Jahnavi Sarma
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Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : May 13, 2020 9:20 AM IST
Sleep well at night and avoid stress for a radiant skin. Avoid alcohol and smoking and exercise. @Shutterstock
Beauty is not just skin deep. Your hormones play a big role in your external beauty too. Any abnormalities in your hormones can wreak havoc on your skin health. There come many phases in a woman's life when there may be disruptions in hormones. Moreover, many diseases like thyroid, which are more common in women, also cause these disruptions. But there is nothing to worry about here. You can easily deal with this if you make a few changes in your life. You don't have to undergo expensive salon treatments or therapies, nor do you have to go in for any medical treatment. But before attempting to handle these conditions on your own, you need to know what exactly hormones are. These are nothing but chemical messengers secreted by glands. It facilitates many activities in your body including growth and development, metabolism, mood and sexual function. Some of the common hormones in your body are thyroid, cortisol, insulin, estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
According to researchers at UT Dell Medical School and Ascension Seton in Austin, Texas, your hormones don't just control how you feel. They can have an impact on the health of your skin, too. Some hormonal disorders manifest themselves in the skin and hair too. If your body is deficient in thyroid hormone, a condition called hypothyroidism, you may experience dry skin among other things. On the other hand, over production of the androgen hormone can make your skin excessively oily. During menopause, when a woman's estrogen levels go down, she may experience dry and itchy skin. These are just a few examples.
Let us take a look at how hormones can affect your skin at different stages of your life and how to deal with it.
This is the time when your body increases the production of both estrogen and testosterone. This results in excess sebum production and this makes your skin very oily. Outbreak of hormonal acne is very common during this stage in life.
How to handle this: Wash your face frequently and avoid using heavy facial creams. If the outbreak is too severe, consult a doctor. There are many topical ointments that can help. If you are a woman, your doctor may sometimes recommend hormonal birth control pills. You can also try out some home remedies to get rid of this problem. Apply sandalwood and turmeric paste or wash your face with lemon water. This will help to some extent.
When you are pregnant, your body produces excess estrogen. This can cause your skin to change to a darker tone. Some women also experience discolouration on their facial skin. This is called melasma.
How to handle this: Avoid sun exposure. You skin becomes extremely sensitive during this time. If you have to go out during the day, use a good sunscreen after consulting your doctor. Maintain a daily skin care ritual and stay hydrated. Follow a healthy diet that includes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Drink enough water and do some moderate exercise. This will make your skin radiant.
This is the phase of life where your body stops the production of estrogen. As a result, your skin loses its elasticity and you start noticing fine lines and wrinkles. You may also experience dry skin around this time.
How to handle this: If you consult your doctor, he may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or prescribe bioidentical hormones (BHT). But you can also handle this on your own by eating properly and keeping your skin moisturized and hydrated. Sleep well at night and avoid stress for a radiant skin. Avoid alcohol and smoking and exercise. All this will make your skin glow despite your hormones going haywire.
