We all crave beautiful, clean, youthful looking skin, forever if possible. Well, as most of you know by now that beautiful skin takes WORK! We are made up of chemical messengers called hormones, and as we go through our metamorphoses in this life, changes in the balance of these hormones wreak havoc on our skin. Yes, there are other factors like diet (high carbohydrate diet), stress, food allergies, poor hygiene, environmental toxins, smoking, and sun damage that contribute to skin problems. However, these other factors somehow directly or indirectly influence our hormones.
In our teenage years, there is a sharp increase in androgen hormones like testosterone. is hormone predominantly exists in males, although it is present in females too. Testosterone works with the enzyme 5 alpha reductase to create di-hydrotestosterone. Di-hydrotestosterone stimulates the sebaceous glands, causing an increase in sebum production and leading to an oilier skin. As the follicles are filled with excess oil, they become blocked more easily. e blockage of the follicle creates a com- edo, or acne breakout. Acne seems to strike teenage males more severely and is longer lasting than for their female counterparts.
Menopause can bring frustrating new issues for your skin, or even bad flashbacks to your teen years with problems like acne. Menopause occurs in most women in their early 50s. However, in the five- to 10-year period prior to menopause, our hormonal systems are already beginning to change, even though we still o en have regular periods. Acne in the 40s is generally different from adolescent acne in that there are not as many blackheads, whiteheads, papules, or pustules. Instead, acne in the 40s is more microcystic. Small, hard, tender cysts often occur around the chin, jaw line, and sometimes even down onto the neck. Unfortunately, these cysts last longer, sometimes taking two to four weeks to resolve rather than a few days to a week in adolescents.
At menopause, levels in estrogen drop, so acne is not so much of a problem because oil production is less. However, our skin starts to produce slightly less collagen and elastic fibers. Collagen is the supportive protein structure of the skin, and elastic fibers provide the ability to bounce back. is drop in collagen and elastic fibers accelerates wrinkling and sagging. Other skin issues at menopause include dry skin, especially the face and hands, dark circles, facial and chest hair, cellulite, and stretch marks.
It is quite disheartening that as the body ages it loses its ability to produce natural hormones like thyroid, HGH (Human Growth Hormone), estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone which in turn causes us to look like dried up prunes. This is a sad state of a airs so we must take care of our skin and begin as early as possible. If we get into a good skin care routine early on, there is a better chance of our looking more like a shiny apple longer.
There are solutions to help us age more gracefully and to keep our dignity. For those with peri-menopausal or menopausal symptoms and needing hormone replacement, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can help not only to replenish the hormones you’re deficient in, but also to help rejuvenate and revitalize your skin naturally. There are so many skin care products that choosing the right products can be daunting. Finally I’ve stumbled across a skin care line that combines science with medicinal percentages of cosmeceutical ingredients and botanicals to not only help your troubled skin issues, but also to nurture your skin while helping it to heal. These products are significantly different from most similar products which o en include only trace amounts of these expensive ingredients and botanicals. I am also impressed that this line was created by a pharmacist. Come to TLC Medical Centre Pharmacy to learn more. We will also be having a skin consultation event in May to introduce this exciting skin care line.
