Hormones and the Skin
Understanding Life Changes
by Jennifer Linder
Hormones control nearly every aspect of the human
body. These chemical messengers are the reasons
our immune system functions; they metabolize food
into fuel; they control our moods; and they kick-start
the many changes associated with puberty and the
physiological changes in our skin as we move from
youth to old age.
Both men and women go through different stages of hormonal activity during
their lives. Often unpredictable in their timing, these fluctuations can have a
considerable impact on the skin. Most important are three of the sex hormones:
estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Here's how they operate in men and
women of different ages, and some of the effects they bring.
Girls and Women
For girls, puberty begins around the ages of 9 to 14 and lasts an average of
four years. Throughout a woman's fertile years, her estrogen, progesterone,
and testosterone levels fluctuate with the menstrual cycle, affecting skin clarity
throughout the month.
16ASCP Skin Deep
January/February 2014