When estrogen is reduced or imbalanced, androgen can increase, stimulating the sebum to work more actively, producing more oil. Excess oil combined with dead skin cells clog pores, causing acne. Reduced estrogen and increased progesterone before menstruation also stimulate sebum production, making the skin prone to acne. Stress increases cortisol, which affects other hormones, including androgen, and stimulates excess oil production, causing acne.
Dry and itchy skin
Estrogen maintains skin moisture and elasticity. Reduced estrogen, especially during menopause or after giving birth, causes dehydration, dryness, cracking and itching. Increased progesterone, which is not balanced with estrogen, also causes dry skin and itching. Before menstruation, reduced estrogen also causes dry skin. During pregnancy, hormonal fluctuations, especially an increase in progesterone, can cause dry skin and itching.
Sensitive and easily irritated skin
When progesterone increases without balancing with estrogen, the skin is easily irritated because of its reduced protective ability. Progesterone can change the oil gland, causing blockage and react strongly to external factors. Menopause with a sharp decrease in estrogen makes the skin thin, easily inflamed, red and irritated with chemicals, cosmetics, and sunlight. Stress increases cortisol, hormonal imbalance, and makes the skin more sensitive.
Dark skin and melasma
Melanin determines skin color and protects the skin from UV rays. An imbalance of female hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, can stimulate melanin production, causing dark skin or melasma, especially on the cheeks, forehead, chin and upper lip. This often happens during pregnancy or when taking birth control pills. During pregnancy, drastic changes in progesterone and estrogen stimulate melanin production, causing a "pregnant mask". Menopause with reduced estrogen causes hormonal imbalance, increases melanin production and dark skin and melasma.
Rapid skin aging
Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining the production of collagen and elastin, two main components that help the skin maintain elasticity and smoothness. When estrogen is reduced, especially during menopause, the production of collagen and elastin decreases, causing the skin to lose elasticity, leading to sagging skin, wrinkles and premature aging.
estrogen deficiency can increase the formation of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage skin cells, increase cell damage and promote skin aging. Free radicals damage collagen, elastin and other structures in the skin, leading to wrinkles and signs of aging.
Progesterone, a hormone that typically increases before menstruation and pregnancy, can reduce collagen production and thin the skin. When an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone occurs, progesterone can reduce skin thickness, making it more susceptible to wrinkles and damage.
When the body is stressed, cortisol (stress hormone) levels increase. Cortisol can reduce the production of collagen and elastin, while weakening the skin's ability to regenerate. Prolonged high cortisol levels can make the skin thin, sensitive and prone to aging.
