I have acne after egg-freezing, what should I do?
The objective of writing this article is to illustrate another potential symptom that a woman might experience during and/or after the egg-freezing process. You might get acne, like the acne a person experienced during puberty.
First, we would like to discuss what one should do and not do, if she discovers that the acne has appeared during or after the egg-freezing process.
Do not do:
- Do not pop, pick or squeeze your acne or affected areas
Do:
- Wash your face twice per day with warm water
- Get adequate rest and sleep
- Remove makeup at the end of the day
- If you are concerned about your acne, consult your physician
- Perhaps drinking green tea or black tea will help with reducing inflammation of the acne
Why would one get acne from egg-freezing?
The reason that a woman might get acne is because the hormone injections that the woman receives may cause certain degrees of temporary hormone fluctuation.
How long will the typical egg-freezing related acne last and is there anything I can do to alleviate the effects it has on my normal life?
Normally the acne related to egg-freezing, in theory, should be short-lived. So, if you are an actress, model or in certain professions that sudden acne may affect your work negatively, you may consider getting egg-freezing done during your “off season”, i.e., a time that your appearance is less important and consequently, potentially having acne is not a big deal.
Of course, sometimes there are reasons that one needs to freeze her eggs this month or right now. In those cases, potential acne is a smaller risk than not being able to go through the egg-freezing process at all. It is important to mention that some women will not experience acne at all during egg-freezing or IVF.
Summary:
Occurrences of acne as a result of egg-freezing should be short-lived, in most cases, if it happens to a patient at all. One should always weigh the relative importance of potentially having acne vs. the long-term potential of building a family through egg-freezing or IVF. Consult your doctor about your specific situation.
Reference:
Acne: Types, Causes, Treatment & Prevention (clevelandclinic.org)
Disclaimer: This article does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your specific situation. Lifestyle choices are individuals’ choices.
It is written by Eggschain editors, and is medically reviewed by Hugh Taylor, MD, the Anita O’Keeffe Young Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of Medicine and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He is also Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental biology at Yale University.
