The health of your skin is directly related to the health of your hormones, in particular; the formation of breakouts and oil production. If you are prone to breakouts along your jawline or in the lower part of your face, then it is very likely due to a hormonal imbalance.
How do hormones affect breakouts?
Women's hormones naturally fluctuate throughout the month. The primary hormones involved in breakouts are; oestrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. Ideally, oestrogen and testosterone should be balanced because whenever testosterone levels rise higher than oestrogen, the body responds by producing more oil in the skin.
Another situation when breakouts can flare up is when oestrogen naturally drops off in relation to progesterone, so if your levels of progesterone are too low you may also experience breakouts.
Stress can also wreak havoc on your hormones, your adrenal glands produce excess DHEA-S when you are under stress, which is another hormone which causes excess oil production.
The timing of your breakouts can help a natural health professional work out exactly which hormones are causing the problem.
How to look after your hormones and skin
Sleep
Sleep is critical for great hormone health, if you don't sleep enough your body doesn't get the rest it needs in order to make and detoxify the hormones it needs to function optimally. Set up a routine and stick to it!
Fats
Some people with breakouts often say to me “won't fat in my diet cause more oil on my skin?” The answer is no. Your body needs fatty acids to build hormones, repair skin cells, and to reduce inflammation. Be sure to include only whole food sources of fat: avocado, flax seed, chia seed, oily fish, organic butter, nuts, seeds, and cold pressed oils like coconut and olive. You can also apply natural fats to the skin effectively boosting your skin’s metabolism.
Liver health
Your liver plays a big part in keeping your hormones in balance. If it is overloaded with alcohol, sugar, and caffeine then it can’t remove as many hormones from your system as it should. Start looking after your liver by reducing your caffeine and alcohol intake, and committing to a whole foods diet. A whole foods diet removes food additives which can also stress the liver. Brassica vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts) and beetroot are all helpful for helping the liver detoxify more effectively. You can also use liver supporting teas with ingredients like dandelion root and globe artichoke.
Relax
Stress has such a huge impact on the body! Relax, take time to unwind, breathe deeply, do some yoga, meditate, drink tea and watch a movie. Do whatever it is that helps you to relax.
Natural skincare
Opt for skincare which nourishes your skin with natural ingredients rather than stripping it of all its own natural oils. Tailor has developed fantastic products to help with breakouts, the products help keep the skin free from breakouts causing bacteria, unblock pores, and nourish the skin with the nutrients it needs to heal and function normally.
Tailor’s breakout routine is a great option for anyone with breakouts. Especially because this involves Polish - a deeply cleansing facial treatment which helps to unclog pores and clear the skin.
Water
Make sure you are drinking lots of water, this helps to flush unwanted substances from the body so that they don't get a chance to build up and cause damage.
Help from a practitioner
If you have been struggling with breakouts please don't suffer in silence, there is lots that can be done to remedy the root cause. By fixing the root cause you are also safeguarding yourself against developing larger issues such as infertility or polycystic ovary syndrome. Take breakouts as a warning sign that something isn't quite right.
Author - Jessica Giljam-Brown | BSc
Founder of Wellness by Jessica
Jessica is a qualified nutritionist, and takes a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. She is passionate about helping people to discover how amazing their bodies are designed to feel when powered by the right nutrients. Jessica uses evidence-based science to help educate, and make lasting changes in people's lives. Follow Jessica on Instagram, or learn more at her website.