| “How to achieve beautiful, supple and | | | | the hormone testosterone in the skin. |
| young-looking skin”. | | | | Testosterone is required to produce |
| You almost can’t avoid it - splashed | | | | acne. This outcome can be seen in |
| on magazine covers, reported in | | | | conditions such as polycystic ovary |
| newspapers and marketed on television | | | | syndrome, which produce some elevation |
| and radio, the message to improve our | | | | in testosterone, which in turn causes |
| skin would appear paramount to how we | | | | increased facial hair, irregular periods |
| and others view our looks. | | | | and acne. It has also been found that |
| How does our skin age? | | | | some birth control pills can block |
| Skin aging is influenced by: | | | | testosterone skin reactors to improve |
| Genetic differences | | | | some of the consequences of increasing |
| Hormonal changes, e.g. estrogen and | | | | hormone levels. (See Acne Guide for more |
| thyroxin | | | | acne information) |
| Chronic sun exposure | | | | Thinning hair |
| Wind, pollution | | | | Hair will thin after menopause. In some |
| Blame it on hormones. | | | | women, genetic factors produce |
| Hormones are mostly to blame for skin | | | | significant thinning. Abnormalities in |
| changes as we age. Hormones are chemical | | | | the level of a thyroid hormone, in |
| messengers produced in organs such as | | | | addition to the amount of iron stored in |
| the ovaries, adrenal glands, and thyroid | | | | the body, can influence the volume of |
| glands, and all have an effect on other | | | | hair. |
| tissues. | | | | Estrogen encourages hair to stay in its |
| Much of the reason why our skin begins | | | | growing phase (Anagen hair). This is |
| to suffer is primarily due to hormones | | | | seen in the significant thickening of |
| -- and there is a massive industry | | | | hair towards the end of pregnancy. After |
| manufacturing products to try to | | | | menopause, however, the lower estrogen |
| alleviate the results of these hormonal | | | | amount allows the scalp hair to grow |
| changes, notably as women reach | | | | towards the falling out stage (Telogen |
| menopause in their 40s and 50s. | | | | hair). |
| As menopause occurs, estrogen is reduced | | | | HRT and skin |
| and while it has a direct effect on | | | | Post menopausal women will notice that |
| thinning bones, it also creates | | | | unlike their scalp, facial hairs |
| significant changes in the skin. Women | | | | increase. This is thought to be because |
| find: | | | | estrogen -- which opposes the effect of |
| * their skin becomes drier with | | | | testosterone -- drops relatively more |
| increased wrinkles | | | | after menopause than testosterone. |
| * skin becomes more fragile, loses some | | | | Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has |
| of its elasticity, and is looser because | | | | been used over the last 20 years to |
| the production of collagen is reduced | | | | combat the signs of aging. HRT can |
| * older skin appears paler as the lack | | | | promote a fuller-looking skin because |
| of estrogen reduces the number of blood | | | | the skin then becomes thicker with less |
| vessels in the skin | | | | loss of subcutaneous fat. Thinning and |
| * menopause also causes a reduction in | | | | drying of vaginal surfaces is also |
| the level of testosterone but not as | | | | minimized. This can also be achieved by |
| significant a drop as in estrogen | | | | using topical estrogen. The use of |
| Hormones and dry skin | | | | estrogen creams has been shown to |
| Another hormone we have is thyroxin, | | | | maintain the elasticity and fullness of |
| produced by the thyroid gland, which | | | | skin after menopause, although at this |
| influences skin appearance. Too much | | | | time it is not used extensively because |
| thyroxin shows a warm, smooth, sweaty, | | | | of concerns about side effects and the |
| flushed skin. Under-activity of thyroxin | | | | variability of absorption into the body. |
| produces a dry, coarse thickening of | | | | |
| skin with reduced ability to sweat. | | | | See your doctor or dermatologist to |
| Hormones affect acne | | | | determine which solutions best suits |
| The oil glands of the skin are in part | | | | your experience with aging skin. |
| controlled by the level and activity of | | | | |