Skincare For Hormonal Issues

Powered by the plant-based molecules known as phytoestrogens that mimic the positive effects of estrogen on skin, this line aims to reverse the signs of aging by improving elasticity. “The result is the healthy glow of skin at peak hormonal vitality,” says co-creator Rebecca Booth, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist.

“Incorporate more soy, wild yam and broccoli into your diet, which are natural, plant-based estrogens,” advises Howard Murad, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine as UCLA. In the dermatologist’s namesake Age Balancing Night Cream, wild yam and soybean are blended with essential fatty acids to balance lower estrogen levels, minimizing wrinkles and improving texture in the process.

When the wife of dermatological scientist Ben Kaminsky began experiencing the hot flashes and thinning skin of menopause, the chemist concocted Menopause Cream—and a skincare line was soon born. A proprietary bio-maple compound hydrates and brightens with polysaccharides, AHAs and antioxidant polyphenols, while ceramides plump and bilberry prevents blood vessel fragility and redness.

“When less estrogen is produced, there’s an increase in dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the testosterone byproduct responsible for acne and hair loss,” says Los Angeles dermatologist Alex Khadavi. To treat breakouts and thinning hair caused by hormonal changes, Khadavi formulated a three-step Clearogen skincare set and Revivogen treatment products, which both target DHT production.

It seems like nature’s cruel joke; while higher levels of DHT can cause thinning hair on top of your head, the same hormone can trigger thicker facial hair growth that springs up in less-than-sexy places like the chin. Dermadoctor’s Gorilla Warfare is a hair minimizing treatment masked as a moisturizer, containing such DHT inhibitors as saw palmetto extract, oleanolic acid, hydrolyzed soy protein and pumpkin seed extract.

“Taking vitamin B6 and calcium-magnesium supplements daily one week prior to your cycle will help regulate hormonal imbalances that lead to breakouts,” advises celebrity esthetician, Renée Rouleau. For those painful cysts that can crop up around your period, her Anti-Cyst Treatment employs lactic acid to heal both new and old bumps alike, and can be used as a preventative treatment in blemish-prone areas.

Those who experience monthly breakouts can benefit from exfoliating salicylic acid—though too much will dry out skin, and too little won’t be as effective. Clearasil offers a solution with PerfectaWash Automatic Face Wash Dispenser, which automatically serves the most effective two percent dosage of the active ingredient. Choose from green Soothing Plant Extracts or grapefruit pink Superfruit Splash.

Varying hormone levels can cause skin to appear sallow with hormonal aging. “Using all three forms of vitamin C available today repairs and prevents future damage to collagen,” says New York dermatologist Dennis Gross. The brand founder combines lipid and water-soluble forms of the vitamin in a micro-encapsulated serum for deep penetration that improves sun spots and wrinkling in multiple layers of skin.

For the green beauty fiends, celebrity esthetician Joanna Vargas’s eponymous natural line is based on larch tree extract, which counteracts the eventual slow-down of cell turnover that comes with hormonal aging. Hyaluronic acid, the humectant that skin naturally produces for moisturization that slows with age, is also included to treat dryness.

Sold only in physician offices, the Elure skincare line utilizes a mushroom enzyme known as melanozyme, breaks down dark pigment molecules. In clinical studies, the ingredient was shown more effective than popular yet controversial skin bleaching creams, and can be a savvier treatment for the stubborn discoloration brought on by hormonal changes during pregnancy.