How do hormonal changes affect your skin?
When people talk about hormones, they often think about how they affect things like mood and energy levels, PMS symptoms, libido, and metabolism. But the truth is, these vital chemical messengers can also have a profound effect on our skin.
How many of us have suffered from the classic pimple that tells us we're ovulating or that pops up when we get our period? We know that our bodies go through hormonal changes in response to hormones like estrogen and testosterone, and the appearance of acne is one way to manifest this. However, the skin forms a protective physical barrier to help regulate its temperature and provide a route for the elimination of fluids like sweat and oils.
There's no 100% normal state for skin. It's the body's largest organ and is constantly changing from puberty through aging, going through different phases or being affected by external factors like climate or disease. These changes can affect everything from sebum production, barrier function, collagen and hyaluronic acid production, and more.
The good news is understanding how short- and long-term hormonal changes affect your skin and focusing your routine on meeting its needs. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key to keeping your skin under control, including:
- Wash your face thoroughly twice a day.
- Use products specific to your skin type.
- Moisturize your face after cleansing.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Drink enough water every day.
- Do exercise.
- Get enough sleep every night.
1. Menstrual period
During menstruation, estrogen and progesterone levels are low. Under normal conditions, the skin tends to be normal-dry.
During the follicular phase of menstruation (from the beginning of your period until ovulation), estrogen levels increase significantly, and the skin is well hydrated and elastic. Estrogen has a moisturizing effect, which is why high levels of estrogen make your skin look better.
During the luteal phase of the menstrual period (ovulation period), the follicles that were in the ovary transform into corpora lutea and produce progesterone, which causes the skin to show oily skin tendencies and mild cases of acne that will disappear when menstruation begins again.
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