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Wed Aug 05, 2009 3:50 am  |
| Like most of the users on this forum. I am very interested in skin care and in doing what I can to prevent the worst ravages of time. To that end I don’t smoke, drink or sunbathe etc and try to be healthy has I can. I believe that it is possible for everyone to prevent “premature” ageing by making the good lifestyle choices and taking care of your skin but I think that hormonal changes play a large part in how your skin / face / body looks from about 35 onwards. The age these changes set in vary from person to person but 35 does seem to be the age where these changes begin to take place even for those of us who have really taken care of ourselves. I myself am early thirties and rapidly approaching that age and I see this happen to a lot of my friends and colleagues both male and female but I guess it is generally more distressing for women. I think that the role that hormonal changes play in the condition and quality of our skin is something that is frequently overlooked by skincare companies and dermatologists perhaps because little can be done about it. I’d love to open a debate here about that and hear what you all think on this matter, do you agree? What do you think can be done to limit or cushion the effects of hormone levels dropping on the skin? |
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Wed Aug 05, 2009 6:50 am |
For me, the most drastic changes came last summer after I had gone a year without a period - then age 47. Prior to that I thought I was aging pretty well. Though I had facial lines, they weren't deep or plentiful.
I entered the menopause process at 42 when my periods started becomming erratic. I tried a Black Cohosh supplement now and then for night sweats, but I wasn't bothered enough by symptoms to seek any medical intervention. Because my menopause was so mild, the thought of hormonal treatment never occurred to me.
Knowing what I know now... if I had a "do over" I would have started tretinoin when the fine lines started appearing in my 30's. I would also have started facial exercise in my late 30's, early 40's so as to offset the sagging that came with the depletion of estrogen later. |
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Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:14 pm |
Thank you for your reply Lucy. I think that the depletion of estrogen seems to be key. My Mother who 2 years ago came off HRT after 15 years in her mid fifties had a noticable degree of sagging once she stopped taking the drugs. She has not really been very happy about this but has since found it easier to lose weight which is a big plus for her.
You mention Black Cohosh, I wonder if any of these herbal hormone treatments would have any effect on the skin? You hear a lot about people supplementing with progesterone creams but less so with estrogen although I suppose phytoestrogens do get used in supplements or are taken in the diet.
It would be interesting to know if supplementing with phytoestrogens brings any skin benefits for example slowing down of or reveral of skin sagging? |
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Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:49 pm |
Pandora,
I bought the black cohosh during a period where I was having night sweats fairly frequently. I didn't end up taking it very often because the tablets were HUGE - very hard to swallow.
In the last year I tried an OTC progesterone cream for 6 mos. that did absolutely nothing for my face. I'm now planning to try estradriol gel, diluted, 3x a week and see how that goes.
I hope other peri/menopausal/post-meno women respond to this thread about their experiences. There is so much hype these days about bio-identical hormones, and if you google estrogen or progesterone, you come up with thousands of ads for "natural" products of questionable effectiveness. I imagine whether something "natural" or pharmacutical works depends on the individual. Be nice to hear some success stories.  |
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Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:01 pm |
| Yes it would be great to hear some other responses and hopefully success stories. I am of course interested for myself but also for my mother. I hope you have good results from your estradriol gel! |
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Thu Aug 06, 2009 12:10 am |
As Nadjazz has pointed out, discussions about hormones are rife on the Forum at the moment - I think we're all hormonal nut jobs! 
But seriously, I think 35 is still very young to be concerned about hormonal aging - I still looked quite young at 48. It wasn't until after 50 that I began to fall apart - but we're all different, I guess.
I really wouldn't advise messing about taking OTC hormones. The best thing would be to have your hormones checked properly by a doctor and then go from there.
I'm sure that hormone levels do impact on the way our skin ages. I know that there are some older women on the Forum (who are still menstruating) that seem to have more success with results from gadgets and creams etc. - maybe that's due to them having higher hormone levels. I'm currently taking HRT but with all the talk about Bio-identical Hormones, I'm definitely going to look into that to see if it might be a better alternative. |
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Born 1950. There's a new cream on the market that gets rid of wrinkles - you smear it on the mirror!! |
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Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:26 am |
Pandora,
Your mom might find this thread of interest:
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=22881
smartskincare.com also has an abundance of info on anti-aging and treatments to look into.
I tend to agree with Keliu about OTC hormone treatments and concern for someone years, maybe decades away from menopause, but here are some things purported to effect hormones you can research if you feel so inclined:
Red Clover Leaf
Wild Yam
Black Currant Seed Oil
Soy Isoflavones
Black Cohosh
Again agreeing with Keliu, you could always ask to have your hormones checked as part of an annual or semi-annual checkup to keep on "top of things" in terms of prevention. There are even home testing kits you can buy over the internet also. |
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Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:38 am |
Hi everyone,
this is a very timely discussion for me, as I believe I am experienceing peri-meno symptoms. My skin has became dry, grey and lifeless and I do facial exercies aswell. I was wondering if ones muscle mass/tone can just sag over a period of a couple of months, as this seems to be what has happened? I am finding this very distressing as I am suffering from chronic tiredness aswell, this also shows around my eyes,
Jackie xx |
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Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:49 am |
The muscle mass/tone sagging is what happened with me seemingly in a very short period of time, but I had not had a period in a year after having infrequent periods for a few years by then.
If your cycles are still regular you may want to see your doc about what might be going on. |
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Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:06 pm |
"you come up with thousands of ads for "natural" products of questionable effectiveness"
I don't have much experience on this topic but according to my doctor there is no difference between natural and synthetic. He says "natural hormone" is just a marketing gimmick, your body doesn't know the difference and there is no difference in the way your body reacts.
Again, I haven't tried it and know very little about the subject but I know that the word "natural'" is thrown around a lot as a marketing gimmick for all kinds of products. |
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Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:00 pm |
Mary,
I'm certainly no expert on this subject either by any means! But I do know that in the US, *true* estriol, estradriol, and estoven is NOT available without a dr.'s prescription. So it begs the question...what exactly IS in all these OTC creams being marketed to peri/menopausal/post-meno women? Plant extracts ofcourse, but if prescription estrogens are also derived from plant extracts why is a Rx required?
I'm going to pose this question on the Estriol cream thread going on over at the DIY forum. Maybe someone following that thread will know the answer. |
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Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:40 am |
After my hysterectomy 5 years ago, I noticed immediate and gradual skin changes, fine lines, dryness sagging, etc. and I have been on a quest ever since. That's how I ended up here!
I am not on any hormones nor supplements as my doc did not believe I needed them and other than skin related I have not had any side effects.
I did order the rejuvenating cream with wild yam for the face and neck area mentioned in another thread and I am going to try the colostrum cream.
I am not ruling out going to see a doc about bio-identical hormones as they have worked miracles on my sister-in-law. I just haven't had the time with my son's wedding coming up in a month or so and all the last minute stuff. |
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Joined the 50 club several years back, blonde w/ fair/sensitive skin, Texas humidity and prone to rosacea, light breakouts and sunburns, combo skin type, starting to see sundamage and fine lines |
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Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:56 am |
Get regular 8 hours of sleep. The biggest surge of growth hormone happens when we sleep. Growth hormone is a key anabolic hormone that helps to build muscle, build bone, burn body fat, and improve immune function.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is released as part of the body's fight or flight response. We are supposed to have higher levels of cortisol in the morning to get us going, and lower levels at night so that we can wind down and go to sleep. Lots of people have their cortisol levels out of whack because of poor lifestyle (lack of exercise, over exercise, poor diet, too much stress). Sleep deprivation also messes with thyroid function.
Cr***y diets high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates causes high levels of insulin to be released, stressing the body causing cortisol levels to get thrown off.
Exercise, sleep, and good diet:
With exercise you are going to improve the release of growth hormone that happens when you sleep, (except if you’re insulin resistant and exercise, diet, and sleep will fix that over time).
Weight lifting improves hormone release in the body at night while sleeping, also you need to do cardio to have GREAT HEALTHY BLOOD FLOW and prevent insulin resistance, and stretching.
Keep your magnesium levels constant and in normal limits by improving your diet and taking Cal/Mag in 2 to one ratio, take in 2 doses because you’ll excrete what your body doesn’t absorb/need.
So for optimal hormone production in the body: proper diet, lift weights (and exercise), and sleep well. |
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61 OMG! Health and fitness oriented and I take care of my skin from the inside out and use Klaron, Clindamycin, Tazorac Shikai creams, Beyond Coastal Sunscreen, Clairsonic. |
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Fri Aug 07, 2009 11:50 am |
| I used to sleep so well but lately - last few weeks it has become very difficult. Must be my age.... I do lift weights and completely believe exercise is the closest we come to the natural fountain of youth - and good nutritional practices. |
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Enjoying dermalogica with my ASG and Pico toner ** Disclosure: I was a participant without remuneration in promotional videos for Ageless Secret Gold and the Neurotris Pico Emmy event. |
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Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:43 pm |
| Pandora, you are very young yet, and unless you have a history of early menopause in your family, you should be able to retain your looks with your good health habits, and topical applications. As you go into Peri-menopause is when you may want to look around for a little help with the bio identical. |
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I am from LI, New York, and enjoy reading and sometimes posting on beauty boards |
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