You probably know estrogen as the hormone that kickstarts puberty and regulates the menstrual cycle. But did you know that this helpful hormone does so much more? In fact, our hormones have a huge impact on our health, and estrogen, in particular, helps manage our metabolism, insulin sensitivity, body weight, and skin health. Before and during menopause, however, it’s common for women to experience estrogen deficiency. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including Estrogen Deficient Skin, or EDS for short.
Estrogen deficiency can significantly impact the health and appearance of the skin, leading to a variety of changes and challenges. Estrogen is a hormone that plays a crucial role in maintaining skin health, influencing its thickness, elasticity, moisture levels, and overall structure. When estrogen levels decline, such as during menopause or due to certain medical conditions, it can result in estrogen-deficient skin. To help you better prepare for (or manage) EDS, we’ll examine how low estrogen levels can affect the skin and what you can do to reverse the clock.
What causes estrogen deficiency?
Our bodies experience a variety of changes and symptoms as we approach menopause. This transitional period is called perimenopause, and during it, our estrogen levels begin to drop more rapidly.
Younger women can also experience estrogen deficiency. Things like excessive exercise, eating disorders, and problems with the pituitary gland can all contribute to low estrogen. If you think you might be experiencing low estrogen, your doctor can order blood work to check and see.
How can low estrogen affect the skin?
One of the most noticeable effects of estrogen deficiency on the skin is a loss of elasticity and firmness. When estrogen levels drop, collagen and elastin, which are essential proteins responsible for maintaining skin structure and elasticity, decrease in production. This can lead to sagging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles, contributing to an aged appearance.
Estrogen deficiency also affects the skin’s ability to retain moisture. As estrogen helps regulate oil production and maintain the skin’s natural barrier function, its decline can lead to dryness and increased sensitivity. Dry skin is not only uncomfortable but can also exacerbate other skin issues, such as itching, redness, and inflammation.
Furthermore, estrogen deficiency can impact the skin’s ability to repair and regenerate itself. This can result in slower wound healing, increased susceptibility to damage from environmental factors such as UV radiation, and a reduced ability to recover from injuries or inflammation.
In addition to these structural changes, estrogen-deficient skin may also be more prone to certain dermatological conditions. For example, women experiencing estrogen deficiency may be at a higher risk of developing conditions such as atrophic vaginitis, which can cause vaginal dryness and irritation, as well as conditions like acne or rosacea due to hormonal imbalances.
What Else Might You Notice?
EDS can negatively affect the skin in several ways. For starters, you may start to notice that your skin is drier than before and that your favorite moisturizer might not be able to work its magic like it used to. Low estrogen can also mean your skin loses its natural “glow” and becomes duller. In women of color, EDS can lead to patchiness or depigmentation, along with changes to the skin’s texture.
Of course, to top things off, EDS also makes it easier for fine lines and wrinkles to form. Basically, it’s a recipe for aging, and many of us would like to avoid it if possible. The good news is that low estrogen isn’t something you have to just deal with anymore. With the right blend of skincare products and lifestyle changes, you can help fight the effects of your body’s changing hormonal landscape.
How to help your skin recover
Addressing estrogen-deficient skin requires a multifaceted approach that may include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), skincare routines tailored to address dryness and sensitivity, as well as lifestyle modifications such as maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and protecting the skin from sun damage. Consulting with a healthcare professional or dermatologist can help individuals develop a personalized plan to manage and improve the health and appearance of estrogen-deficient skin.
If you’re fed up with EDS, you don’t just have to grin and bear it. Keep reading to learn how to prevent and manage the effects of estrogen deficiency on your skin.
Change up your skincare routine.
Of course, one of the easiest ways to introduce more estrogen into the skin is by switching up your product lineup. If you haven’t already been using them, now is the time to start using products specifically designed for dry or mature skin. Ingredients like collagen, argan oil, hyaluronic acid, goat’s milk, and more are all great for dry, dull skin.
Another great way to combat the effects of EDS is to stimulate collagen production. Products made with vitamin C and/or retinol are a great place to start and will help reduce the visible effects of hormone reduction – like sagging skin.
Don’t forget to take care of your neck, arms, and legs as well! Instead of taking super hot showers, turn the heat down a notch and use a nourishing body lotion formulated for extremely dry skin to keep things smooth and glowing.
Prioritize a healthy lifestyle.
Along with maintaining a targeted skincare routine, it’s also important to lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle. While healthy habits alone won’t ramp up estrogen production, they’ll certainly benefit the skin in other ways, like fighting free-radical damage.
It’s important to get plenty of sleep and enough exercise. Along with this, certain foods can provide a powerful boost to the skin. For example, adding flaxseed to your oatmeal or smoothies provides your body with phytoestrogens, plant-based estrogen that functions similarly to the kind of estrogen our own body produces. Other foods, such as berries, fish, and garlic, can stimulate collagen production as well.
New MEP technology
There’s also a new ingredient on the market today that shows great promise for managing EDS. Methyl Estraodiolpropanoate, or MEP, is a new skincare technology that can help strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and reduce the effects of estrogen deficiency. Right now, the only brand using MEP is Emepelle, and it can be found in their morning serum and night cream.
MEP works by targeting collagen loss. It is a non-hormonal estrogen receptor activator that strengthens the skin’s epidermis and boosts collagen production. Over time, this can help diminish fine lines and wrinkles and create brighter, more youthful-looking skin. While this ingredient is still relatively new, it holds a lot of promise, and it’s sure to be featured in many more products moving forward.
Looking to get rid of fine lines permanently? Check out our post on DAXI, a new innovation that’s like Botox but better.
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