How Hormones Affect Your Skin

posted in: Skincare tips
Hormones don’t “just give you acne”


Our hormones change, and so does our skin. In some ways this is really obvious, like hitting puberty and the development of acne. But that’s not the limit to how your hormones affect your skin. Hormones move throughout your bloodstream and body and act as messengers to the multiple functions in the different organs. Your skin is the biggest organ.

Estrogen and your skin

Estrogen is one of the most commonly known hormones, and is commonly responsible for changes in your skin. Estrogen affects how thick your skin is, when and how wrinkles develop, and the moisture in your skin. Well-balanced estrogen helps to keep skin looking soft and young. As we age and estrogen decreases we start to see the signs of aging, and on the other side, a form of hyperpigmentation, melasma, can occur when estrogen levels are elevated (like if you’re pregnant or taking oral birth control) and is usually exacerbated by sun exposure.

Testosterone and your skin

The other most well known hormone: testosterone. This is another hormone that is pretty typically “male” the way estrogen is pretty typically “female” but is present in both. Testosterone helps to put off the signs of aging, and gives firmer and oilier skin. In women, an increase in testosterone can increase the likelihood of acne as an adult.

Hormonal Acne

While hormones do affect our skin and help contribute to acne, it’s not always in the ways we think. A boost in testosterone occurs in both boys and girls when they enter into puberty, which is why teenagers are more prone to acne than adults. But estrogen fluctuations can trigger it too. Most of these fluctuations are normal as our bodies change with age or pregnancy, but it’s important to maintain a healthy routine. By routine we mean: eating real foods, getting enough sleep, and keeping skin clean.