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Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:12 am |
Due to, I'm thinking, early perimenopause (isn't that when everyone's skin starts to sag, wrinkles, etc.. when their hormones start changing) I'm noticably getting jowls and loss of skin elasticity in my face and neck at 27 years old!
I'm not married yet so um I want to fix this before it gets worse. And its getting worse fast!
Can you please share what has worked to tighten your jowls back to a youthful look? Did anyone notice a change by going on hormones?
I've heard lots of great things about facial exercise, but too many bad things as well. If someone has before and after photos from facial exercise, you could make me a believer!
Thankyou sooooo much! |
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Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:45 pm |
insomniaisagingmeearly wrote: |
Due to, I'm thinking, early perimenopause (isn't that when everyone's skin starts to sag, wrinkles, etc.. when their hormones start changing) I'm noticably getting jowls and loss of skin elasticity in my face and neck at 27 years old!
"I'm not married yet so um I want to fix this before it gets worse. And its getting worse fast!
Can you please share what has worked to tighten your jowls back to a youthful look? Did anyone notice a change by going on hormones?
I've heard lots of great things about facial exercise, but too many bad things as well. If someone has before and after photos from facial exercise, you could make me a believer!
Thankyou sooooo much! |
I'm sorry that this is happening to you. I began perimenopause in my early 30s, or actually, probably more like ovarian decline. Now, at 39 I am full blown peri. Don't feel bad, this is totally normal nowadays, due to environmental pollution, stress and other factors that are beyond your control.
My feeling is you need to do some reading. I recommend this book a lot on here because of how much it helped me understand what was going on with me: It's My Ovaries Stupid by Elizabeth Vliet. Also, her book Screaming to Be Heard. I've read a bunch of other books on the subject (the Suzanne Somers books, Uzzi Reiss, The Silent Passage, T.S. Wiley's Sex Lies and Menopause etc)
If you can't sleep at night as your screen name suggests then you are definitely in some kind of hormonal turmoil and medical help would definitely be in order. There is no reason to suffer.
I chose to go on the pill as HRT but I also had severe adult acne. Yes, I did notice a slight lifting of my skin. I just went back on it because I look like a total zombie otherwise. In the last year or so I've looked at transitioning to bioidentical hormones. They seem a little safer and easier for the body to tolerate. The pill though was the right choice for me in my early 30s.
Beyond hormones there is a wealth of info here (obviously, you know that, from reading). A good retinoid, face exercises, dermarolling and perhaps something like the Tua Viso would be good bets. LED could also help. IMO although it is not discussed on here hormones do have an impact and if you are not feeling well in addition to having early aging it could be worthwhile for you to go on something. I did, and it was the right decision for me. Recently I read in Marie Claire one of the ProActiv derms admitted that the pill can help plump up the face and going on and off it can cause the face to dehydrate and fall early! Article is called Is Your Skin Hormonal?:
"Also, early hormone-related bone loss collapses facial structure, squaring off formerly rounded eye sockets (causing dark circles under the eyes) and increasing skin slackening. Going on and off the Pill makes things worse, warns Fields: "Skin looks more juicy when you're on the Pill, but if you're playing around with it, your face will get dehydrated and drop earlier." However, topical applications of plant-derived estrogens (phytoestrogens like soy, green tea, and wild yam) are safe and can help firm up the face. "If you start applying phytoestrogens in your 40s," says Boston dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch, "I'd bet money that it would help prevent much of the sagging that occurs after menopause."
Once hormone production grinds almost to a halt (hello, menopause!), skin changes dramatically all over your body. "Thirty percent of your collagen is lost in the first five years after menopause. As a result, not only will your face fall, but you'll also see more cellulite—your hormones are gone and your body turns to Jell-O," says Fields. "Forty-year-olds still look good, but even Demi Moore will turn to gush." Stay tuned for Demi's solution (because you know that at age 47, she won't go down without a fight)."
ALL the big celebs are on bioidentical hormones. Don't think for a second that they are not! Phytoestrogens are a bunch of crap, based on what I read in Dr. Vliet's books. Politcal correctness it seems on this topic has become the norm....
You are young and have plenty of options. You could go on the pill as a temporary quick fix while you research your options as per bioidenticals. I would pick up one of the Vliet books and read it in the meantime. Getting medical help can be hard; you can order hormones online if you have to. Hope I don't get in trouble for saying that. I had hormonal tests done last year which showed in range levels of estrogen. I can't fall asleep though without being on something and am totally zapped. The doctor I went to said I needed more progesterone (another popular theory that is basically crap); however, I've tried just using progesterone and it doesn't work for me.
There is a board you probably want to check out, Menopause Power Surge. I read at least one story this week on "Am I in Perimenopause" where the person said for them it started at 29. There is a lot of help there and great info on various HRT options including what the problems many people have with progesterone.
I hope this helps.
Dr. Vliet's website is called HerPlace. There are is a lot of reading there too. |
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Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:00 pm |
Great post!...and thanks Gretchen for the detailed reply! |
_________________ 32, medium skin, living in Hong Kong, have PCOS(currently trying naturopathy), moderate hormonal acne along jawline |
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Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:59 pm |
Yes, thank you so much for your detailed reply! Your information was very helpful. I have been researching like crazy...
Wow, the pill gave your skin a lift? Was it a regular birth control pill? Thats encouraging!!!
My obgyn gave me a prescription for one, but I didn't take it because I already had tests that showed I'm deficient in more than just progresterone and estrogen which is all the birth control contains. So I figured what was the point if it would only fix some hormones? But I was thinking of doing the same thing you suggested.... Going on it for a month or two til I take a more recent saliva test and start on bioidenticals. I'm a little scared though, since that article says it ruins your skin to go on and off of it. Maybe one time isn't a big deal?
You mentioned you started perimenopause early. Did you notice rapid aging after it began? Like lines, wrinkles or facial/ body sagging?
Thanks SO much for your post.. you have given me real hope. And I seriously didn't have any left.. A year and a half ago people guessed my age at 17 and 19. (I was 25.) Now, I'm 27 and look like I'm 40! I'm so mad these circumstances happened to me because good genes run in my family and before this, I had them. But I'm feeling better now- it looks like there is hope!
Maybe soon I will post before and after photos and then another after photo after I start hormones and do some of these wonderful remedies this board offers! |
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Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:15 am |
Gretchen, that was a great post! I'm not very familiar at all with bio-identical hormones-- is there any downside to taking them? |
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Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:51 am |
insomniaisagingmeearly wrote: |
Wow, the pill gave your skin a lift? Was it a regular birth control pill? Thats encouraging!!!
My obgyn gave me a prescription for one, but I didn't take it because I already had tests that showed I'm deficient in more than just progresterone and estrogen which is all the birth control contains. So I figured what was the point if it would only fix some hormones? |
I'm not convinced going on the pill fixes skin issues, although I'm interested to read more. And will check out those books Gretchen mentioned. I went off the pill about 6 months ago after long usage. I don't notice any difference in my skin since going off it. I still have the same issues as when I was on it.
I'm not saying going on the pill is the right choice for you or not but keep in mind that if your progesterone and estrogen improve then that can improve other hormones too. Definitely research all your options.
JLM wrote: |
I'm not very familiar at all with bio-identical hormones-- is there any downside to taking them? |
Definitely do your research to decided if they are right for you. They are considered controversial. |
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Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:24 pm |
insomniaisagingmeearly wrote: |
Yes, thank you so much for your detailed reply! Your information was very helpful. I have been researching like crazy...
Wow, the pill gave your skin a lift? Was it a regular birth control pill? Thats encouraging!!!
My obgyn gave me a prescription for one, but I didn't take it because I already had tests that showed I'm deficient in more than just progresterone and estrogen which is all the birth control contains. So I figured what was the point if it would only fix some hormones? But I was thinking of doing the same thing you suggested.... Going on it for a month or two til I take a more recent saliva test and start on bioidenticals. I'm a little scared though, since that article says it ruins your skin to go on and off of it. Maybe one time isn't a big deal?
You mentioned you started perimenopause early. Did you notice rapid aging after it began? Like lines, wrinkles or facial/ body sagging?
Thanks SO much for your post.. you have given me real hope. And I seriously didn't have any left.. A year and a half ago people guessed my age at 17 and 19. (I was 25.) Now, I'm 27 and look like I'm 40! I'm so mad these circumstances happened to me because good genes run in my family and before this, I had them. But I'm feeling better now- it looks like there is hope!
Maybe soon I will post before and after photos and then another after photo after I start hormones and do some of these wonderful remedies this board offers! |
I am glad to help. I forgot to mention that I actually went on the pill after not sleeping for an entire month in the spring of 2004. My first sleeplessness happened when I was 28, then I got adult acne. A few years later I developed terrible PMS. I was not okay at least 10 days out of the month in addition to cystic acne, occasional insomnia, etc. One day I was so exhausted I went in to Borders, went to the female health section, saw the Vliet book and bought it. What she says makes sense---ovarian decline is happening early because of environmental stress and pollution and is the cause of fatigue, acne, insomnia, etc-- all the signs of perimenopause. I was under a lot of stress at the time and quickly got a prescription for Orthocyclen. It worked for me so I stayed on it. Initially I did notice that my skin looked better, not just from getting rid of the acne, but brighter, healthier, and slightly younger. I did not rapidly age in my early 30s due to the peri changes; that is not why I went on hormones. I went on them because I didn't sleep a whole month and needed to do something quickly to get my situation under control! If I hadn't gone on something I'm sure I would be a lot more aged than I am now.
Last year my perimenopause stuff went to a different level; I'm more perimenopausal than I was 6 years ago. Yes, now I seem to have more aging issues than I had a few years ago which is normal. IMO that is because the pill is a band aid; it helps but is not the same thing as real hormones, obviously. That is not to say the pill does not help me with getting to sleep and staying asleep. It does. You want to read the HRT and BHRT boards on the Menopause board. There are a lot of stories on both about the pros and cons of synthetic versus natural hormones. What is happening to me isn't alarming (OK it is, all change is scary); I feel I am better off for having done so much reading on the subject. Yes, bioidentical horomones are controversial. Based on the 11 or so books I've read I don't believe hormones cause cancer and based on having gone off them I don't think I can function as well without them. And yeah, my skin looks like crap off them too!
I hope that Dr. Fields comment didn't scare you about going on and off hormones. I think what she means is constantly going on and off them like every few months. I've been off the pill 3 times in the last year and a half; having read what she said I have started to worry that I've damaged my skin but not really. This last time I tried to manage my situation with just progesterone. Oh my god I was so tired! So no I am not likely to go off of them ever again, that is just my personal situation.
I did use bioidentical hormones briefly last year and really, I loved them. The only reason I am not on them now has to do with ordering them through the mail. I went to a doctor last year and had tests done but am not in a position to do that again this year due to economic reasons. Bioidentical hormones have to be stored at 65-70 degrees at all times; I ordered some in the mail earlier this year and found out the hard way that they can biodegrade in colder temps. The Menopause board people say their creams are just fine in the mail but this is what happened to me. I am hoping to be on a combo of Estrogel and progesterone some time this year, God willing.
One other thing to consider, something I read in Uzzi Reiss' book is that shorter, smaller boned women with breast tissue have more need for estrogen than taller, more ectomorphic types. I am short, very small boned and have boobs. It makes sense to me that I would be sensitive to small changes in estrogen levels. My tests results last year were like 132 with an optimal range being more like 150-175. That is the reason I don't do well off estrogen imo... I can function with that level just not optimally.
Suzanne Somers, whose books are informative and fun to read, says the same thing. She does something called the Wiley Protocol which you also want to be informed about. I like to call it the "wacko" Wiley Protocol. T.S. Wiley says the best way to do bioidentical hormones is to deliver them cyclically the way they were when a person was 25. Now that really is controversial. Suzanne is on wacko Wiley and believe it or not there are doctors and pharmacists all over the country who are prescribing it!! So after you read the Vliet book and get your bearings you might want to read the Suzanne Somers books and maybe even T.S. Wiley's too, just so you know what all is happening. I've been on the Menopause board a year and half and rarely read anything on there about Wiley Protocol; either no one is on it or no one admits to it. I am not sure I would do it based on what I've read but imo it is one of the main reasons Suzanne Somers does not look like a 60 year old.
I hope you feel better and have a good week. |
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Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:15 pm |
gretchen wrote: |
I am glad to help. I forgot to mention that I actually went on the pill after not sleeping for an entire month in the spring of 2004. |
Sorry I just realized that might sound like an exaggeration. In the spring of 2004 I had a whole month of very severe insomnia in which I lost whole nights of sleep, had mild night sweats and hot flashes and also had to work. I slept some, but not much, and that is what led me to go on something. Previous to the month of lost sleep I had sleeplessness on a monthly basis, but it was the really bad month that caused me to seek help.
Since I've been on the pill I rarely lose sleep and off it I can sleep but have exhaustion and hard time falling asleep as well as the feeling that no matter how much I sleep I am still tired; ie, exhaustion. I hope my posts have not scared the OP or anyone else who has read this! I'm just sharing what happened to me and what I decided to do about it. |
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Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:40 pm |
Interesting. For anyone who is on the pill now for the hormonal issues, were you also on the pill when you were younger? |
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Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:27 pm |
Peggotty wrote: |
Interesting. For anyone who is on the pill now for the hormonal issues, were you also on the pill when you were younger? |
I did not go on the pill till I was in my early 30s to manage perimenopausal symptoms and to suppress my cycles to get my acne under control. I never had hormonal problems till I was 28.
The pill is a quick fix though. In a perfect world I would have gone on BHRT-- a very low dose of estrogen and progesterone-- at 30. Not the standard of care but what might have been best for me. |
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CamenRose
New Member
Joined: 13 Mar 2010
Posts: 9
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Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:12 am |
wow, thanks gretchen
great info! |
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Tue Mar 16, 2010 1:28 am |
You may try supplement collagen, either powder or liquid is fine. |
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