ASCP Skin Deep

January | February 2014

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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

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