Like many women “of a certain age,” I’ve tried my fair share of skincare products that claim to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. But to be honest, a lot of them haven’t lived up to their lofty promises.
I’ve found the ones that are genuinely effective contain very specific ingredients, like retinol. Retinol, a form of vitamin A, is available in over-the-counter skin creams and serums and by prescription. It works by exfoliating the skin and increasing collagen production, resulting in skin with a plumper, more youthful appearance.
If you’re in menopause and are taking an estrogen supplement, you may notice a change in your skin’s appearance. That’s because estrogen can raise collagen count and increase skin hydration. For this reason, some anti-aging creams contain natural forms of estrogen.
These are both well-established skincare ingredients. But scientists are constantly looking for the next wave of anti-aging substances. And they’ve found potential in more hormones produced by the human body…
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Certain hormones may be key
A team of international researchers decided to study the hormones pivotal in skin aging to better understand the connection between the two. These included insulin-like growth factor 1, growth hormone, estrogens, retinoids and melatonin. Some of these were found to have incredible and unexpected biological effects on skin function and hair aging, as highlighted by distinct genetic deficiency syndromes.
The researchers also reviewed the emerging roles of additional endocrine players. These include alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which is responsible for skin pigmentation; members of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis; oxytocin; endocannabinoids, which are found in CBD products; and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor modulators. These were discovered to have very promising effects, such as on UV-induced genotoxic stress, which is involved in the development of photoaging and pigment synthesis within skin and hair.
“Our paper highlights key hormone players that orchestrate pathways of skin aging such as degradation of connective tissue (leading to wrinkling), stem cell survival and loss of pigment (leading to hair graying),” says lead author Dr. Markus Böhm of the University of Münster in Münster, Germany.
“Some of the hormones we studied have anti-aging properties and may be used in the future as agents to prevent skin aging,” Böhm says.
The skin is the largest organ in the body and experiences both intrinsic (or chronological) aging and extrinsic aging caused by environmental factors such as sun exposure.
“Skin is not only a target for various hormones that control pathways of skin aging but itself is certainly the largest and richest site for hormone production besides classical endocrine glands,” Böhm says.
“Further research into these hormones may offer opportunities to develop new therapeutics for treating and preventing skin aging,” he adds.
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Getting your hands on these hormones
Some of the hormones researched in this study are inaccessible. For instance, you can’t go into a drugstore and purchase a bottle of insulin-like growth factor 1 or growth hormone off the shelf.
However, others — like melatonin — are readily available. Melatonin is especially intriguing as a potential anti-aging substance for the skin because it is inexpensive and well-tolerated. It’s also an antioxidant as well as a regulator of mitochondrial metabolism.
You can purchase melatonin supplements either in drugstores or online. There are also skincare products that are formulated with melatonin. Just make sure you’re getting these products from reputable, high-quality sources.
Endocannabinoids, such as those found in CBD products, can also be obtained in drugstores and online. These substances have been found to promote an increase in new cell growth while decreasing the number of damaged cells. You can find endocannabinoids in both skincare and supplement forms, though the same caveat holds true as with melatonin. In fact, you need to be especially careful when buying CBD products, as some contain little to no CBD or get their CBD from impure sources.
Oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone,” is one of four main neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for helping you feel happy. It’s not available in over-the-counter form, but there are ways to increase your body’s production:
- Get a hug from a family member or friend
- Have an orgasm
- Sing (or cry)
- Exercise
- Pet a dog
Also, make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D, as it may be involved in the regulation and function of oxytocin.
Sources:
Hormones may have therapeutic potential to prevent wrinkles, hair graying — ScienceDaily
Endocrine Controls of Skin Aging — Endocrine Reviews
Anti-aging – Statistics & Facts — Statista
Retinol — Cleveland Clinic
Hormones in Personal Care Products — Breast Cancer Prevention Partners