Hormones: The Alchemists of Skin and Hair Health

Nutrition Notes

Hormones: The Alchemists of Skin and Hair Health

The role of hormones in skin and hair health

When thinking about radiant skin and hair, often the first associations that come to mind have to do with topical applications, such as moisturizers, sunscreens, shampoos, and conditioners. However, healthy hormonal balance can also play an important role in achieving a healthy glow from the inside out — including supporting the physiology of clear, radiant skin and strong, luxurious hair.

Hormonal balance can be considered essential for skin health, especially in terms of skin elasticity, sebum production, cellular turnover, inflammation, hydration, and pigmentation. The body’s largest organ, the skin, can be viewed as a canvas that mirrors intricate relationships between internal factors including the interactions of various hormones, the body’s chemical messengers conveying information from one set of cells to another. For example, estrogen is a hormone that may be associated with supporting the skin’s barrier function, moisture retention, thickness, and wound healing. Estrogen deficiency may prompt undesirable skin changes, such as dryness, atrophy, impaired wound healing, decreased blood flow to the skin, and the loss of skin elasticity by triggering changes in elastin fibers, potentially leading to wrinkle formation.

Progesterone is another hormone that may play a supportive role in healthy skin development and composition. Its effects are mediated by the progesterone receptors PR-A and PR-B and may influence the function of keratinocytes (the primary type of cells found in the epidermis), fibroblasts (cells important for wound healing, connective tissues, and collagen production), and sebaceous glands (essential for the skin’s oil production and moisture retention).

Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone may be associated with perimenstrual cutaneous reactions, such as autoimmune dermatitis, acne, eczema, rosacea, urticaria, and psoriasis. Together with thyroxine and melanocyte-stimulating hormone, excess estrogen may stimulate melanogenesis, which may contribute to premenstrual hyperpigmentation. During the second phase of the menstrual cycle, excess progesterone may contribute to increased vascularity and sebum production.

Menopause is also characterized by hormonal changes, including declining levels of estrogen and progesterone, that can affect the skin and may result in loss of structural integrity and increased propensity for skin damage to become more noticeable. During menopause, estrogen and progesterone could play a supportive role for healthier skin development and composition by promoting moisture retention and collagen synthesis.

Hormonal balance may also impact hair physiology and health. For example, estrogen may play a key role in the hair cycle by promoting the anagen growth phase. Conversely, androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone) may constrain scalp hair follicle growth. Menopause-related hormonal fluctuations may contribute to the reduction in the hair diameter and accelerated transition from the anagen to the telogen phase, which may lead to a shorter hair-growth period and chronically increased hair loss.

What are some nutrients that can support hormonal balance and healthy skin and hair?

Diindolylmethane (DIM) is derived from the primary plant indole found in cruciferous vegetables, indole‐3‐carbinol. It supports healthy estrogen metabolism and inflammatory responses. It may promote skin health by mitigating Cutibacterium acnes biofilm formation, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. By supporting menstrual cycle regularity, DIM may also be clinically relevant in mitigating polycystic ovarian syndrome manifestations, such as hormonal imbalances, androgen excess, dysmenorrhea, insulin resistance, acne, and hirsutism.
Chaste tree extract (Vitex agnus castus) has a long history of use for promoting estrogen and progesterone balance to support pre‐menstrual syndrome, menopause, PCOS, cystic mastalgia, and fertility. Given its potential to promote hormonal balance and healthy inflammatory responses, chaste tree may play an important role in healthy skin and hair physiology.
Calcium D-glucarate, a salt combining calcium and D-glucaric acid, may support a healthy inflammatory response. It may also mitigate beta‐glucuronidase and support increased glucuronidation to promote detoxification and excretion of potentially toxic compounds, including some estrogens. Proper detoxification and healthy inflammatory responses may be considered essential for skin and hair health, since excess toxins and inflammation can increase oxidative stress and damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids in skin cells and hair follicles and initiate processes for the breakdown of collagen.
Chrysin, an important bioactive flavonoid found in various plant foods, may also support a healthy inflammatory response and antioxidant status. It may play a role in estrogen balance by suppressing aromatase (a key enzyme for the conversion of androgen hormones into estrogens) and by competing with steroids that bind to this enzyme. Due to its potential to support hormonal balance, antioxidant status, and a healthy inflammatory response, chrysin may also play a role in skin and hair health.
Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) has a long history of medicinal use, especially for supporting PMS and menopausal symptoms. Its actions may stem from constituents which support antioxidant status, promote healthy inflammatory responses, and mimic neurotransmitter effects. A randomized placebo-controlled trial (n = 42) found that postmenopausal women supplemented with black cohosh reported improved sleep. Sleep disturbances may also play a role in inflammatory and detoxification pathways and therefore affect skin and hair physiology.