2021 Dec;31(1):32. doi:10.1186/s12610-021-00148-2Leeners B, Kruger T, Brody S, Schmidlin S, Naegeli E, Egli M.The quality of sexual experience in women correlates with post-orgasmic prolactin surges: Results from an experimental prototype study.J Sex Med. 2013 Feb;10(5):1313-1319. doi:10.1111/jsm.12097Masterson, Katrina Nice.Acne Basics: Pathophysiology, Assessment, and Standard Treatment Options.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2018;10(1S):p S2-S10. DOI:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000361Yang J, Yang H, Xu A, He L.A review of advancement on influencing factors of acne: An emphasis on environment characteristics.Front Public Health. 2020 Sep;8(1):1-16. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00450Dréno B.What is new in the pathophysiology of acne, an overview.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2017;31 Suppl 5:8-12. doi:10.1111/jdv.14374American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 skin care habits that can worsen acne.American Association of Dermatology Association.Can the right diet get rid of acne?Kircik L, Green L, Eastern J, Butners V, Gwazdauskas J.Evaluation of the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of an over-the-counter acne regimen containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid in subjects with acne.JDD. 2013 Mar;12(3):259.Fox L, Csongradi C, Aucamp M, Du plessis J, Gerber M.Treatment modalities for acne.Molecules. 2016;21(8). doi:10.3390/molecules21081063
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020 Mar;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8Ju Q, Tao T, Hu T, Karadağ AS, Al-Khuzaei S, Chen W.Sex hormones and acne.Clin Dermatol. 2017;35(2):130-137. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2016.10.004Isenmann E, Schumann M, Notbohm H, Flenker U, Zimmer P.Hormonal response after masturbation in young healthy men—a randomized controlled cross-over pilot study.Basic Clin Androl. 2021 Dec;31(1):32. doi:10.1186/s12610-021-00148-2Leeners B, Kruger T, Brody S, Schmidlin S, Naegeli E, Egli M.The quality of sexual experience in women correlates with post-orgasmic prolactin surges: Results from an experimental prototype study.J Sex Med. 2013 Feb;10(5):1313-1319. doi:10.1111/jsm.12097Masterson, Katrina Nice.Acne Basics: Pathophysiology, Assessment, and Standard Treatment Options.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2018;10(1S):p S2-S10. DOI:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000361Yang J, Yang H, Xu A, He L.A review of advancement on influencing factors of acne: An emphasis on environment characteristics.Front Public Health. 2020 Sep;8(1):1-16. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00450Dréno B.What is new in the pathophysiology of acne, an overview.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2017;31 Suppl 5:8-12. doi:10.1111/jdv.14374American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 skin care habits that can worsen acne.American Association of Dermatology Association.Can the right diet get rid of acne?Kircik L, Green L, Eastern J, Butners V, Gwazdauskas J.Evaluation of the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of an over-the-counter acne regimen containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid in subjects with acne.JDD. 2013 Mar;12(3):259.Fox L, Csongradi C, Aucamp M, Du plessis J, Gerber M.Treatment modalities for acne.Molecules. 2016;21(8). doi:10.3390/molecules21081063
Zimmer F, Imhoff R.Abstinence from masturbation and hypersexuality.Arch Sex Behav. 2020 Mar;49(4):1333-1343. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01623-8
Ju Q, Tao T, Hu T, Karadağ AS, Al-Khuzaei S, Chen W.Sex hormones and acne.Clin Dermatol. 2017;35(2):130-137. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2016.10.004
Isenmann E, Schumann M, Notbohm H, Flenker U, Zimmer P.Hormonal response after masturbation in young healthy men—a randomized controlled cross-over pilot study.Basic Clin Androl. 2021 Dec;31(1):32. doi:10.1186/s12610-021-00148-2
Leeners B, Kruger T, Brody S, Schmidlin S, Naegeli E, Egli M.The quality of sexual experience in women correlates with post-orgasmic prolactin surges: Results from an experimental prototype study.J Sex Med. 2013 Feb;10(5):1313-1319. doi:10.1111/jsm.12097
Masterson, Katrina Nice.Acne Basics: Pathophysiology, Assessment, and Standard Treatment Options.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2018;10(1S):p S2-S10. DOI:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000361
Yang J, Yang H, Xu A, He L.A review of advancement on influencing factors of acne: An emphasis on environment characteristics.Front Public Health. 2020 Sep;8(1):1-16. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00450
Dréno B.What is new in the pathophysiology of acne, an overview.J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2017;31 Suppl 5:8-12. doi:10.1111/jdv.14374
American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 skin care habits that can worsen acne.
American Association of Dermatology Association.Can the right diet get rid of acne?
Kircik L, Green L, Eastern J, Butners V, Gwazdauskas J.Evaluation of the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of an over-the-counter acne regimen containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid in subjects with acne.JDD. 2013 Mar;12(3):259.
Fox L, Csongradi C, Aucamp M, Du plessis J, Gerber M.Treatment modalities for acne.Molecules. 2016;21(8). doi:10.3390/molecules21081063
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