Is Your Skin Having a Hormonal Day?

Learn how to manage hormonal shifts like Puberty, Pregnancy and Menopause, which we often neglect, to really improve your skin.

We all know that hormones play a major role in our lives but have you ever wondered how interwoven hormones are with your skin? There are major time periods that we prepare ourselves to deal with hormone shifts but we often neglect to think more deeply about how these shifts directly impact the condition of our skin.

Phase One – Puberty

Increased hormones are the culprits behind our puberty skin issues. Once our period hits we inevitably begin to worry about pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads. Acne causes skin to become clogged with excess oil called Sebum. Sebum surges as hormones fluctuate which creates an oily bacteria-based environment. Dead skin cells compound the problem as the cells get caught up in the oily mix to create visible blemishes. Yuk!

Phase Two – Pregnancy

Some lucky women respond to pregnancy-based fluctuating hormones with skin that has a health “glow” while the rest of us may end up with a terrible complexion. During the first 12-weeks the growth hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) rises which increases blood flow in the body…this can gives our skin a great flushed complexion. The 2nd trimester is a little tricky as progesterone surges that can cause acne. This is also the time that melisma occurs (the mask of pregnancy) which gives the skin on our face a dark appearance. Pregnancy hormones have unpredictable results on our skin so a good skin care regimen is key. If those cute little newborns only knew what our skin battled for 9 months!

Phase Three – Menopause

Hormonal changes during menopause can range from mild to severe but it’s impossible to graduate this phase without it challenging the condition of your skin. In addition to hot flashes, sweating, and lack of sleep, your skin’s physiology changes. Lowered levels of estrogen and progesterone directly impact the look and feel of skin. Oily skin occurs when higher levels of testosterone are produced that can lead to adult acne. Menopause hormones pack a punch on our skin’s appearance resulting in thinning and sagging skin, wrinkles, facial hair, and age spots. At this time our skin becomes more vulnerable to sun damage as reduced estrogen levels reduce the amount of cells that create Melanin. It seems a daunting phase to live through but it does eventually end.

You can combat these three hormonal phases with a good skincare regimen incorporated with a balanced lifestyle.

The major life factors that play a contributing role in hormonal skin changes include:

Diet – Give your skin a fighting chance by choosing a healthy diet with powerful nutrients. Great choices for your skin include Almonds (Vitamin E is a natural sunblock), Carrots (Vitamin A reduces the development of skin cancer cells), Dark Chocolate (Antioxidant Flavonol reduces skin roughness), Flaxseeds (Omega-3 fatty acids can erase skin spots), Sweet Potatoes (Vitamin C to smooth wrinkles) and Canned Tuna (selenium for elasticity).

Exercise – Working out delivers oxygen to your tissues that improves your skin.

Sleep – Lack of sleep ages your skin and creates visible issues like puffy eyes, dark circles, and dull skin. Without regular sleep, our bodies can not produce enough human growth hormone which our skin needs to remain thick.

Stress – Our skin mirrors our emotional well-being. Stress, anxiety, and depression can manifest into negative results both inside and out.

So we have all heard it from our doctors to our mothers to Oprah…it’s all about prevention! A consistent skincare regiment coupled with a healthy lifestyle can ensure our skin can make it through life’s twists and turns. Balshi Skincare has created a step-by-step product lineup that will restore balance for a hormonal phase you may be going though right now or arm you ahead of time for the one you may be heading for.

Balshi Skincare provides the nutrients and active rejuvenating ingredients in the complete line of products for any stage of life.

What goes “on” your body is just as important as what goes “in” your body…. good choices will help you balance both your skin health and your hormone challenges. Have a happy hormone day!