Oh, hormones. As if they weren’t already the root cause of enough problems – weight loss, weight gain, digestion and sleep concerns are to name a few, hormones have also been linked to causing skincare concerns. The worst part? Hormone-driven hyperpigmentation and acne is occurring in mostly women, with the American Academy of Dermatology citing 90% of cases are women. Oh, the joys! But what does this all mean about those newfound changes in your skin and more importantly, what can you do to keep the effects of these hormonal fluctuations at bay? Let’s find out.
In order to understand how the skin can result in hyperpigmentation as a result of hormone fluctuations, you first have to understand what hyperpigmentation is. Sure, you already know what it looks like but what is it really?
Hyperpigmentation is when patches of skin become a darker colour than the rest of the skin in the surrounding area. It is similar to when you get too much sun; your skin changes colors/darkens to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays… Only this time, there’s no sun, the darkening is patchy and the pigment-process is in overdrive.
and as mentioned previously, 90% of people experiencing melisma (the most common form of hormone-driven hyperpigmentation) are women.
At first, this might seem like a silly question. After all, it’s a hormonal fluctuation that’s causes these dark patches of skin. However, let’s dive deeper into those skin cells, so we can then provide you with an effective skincare solution.
Hyperpigmentation can be provoked by any hormonal shift in the body. Unfortunately, they aren’t as rare as you may think. Something as simple as taking oral contraceptives can even cause hormone-driven hyperpigmentation. Other causes include lactation, perimenopause or hormone replacement therapy, and any thyroid or hormone disruptions. Inflammation caused by hyperpigmentation can be triggered by an acne breakout, bug bit, exposure to the sun and even friction.
Fortunately, your skin isn’t doomed forever and there is a solution for hyperpigmentation brought on by hormones. Phew! We can all let out a big sigh of relief.
Since this skincare concern causes patchy pigmentation and sometimes results in an uneven, jagged texture on the skin, it’s imperative that you use gentle skincare ingredients. The last thing you want is added irritation. So, right off the bat, you want to eliminate any cheap, mass-produced, who-knows-what-that-is-ingredients from your list of skincare solutions.
Instead, consider opting for a Diamond peel every three weeks until the hyperpigmentation has improved. This can be done at the Anika Beauty Spa in Hudson, New Hampshire.
Another option is swap out your regular skincare products for gentler ones designed to treat hyperpigmentation. Some skincare ingredients to look for include:
The Anika Beauty Recommendation: We advise our clients in Hudson, New Hampshire and across the globe (shopping online is great, isn’t it?) to use these products to help treat hormone-driven hyperpigmentation:
Advanced Acne Creme with Alpha Arbutin
Just when you think the acne-stage was long behind you, you wake up with a face like a teenager. It happens to the best of us!
Acne can actually occur at any age, especially when there’s a fluctuation in hormones. This makes sense because the most common period for acne is during puberty, which we all know is a period where hormones are running wild. Fortunately, there is a way to bring your skin back to real-time but first, let’s take a look at the causes.
As mentioned, this sounds like a silly question as hormone-driven acne is obviously caused by a fluctuation in hormones. However, the causes for the skin blemishes, pimples and inflammation go a little deeper than that.
Hormonal acne is triggered by a chain reaction. It starts with 5-alpha reductase enzyme (the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone into dilhydrotestosterone, better known as DHT).
The next stage is when the DHT stimulates your androgen receptors which are found at the base of your follicles. This causes swelling of the sebaceaous gland and an increase in sebum production, which increases in the heightened appearance of acne.
So, to sum it up, the more DHT, the more likely you are to see some acne show up on your beloved skin.
It’s easy to assume that treating hormone-driven acne is as simple as maintaining your DHT levels. Unfortunately, controlling your DHT isn’t as easy as we would all like to believe but treating hormonal acne can be.
Instead of focusing on maintaining your DHT, place your focus on ensuring a healthy balance in the skin by using quality skincare products and doing so regularly. With the combination of professional skincare products and spa treatments, you can stop hormonal acne in its tracks.
The goal is to use skincare products and quality skincare ingredients that will increase cell turnover and circulation while also decreasing bacteria and oil production, as well as inflammation. Here are some skincare ingredients to look for that will penetrate your pore and eliminate the bacteria that’s trapped in your deep down at the follicle:
Anika Beauty Skincare Recommendation: There are several fabulous skincare products you can use to create an acne-erasing skincare regime. Here are our recommendations for both routine and product:
As you already known, hormones can be a serious hassle. In fact, missing your newfound premium skincare regime for one day can result in a new breakout. So, the key to fighting hormone-driven hyperpigmentation and acne is to stick with your regime. Doing so will not only improve your skin condition right now but it’ll keep it looking fabulous by preventing the development of both hyperpigmentation and breakouts moving forward.
If you still have questions about your skincare, feel free to contact Anika Beauty by visiting our Hudson, New Hampshire skincare spa location or calling us for a free skincare consultation.