Female Hormones

[Leetahkin]

Okay, I was chatting with a coworker today about how all the sudden I was getting break-outs on my skin.

She mentioned that I'm at the age where my hormones start changing, thus the break-outs??

Anyone else (females, please) go through this? And wtf can I take to clear this up, or is it worthy of a doc visit?

I bought a new shirt recently but can't wear it because of the blemishes on my upper arms. And not to mention the trip in several months /fret.

Good lord it's hard trying to prepare for the big 3-0!

[Czeska]

Your body chemistry changes about every 7 years. But breakouts could also be a reaction to diet, weather... all sorts of things.

Exfoliate your upper arms (those loofah-ish gloves for the shower work great).

Only times I've ever broken out really bad were a) when I was in my mid teens, and b ) during pregnancy.

[Jolena]

Yes, and it sucks ass. As for an answer, just normal cleansers and a lot of attention to scrubbing the skin work for me. Ever since I turned 30, I've had issues with that. It's rather upsetting to know that not only do I have to deal with menopause one day, but I'll also deal with blemishes as if I'm 16 again.

[ElanthianSiren]

Increase your intake of flavinoids, decrease your intake of dairy. Kale, Spinach, and other vegetables rich in vegetable omega 3s actually help your skin replenish itself.

Dairy and beef actually trigger breakouts, while dark chocolate (read as little milk content as you can stand) contains a flavinoid that improve skin's texture and elasticity.

I see a definite improvement in my skin when I eat kale often and pass up the ice cream (ice cream btw is my bane. I love it).

-M

[Sean of the Thread]

And DON'T fucking pick at the blemish... it will only make em worse.

[Leetahkin]

I think it's a good thing, Czeska, that neither a nor b apply to me :D

ES, I :heart: spinach. I'll have to stock up on that.
And I recently bought some dark chocolate for my daily cravings.

I'll be headed to the store for some loofah gloves today.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[ElanthianSiren]

Originally posted by Xyelin
And DON'T fucking pick at the blemish... it will only make em worse.

Yes, stimulating a blemish encourages the surrounding oil glands to produce, not to mention making it all red and puffy.

Kale is actually better for you, but I mix the two. They taste very similiar. If you've never had it, I recommend it. Glad to help :)

-M

[Sean of the Thread]

"although depletion of zinc through frequent ejaculation might exacerbate acne"

[ElanthianSiren]

Originally posted by Xyelin
"although depletion of zinc through frequent ejaculation might exacerbate acne"

....somehow I doubt the later applies.

:thinking:

-M
(flee!)

[Sean of the Thread]

Originally posted by ElanthianSiren

Originally posted by Xyelin
"although depletion of zinc through frequent ejaculation might exacerbate acne"

....somehow I doubt the later applies.

:thinking:

-M
(flee!)

Mm..well you're not thinking OUTSIDE the box. (literally :p)

If by depleting zinc levels thru ejaculation exacerbates acne then by the same principle INGESTING zinc directly from ejaculation would provide more zinc and less blemish?

[ElanthianSiren]

:!:

Going to have to start hitting my boyfriend up for lots of the fun stuff. "But honey, it's to keep my skin nice!"

-M

[Back]

Second thread not to read while eating lunch. :sick:

[AnticorRifling]

Tayre IM'd me saying he was on female hormone replacement therapy, might want to talk to him.

[Sean of the Thread]

Originally posted by Backlash
Second thread not to read while eating lunch. :sick:

Having mayo on your sammich?

[Chaddy]

PB and zinc heavy ejaculation sandwich. :::yum:::

[ElanthianSiren]

damn... I can't even find a smiley for that. I want something to the effect of "WRONG!"


I guess I'll settle for :gulp:

-M

[Chaddy]

:lol2:

[Satira]

Acne that shows up in your late twenties and beyond is almost certainly caused from a change in your hormones.

In medical studies they haven't found any connection between food and acne. However, some people notice trigger foods that cause breakouts and once removed their skin clears up. Trigger foods vary from person to person. Try cutting out caffeine, vinegar, iodine, chocolate, dairy, and fatty meats for a while. Then slowly add them back in one at a time. If anything causes you to breakout, you'll know what caused it.

Do the breakouts on your arms look like the ones on your face? Sometimes tiny white or red bumps that appear on the upper arms are actually keratosis pilaris, and you need to go about getting rid of that in a different way than you would acne.

A trip to the doctor might not be a bad idea. If it is just acne, they'll most likely put you on a round of antibiotics or some kind of topical ointment. Antiobiotics usually have better results in my opinion, but take acidophilus with them to replace the good bacteria in your body. If it is keratosis pilaris on your arms they'll give you a wash or topical to speed up the shedding of your skin.

Also, check that your skin care routine hasn't changed in any way, and that you're using the right products for your skin.

[Jazuela]

Are the blemishes itchy? Are they "zits" like you would have on your face, or are they just raised skin? Have you changed your laundry detergent brands recently? New soap brand or scent?

Lots of possibilities, though hormone changes are common. I'd rule out allergies before looking into any kind of serious medication though.

If it really is an acne type of situation, do -not- loofah. Do NOT scrub. Do NOT attempt to stimulate the skin. If it is acne, it's already OVERstimulated and is clogging up bigtime and infected, and scrubbing it will do nothing but spread the infection and make it worse.

If it's acne, try tea tree oil before resorting to antibiotics. Antibiotics work, yeah, but they also suppress your immune system and make you prone to more serious illnesses. No reason to use a hand grenade when a cap gun does the job just fine (or something like that, I can't remember the metaphor).

If it's an allergy, you'd know a few different ways:

1) Something new has been introduced to your system. Either food, food coloring, pets, new carpet (yeah carpet can definitely do that), detergents, perfume, or any product containing perfume. Lanolin is a common allergen too so check any new face or body creams for that ingredient.

If it's just tiny clusters of raised bumps that look like fire ant bites, and either itch or burn, you might have shingles. If you've never had chicken pox, then it wouldn't be shingles. But if you have, it's very possible. Oatmeal compresses can help for minor breakouts, but for anything serious (fevers and stinging that doesn't go away after applying a little ice for a few minutes), you should see a doctor.

If it's just a seasonal change (the barometer's been nuts around here in New England) combined with edging into your 30's, I would recommend mild soap (unscented glycerine soap if at all possible or Dr. Bronner's if not), pat it dry, apply a few drops of olive oil, and keep it exposed to the air. There's nothing really you can do to make it go away, it'll go away by itself once the barometer evens out again. But that treatment is very effective to prevent it from getting worse, until your body chemistry catches up with itself.

Again, lots of possible causes for it. What I describe above are the most common ones, and the most effective and/or gentle treatments for them before you feel the need to run to a doctor. If none of these apply to you, definitely check in with a dermatologist.