Hormonal Skin Problems: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

Your hormones can have a big impact on your skin. From acne to wrinkles, hormonal imbalances can lead to a variety of skin problems. 

In this article, our skincare professionals will shed light on how hormones affect the skin and what you can do to manage hormonal skin concerns.

How do hormones affect the skin?

Your skin is made up of a variety of cells, including sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and fibroblasts. These cells are all influenced by hormones.

Sebaceous glands: Sebaceous glands produce sebum which is an oily substance that helps lubricate both skin and hair. Hormones such as testosterone, stimulate sebaceous gland activity. This can lead to oily skin and acne.

Sweat glands: Sweat glands help to regulate your body temperature. Estrogen and progesterone can affect sweat gland activity. This can lead to dry skin during menopause.

Fibroblasts: Fibroblasts produce collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. These substances give your skin its strength, elasticity, and moisture. Estrogen helps to stimulate collagen production. This is why women often experience skin changes after menopause when estrogen levels are declining.

Hormonal skin problems

Hormonal imbalances can lead to a variety of skin problems. These include:

• Acne: Acne is a common skin condition that affects people of all ages. It is caused by a combination of factors, including excess sebum production, inflammation, and bacteria. Androgens play a role in acne development. This is why acne is more common in teenagers and young adults when androgen levels are high.

• Pregnancy mask: Also known as melasma, this is a skin condition that causes brown patches to develop on the face. It is caused by a combination of sun exposure, hormones, and genetics. Melasma typically goes away on its own after pregnancy, but it can sometimes be persistent.

• Rosacea: Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes redness, flushing, and pimples on the face. It is thought to be caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, environmental triggers, and hormones. Rosacea is more common in women than in men. Treatments using the Stellar M22 system can help in reducing its appearance.

• Wrinkles: Wrinkles are caused by a loss of collagen and elastin in the skin. Estrogen helps to protect collagen and elastin and maintain a smoother skin appearance.

How to manage hormonal skin problems

If you are experiencing hormonal skin problems, there are a few methods you can use to manage them. With some routine changes, they can be very easy to implement.

Below are the best ways in which you can take care of your skin:

• See a skin specialist: An aesthetic skin specialist can help you diagnose the underlying cause of your skin problems and recommend treatment options and a product plan.

• Manage your hormones: If your skin problems are caused by hormonal imbalances, your doctor may prescribe medication to help balance your hormones.

• Use tailored skincare products: Use suitable products for your specific concerns. Vitamin C is perfect for making improvements to skin tone and texture often exacerbated by hormones. A relative cleanser is an important staple too.

• Wear sunscreen: Sun exposure can damage your skin and make hormonal skin problems worse. Wear an SPF50 every day, even on cloudy days. Do not solely rely on an SPF in your makeup products.

• Get enough sleep: Sleep is essential for skin health. When you don’t get enough sleep your body produces stress hormones, which can trigger inflammation and breakouts. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

• Eat a healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet can help improve your overall health as well as skin health. Make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

• Manage stress: Stress can trigger hormonal imbalances and make skin problems worse. When you are stressed this alters your cortisone levels in the body and quite often shows through the skin with outbreaks or flare-ups. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as yoga, meditation, or exercise.

  
  

If you’re not sure where to start or want to explore treatment options for common skin issues like acne and pigmentation, contact our skincare experts at Butterfly Aesthetics in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.