Your hormones have a direct impact on your skin, particularly estrogen. If estrogen is the dominant hormone in your system, collagen production is increased, making your skin look firm, plump, and glowing, not to mention, pimple-free. However, as women age, their estrogen levels decline, which means that your skin care needs change over time. Just because your hormones change, doesn’t mean that you can’t have the luminous skin you desire; it just means that you will need to take certain steps to help. Read on for how your skin changes over time, as well as how you can treat it.
Skin Changes In Your 20s
Your 20s in when your estrogen levels peak, so most women have the most even and glowing skin at this time of their life. However, as your hormone levels shift, you may experience adult acne. During the week leading up to your period, estrogen levels fall, and testosterone emerges as the dominant hormone, leading to new blemishes. This is why you may have noticed that your skin tends to break out when you’re PMSing or on your period, and you may be experiencing cystic acne (deep, painful pimples) for the first time in your life.
To treat your new acne, it’s best to regulate your hormones with medication. You could go on birth control or try a medication such as Aldactone, that counteracts testosterone’s effect on the skin. You can also use a salicylic cleanser or facial treatment to help with breakouts.
Skin Changes in Your 30s
As your estrogen levels begin to fall, so do your collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid levels. Additionally, skin has a more difficult time recovering from inflammation due to the slowing of cell turnover rate. You might also experience more dry skin and acne as you enter your 30s. You will notice that your skin is thinner and less plump, and you will begin to see expression lines around your eyes and forehead. You may also start seeing age spots.
To treat your skin in your 30s, you want to pay more attention to the anti-aging component of your skin regimen. It’s best to invest in a night cream containing retinol, which increases collagen production in order to thicken the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Skin Changes in Your 40s
In your 40s, you can expect your skin to lose a significant amount of moisture, elasticity, and firmness due to further loss of estrogen. Additionally, the decrease in estrogen can lead to a decrease in bone mass, which can impact the facial structure and give you more sunken-looking eyes. The changes in skin can be dramatic in your 40s, becoming duller and drier with more wrinkles, age spots, and broken blood vessels.
If you are experiencing other hormonal symptoms due to the decrease in estrogen in your body, such as hot flashes, you may talk to your doctor about going on birth control for hormone regulation. Additionally, you will look and feel a lot better when you make healthy lifestyle choices, so eat a balanced diet, stay hydrated, exercise, and get enough sleep. This is also the time to step up your skincare routine, so make sure you have a cleanser, moisturizer, serum, eye cream, night cream, and a daily SPR for your face, neck, and chest. Upgrade to a night cream with a higher concentration of retinol as well. You might also benefit from incorporating more phytoestrogens into your diet, which are plants that mimic estrogen’s collagen-restoring impact. Phytoestrogens include soy, grapeseed, green tea, and yams.
Skin Changes In Your 50s And Beyond
During menopause, estrogen production stops and testosterone takes over. In the first five years of menopause, you can expect to lose one third of your collagen. You may also experience more inflammation than ever before, making you more vulnerable to sun and smoke damage. Your skin will dry out, deflate, and loosen. Wrinkles become deeper, your eyelids may sag and become hooded, and you will see more age spots, skin tags, and patchy skin.
To treat this issue, many women seek hormone therapy, which raises estrogen levels. Additionally, it’s time to step up your hydration game, as without those efforts, it’s likely that your skin won’t be able to hold onto moisture on its own. Use products that contain hyaluronic acid in order to address the extreme dehydration your skin faces in your 50s. You may also want to come see us about Botox injections to restore the plumpness of your skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Regardless of your age, you can benefit from hydrafacials from Skinworx. Contact us today to book an appointment in San Francisco!