How Hormones Affect Your Complexion

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Both men and women undergo many changes throughout life, often due to the action of their body’s hormones. This is often reflected in the condition of our skin, and will be especially apparent in women, who not only undergo hormonal changes every month during their reproductive years, but also the major change that comes during and after menopause. The level of hormones, especially estrogen and testosterone, will definitely cause changes in the condition of your skin.

What Are Hormones?

Your endocrine system consists of a number of glands that produce hormones vital to the functioning of your body. Hormones can be looked upon as the messenger system for the body. For instance, your adrenal gland produces adrenalin, which gives your body the extra boost it needs in times of stress or danger. The adrenal gland also produces some of the sex hormones that will influence your complexion. The major producers of sex hormones, however, are the ovaries and testes. The king of the glands might well be considered to be the pituitary, as this gland oversees all the other glands and hormones.

Age and Your Skin

Every woman understands the changes that hormones can bring to her skin during different phases of her life. Obviously, some of these changes will occur from environmental factors such as drinking, smoking, exposure to the sun, but even if these are eliminated, there are still hormonal changes with which to deal.

• Puberty is the first time that major skin changes will become apparent. As the body of a girl adjusts to new levels of estrogens and androgens, the skin of the face, back, and shoulders will often become subject to pimples and acne. The skin is usually quite oily during these years, and this is when an acne treatment will be needed. 
• The halcyon years for a woman’s skin probably start when she is in her twenties and into her mid-thirties. At this point, her hormones have settled down from the turbulent teens into normal levels, and the skin is usually free of blemishes. Oiliness has also calmed down so there is much less chance of pimples developing. 
• While a woman’s complexion is usually lovely during these years, there can be flare-ups caused by her menstrual cycle and pregnancy. These will not be long lasting, however, and the skin will return to normal quickly. Birth control pills can also cause pimples. 
• While less oiliness during the later thirties into the early forties means that fewer pimples will form, it also means that as the skin becomes drier, and wrinkles will begin to form, usually around the eyes to begin with. The skin will not be as elastic as it once was, and exposure to the sun will really start to make negative inroads. 
• Menopause, beginning in the middle forties turns off the source of estrogen to a great degree (fat still produces some, and the ovaries still dribble out a little bit), which means that the skin’s elasticity fades even more, and as the amount of collagen produced diminishes, more wrinkles will appear and the skin will begin to sag. Needless to say, the older a woman gets, the more chance there is that her skin will deteriorate.

Keeping Your Skin Lovely at Any Age

While there are hormonal changes that are unavoidable, keeping your skin looking good however old you are is not impossible. Most of these involve simply being sensible and are not hard to do:

• Get adequate sleep. Fatigue makes it more difficult for your body to repair the wear and tear of daily life, a good night’s sleep refreshes and restores. 
• Do not smoke. Smoking introduces a number of dangerous and harmful toxins into your system, and worst of all, it narrows the veins and capillaries that deliver blood to your skin, so they actually starve. The skin of heavy smokers usually looks like corduroy. 
• Stay out of the sun. Sunlight directly damages your skin, breaking down all the layers of the skin, leaving eventually to resemble leather. 
• Eat a healthy diet. Healthy, natural foods will keep your body stronger and your skin in good condition. 
•  Use a mild soap and face wash. Check the ingredients to make sure that the products are not full of chemicals. Find a good moisturizer and use it faithfully. You will want one that penetrates the epidermis to nurture beneath the skin.

Following these simple steps can help you to have a healthy, attractive skin your entire life.