Your skin is the largest organ of your body. The sebaceous glands under your skin generate a natural oil called sebum, which is secreted through your skin’s pores. The process keeps your skin healthy.
However, when there is an imbalance of androgens (group of male sex hormones present in both genders), it leads to excess sebum production, which becomes the root cause of various skin issues like acne and inflammation.
Estrogen (female sex hormone) plays a major role in healthy collagen production, thick skin texture, hydration and healing of women’s skin. But with age, the production of estrogen slows down. That’s why women who have entered menopause face skin ageing and sensitivity.
A cross sectional digital survey established that 2 out of 5 women reported unusual sensitive skin before and during the time of their menstruation. The researchers concluded this situation as a result of low estrogen secretion during periods. Many women notice a sudden increase in facial oil before and during their menstrual cycle as well. Premenstrual acne is quite common among teenagers.
Another study was done among two groups of women that included a premenopausal group and a postmenopausal group. Women in the premenopausal group had higher levels of estrogen in their body and very low skin sensitivity, while the other group faced a major amount of skin sensitivity due to decreased estrogen level. The studies clearly show how your skin gets affected by the dropping amount of estrogen.
Therefore, when your natural androgen or estrogen levels get messed up due to menopause, pregnancy or medical conditions like PCOS, your skin starts showing signs like dryness, acne, wrinkles, fine lines, etc.
Estrogen and progesterone are the two main hormones that influence your period cycle. Your monthly menstrual cycle increases the production of sebum (skin’s natural oil), which clogs your skin pores and causes acne.
Even among men, excessive release of the hormone testosterone affects the oil glands and produces excessive sebum, which leads to acne breakouts. Mostly, acne caused by hormonal changes appears on the forehead, chin and nose. It can be painful and cystic.
If under-eye dark circles are your constant companion, you probably have hormone issues. No matter what you do, it stays with you. It happens due to adrenal fatigue.
When your stress levels rise, the production of cortisol (stress hormone) increases. It leads to lack of sleep at night and makes you feel restless. Constant tiredness and lack of sleep cause dark circles around your eyes.
Your skin may get excessively dry due to hormonal imbalance. If any reproductive hormones like estrogen level fall, naturally, the sebum oil production decreases leading to dry skin. Your skin becomes rough and flaky. Dry skin indicates essential fatty acids and other important nutrient deficiency. Also,thyroid hormones stimulate the oil glands and reduce sebum production.Thyroid hormone hampers your blood circulation which results in dry skin.
Sometimes you may notice tiny growths of skin on your eyelids or neck. These are called skin tags. It happens when your glucose and insulin hormone balance is compromised. While these hormones start to change, your estrogen levels drastically reduce. As a result, your skin elasticity gets affected and the skin layers overlap each other. Constant friction between two skin layers forms skin tags. It is mostly associated with PCOS, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Pale or yellow skin is considered to be a sign of either thyroid or diabetes. If your blood vessels go through any changes due to hormonal imbalance, your skin appears pale and waxy. Mostly, the lower part of your leg faces this issue. Pale skin can also indicate liver failure.
Homoeopathy today is a rapidly growing system and is being practiced all over the world.Its strength lies in its evident effectiveness as it takes a holistic approach towards the sick individual through promotion of inner balance at mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels. When hormonal imbalance is concerned there are many effective medicines are available in Homoeopathy, but the selection depends upon the individuality of the patient, considering the mental and physical symptoms.
Calcarea Carbonica ---- Calcarea carb is suitable to fat, flabby , fair persons, who are always chilly and cannot tolerate cold air. Excessive sweating on head is a leading symptom for its use in hormonal imbalance patients. Craving for boiled eggs, desire for indigestible things like chalk, pencils, lime, and aversion to fats. Over worked and exhausted. Forgetful , confused, misplaces and expresses himself wrongly. Woman with hormonal imbalance have too early, too profuse and too long menses with vertigo, toothache and cold damp feet . Constipation. The first part of the stool is hard and is followed by soft stool. Marked action on ovarian cyst and reduces the acne problem.
Sepia Officinalis ---Sepia is adapted to irritable, very weak persons , have yellow saddle across nose , faint very easily from least exertion and on exposure to excessive cold temperature. They are angry , sensitive very irritable , easily offended and miserable. They have an indifferent behavior towards family members who were earlier very much loved. Craving for acid things and pickles. In women with hormonal imbalance the menses appear too early and profuse with sharp clutching pain. Along with this a feeling of dragging or bearing down sensation as if everything would escape through the vagina , must cross limbs to prevent protrusion or press against vulva . Uterus weak. Loss of sex drive and sexual disorders due to hypothyroidism. Hair falls out , especially at menopause because of hormonal imbalance. Constipation. Very hard and large stools, cannot strain with great tenesmus. Severe pain during the passing of stool that continues for long time after the stool. Lentigo in young women. Ichthyosis with offensive odor of skin.
Graphites -- Graphites is suited to obese persons who take on cold very easily. Mentally Graphites person is sad , weeps easily without any cause. Music makes her weep. Long standing constipation is a marked feature in hormonal imbalance. Stool is large, knotty, united by mucus threads and passes with great difficulty. Flatulence. Cannot bear tight cloths around the waist. Abdomen distended, as from incarcerated flatus. Menses late, scanty, pale, irregular and painful. Woman have great aversion to sex. Phlegmonous erysipelas of face; burning and stinging pain. Pimples and acne
Nux vomica ---Nux vomica is suited to very irritable persons, sensitive to all impressions. Cannot bear noises, odors and light. They are extremely temperamental in nature and get offended very easily. Nux vomica persons mainly suffer from gastric complaints due to hormonal imbalance. Obstinate constipation. Constipation with frequent ineffectual desire or passing but small quantities at each attempt. Stool is incomplete and unsatisfactory. Desire for stimulants like alcoholic drinks and coffee, fatty food and spicy food. Menses too early, lasts too long, always irregular, black blood with fainting spells.
Thyroidinum ---Arrested mental and physical development. Concentration difficult on studying. Irritable before menses. Menses often too early. Inclined to excessive obesity and weight gain. Craving for sugar.
IODIUM —Iodium is one of the top remedies for hormonal imbalance with rapid metabolism. Iodium is suited to exceedingly thin, dark complexioned with enlarged lymphatic glands, has voracious appetite but gets thin. Emaciation, weight loss with great appetite. Hungry with much thirst. Better after eating. Eat every few hours. Get anxious or worried if he does not eat. Better while eating or after eating. Great debility , the slightest effort induces perspiration, cannot talk, becomes out of breath going up stairs. Palpitations, worse least exertion. Feel always hot. Anxiety when quiet. Anxiety about present and depression, no reference to the future.
NATRUM MURIATICUM —Natrum muriaticum is another best remedy for hormonal imbalance , with mood changes. Depression. The person is depressed and introverted. Marked disposition to weep. Sad weeping mood , without cause, but consolation from other aggravates her troubles. Cannot cry in front of others. Great irritability. Natrum mur person cannot bear the heat of sun. Severe headache from sunrise to sun set. Great emaciation, losing flesh while eating well, especially in neck. Heart rate increased. Menses suppressed. Craving for salt and salty foods is characteristic to Natrum muriaticum.
PHOSPHORUS —Phosphorus is adapted to tall slender persons of sanguine temperament, fair skin , delicate eye lashes, fine blond, or red hair, quick perceptions, and very sensitive in nature. Over sensitiveness of all the senses to external impressions, light, noise, odors, touch. Due to the hormonal imbalance hair falls out in clouds from the scalp ; hair falls out in bunches , baldness of single parts. The patient feels a weak, empty , all- gone sensation in head, chest, stomach and entire abdomen. They have a craving for cold and iced drinks, chocolate, candies, salt, acids and spicy foods. Patient suffering from disturbed bowel movements, especially diarrhea due to increase in thyroid hormones. Diarrhea with great weakness after stool.
PULSATILLA NIGRICANS -- Pulsatilla nigricans is adapted to indecisive , slow, mild, timid , emotional, and tearful persons. Weeps easily. Because of heat in body the person always seeks the open air, always feels better there , even though chilly. Thirstlessness is another leading symptom of Pulsatilla. Menses suppressed or scanty and delayed. Complaints are aggravated from rich foods, fats , pork, pastries, desserts and ice –cream.
SULPHUR—Sulphur is indicated for hormonal imbalance with heat and bowel disturbances. Sensation of burning , especially on vertex and soles of feet, especially at night. Cold feet in daytime with burning soles at night. Wants to find a cool place for them, puts them out of bed to cool them off. Morning diarrhea is another symptom of Sulphur. Driving out of bed early in the morning, as if the bowels were too weak to retain their contents.
THYROIDINUM—Thyroidinum may be considered as an intercurrent remedy