We all have them surging through our bodies doing a number of important jobs.
However, hormones can really mess with our skin. For some people, this can cause significant and noticeable problems but if this is you, rest assured, they do affect all of us in one way or another. There are reasons why some of us can suffer more, such as a dietary intolerance, but in this post we will focus mainly on how they can manifest within the skin and what you can do to limit their impact.
At certain stages of our lives, hormones can show up stronger - namely adolescence, pregnancy and during the menopause. However, every month women go through intense hormone fluctuations which tends to impact how our skin looks and feels, and not in a good way!
Hormonal breakouts.
They suck.
But let’s try to understand how they come about before we suggest how to deal with them.
The main reason that you might be experiencing monthly breakouts is down to the impact hormones have on our sebaceous glands (the glands that produce naturally occurring oils). About half-way through your menstruation cycle, more progesterone is produced. This in turn means that your normal sebum production is interfered with and therefore more sebum is produced.
As if this isn’t bad enough, after this boost of progesterone starts to decrease again you can be left with dry patches. Who said your skin was high maintenance?!
So, what can you do if this hormonal topsy-turvy is driving you round the bend?
Initially, we’d suggest tailoring your skincare routine throughout the month to cater for what your hormones are doing at each phase of your cycle. Sounds intense, we know. But it’s a small price to pay for happier, more balanced skin. Try cleansing more and using lighter products for ½ of the month when your skin is more oily, and look for nutritious products to feed your skin throughout the other half.
If you think you’ve got your skincare routine working like a well-oiled machine and you’re still experiencing issues, look to a qualified nutritionist for some guidance on which foods you could add in to your diet to increase your overall skin health. It’s not a myth - great nutrition really can have a huge impact on your skin.
With all of the above said, if you are experiencing monthly breakouts and nothing seems to be working to help them it is really important that you try not to stress about it. Stress can actually make things worse!
If you ‘d like further guidance (or a shoulder to cry on!) then get in touch with us at info@33dowanhill.com or connect with us on instagram @33dowanhill - we are on a mission to help as many ladies as we can around the UK with their journey to better skin confidence!
Love,
33Dowanhill
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