Your skin is a living organism influenced by several factors. Often thought of as an external barrier impacted only by what it comes into contact with, the deeper networks and processes shaping your skin quality have long been overlooked.

The truth is that your skin is part of a complex ecosystem, and one of the key driving forces regulating that system is your hormones. Hormones, chemical messengers that tell your body what processes to initiate, are like the ’control panel’ for your operating system, which extends to your skin.

This article explores the relationship between your skin and your hormones, highlighting their impact and how hormonal shifts influence your skin. Understanding this will help you prepare, so you work with your body rather than against it.

Opulent Aesthetics provides specialist treatments promoting skin quality. Our lead practitioner, Sadie, can tailor your treatments around your cycle, working with your body rather than against it, ensuring you get the best possible outcome.

Opulent Aesthetics has studios in Caterham or Purley, South Croydon, and Sadie can visit you at your home for some treatments. Looking and feeling beautiful has never been easier.

What are hormones?

Hormones are tiny chemical messengers that trigger bodily functions necessary to regulate processes like growth, metabolism, reproduction cycles, and even your mood. They are released by glands in your endocrine system, and travel through your bloodstream, binding to specific receptors in your organs and tissues, triggering a biological response.

Which hormones affect your skin?

The key hormones that affect women’s skin are:

• Estrogen – Often dubbed the female sex hormone, it maintains skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity by promoting collagen production. High estrogen levels often give your skin a radiant, plump appearance, while declining levels can lead to dryness and thinning skin.
• Progesterone – Progesterone can increase sebum production, potentially clogging pores and causing acne, especially during the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle.
• Androgens (e.g., testosterone) – These are considered masculine hormones and stimulate sebaceous glands, increasing oil production and potentially leading to acne, particularly around the jawline and chin.
• Cortisol – Known as the stress hormone, elevated cortisol levels can exacerbate skin conditions like acne and eczema by increasing inflammation and oil production. This is why you notice breakouts and flare-ups proximate to stressful situations.
• Thyroid hormones – These hormones regulate skin moisture and texture. Imbalances can cause dry, coarse skin or, conversely, overly oily skin. Conditions like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism tend to have knock-on effects on your skin. Speak to your doctor if you have a history of these conditions in your family.

Your cycle, hormones and skin

Your monthly cycle (‘period’) plays an important role in your hormones, and therefore your skin. Each stage of your cycle represents a hormonal phase. Let’s take a closer look:

• Follicular phase (days 1–14): Estrogen levels rise, leading to improved skin hydration and elasticity.
• Ovulation (around day 14) – Peak estrogen levels can give the skin a healthy and radiant glow.
• Luteal phase (days 15–28) – Progesterone increases, stimulating oil production and potentially causing breakouts. This phase normally coincides with the consumption of calorie-dense snacks that exacerbate the problem.
• Menstruation –  Both estrogen and progesterone levels drop, resulting in dull, dry skin and increased sensitivity.

As you can see, your monthly cycle sees you transition through various shifts in your hormonal profile, each having implications for your skin.

How pregnancy changes things

During pregnancy, you will experience elevated levels of Estrogen and progesterone, increasing blood circulation and giving you that notorious ‘pregnancy glow’. However, the increased progesterone can increase sebum (natural oils released by the sebaceous gland), which can lead to breakouts, particularly for women who have a history of acne.

The hormonal changes can also lead to hyperpigmentation, a condition known as ‘melasma’. This tends to stabilise as your hormones return to normal.

Menopause and your skin

Menopause translates from the Greek as pause of the monthly [cycle]. It is the phase of a woman’s life where she no longer experiences her reproductive ‘period’ followed by ovulation.

The menopause is driven entirely by hormonal changes and comes in three distinct phases:

• Perimenopause – This phase starts and can last between 4 -10 years before reaching full menopause. Hormone levels fluctuate, causing symptoms like irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and, of course, skin changes.
• Menopause – The point at which menstruation ceases. Estrogen and progesterone levels drop significantly, having significant consequences on skin quality. In particular, elastin and collagen levels decrease, causing wrinkles and sagging skin. Due to the balance change between estrogen and androgens (like testosterone), some women experience outbursts of acne.
• Postmenopause – The period after menopause. Symptoms like hot flashes may persist but generally reduce over time. Long-term effects of lower estrogen include increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, and skin thinning and dryness.

Managing hormonal changes for your skin

Hormones play a vital role and have a significant influence over your body and skin, so the extent to which you can counter their effects is limited. However, following this simple guide will keep your skin looking its best despite the changes.

• Tailor your skincare routine according to your hormones – During your menstruation, focus on hydrating your skin with products containing hyaluronic acid. Use gentle products less likely to cause irritation. Profhilio skin booster treatments involving injectable hyaluronic acid are highly effective.
  
  In the luteal phase, use cleansers containing salicylic acid, which will help manage the increase in sebum (oil) production.
  
  During menopause, ensure the use of rich moisturising serums containing hyaluronic acid, and consider further injectable skin booster treatments, particularly Jalupro or Sunekos, which also contain amino acids to support collagen and elastin production, addressing fine lines and wrinkles.
  
• Diet and hydration – Maintain a diet rich in colourful fruits and vegetables high in keratin and antioxidants. Eat plenty of oily fish, nuts and seeds high in omega-3 fatty acids. Drink lots of water to maintain high levels of hydration, as this will maintain skin elasticity and flush out toxins
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•  Stress management – While easy to overlook, this cannot be underestimated. Stress releases cortisol, which significantly impacts skin quality. Firstly, it increases sebum production and inflammation. It also breaks down collagen, creating fine lines and wrinkles. Cortisol also slows your skin’s ability to heal and regenerate itself.

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Engage in stress management practices like meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. They will enhance your sleep, also benefiting your skin’s ability to heal itself.

• Prioritise sleep – Sleep is the most restorative process your body undertakes. It is when your body is closed for maintenance and refurbishment. Sleep quality affects several aspects of your well-being, and biological processes, including hormone production, mood, dietary decisions, stress levels, metabolism, etc. Make sure to give it the attention it deserves.
  
  Use sleep tracking devices to monitor and improve your sleep. Make time to unwind before bed, limit use of screens, and make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.
  
• Dermatological assessments – If you have unusually problematic skin, consider seeing a professional dermatologist, who can monitor your skin and any changes. They may make recommendations like oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, although you will need this to be prescribed by a doctor.
  
  A consultation with Sadie at Opulent Aesthetics will also help you understand the treatments available to resist the adverse changes to your skin quality. Sadie routinely performs microneedling and facial peels to stimulate collagen and reduce acne scars. She also administers skin boosters, polynucleotides, and anti-wrinkle treatments to ensure your skin always has what it needs to regenerate and look its best, no matter which hormonal phase you are in.

Final thoughts

Hormones not only play a significant role in how you feel, but also in how you look. From that perspective, it can be said that beauty really does come from within.

Hormone levels shift over time, and there is no escaping that fact. While there are treatments that can elevate your hormone levels, managing their effects is just as important.

At Opulent Aesthetics, we leave no stone unturned. We work harmoniously with your body, ensuring that our treatments are effective and lasting. By starting treatments early, before your hormones decline drastically, you ensure that your skin is in optimum condition and less affected by hormonal imbalances.

Our microneedling with exosomes will ensure new collagen formation, while our facial peels will remove older and damaged skin. Our skin booster treatments will ensure that your skin has optimum levels of hydration and amino acids, so your skin has everything it needs to regenerate. To turbo your collagen production, we will rotate your skin booster injections with polynucleotides – cell messengers that ensure your skin cells receive the memo to replenish your skin. And, when you reach those later years where the other treatments prove less effective, do not fret because our anti-wrinkle injections will take care of the rest.

With that in mind, Opulent Aesthetics is there for you every step of the way. To book your appointment with Sadie in Caterham or Purley, South Croydon, or to have her visit you at home, click here