Hormones and Aging: How Your Skin is Affected

You lose a million skin cells every minute until you’re 30, and after that, it becomes less and less. You need to lose these cells in order to maintain dewy, moisturized skin. We know that aging in inevitable, and with aging comes all kinds of hormonal shifts in our bodies. But is there a way that we can chose how our skin reacts to these processes? We need to understand the 3 main things that happen to our skin as we age, and then we can figure out how to make the best of it to look and feel our best.

Breakouts

A common sign of aging is acne blemishes and blackheads. A woman in her 30s might be shocked to find acne on her face, because the last time she saw a pimple was when she was a teenager, and she thought her “acne days” were over! Unfortunately, levels of estrogen drop more quickly in your late 20s than levels of testosterone do, and this allows the testosterone to do all of the damage, like boosting the body’s oil production. An increase in oil production results in clogged pores and adult acne..

Age Spots

Pesky age spots tend to show up as we get older and are a result of excess melanin production in the skin. Though it’s not always obvious as to what has caused these spots to appear, major culprits include skin aging and sun exposure. You’re most likely to find age spots on the areas of skin that are most often exposed to the sun, including your shoulders and back of your hands. Keeping your sun exposure to a healthy amount each day and wearing sunscreen when appropriate can help prevent these spots from making a permanent home on your skin.

Dryness

As we age, our thyroid function begins to dwindle, which causes a decrease in hormone production. As a result, a decrease in hormone production causes skin to become extra dry. It is common for women to be diagnosed as hyperthyroid while or after they are pregnant since skin issues become more prevalent in these stages. Epidermis begins to lose hyaluronic acid, which is a key moisturizing component for the skin in a person’s late 20s. Skin can become leathery, peeling, and overall dull. To put the hyaluronic acid back into the skin, serums can be used to protect the skin and replenish the moisture that it needs.

Love,

Gen