Hormones are responsible for so much through our lives. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. One day you are ticking along just fine then wham, out of the blue your skin has gone haywire.
You eat the same, you drink the same, keep a regular skincare regime, but lurking on the inside of your skin and out of your control are those hormones.
So, what is going on? Let’s keep the scientific bit simple.
During puberty there is an increase of androgens in the body causing the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum than the skin requires. Sebaceous glands have an increased sensitivity because of the increase in hormones produced in the body. This can lead to too much bacteria on the skin can cause acne. Bacteria thrive on skin which has a high level of sebum. This then leads to inflammation, red lumps and bumps producing pus-filled spots.
When you over cleanse and strip the skin of its natural oil not only are you likely to irritate the skin but also you will be telling it to produce more sebum as the skin is screaming out that there is now no oil on the skin, so it goes into over production of the stuff.
Hopefully as puberty passes so your hormones settle down and skin becomes less problematic. However, you can generally find yourself developing a blemish around your monthly menstrual cycle.
When we age we will see a major change in our hormones again. For most people this can start in their late forties to early fifties. Menopause. With the loss of oestrogen now in women the skin again starts to suffer with hot flushes, raised sensitivity and for some acne roseacea.
Your diet plays a huge part with good skin. Make sure that you consume plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Drink plenty of water to flush toxins out naturally.
Try not to consume too much sugar and diary products.
Give up smoking, its killing your collagen and elastin along with depriving your skin of oxygen. Plus, as the packet says, it is killing YOU.
Do not go mad with make-up. Clogging your pores with heavy products is not going to help.
Get yourself a consultation so you know what to use, how and when to use it. All beauty counters offer free advice and samples so you can try their products.
Remove make-up at the end of the day or when you get home from work.
Do not squeeze spots. You will only make it worse and cause damage to the skin. If your spot is hot and red it is stuck way down in the skin and probably will never come to the surface. If you leave it alone it will disperse much quicker. Apply a soothing mask to help with the inflammation.
And finally, sunscreen all year round. Protect the skin you have because it has an amazing memory and will show you how amazing this is as you age.
Tracy x
