Hormonal acne is a type of acne that occurs when a persons hormone levels fluctuate, leading to breakouts that range from blackheads and whiteheads to painful cysts. Hormonal acne can appear anywhere on the body, but it is most commonly found on the face, neck, back, shoulders, and chest. The following are some common types of lesions that hormonal acne can cause:

• Whiteheads: closed comedones that are closed underneath the skin surface and can be soft or hard with a white top.
• Blackheads: open comedones that are surface-level brownish bumps.
• Papules: raised skin tissue that is 2-5 mm in diameter.
• Pustules: skin bumps that contain pus and are 2-5 mm in diameter.
• Cysts: pockets under the skin that contain fluid.

Hormonal acne can be easy to identify as it often appears in a cyclical pattern, much like womens menstrual cycles, and is linked to the reproductive organs of the body. Recurrent breakouts are also highly likely to be hormonal, and hormonal acne often reappears in the same spot due to oil production patterns. While hormonal acne can appear anywhere on the body, teenagers tend to have these lesions on the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin), while adults who are 20 years or older have breakouts usually at the lower parts of their face like the jawline, chin, and bottom of the cheeks.