As women age and face the reality of declining hormone levels, we may become so preoccupied dealing with intense hot flashes and mood swings, that we overlook just how much the change in hormone levels affect the appearance of our skin. The older we get, the less regulated our hormones become, resulting in dry, flaky, thinning, skin and a less youthful look. Many women accept this as just part of the inevitable aging process and fail to realize that regulating hormone levels can have a significant effect on the appearance and health of skin.

Declining Estrogen and the Skin

Estrogen, in addition to its other functions as a naturally occurring female hormone, is recently believed to be partly responsible for halting the signs aging by stimulating fibroblasts, which aid in the production of collagen. As we all know, collagen is the key ingredient for a youthful radiance of the skin since it gives the skin tone and hydration.

Recent studies have shown that women who undergo Estrogen Replacement Therapy experience a significant improvement in skin tone and hydration, an increase in the thickness of the skin, substantially smaller pores and fine lines, and a higher collagen content than women who opt to skip Estrogen Replacement Therapy.

Declining Testosterone and the Skin

Testosterone has also shown to be an important ingredient in maintaining thickness and hydration of the skin. Testosterone aids in the production of the skin`s sebum which is responsible for keeping skin hydrated. Women who engage in Testosterone replacement may experience up to a fifty-percent thicker and more supple skin tone than women who do not.

The Hormonal Theory of Aging and Other Naturally Occurring Hormones

One of the major and increasingly accepted theories of aging is the Sub-Hormone Level Theory which holds that as we age, many hormone levels begin a steep decline that occurs simultaneously with the onset of the signs of premature aging. More recently, other naturally occurring hormones, that also tend to decline as we age, have been investigated as contributors to premature aging of the skin including androstenedione (DHEA), progesterone, and the Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Although there is not as much evidence nor research to support that these declining hormones have the same effect on skin as declines in Estrogen and Testosterone, previous research and the Sub-Hormone Level Theory suggest that a hormone replacement therapy program that incorporates these hormones may be even more effective in preventing aging than testosterone and estrogen replacement alone.

The Natural Alternative

Many women choose to deal with the effects of declining hormones and its side-effects naturally rather than synthetically. You may consider experimenting with natural methods of hormone treatment to reverse the signs of aging, and choose to move to a synthetic approach if the decline becomes unmanageable through natural means. Simple lifestyle approaches such as regular exercise, plentiful sleep, healthy diet choices, and supplementation can potentially replace hormones, providing more health, vitality, and hydration to aging skin.

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