Many women like to re-evaluate their skin care routine while trying to conceive in preparation for pregnancy. It’s a great time to start transitioning away from products that might work well but may also have ingredients that can negatively impact fertility or a healthy pregnancy. Do you need to immediately throw out everything and start from scratch? Probably not, but if you are preparing for an embryo transfer or are already pregnant, you may need to make some changes asap. Otherwise, we encourage you to read this blog, checkout some of the resources we suggest to investigate available research on your products, and speak with your doctors to decide what is safe for you. If needed, make different purchases when it’s time to refill or replace a product you’ve used up.
First, let’s talk about skin health and the way it changes as women go through different stages of life. The skin is very reactive to hormonal changes. Puberty often coincides with acne as hormones affect oil gland production. Whenever oil gland production increases, especially if a person’s skin care routine is not working for them by exfoliating dead skin cells enough, acne can present. Acne during puberty typically smooths out over time as the body is incredibly capable of adjusting and getting back to homeostasis, but for some women, acne is something that sticks around or can be cyclical throughout the month. Changes in skin during the menstrual cycle can be an indicator for us that hormone balance might be sub-optimal, so practitioners at Lily + Horn often track changes in skin like this as we work with a patient to make sure our treatments are on track, helping to balance hormones, which can improve health and fertility.
Menstrual Cycle, Hormones and Skin
Estrogen, the main hormone produced by the ovary throughout the menstrual cycle, helps nourish, moisten and plump the skin. Our skin typically loves estrogen. Progesterone, a hormone released from the ovary only after ovulation, can increase production of oil glands, which is why some women get acne or more oily skin in the week or two leading up to a period. Sometimes this is from estrogen and progesterone being out of balance, so getting these in better sync through diet, herbs and acupuncture can reduce or prevent premenstrual acne. In women who ovulate monthly, both estrogen and progesterone drop about 10-12 days after ovulation if no pregnancy occurs. This signals the uterus to shed its lining in the form of a period. This drop in hormones can weirdly also trigger our oil glands to increase production making us more prone to breakouts in the day or two before our periods.
PCOS and skin health
Testosterone, a hormone that rises in women in the days leading up to ovulation, increases oil production as well, so some women are prone to breakouts mid cycle around ovulation. Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) produce more testosterone in their ovaries throughout the month. They also tend to have low estrogen levels. An increase in oil gland activity from constant elevated testosterone creates a higher likelihood of clogged pores. Women with PCOS often have a history of struggling with acne as well as long, irregular, or absent cycles. They may also have thinning hair, excess body hair, and gain weight easily if they aren’t careful with carbohydrate intake. Some may not ovulate or have periods at all, while others may ovulate sporadically. These women tend to go on birth control pills in their teens/early 20s to help treat acne and irregular periods and often don’t get a proper diagnosis until they stop the pill to try to conceive. Acupuncture, herbs and supplements along with a more paleo style diet can be really helpful in managing PCOS, balancing these hormones, promoting regular ovulation and preventing acne at its source. Having a proper skin routine to exfoliate, clean, moisten, and balance the skin is also crucial.
Mature skin over 40
Often starting in the early to mid 40s for women, estrogen production starts to decrease and becomes more erratic. During this time, collagen production declines, and the skin can appear more wrinkled, loose, and dry. Inflammatory conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis can all flare during this time too. Skin care should shift to focusing on supporting collagen production, antioxidants to heal damaged skin, and ingredients that provide deeper hydration. Acupuncture is excellent for boosting collagen production as are gua sha on the face and consuming collagen-promoting substances like the ones listed below.
Biotin
Collagen peptides
Foods high in vitamin C
Ginseng, astragalus, and other adaptogens
Antioxidant sources like blueberries, pomegranates, and spinach
Sources of retinol/Vitamin A: pumpkin, goji berries, sweet potatoes, carrots and liver (women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should avoid high doses of Vitamin A and retinols, especially from supplements)
Light therapy can also stimulate collagen production.
We also recommend incorporating sources of Omega 3 fatty acids (from small fish, fish oil supplements, walnuts, chia seeds, flax), which help balance oil production, moisten skin, and reduce inflammation.
Nourishing our Bodies from the inside out for skin health
Following a Mediterranean-style diet that is low in processed foods, high in antioxidants, with protein, organic fruits or veggies and plant fats (think nuts and seeds, avocado, olives and pressed plant oils) at every meal is a great base diet. Limit alcohol, sugar, fake sugars, caffeine, and processed carbohydrates. Hydrate in a healthy way aiming for half your body weight (in lbs) in ounces. So if you weigh 140lbs, shoot for 70oz of water a day, which is almost 9 eight ounce glasses a day. This diet and lifestyle fights inflammation and keeps blood sugar levels healthy and steady. Explore the possibility of food sensitivities, especially dairy, which is the number one food allergen and can manifest subtly as a hidden trigger of acne in some women. Gluten, soy, corn, and nightshade veggies are also common food triggers that can cause eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. You can explore food sensitivities by eliminating an ingredient completely for 2-3 weeks then reintroducing and seeing if any symptoms arise.
If your menstrual cycles are irregular, short (<26 days), long (>32 days), super painful, or you experience disruptive premenstrual symptoms (breast tenderness, acne, big mood swings, depression, anxiety, migraines, night sweats, hot flashes, sleep or digestive changes), your hormones are likely imbalanced and working with an acupuncturist for a few months can help get them back on track, give your health (and fertility) a jumpstart, all while teaching you how to care for your unique body.
Chemicals and toxins to avoid while trying to conceive and during pregnancy
When it comes to health and fertility, we often focus on what is going IN our body (food, supplements, hydration, medications), but our skin is exposed to thousands of chemicals daily, many of which can be toxic and negatively impact our health and fertility.
Avoiding the following toxins may improve fertility over time:
Formaldehyde (in some nail polish)
Lead (can be found in some lipsticks)
Triclosan in commercial cleaning products and antibacterial soap
BPA in food containers
Phthalates and other harsh chemicals in perfumes, lotions, and cosmetics
Parabens
Pregnant women should also avoid the following:
Retinols (a derivative of Vitamin A)
Hydroquinone
Salicylic Acid
Benzoyl Peroxide
Botox and fillers
Chemical sunscreens like oxybenzone (use mineral based sunscreen instead)
Not sure how safe your skin care products are? We love this database from Environmental Working Group where you can look up brands and check out current research on ingredients.
We also love the line of products from Linné, which we stock in our office. Linné was developed by botanists and skin experts, is completely natural, clean, safe for fertility and pregnancy, and sold in glass bottles, which we adore. We suggest cleansing with Purify face wash, which can also be used as a clay mask if left on longer to help oily skin, followed by Renew face serum. We love Balance oil daily and Scrub mask twice a week for acne-prone patients and the deeply nourishing oils in Repair, and Smooth for dry or aging skin.