Many women are familiar with this: Pimples before menstruation, oily skin during the menstrual period and usually these unpopular skin problems occur when you don't need them at all. However, we can do a lot against cycle-related skin changes.
As is well known, the woman's cycle can be divided into four phases:
1. The follicular phase around 6th to 12th day:
This is the egg maturation phase and lasts until ovulation. The oestrogens increase significantly and prepare the lining of the uterus for the egg to implant. The estrogens increase the water content in the tissue and thus also in the skin and promote collagen production. The estrogen is an absolute beauty booster. In this phase, the skin is smooth, moist and tense and has little or no pimples.
2. The ovulation phase around the 13th day to the 18th day:
The skin is usually perfect here. The estrogens are very high, ovulation occurs. This is the time when most women feel completely at ease, and you can see that on their skin. Pimples are atypical these days. The skin looks even plumper and absorbs moisture very well.
3. The luteal or corpus luteum phase approx. 19th day to 28th day:
The follicle is now transformed into a corpus luteum, which produces progesterone and, in small quantities, estrogen. If pregnancy does not occur, both hormones are broken down very quickly by the body. Unfortunately, this waste can usually be seen on the skin. The sebum production and the inflammation of the sebum follicles are stimulated. There are more pimples and the skin becomes oily. Due to the drop in estrogens, the skin's moisture content drops. The pimple tendency therefore already exists shortly after ovulation, i.e. seven to ten days before the period, until the end of the period.
4. The menstrual phase 1st to 5th day:
The previously built up uterine lining is shed by the drop in progesterone in the form of bleeding. During this phase the hormones are at their lowest and the skin is dehydrated.
What to do with cycle-dependent blemished skin or pimples?
If the pimple tendency is very strong, the hormones should be checked and, if the progestogen rises too high, the hormones maybe the hormone pill can be a solution.
If the skin is too oily before and during your period, degreasing cleansers are followed by alcoholic facial tonics. Mattifying creams and lotions should be used for care and a oil-free powder or make-up. During the period, the oil content of the skin drops again and the moisture is lowest, which is why milder washing lotions of the washing creams should be used for cleansing. The moisturizers can again be a bit richer.
After your period, the skin becomes cleaner and less oily. In this phase, cleaning measures such as mechanical (e.g. microdermabrasion) or chemical peelings (e.g. fruit acid) can accelerate healing.