![]() ![]() Lack of estrogen can lead to thinning hair, and because it’s behind the production of one of the skin’s natural humectants, when it nosedives, both the vagina and the skin on the face can become severely dry. “Menopause? Perimenopause.” “What’s the difference? Fuck nobody knows.” And it can also cause sexual pain, irregular periods, and the most talked-about menopause concern of all: hot flashes. In a recent episode of Bridget Everett’s excellent HBO comedy Somebody Somewhere, Sam asks Joel why she can’t remember anything. Estrogen is also theorized, says Javaid, to contribute to the onset of mild cognitive decline commonly associated ( affecting up to 62% of women) with perimenopause and menopause, like brain fog, forgetfulness, lack of focus, and difficulty with word finding. ![]() During menopause, lowering estrogen levels are accompanied by lowering levels of the vagina’s important lactobacilli, says Javaid, which maintains its pH and shields it from infection, disease, and inflammation. When estrogen briefly dips during your menstrual cycle, it tips off PMS symptoms like moodiness, migraines, breast tenderness, and skin sensitivity. What is the impact of these dips in estrogen? Once a woman enters menopause, marked by 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle, estrogen levels stay low in a more steady manner. However, that dip can be inconsistent, says Javaid. “Estrogen levels physiologically fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle based on a complex relationship between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and ovaries,” adds Jacobson.Īs we age and approach the menopause transition, the estrogen in our bodies is in a slow decline (also progesterone and, research has shown, testosterone). The second half of every menstrual cycle is when most women first experience routine dips in estrogen. When do we experience dips in our estrogen levels? “Just as it keeps the mucosal membranes of the vagina hydrated, it does that for the skin on your face as well,” says Mona Gohara, MD, a Yale-trained dermatologist in Connecticut. Estrogen also helps with wound healing, preserving the skin’s barrier function, and, critically, increases its hyaluronic-acid content to keep skin hydrated. “Estrogen enhances the production of skin collagen and elastin, proteins responsible for helping to keep your skin looking firm, strong, and youthful,” says Javaid. ![]() What does estrogen have to do with your skin?Īs it turns out, to maintain healthy skin, a lot. “It also plays a role in the regulation of serotonin, our body’s feel-good hormone, which contributes positively to our mood and staves off anxiety and depression,” Javaid adds. “Estrogen exerts its effects on brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, affecting mood, motor coordination, pain sensitivity, cognition, and neuroprotection from stroke as well as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases,” says Mary Jacobson, MD, an ob-gyn and chief medical officer of Hello Alpha. Because female brains are stacked with estrogen receptors, there’s a cognitive connection (to learning, focus, memory, and growth) as well. “Estrogen helps to support the structure and elasticity of the vagina, making the walls thick and elastic, and maintain vaginal lubrication,” says Somi Javaid, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn and founder of HerMD, whose latest location is in New Jersey. And when it comes to vaginal health, estrogen plays a critical role. What is estrogen?Įstrogen is a group of hormones (there are three types: estradiol, estriol, and estrone) that helps regulate the menstrual cycle and has an impact on various parts of the body, including the urinary tract, bones, breasts, skin, heart and blood vessels, pelvic muscles, and the brain. But more messaging around our hormones, and estrogen in particular, has not necessarily brought more clarity about their role in our overall health and why we should be paying such close attention to them. It must be my hormones. For a certain segment of women, particularly those hovering around middle age, it’s a now oft-repeated refrain to explain away a whole host of issues affecting various parts of our bodies.
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