Androgens are the hormones mostly responsible for oil production, and sometimes they can fluctuate, stimulating an increase in sebum production. This often happens during puberty, just before menstruation, during pregnancy and during menopause.
If you've ever wondered what hormone causes oily skin, the answer actually involves the effects of multiple hormones. Imbalances in certain hormones — like progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone — affect your body's natural oiliness and the appearance of dry skin.
Oily skin can be caused by a variety of factors like genetics, hormones, stress, diet, and humidity. While sebum is beneficial for our skin, too much of it can lead to skin problems like acne and irritation.
Sebaceous glands are very sensitive to androgens like testosterone. The more androgens in your blood, the more they bind to your sebaceous glands — causing you to produce more oil. Both males and females produce androgens, especially during puberty — which is what can cause oily skin during this time.
Without high estrogen, androgens increase sebum production, which leads to increased pore clogging and a habitable environment for P. acnes. Other theories suggest that hormonal acne might be caused by a deficiency or imbalance of progesterone to estrogen ratios (4).
Overproduction of testosterone may lead to excessive sebum production, which, in turn, may increase the risk of inflamed sebaceous glands. This can trigger an acne outbreak. Many people experience frequent acne breakouts during puberty when testosterone levels start to rise.
Oily skin happens when your glands produce too much sebum, which can lead to a greasy surface, clogged pores, and acne. Oily skin is perfectly normal. There are several things to keep in mind when caring for oily skin, but most cases can be managed at home with over-the-counter remedies and proper skincare.
Skin can become oily in your 40s due to an overproduction of sebum by your sebaceous glands. Multiple factors can cause sebum excess. It could be hormonal fluctuations linked to perimenopause, genetics, increased stress or following the wrong routine for your skin type.
Isotretinoin (also known as Accutane) is an oral form of a retinoid drug, derived from vitamin A. It's very successful as an oily skin treatment and works by reducing levels of sebum within the skin.
Progesterone stimulates the production of sebum or the oil glands in the skin. It can cause the skin to swell, and compress the look of pores. Too much of it, however, can lead to oil build up.
Progesterone also causes the production of sebum, a thick oily substance that acts as a natural skin lubricant. This can cause our pores to clog and makes us more prone to breakouts during the luteal phase. Cleanse regularly and soak up any excess oil on the skin with your favorite face mask.
Hormonal Changes
Hormones and oily skin seem to go hand in hand. Androgens are the hormones mostly responsible for oil production, and sometimes they can fluctuate, stimulating an increase in sebum production. This often happens during puberty, just before menstruation, during pregnancy and during menopause.
While oily skin is slower to show signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, it is not exempt from other features associated with premature aging, such as uneven texture and hyperpigmentation.
Declining estrogen levels also lead to unmasking of androgens, such as testosterone. In turn, testosterone stimulates increased and thickened production of sebum, thus giving the skin an oily appearance. Increased sebum can also lead to increased acne in some post-menopausal women.
Will Oily Skin Go Away on Its Own? Since two of the main hormonal causes of oily skin are puberty and adolescence, some people see their oily skin fade with time, especially after puberty. Unfortunately, that's not the case for everyone.
Like testosterone, steroid medications increase the activity of sebaceous glands in the skin, contributing to acne. Low testosterone does not usually cause acne, but treating low testosterone by taking testosterone may cause acne as a side-effect.
Dry or Oily Skin
When the thyroid isn't acting as quickly as it should, hormone levels decrease and this can have the secondary effect of skin drying out. Oily skin is caused by the reverse.
There are many reasons for oily skin, including stress, humidity, genetics, and fluctuating hormones.
Irregular periods, hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, and headaches can all be signs of low levels of the hormone estrogen in women. The most common cause of low estrogen is perimenopause, your body's transition into menopause, but other factors can be involved.
In men, high progesterone levels will increase estrogen levels, which can result in symptoms such as depression, fatigue and the development of heart conditions. For women, high progesterone is associated with symptoms including anxiety, bloating, depression, reduced sex drive and/or weight fluctuations.
As estrogen levels drastically change in perimenopause, high levels can cause bloating, breast tenderness, and heavy bleeding. Once these levels become more consistently low, that can cause hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, changes in fat distribution (new or growing “spare tire”), insomnia, and fatigue.