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celtickate
New Member
 
Joined: 05 Jan 2012
Posts: 5
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Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:04 pm  |
I am in my mid 30's and have just discovered I have estrogen dominance which is basically way to much estrogen in my body compared to progesterone. As a result I have a whole host of medical issues including problems with my weight, gynaecological problems, low energy, poor memory and worst of all chronic migraine.
Obviously I am keen to find out if treating my hormonal issues will help my health but wondered what effect having less estrogen in my body might have on my skin.
My skin as it's problems, it is greasy and prone to congestion and acne but save for a few over uses of retin a leaving it over dry it is youthful and line free.
I am sure that estrogen helps make skin stay young and healthy so if I treat my estrogen dominance can I also expect my skin to start to age more rapidly? Or will bringing my hormones into balance only improve my skin? |
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Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:37 am |
Let me preface this by saying that you should discuss these things with your doctor(s), but I want to share my experience.
Natural progesterone cream has helped me tremendously: it has helped keep my endometriosis under control (I had surgery for endo about 4 years ago, and the surgery helped for a little while, but the endo came back worse than ever), helped reduce acne (also helped by using Retin A), helps me sleep better, and keeps my migraines at bay. The 5 days per month when I don't use the cream are sometimes nearly unbearable, so I can tell I really need this to get my hormones into balance.
As far as progesterone's effect on the skin, in physiologic doses it should help keep skin youthful. I felt like I was aging rather prematurely before I started Retin A and natural progesterone, and between the two, my skin has improved a lot.
Estrogen levels can be reduced by eating a very low fat diet, like Neal Barnard's book, Foods that Fight Pain, but I don't do that. My treatment plan with the natural progesterone cream doesn't reduce estrogen, just raises progesterone to be at a healthy "companion" level to my high estrogen. |
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30-ish, sensitive fair skin, oily and acne-prone, faded freckles; tretinoin since Oct 2010 |
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Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:14 am |
I remember reading that estrogen improves the production of collagen etc. but only to a certain degree. So just having 'enough' estrogen would have skin benefits, having too much estrogen should not make skin even better.
And of course your skin reflects your general wellbeing, so better balance should not only make you feel better but look better as well. |
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Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:31 am |
Sounds familiar. I think I developed progesterone deficiency/estrogen dominance in my 30s due to chronic dieting/eating low fat etc- had adult acne, insomnia etc and ended up going on the pill. The pill shuts down the ovaries so the cycling stops but does nothing to really address the hormonal imbalance so I don't recommend unless you are so oily and broken out you can't work.
You likely will need to do some extensive research/reading to understand what has caused it because it won't go away, it will just get worse. I worked with my diet a lot in my 30s but now realize I should have been much stricter about carbs though I was in mid 30s I wasn't clear that I needed to replace those calories with saturated fat. Cholesterol is the building block of hormones, a deficiency may have something to do with your imbalance. If you have blood type O you definitely want to consider going more paleo/Atkinsish. I eat carbs on the weekends but strictly limit during the week which seems to have had an anti aging effect- I'm 41 and am hearing I look anywhere from 25 to 35.
You will want to read Suzanne Somers, T.S. Wiley and Diana Shwarzbein for more info. Before you go on estrogen-- I thought I'd need it and am not using any at the moment, just think it will make my symptoms worse-- do some reading.
This book by Nancy Deville is a pretty good one to start with:
http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sexy-Happy-Thrilling-Ultimate/dp/160832138X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333214989&sr=8-1 |
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celtickate
New Member
Joined: 05 Jan 2012
Posts: 5
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Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:02 pm |
Hi everyone, thanks you so much for all they replies and advice. Sorry not to reply but have been really unwell over the weekend with an awful migraine still not feeling great but a bit better. Just sitting here with a camomile tea trying to do a few things before it gets too bad!
I am not sure about taking any hormonal treatments. I was looking into some herbal treatments and dietry things. I actually just picked up a book by Nancy Deville in a charity shop recently "Tired of being Tired" so I will check that out and the others mentioned.
I am blood type A and a vegetarian of over 20 years. I couldn't go back to eating meat or fish but my diet could stand an overhaul as I do eat too many refined carbs I see that Diana Shwarzbein has a veggie cookbook so that could be a good place to start looking.
Thank you all again so much for the advice! |
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