Her Story
March is Women’s History Month. This month on social media we have been reflecting on the inspirational women that have helped shaped dermatology and skincare. We’re excited to celebrate not only the women of the past that shaped dermatology, but how to care for skin health for women at all stages of life.
My Face Looks Different, Why?
Hormones are are the body's chemical messengers, sending signals into the bloodstream and tissues, affecting many different skin processes. Levels of hormones naturally fluctuate and more noticeably at various life stages, such as puberty, pregnancy, post-partum, and menopause.
As dermatologists, we provide care for perimenopausal and menopausal women with hormone-related concerns: hair loss, acne, rosacea, dry skin, wrinkling, excessive unwanted hair growth, and vulvar dermatoses. We encourage the previously unspoken questions such as "What treatments can work during perimenopause when my estrogen levels are dropping," "What is the best skincare for dry skin for my entire body," and "Should I take hormone replacement therapy (HRT)," just to name a few.
Read Dr. Melissa K. Levin's interview as she speaks about the structural facial changes that women experience during menopause.
Fat and Hormones
Sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, influence body fat distribution and fat cell, or adipocyte, differentiation. The decrease in estrogen doesn't tell the entire story of why we see more women during menopause struggle with weight gain, difficultly with weight loss, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent research is focused on estrogen signaling, specific pathways and more to understand the role of estrogen activity in fat tissue.
Alongside a healthy diet, regular exercise, good sleep, and de-stressing, there are non-surgical options to address unwanted fat. Small pockets of unwanted fat can be treated with an injectable form of deoxycholic acid, called Kybella. While mostly known for treating fat under the chin, aka the dreaded double chin, other areas of safely treated under on other body parts such as the back, abdomen, legs, and arms.
Check out our IG post for a behind the scenes look at the treatment.
Melasma: The Mask of Pregnancy
Melasma, often called the "mask of pregnancy" is a skin condition characterized by brown or blue-gray patches or freckle-like spots. Pregnant women have increased levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are what contributes to melasma. This condition happens when cells that make the color of your skin overproduce. It is common, harmless and some treatments may help.
For a more in depth look around melasma, check out our most recent Happy Hour with Derms episode on your YouTube.
Stretch Marks and Veins and Scars. Oh My!
Not all women experience that "pregnancy glow." Many women quietly struggle with acne, pigmentary conditions such as melasma, stretch marks, and spider veins. The skincare landscape and marketing makes it difficult for women to navigate to understand what is normal during pregnancy, what is safe to use during pregnancy, and what can you do during the post-partum stage whether you're breastfeeding or not.
Check out Dr. Marie Leger’s latest Dossier Post that focuses on skin changes during pregnancy.
Female Hair Loss
Female-pattern alopecia is a pattern of hair loss (alopecia) caused by hormones, aging, and genetics. Unlike male-pattern baldness, female-pattern alopecia is an over-all thinning which maintains the normal hairline. Entière Dermatology’s Dr. Robert Finney has spent over the last two years creating the ScalpStim Pro treatment system.
Some women have found topical medications a nuisance to apply with hair styling. Oral medications can cause unwanted systemic side effects. Throuh ScalpStim, we combine carefully selected ingredients to deliver in a unique method to not only maximize regrowth, but also provide the best available long-term hair maintenance.