I have to say I was surprised to get into my thirties and still experience breakouts! I fully expected to be done with them after I left my adolescence behind, but I didn’t get that lucky. Instead, I continue to battle acne to this day, which is really frustrating!
Turns out that I’m not alone. A lot of women in their thirties and forties and beyond still struggle with acneic skin. What’s going on, and what can we do about it?
How Hormones Affect Skin
Most women aren’t thinking about hormonal changes in their thirties, but they should be. Hormones are chemical messengers that are involved in a number of bodily functions, including growth, reproduction, immune defense, stress, hunger, and even skin thickness and moisture.
As we age, our hormones change. Even long before we enter menopause, our bodies slack off in producing hormones. Here are some of the changes that happen, and the hormones responsible for them.
- Sagging and wrinkling: Estrogen, the female hormone, usually starts going down in our mid-30s, which means changes for the skin. Estrogen affects wrinkle formation, skin moisture, and skin thickness. It helps to increase compounds in the skin that maintain moisture balance, and also helps increase collagen, which gives the skin its strength and form. Simply put, estrogen helps skin look youthful, so as it starts to decline, we start to see signs of aging like wrinkles and sagging.
- Inflammation: As we move closer to menopause, the loss of estrogen can contribute to more inflammation and redness in the skin, and may exacerbate rosacea. Estrogen naturally has anti-inflammatory properties, so as we produce less of it, the inflammation can grow, particularly if we’re eating inflammatory foods at the same time.
- Acne: Though androgens (like testosterone) are typically thought of as male hormones, females have them too, just like men have some estrogen. The problem is that as the production of estrogen declines, the estrogen-androgen balance goes out of whack. That means we have a higher ratio of male hormones in our bodies. Since androgens are involved in producing skin oil (sebum), that can mean an excess of oil-and more acne.
- Dryness and redness: The thyroid hormone helps keep skin moist and glowing, but we can experience fluctuations in this hormone as we age, as well. The result may be dry, course skin that has lost its glow. If we have too much thyroid hormone, we may have red or blotchy skin. Reduced estrogen can also create dryness and dullness.
- Facial hair: That estrogen-androgen balance we talked about? It can also result in more facial hair. Have you noticed a mustache showing up lately, or more hair around your nose or ears? Blame it on hormonal changes.
10 Tips to Maintain Radiant Skin
Faced with all these challenges, how can we maintain radiant skin as we ride the wave of hormonal changes?
It’s not easy, for sure, but there are steps we can take to make it happen. Below, I’ve broken them up into five skin-care tips, and five lifestyle tips that can help turn your skin around. Try the following and let me know if any of these tips work for you!
Skin Care Tips
- Boost collagen: Since hormones are less helpful in boosting collagen, your skin needs your assistance. Try vitamin C, which helps boost collagen production. It also helps to brighten skin, which is great for hormone-induced excess pigmentation. Peptides help increase production of collagen as well, and helps maintain elastin, which keeps skin taut and springy.
- Tame the inflammation: Your skin needs anti-inflammatories even more as you age, since you’re losing the protection of estrogen. Taming inflammation also helps to reduce acne breakouts. Look for more antioxidants in your skin care products, avoid harsh ingredients that encourage inflammation (such as those listed on my Ingredients to Avoid list), don’t rub or scrub too hard, and try CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture for Skin, Neck, and Scalp. This product is full of calming ingredients like beta glucan (from oat kernels), aloe vera, oat extract (to reduce redness) and our exclusive tri-rescue complex.
- Carefully clean: Cleansing is the most important step in your skin-care routine. Most cleansers, unfortunately, are too harsh, and strip your skin of its natural oils. That means you’re starting one step behind before you even apply a toner or moisturizer. Look instead for sulfate-free cleansers that deep-clean without stripping. A good tip-alternate your cleansers to keep skin clear of acne. Try a deep cleanser in the morning, and a moisturizing, enzymatic cleansers at night. Enzymatic cleansers contain natural fruit acids that help exfoliate, keeping pores clean. Try Bubble and Bee Pineapple Enzyme Facial Cleanser, for instance, alternated with Aubrey Organics Clarifying Therapy Cleanser.
- Step up the exfoliation: As skin ages, it doesn’t slough off dead skin cells quite as fast as it used to. That means we get a buildup of dry, dead skin on the surface, so skin looks dull and dry. Exfoliate more often, but choose a gentle product that won’t contribute to inflammation. Try Pacific Exfoliating Moisture Mask from Marie Veronique Organics.
- Drench your skin in moisture: If you’re noticing increased dryness and dullness, it’s time to add a moisturizing mask to your weekly routine. Alternate with your exfoliating mask, and apply at night so your skin has the benefit of the extra moisture while you sleep.
Lifestyle Tips
- Manage stress: Stress contributes to breakouts. You probably already know that. What you may not realize is that your life may be more stressful in your 30s and 40s than it was when you were younger. (If not, count yourself among the lucky ones!) Women in these age groups typically have a lot to juggle, and under stress, release more cortisol and other hormones that contribute to inflammation and excess skin oil. Put stress relief in your calendar. Try yoga, tai chi, regular walks, meditation, time out with friends, listening to music, etc.
- Limit dairy: I mentioned this in a previous post about acne-a 2010 study found that cow’s milk increased the prevalence and severity of breakouts. Dairy foods can increase male hormones as well, which are linked to acne. If you’re really struggling with it, consider cutting out dairy for a week or two and see if your skin improves.
- Limit sugary and high-carb foods: Sugar and simple carbohydrates break down more quickly in your system, spiking blood sugar and producing more of the hormone insulin. They also tend to increase inflammation in the body, which can increase risk of acne. I spoke about this in a previous post as well-researchers have found that those with a high-sugar diet also had a high level of internal inflammation. Try limiting your sugar and simple carbohydrate intake, and substitute with high-fiber, fresh fruits and veggies.
- Limit meat consumption: Meats are acid-forming foods, and can contribute to internal inflammation. If you’re a regular meat-eater, try cutting back to only once or twice a week, and replace with fish and organic eggs.
- Eat more omega-3 fatty acids: Speaking of fish, eat more of it! Skin loves omega-3 fatty acids. A 2013 study found that taking omega-3 fish oil supplements could help protect against skin cancer. A 2012 study found that the same supplements may slow key biological processes linked to aging. And according to the Linus Pauling Institute, studies have reported that higher dietary intakes of essential fatty acids are associated with more youthful skin, increased collagen production, reduced inflammation, and an overall improved condition. Add more fatty fish, flaxseeds, walnuts, avocados, and chia seeds to your daily diet.
Are you struggling with hormonal changes that affect your skin? Please share your story.
S. M. Pilkington, K. A. Massey, S. P. Bennett, N. M. Al-Aasswad, K. Roshdy, N. K. Gibbs, P. S. Friedmann, A. Nicolaou, L. E. Rhodes. Randomized controlled trial of oral omega-3 PUFA in solar-simulated radiation-induced suppression of human cutaneous immune responses. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013; 97 (3): 646, http://dx.doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.049494.
“Omega-3 Supplements May Slow a Biological Effect of Aging,” The Ohio State University, Octobe 1, 2012, http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/omega3aging.htm.
“Essential Fatty Acids and Skin Health,” Linus Pauling Institute, http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/skin/EFA/.
Picture courtesy marin via freedigitalphotos.net.
