Happy Hormones, Happy Skin

Understanding the Link Between Hormones and Skin Health

Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that influence your skin throughout life - not just from puberty, but from birth onwards. From early development to puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and the hormonal shifts of midlife, these changes all play a role in how your skin looks and feels.

For example, increased androgen levels during puberty can lead to acne, while the decline in oestrogen during menopause often results in dryness, thinning, and reduced elasticity. Similarly, men experience a gradual decrease in testosterone, which can reduce collagen production and skin hydration, affecting resilience over time.

While hormonal changes are a natural part of ageing, their effects on the skin can be supported with targeted lifestyle and environmental interventions. These might include tailored skincare, nutrition, stress management, and, where appropriate, discussions with a healthcare professional about additional support options.

Supporting skin during hormonal shifts isn't just about treating symptoms - it’s about helping the skin adapt, stay resilient, and reflect overall wellbeing. Just as we encourage better sleep, movement, and nutrition for mental and physical health, we should also name and value their benefits for skin.

 How This Can Present on the Skin

Hormonal imbalances may show up as:

• Acne: Linked to androgen surges in puberty, pregnancy, or hormonal conditions.

• Dryness and thinning: Often caused by declining oestrogen during menopause.

• Pigmentation changes: Hormonal shifts during pregnancy (melasma) or menopause.

• Oiliness or breakouts: Common in puberty or with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS.

• Reduced elasticity and dullness: Often due to declining collagen production.

Tips for Supporting Hormonal Skin Health

• Eat a balanced diet: Include foods rich in omega-3s, antioxidants, and vitamins to support hormone health and skin regeneration.

(Explore more in [Happy Gut, Happy Skin].)

• Stay hydrated: Water helps maintain skin elasticity and aids in hormone regulation.

(Explore more in [Happy Hydration, Happy Skin].)

• Manage stress: Chronic stress affects cortisol levels, which can worsen hormonal skin issues.

(Explore more in [Happy Mind, Happy Skin].)

• Sleep well: Quality sleep allows the body to repair itself and balance hormones.

(Explore more in [Happy Sleep, Happy Skin].)

• Maintain a Skincare Routine: Use products tailored to your skin’s changing needs, adjusting as necessary to support your skin’s health and balance over time.

(Explore more in [Happy Skincare, Happy Skin].)

Need Extra Support?

If you suspect a hormone imbalance, speak to your GP or healthcare provider, who can arrange tests or refer you to a specialist. A qualified skin therapist, such as a corneotherapist - trained in skin barrier care, can provide tailored skincare advice to support your skin barrier and promote long term resilience.

Is There Public National Guidance on the Effect of Hormones on Skin Health?

Yes - and no. Hormonal influences on skin are widely recognised in treatment protocols. The NHS and dermatology associations openly discuss links between hormone fluctuations and conditions like acne, pigmentation, and dryness - particularly during puberty, menopause, and hormonal disorders such as PCOS or thyroid dysfunction.

However, the skin connection is usually framed as a symptom to manage, rather than a benefit to protect or nurture. Broader national guidance doesn’t currently list skin health as a benefit of improved hormonal balance, nor is it fully integrated into general public health messaging.

The Skin Well™ believes this matters. Because when skin is treated only as a side-effect of hormones, not as a signpost for health, the public is left without the full picture.

Trusted Sources (Not a Complete Catalogue)

• NHS – Hormones, Puberty, and Sexuality
  https://cambspborochildrenshealth.nhs.uk/child-development-and-growing-up/hormones-puberty-and-sexuality/
  Explains how hormonal changes during puberty affect the body - including increased oil production and breakouts—as part of broader development.

• NHS – Acne: Causes
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acne/causes/
  Details how hormone fluctuations, particularly during puberty, can increase sebum production and contribute to acne.

• NHS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/
  Explains how PCOS, a hormonal imbalance, can lead to symptoms like oily skin and acne.

• British Association of Dermatologists – Acne
  https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/acne/
  Covers how conditions like PCOS and hormonal shifts can worsen acne, with treatment guidance.

• British Association of Dermatologists – Melasma
  https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/melasma/
  Describes how hormonal changes during pregnancy or due to medications can trigger melasma (dark skin patches).

• NHS – Menopause
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/
  Covers physical and skin-related changes linked to menopause, including dryness, sensitivity, and hormonal acne.

• The Menopause Charity
  https://www.themenopausecharity.org
  Offers guidance on managing hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause, including common skin concerns.

• Society for Endocrinology – Your Hormones
  https://www.yourhormones.info
  Trusted UK resource explaining how hormones affect different systems in the body, including the skin.

• British Thyroid Foundation
  https://www.btf-thyroid.org
  Explains how underactive or overactive thyroid hormones can cause skin issues like dryness, swelling, or changes in texture. The page link takes you to Useful Resources - Patient Leaflets.