Can a blood test tell you why you have acne?

Author: Dr. Linwood Bosco I  |  Last update: Sunday, October 12, 2025

By analyzing your blood, your doctor can uncover clues about the root causes of your acne and tailor treatment recommendations to address them.

Can a blood test tell the cause of acne?

If acne appears on a younger child's skin, a dermatologist may recommend a blood test to determine if there is a hormonal imbalance responsible. This test can be conducted in a doctor's office.

What blood tests to get for acne?

They may include:
  • Testosterone.
  • Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)
  • Free androgen index (FAI)
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS)
  • 17-hydroxyprogesterone.
  • Synacthen test of adrenal stimulation by adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)
  • Luteinising hormone (LH) and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH)
  • Prolactin.

Can a blood test detect skin problems?

A blood test is suitable for patients who require further investigation to determine a skin condition, and/or whose treatment of a skin condition require that certain biomarkers are closely monitored.

Does blood have anything to do with acne?

The expression of A blood type antigens, which was reported to be significantly higher in the present study, especially in severe acne patients, could contribute to the etiopathogenesis of acne vulgaris and alleviate acne severity via follicular hyperkeratinization.

How to Get RID of Hormonal Acne | 5 Ways to Treat Hormonal Acne

What hormonal imbalance tests are done for acne?

Hormone testing for acne involves measuring the levels of various hormones in the body that can contribute to the development of blemishes. These hormones include androgens, such as dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can stimulate the sebaceous glands in the skin to produce more sebum.

What blood type is prone to acne?

Our study showed a significant association of AB and O blood groups with acne vulgaris.

Do skin infections show up in blood tests?

Microbiological Analysis: This blood test looks for the presence of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi, that contributes to different skin conditions.

Will a blood test show any problems?

Blood tests can give your doctor a lot of information. They can see if certain elements in your blood are in a normal range. But in many cases, blood tests are only part of the information your doctor needs to make a diagnosis of a health condition. You might need to have some other types of tests as well.

What blood tests would a dermatologist do?

Other blood tests

Antinuclear and extractable nuclear antigen antibodies and tissue autoantibodies are assessed in patients with suspected connective tissue or autoimmune disease. Proteins, including immunoglobulins, cryoproteins and complement, are assessed in patients with vasculitis or connective tissue disease.

How to find out the cause of your acne?

Some things that may trigger acne include:
  1. Hormonal changes that make the skin oilier. ...
  2. Greasy or oily cosmetic and hair products.
  3. Certain drugs (such as steroids, testosterone, estrogen, and phenytoin). ...
  4. Heavy sweating and humidity.
  5. Excessively touching, resting on, or rubbing the skin.

Is acne linked to high test?

High levels of testosterone can lead to an acne breakout and other critical health issues as well. Elevated testosterone levels can increase sebum production, which can trigger pimples. If hormonal imbalance is triggering your acne, do consult a dermatologist for solutions.

Which hormone causes acne?

Teenage acne is thought to be triggered by increased levels of a hormone called testosterone, which occurs during puberty.

Which blood test is for acne?

Acne Panel, which typically includes tests like Lipid Profile, FSH, Prolactin, Testosterone Total, and Vitamin B12, is a diagnostic tool used to identify potential underlying hormonal imbalances or nutritional deficiencies that may contribute to acne.

What age is acne the worst?

Acne is a common issue for many people, especially for teenagers and young adults in their 20s. Some have mild symptoms, while others can have very severe issues. Acne effects around 90% of adolescents with the prime age across all genders being the teenage years of 14-19 years old.

What your body is trying to tell you with acne?

Forehead acne could signify poor digestive health, stress or, even simple skin irritation from hats and hair on the skin, which can clog pores. Cheek acne could be the result of air pollution, as the skin on the cheek is affected by the respiratory system.

What can bloodwork reveal?

Your doctor typically orders blood tests for you during a physical exam or to screen for specific conditions like heart disease, thyroid disease, cancer, diabetes and sexually transmitted infections. They can also monitor the effectiveness of treatments. Blood tests are very safe.

What Cannot be detected in a blood test?

Neurological disease such as stroke, motor neurone disease, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis aren't diagnosable from blood tests. Similarly, the diagnoses of depression, schizophrenia, ADHD and autism lack a specific blood diagnostic marker.

What infections show up in blood tests?

Full blood count —a bacterial infection often raises the white cell count with neutrophilia. C-reactive protein (CRP) — this is elevated above 50 in serious bacterial infections. Procalcitonin — a marker of generalised sepsis due to bacterial infection.

Do dermatologists take blood tests for acne?

It is often seen that the dermatologists may advise some blood tests along with the other physical skin investigations that are ongoing. The Blood Tests are recommended by the dermatologists and allows a proper investigation and thorough information of your underlying conditions.

Can blood test detect skin problems?

Blood tests can uncover a wealth of information about your skin's health. They are often used to identify underlying issues such as infections, autoimmune diseases, hormonal imbalances, or nutritional deficiencies.

What would show up in a routine blood test?

Cholesterol and blood sugar levels - these can help to monitor your risk of heart and circulatory diseases and diabetes, or how your condition is being managed. International Normalised Ratio (INR) - this is a measure of how quickly your blood clots.

What race gets the least acne?

Rates of nodulocystic acne were significantly lower in African-American subjects. However, Hispanics and Asians are thought to have similar prevalence rates of nodulocystic acne as Caucasians, although supporting evidence is lacking.

Is acne high or low estrogen?

For women, hormonal changes relating to pregnancy or the menstrual cycle can also trigger acne. Falling estrogen levels may increase the risk of acne around menopause. The role of progesterone remains unclear. Conditions that affect hormone levels, for example polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can trigger acne.

Who suffers from acne the most?

One in five people affected by acne worldwide

The global prevalence of acne is 20.5%. It is the highest in the group of adolescents/young adults (16/24 years old), reaching 28.3%, and also remains quite high in the group of adults aged 25 to 39 years old, at 19.3%.

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