Hormonal Acne Treatment in Singapore — Jawline, Chin and Period Breakouts in Adults
Written and medically reviewed by the doctors of The Clifford Clinic. Last medically reviewed 6 November 2026.
In short, hormonal acne is acne driven by the way the oil glands respond to hormones. It sits on the jawline, chin and lower cheeks, flares in the week before a period, and keeps coming back once creams or antibiotics stop. It is treated at two levels. Tablets such as spironolactone or a suitable contraceptive pill calm the hormone signal. AGNES, AviClear or Gold PTT treat acne at the root cause, which is the overactive sebaceous glands. Your doctor sets the plan after examining your skin.
Signs of hormonal acne
- Spots on the jawline, chin, lower cheeks and neck
- Deep, sore spots under the skin that take weeks to settle
- Breakouts that flare in the week before a period
- Acne that starts or returns in your 20s, 30s or 40s
- Acne that clears on antibiotics and comes straight back when they stop
- Irregular periods, extra facial or body hair, or thinning hair on the scalp. These can point to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and your doctor can arrange a blood test at the clinic.
Hormonal acne symptoms beyond the skin
Hormonal acne usually comes with other signs of hormone change.
- PMS in the days before a period, such as mood swings, irritability and bloating
- Breakouts around ovulation in the middle of your cycle, as well as before a period
- Weight gain that is hard to shift
- Dark, velvety patches of skin on the neck or in the armpits
Acne on its own is a weak sign of a hormone imbalance. Acne together with these signs is a stronger one. The doctor asks about your cycle and your other signs, then decides whether a blood test is needed.
What causes hormonal acne
Everyone, men and women, makes androgens, the hormones that tell oil glands to grow and produce oil. In hormonal acne the glands overreact to normal amounts of these hormones. More oil means more blocked pores and more deep, inflamed spots.
Most women with hormonal acne have normal hormone levels on a blood test. The common triggers are the monthly cycle, PCOS, stopping the contraceptive pill, pregnancy and the months after giving birth, and stress.
Hormonal acne treatment options in Singapore
| Treatment | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription creams | Unblock pores and calm redness | Mild acne, and keeping skin clear |
| Winlevi (clascoterone cream) | Blocks the hormone signal in the skin, with no tablet | Men and women from age 12, and people who prefer a cream to hormone tablets |
| Spironolactone | Blocks the hormone signal at the oil gland | Adult women with jawline and period acne |
| Combined contraceptive pill | Lowers the hormones that drive oil | Women who also want contraception |
| AGNES RF | Treats the oil glands in the pores that keep breaking out | The same chin and jaw spots returning |
| AviClear | Treats every oil gland in the area with laser | Widespread acne, and people who would rather not take daily tablets |
| Gold PTT | Heats the oil glands with gold particles and laser | Oily, congested skin, pregnancy and breastfeeding |
| Isotretinoin | Shrinks the oil glands | Severe or scarring acne |
Spironolactone for hormonal acne
Spironolactone is a tablet that stops androgens acting on the oil glands. It is one of the most used treatments for adult women with hormonal acne, and it takes about three months to show its full effect, so the first review is set at that point.
Common side effects are passing urine more often, irregular spotting and breast tenderness. It is not taken during pregnancy, so it is used with reliable contraception. It is not used for men. Your doctor reviews you during the course.
The contraceptive pill for acne
Some combined contraceptive pills reduce the hormones that drive oil, and they help acne over three to six months. They suit women who also want contraception.
The doctor checks your health history first, because the pill is not suitable for everyone, including smokers over 35 and people with a history of blood clots or migraine with aura.
Winlevi (clascoterone) cream in Singapore
Our doctors prescribe Winlevi after a consultation. Winlevi is a cream that contains clascoterone. It blocks androgens, the hormones that drive oil, right where they act in the skin. It is a cream, not a tablet, and it works in the skin, so it suits men as well as women. It is used from age 12. You apply a thin layer to the acne area twice a day. It suits acne that looks hormone-driven or oily, and it is one part of a wider acne plan rather than a replacement for retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, tablets or clinic treatments.
Two large trials treated more than 1,400 people. At 12 weeks, two to three times as many were clear or almost clear with Winlevi as with a plain cream. Both inflamed spots and blackheads and whiteheads fell. The 2024 American Academy of Dermatology acne guideline supports its use.
Side effects are mostly mild redness, itching and dryness. Rarely it can affect the adrenal glands or raise potassium levels. This is more likely with use over large areas or for a long time, so the doctor reviews you during treatment. Winlevi is not used in pregnancy. Tell the doctor if you are breastfeeding. Winlevi treats active acne. It does not remove acne scars. The price is quoted at your consultation.
Find out whether your acne is hormonal — your doctor examines your skin and sets the plan on the day
AGNES, AviClear and Gold PTT for hormonal acne
Tablets work while you take them. Hormonal acne often returns when they stop, because the oil glands are still overactive. AGNES, AviClear and Gold PTT treat acne at the root cause, which is the overactive sebaceous glands, so the improvement lasts after the course ends.
Many patients use tablets to bring flares under control, have a course of treatment on the glands, then reduce or stop the tablets. AGNES suits the same chin and jaw spots coming back again and again. AviClear suits acne across the whole lower face. Gold PTT suits oily, congested skin.
Hormonal acne in pregnancy and while breastfeeding
Spironolactone, isotretinoin and most acne tablets are not used during pregnancy. Gold PTT uses no medication, which is why it is the acne treatment our doctors offer during pregnancy and breastfeeding, together with creams that are safe at this time. Your doctor confirms it suits you at the consultation.
Hormonal acne in men
Men get hormonal acne too, usually on the jaw, neck, chest and back. Hormone tablets are not used for men. Treatment is with Winlevi cream, AGNES, AviClear, Gold PTT or isotretinoin, and the back acne treatment page covers acne on the body.
Hormonal acne treatment price in Singapore
| Item | Price (before GST) |
|---|---|
| Doctor consultation | $100 |
| Spironolactone or the contraceptive pill | Quoted at consultation |
| Prescription creams | Quoted at consultation |
| Winlevi (clascoterone cream) | Quoted at consultation |
| PCOS blood test | Quoted at consultation |
| AGNES RF | $800–$1,500 per session |
| AviClear | $1,800 per session, $3,000 for two |
| Gold PTT | $1,000 per session, $2,500 for three |
The full price list is in the acne treatment price list.
Hormonal acne FAQ
It sits on the jawline and chin, flares before a period, and returns after antibiotics. A doctor confirms it by examining your skin and asking about your cycle.
About three months for the full effect. Many women notice fewer new spots in the second month.
No. It has hormonal side effects in men. Men are treated with Winlevi cream, AGNES, AviClear, Gold PTT or isotretinoin.
Yes. Spironolactone, Winlevi cream, other creams, AGNES, AviClear and Gold PTT all work without the pill.
Yes. Our doctors prescribe Winlevi after a consultation. It is a cream that blocks androgens in the skin, used from age 12 in men and women. It is not used in pregnancy. The price is quoted at your consultation. More is under Winlevi (clascoterone) cream in Singapore.
Sometimes. Irregular periods, extra hair or thinning scalp hair alongside acne point to PCOS, and a blood test at the clinic helps confirm it.
It often settles in the late 30s or 40s, but for some women it carries on until menopause. Waiting risks marks and scars from the deep spots.
The deep spots on the jaw can leave marks and scars, which is why early treatment matters. See acne scar treatment.
A doctor consultation is $100. Tablets, creams and blood tests are quoted at consultation. AGNES is $800–$1,500 a session, AviClear $1,800 a session or $3,000 for two, and Gold PTT $1,000 a session or $2,500 for three.
The Clifford Clinic, 50 Raffles Place #01-01, Singapore Land Tower, Singapore 048623 (Raffles Place MRT, Exit B). Tel +65 6532 2400, WhatsApp +65 8318 6332.
- Reynolds RV, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol 2024, 90(5), 1006.e1–30. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2023.12.017
- Santer M, et al. Effectiveness of spironolactone for women with acne vulgaris (SAFA) in England and Wales, a pragmatic, multicentre, phase 3, double blind, randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2023, 381, e074349. doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-074349
- Garg V, et al. Long-term use of spironolactone for acne in women, a case series of 403 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol 2021, 84(5), 1348–1355. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2020.12.071
- Arowojolu AO, et al. Combined oral contraceptive pills for treatment of acne. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012, (7), CD004425. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004425.pub6
- Lee JW, et al. Selective sebaceous gland electrothermolysis as a treatment for acne, a prospective pilot study. Int J Dermatol 2012, 51(3), 339–344. doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05255.x
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- Hebert A, et al. Efficacy and safety of topical clascoterone cream, 1%, for treatment in patients with facial acne, two phase 3 randomized clinical trials. JAMA Dermatol 2020, 156(6), 621–630. doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2020.0465
- WINLEVI (clascoterone) cream 1%, US prescribing information. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, revised January 2025. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- Winlevi 10 mg/g cream, European public assessment report and product information. European Medicines Agency, 2025. ema.europa.eu
- Teede HJ, et al. Recommendations from the 2023 international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023, 108(10), 2447–2469. doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgad463
Our acne doctors
Every acne plan at The Clifford Clinic is set and reviewed by one of our doctors. You see the same doctor at each review.
Dr Gerard Ee
Managing Director · MBBS (St George’s) · MRCS (Edin) · PG Dip Dermatology (Cardiff)
Trained at SGH, NUH and Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. Accredited in lasers, light therapies, fillers and Botox. Has published in medical journals on surgical and aesthetic topics.
Dr Chow Yuen Ho
Medical Director · MBBS (NUS)
More than 10 years in clinical practice with a special interest in aesthetic dermatology procedures and lasers. Formerly founding Director of Medical Informatics at SGH.
Dr Law Zhi Wei
Partner · MBBS (NUS) · MRCS (Edin) · PG Dip Practical Dermatology (Cardiff)
Surgical training across KKH, SGH and CGH. Accredited in lasers, radiofrequency, ultrasound therapies, Botox and fillers, with a focus on acne care.
Dr Bernard Ong
MBBS (NUS)
Aesthetic and wellness medicine. Former national-level badminton player who represented Singapore at the Youth Olympic Games.
Book your hormonal acne consultation
To find out whether your acne is hormonal and what your plan will cost, message us on WhatsApp or call the clinic.
Mon–Fri 10am–8pm · Sat 10am–5pm · 50 Raffles Place #01-01 Singapore Land Tower