Hormones and Your Skin.
Your skin is unique, and so are the hormones. These hormones have a profound impact on your skin, influencing its look and feel. You might have noticed changes to your skin, especially on your face, as you journey through different stages of life. This is no coincidence; your skin responds to the ebbs and flows of your hormones.
Meet the Key Players: Oestrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone
Three main hormones influence your skin's health: oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Each of these hormones plays a distinct role:
Oestrogen: The collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid booster. Oestrogen helps keep your skin plump and firm, stimulating the production of these essential components.
Progesterone: The sebum regulator. It can stimulate your skin's oil glands, resulting in a healthy glow, but an excess of progesterone can lead to oil build-up.
Testosterone: The acne activator. This hormone, usually prevalent during menstruation, acts similarly to progesterone in activating oil production in the sebaceous glands.
Your skin doesn't have a "one size fits all" normal state; it transforms as you age and transition through various life phases. External factors like climate, illness, and other conditions can also affect your skin. These hormonal changes usually start around puberty and continue throughout your life, causing noticeable alterations.
The primary drivers of these changes are your sebaceous glands, small glands responsible for producing an oily substance called sebum. Sebum is the oil that helps maintain your skin's health. As you enter puberty, your sebaceous glands grow larger and start to produce more sebum, with the peak production occurring between the ages of 15 and 35. This is why you may have experienced changes in your skin during these years.
Androgens: The Game Changers
The hormones that have the most dramatic impact on your sebaceous glands are androgens, a class of male sex hormones that are also present in females. These androgens include testosterone, which increases sebum production, and therefore, oiliness in your skin. As androgens bind to receptors on your sebaceous glands, they stimulate more sebum production, making your skin oilier. This can also lead to acne, particularly in areas where sebaceous glands are most concentrated, such as the face, chest, and back.
But the influence of hormones like estrogen on sebum production isn't as clear. Some studies suggest that high doses of estrogen can suppress sebum production and gland activation. However, understanding how natural fluctuations of estrogen throughout your menstrual cycle impact your skin is more complex. In some cases, an increase in sebum production occurs in the week preceding menstruation and during the week of menstruation, with the lowest production happening during the second week of the menstrual cycle.
The Link Between Androgens and Acne
If your body produces higher levels of androgens, such as in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), you're more likely to experience acne, as well as excess hair growth and female pattern hair loss. Transgender men may also notice an increase in acne lesions during the first year of taking testosterone, although this usually decreases with long-term testosterone use.
The Acne Connection
Acne can have various causes, but at its core, it's a hormonal disease. The journey begins during puberty when your body produces excess male hormones (androgens), leading to increased sebum production. This excess sebum is one of the symptoms that can trigger acne.
Interestingly, while acne typically improves significantly after puberty, it continues to affect up to 40% of all adults, with a surprisingly high proportion (75-85%) being women. It's clear that hormones play a significant role.
Hormone Fluctuations and Acne Throughout Life
Your hormones, particularly testosterone, can have an impact on acne throughout your life. Just before your period starts, testosterone levels rise and become higher than female hormones, leading to increased sebum production. Hormone levels peak during the first trimester of pregnancy, which might cause skin changes. Surprisingly, pregnancy acne can occur at any stage of gestation and even after giving birth.
Menopause and Skin Challenges
The menopausal phase introduces significant changes in a woman's body. Hormones like oestrogen and progesterone are produced in decreasing quantities, leading to various symptoms.
In the grand symphony of skincare, your hormones play a pivotal role in crafting the ever-evolving masterpiece of your skin. But remember, you're the conductor, and are able to orchestrate a regimen that harmonises with your skin's unique needs at every stage, from the bloom of youth to the wisdom of maturity. Embracing this complexity empowers you to navigate your skin's journey with grace and confidence, knowing that each phase adds its own signature to your skin's story.
