With every life stage comes new experiences… From learning to ride your bike as a toddler to watching your grandchildren graduate from high school. Our lives are in constant motion, and with it come fluctuations in your hormones.
What are Hormones, Anyways?
These chemical messengers are constantly at work in your body, telling it what to do and when. They are highly specialized, carrying signals from your brain to your organs and back again. Because they help your body process changes, like growing and going through puberty, they peak in our teens, then taper off slowly as we age.
They never completely disappear, though. Hormones are responsible for helping us fall asleep, telling our body that we’re hungry, and helping us feel the full gamut of emotions.
They are also responsible for both positive and negative changes in the texture of our skin.
From Adolescence…
Do you remember your first battle with a blemish? It probably happened around the same time that you hit puberty. As pre-teens and teenagers, our bodies suddenly begin making an excess of growth hormones, estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone.
An unfortunate side effect is that this sudden surge causes your skin to produce more sebum than normal. This clogs your pores and makes your skin appear oily, leading to that all-too-familiar teenage rite of passage.
For most people, acne levels out once your body is done with puberty. But for those with severe acne, the effects can be more permanent. Those who suffer with cystic acne or severe acne in their adolescence can develop scars that last the rest of their lives.
Advances in scar treatment can lend some relief, through services like microneedling, chemical peels, and dermal fillers.
…To Adulthood.
If you thought you were safe from hormones as an adult, we have some bad news. Both pregnancy and the onset of menopause can bring back our worst skin-related fears from our teen years, along with a few new problems.
During pregnancy, your body suddenly begins producing a dramatic increase in progesterone and estrogen. These hormones help support the baby in utero and help the mother’s body make necessary changes.
While most women will notice that their skin is glowy and dewy during their pregnancy, others experience conditions like hormonal acne and melasma. Sometimes called pregnancy mask, melasma occurs when increases in hormones cause brownish-grey patches to form on the skin. These patches usually disappear once your hormones are back at their normal levels, but some hyperpigmentation can remain.
Then, of course, is the sudden decrease in hormones as women reach menopause. The drop in hormone levels causes the opposite issue that you experience in puberty… Instead of too much oil, your skin can’t produce enough. This dryness can cause your skin to become red, itch, and flake.
Collagen, a hormone that our body produces to keep our muscular and skeletal system in check, deceases. Thus leaving skin looking thin, wrinkled, and loose. Proper care of your skin before and during this transition can drastically decrease the signs of aging. Well-hydrated and a well-tended skincare regimen can help face this life change more effectively than skin that has been neglected.
The key to handling hormonal skin concerns is regular visits with your dermatologist. For every stage of life, they can help you keep your skin smooth, toned, and beautiful. Check out what Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Institute can do for you!
