Hormonal Skin Care

Hormonal Challenges Are A Major Issue


In 2007, over one third of American women (about 50 million!) were in 1 of the 3 stages of menopause (peri-menopause, cessation of menses and post menopause) - the largest group in our history. No longer shrouded in mystery, our generation speaks out and wants answers and many of us want natural, non-invasive remedies to relieve the discomfort as our bodies go through this cycle of life! With the decline of estrogen and other hormones, the skin goes through many changes, some of them can be very uncomfortable for many women. We find the cosmetics we have used for many years just don't seem to work as well, or perhaps they seem to irritate our skin. Dr. Howard Murad, dermatologist-researcher-pharmacist in Los Angeles, remarks " As a dermatologist, I frequently see patients concerned about maturing skin and the unwanted signs associated with the aging process. After careful evaluation, I discovered that there are 3 key components that affect the skin's aging process in women: Intrinsic Aging (genetics), Environmental Aging (sun damage, pollution, stress, poor diet, alcohol...) and Hormonal Aging (decline in estrogen)."

If you are over 35 and experiencing any of these symptoms, you may want to consult a specialist for hormone testing to see if you are peri-menopausal: dry, itching skin perhaps feeling like "ants are crawling under the skin!"; hair loss; rosacea; migraines; weight gain; mood swings and irritability; problems concentrating and "fuzzy" thinking; memory loss; PMS; irregular menses; heavier or lighter flow during or between menses; vaginal dryness and infections; urinary tract infections; incontinence; irritable bowel; heart palpitations; fatigue and insomnia.

If these symptoms are not related to menopause, but you have a history of them, research "Estrogen Dominance" and experiment with natural progesterone body creams, eat soy based foods, flax seeds, fish and try other dietary changes. Many women are voiding red meat, dairy, wheat and caffeine to see if there is any relief. Read Dr. John Lee's book: "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause", and Dr. Christiane Northrup's book "The Wisdom of Menopause". Ask your doctor about taking a blood test to determine if your hormone levels are out of balance because one new fact we've discovered: many doctors treat obese women as "estrogen dominant" based on a theory that fat cells produce estrogen. However, new findings show that these women may in fact have low levels of estrogen! Women we have talked to at Joie de Vie over the years confirm this.

If your skin exhibits multiple symptoms like extreme dryness, scaling, loss of elasticity, poor healing from bruises, scrapes, cuts or surgery, plus, if you are very easily tired and have low blood pressure, if your pigment is changing from head to toe, if you are losing hair - ask your doctor to test you for Adrenal or Thyroid problems.

Many women have been misdiagnosed so seek a second opinion if you feel your doctor "doesn't get it"! One doctor (a woman!) told a friend her symptoms were Angina, a serious heart problem, when in fact she was just having her first hot flashes - at 42!! The doctor prescribed Nitro Glycerin to "take at onset of symptoms", after sending her to a heart specialist for several expensive, time consuming tests - by the way, the heart specialist didn't get it either - he said "why did she send you here - you're in great health?!". Even Oprah Winfrey was misdiagnosed - 5 times! Get pro-active with your health care now! Get regular check ups and talk to your doctor about even the most innocent seeming symptoms you experience. Also, go to your appointments with no make up on: your face exhibits important clues to your health!


What Causes Aging?

1. Intrinsic aging is considered the natural aging process. This is the aging process that would occur had we never been in the sun, never ingested toxins, never were exposed to pollutants, etc. Genetics play a key role in Intrinsic aging, if your parents aged well, odds are, you will also. In the skin, intrinsic aging results in loss of collagen and elastin, and reduced water content in the cells.

2. Extrinsic aging is also known as “Environmental Aging”, a term I introduced back in 1993. Extrinsic or Environmental Aging is the aging that results from the combination of external injury and compromised internal cellular functions. This is the type of aging that we can control. Factors such as sun exposure, smoking, stress, poor diet and intake of drugs or alcohol contribute to the aging process. Extrinsic aging effects can be reduced with preventative and corrective care. Signs of extrinsic aging are loss of collagen and elastin, hyperpigmentation, redness, dryness, thinner skin and loss of water in the cells.

3. Hormonal aging occurs as levels of estrogen decline. Low estrogen levels result in weakening of the collagen and elastin fibers. Skin becomes thinner and more fragile, with an increase in facial hair, and breakouts, with reduced water content in the cells.

In addition to the three types of aging described above, there are over three hundred theories on the causes of aging. At least a dozen explain why cells decline. No matter what the cause, free radical damage to inflammation, the net effect of all of them is water loss. Water is lost from within the cells. Water is lost from the material that keeps the collagen and elastin factories going. Water is lost from every layer of the skin.


Preventative and Long-Term Skin Care

Although there is no established rules for managing menopausal skin, proper skin care and long-term preventive techniques can help lessen its visible influence.

Without treatment, skin after menopause will continue to degenerate. Estimates have indicated that skin loses up to 30% of its collagen in the first five years after menopause. Moreover, as skin thins by approximately a percentage point a year, the decelerated cell renewal rate leaves increasing numbers of dead skin cells on the surface.


Maintain balance with 'The Water Principle'

I believe that the answer to caring for menopausal skin lies in the use of the anti-aging ingredient of the 21st century, WATER.

Having an internal and external skin care program will help maintain the water balance in your entire body; I call it The Water Principle.

The Water Principle is not about drinking eight or more glasses of water a day, it’s about getting and maintaining water in the cells, so that the body can function in its full capacity.

Next to oxygen, water is the most important substance you need, and almost everything we know about aging tells us that the decline in function over the years is a story on water loss. Imagine a baby, at birth, it’s body weight is about 75 percent water. In our adult years it drops to just 60 percent. Combine the loss of water with the reduction in hormone levels experienced in menopause, and the visual and physical effects of aging can be quite dramatic.


What Is Menopause and Why Is It So Unsettling?
In a society that embraces youth, it signals the aging process and takes it’s toll emotionally as well as physically. A part of every woman’s reproductive life cycle, menopause is the cessation of menstruation during which a woman’s ovaries produce less of the female hormone estrogen. Menopause cannot be diagnosed medically, until a woman has been period-free for one year without being pregnant, breastfeeding, medication or certain diseases — factors that can also cause menstruation to cease. After menopause, women are no longer able to bear children and become more vulnerable to certain diseases.

Menopause is unpredictable. The drop in hormone levels differs from woman to woman, as do overall menopausal symptoms. While the onset of menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, some women in their early 30’s experience menopausal sleeplessness, weight gain, irritability, temporary memory loss, hot flashes, increased facial hair, acne, and dry skin.

Medical studies have shown hormonal changes taking place during and post-menopause change skin composition. The subdermis, or layer of fat that cushions the skin, deflates while the production of collagen and elastin (structural protein tissue) lessens. The dermis (the skin’s supporting and nourishing layer) thins out and the skin loses much of its “extensibility,” or ability to bounce back. This is due primarily to the decreased level of estrogen that prevents the growth, leading to the weakening of blood vessels causing broken capillaries. The lack of nutrients and oxygen contribute to this thinning and slower cell turnover rate.

The physical ramifications of menopause are apparent. Wrinkles become more prominent, while the skin assumes a dull, discolored, rough, dry appearance. Additionally, women who never had acne in their life may discover unexpected breakouts because of a lack of estrogen in their bodies. They may find to have more facial hair and due to the thinning of skin with age, brown spots, more sensitive skin and fine, dilated blood vessels.


A skin care program for menopausal skin should consist of:

* Antioxidants to disarm free radicals, which ultimately damage the cell membrane and cause it to lose water.

* Anti-inflammatory agents to reduce inflammation, which releases free radicals that damage cellular structures and cause water loss

* Natural Moisture Factors to absorb water from the environment and act as a reservoir for water in the skin.

* Hydrophobic Agents such as ceramides, which prevent water loss from all cells and maintain the skin’s barrier function – these can also be essential in repairing and maintaining cell membranes

* Fatty Acid and Glucosamine supplements to encourage the body to make it’s own water-holding molecules

* Lecithin and its building blocks, Phosphatidylcholine and Choline to maintain cell walls


Natural HRT Ingredients and Formulas
Alternative methods to Hormone Replacement Therapy are also being used to relieve menopausal symptoms. Botanical and herbal products that mirror the effects of estrogen may provide some relief in alleviating menopausal symptoms, however again, it is important to discuss these option with your physician.

Inclusive Health
In addition to topically applied treatments and internal supplements, I recommend a program that also includes self-care or what I call, Inclusive Health™. Yes, you can reduce wrinkle, fight free radicals and inflammation and keep skin soft and pliable. But all of this rejuvenation is not enough if you’re not taking time to relax, de-stress, reduce isolation, and have passion in your life.