Hormones are the chemicals in your body that act as messengers. They coordinate various vital functions in your body, using signals that are carried by your blood to your organs, muscles, skin, and other tissues.
While many people are aware of hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, they can affect more than just your development and reproductive system. Hormones are virtually linked and can influence almost every part of your body.
For example, have you ever experienced an acne breakout just before your menstrual cycle? This is because during a period, your hormone levels fluctuate, which can impact your skin’s health.
Any healthcare professional, from general practitioners to dermatologists and students of BSN to MSN online programs, can tell you the importance of hormones and how they can influence your body.
If you’re struggling with acne, dry, and/or oily skin, and you’ve exhausted all your other options, this article is for you. It’ll guide you through what hormones are, which hormones can affect your skin, and how to target them.
The endocrine system and hormones
All of the body’s hormones and the glands and organs that produce them are part of the endocrine system. This system is in charge of creating and releasing hormones to maintain your bodily functions.
There are over 50 different hormones in the human body, and they affect almost every aspect of your health, either directly or indirectly. A few examples of these functions include:
- Homeostasis (e.g., blood pressure and blood sugar regulation)
- Body growth and energy production
- Sexual function
- Sleep-wake cycle
- Mood
- Metabolism
Even a small change or imbalance in your hormones can cause major changes to these functions. For instance, if your cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, spikes, it can disrupt your sleep cycle.
What produces hormones?
There are various specialized glands and organs in the human body that produce and release hormones into the bloodstream. The main gland parts of the endocrine system include:
- Hypothalamus
- Pituitary gland
- Pineal gland
- Thyroid/parathyroid glands
- Adrenal glands
- Pancreas
- Gonads (ovaries/testes)
There are also other body tissues that can release hormones, although they aren’t considered to be directly part of the endocrine system. These include:
- Fat tissue (adipose tissue)
- Kidneys
- Liver
- Gastrointestinal tract
- Placenta
Which hormones can impact the skin?
It’d take its own article (or two) to cover all the identified hormones in the human body, so this guide is focusing just on hormones that can impact skin health. The following hormones can affect the skin in various ways.
Estrogen
This hormone is linked to skin through its ability to stimulate collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production. Research also suggests that estrogen appears to aid in the prevention of skin aging in several ways.
Low estrogen levels can lead to negative skin changes, such as thinning and dryness. This can also contribute to and exacerbate conditions like acne. Fortunately, the negative impacts can be reversed through topical estrogen medication.
Progesterone
This hormone is produced by the adrenal cortex and gonads, and it’s also closely linked with estrogen. Similarly, a lack of progesterone or an imbalance caused by a sudden increase is linked to negative skin health.
Studies show that progesterone fluctuation can contribute to acne. This is because progesterone stimulates sebum production. Sebum is an oily substance that protects your skin from drying out.
While sebum is important for healthy skin, acting as a natural moisturizer, keeping it lubricated and hydrated, too much can have an adverse impact. An overproduction of sebum can clog your pores and lead to acne.
Testosterone
Similar to progesterone, elevated levels of testosterone can contribute to acne. Research has actually found that people with acne tend to produce more testosterone than people without acne.
This is also why it’s common for individuals going through puberty, which can result in significant hormone imbalances and spikes in testosterone, to get acne. This is because testosterone also stimulates the production of sebum.
Testosterone-induced acne isn’t just exclusive to men. While women typically don’t produce as much testosterone as men, level imbalances can also contribute to acne flare-ups.
Acne can also be a side effect of testosterone-related medications. For example, it’s common for transmasculine people transitioning using testosterone gel or injections to experience acne breakouts.
Cortisol
Like progesterone and testosterone, elevated cortisol levels, which are primarily caused by stress, can result in overproduction of sebum. It’s a well-documented fact that cortisol stimulates the sebaceous glands, causing excess oil production.
This oil production can trigger and even worsen pre-existing acne. Compared to testosterone and progesterone, cortisol management is also a bit trickier. Most recommendations are lifestyle-related, such as improving your sleep, maintaining your mental health, and regular exercise.
Treating hormone-related skin issues
If you have concerns about your skin health and suspect the issues may be caused by your hormones, we recommend speaking to a professional. General practitioners or a specialist, such as a dermatologist, can test your hormone levels and create a treatment plan.
Fortunately, most hormone levels, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol, can be tracked through a blood test. They’ll be able to check if your levels are in the normal range and if they’re potentially contributing to any skin problems.
When it comes to treatment options, it’ll depend on the hormone. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are commonly managed through the use of medication. Cortisol usually requires lifestyle changes to reduce stress and/or the underlying cause.
Before starting any medication or lifestyle changes, you should consult with your doctor. That way, you can get regular check-ups to monitor hormone level progress and adjust your approach accordingly.
It’s also worth investing in a skincare routine alongside hormone management. Many skincare products may be able to help alleviate the effects of any hormone imbalances, like dry and flaky skin.
This article was written for WHN by Fiza Ali, a certified SEO Content Writer and Health Writer with over 4 years of experience. She’s a PhD researcher in Biochemistry, which gives her a unique edge when writing in health, wellness, and science. Fiza writes high-performing content that ranks and converts. She crafts compelling blog posts, website content, and guest articles that are both engaging and optimized.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN neither agrees nor disagrees with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.
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