Sensitive Skin and Endometriosis

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So for my whole life, I had beautiful skin and I’m not even exaggerating. It was literally flawless, no acne, no scarring, soft as ever and makeup just went on with ease! I never really used a lot of cosmetics on my face, not only because I never needed that, but also I never liked too much make-up. I was a lucky girl.

In 2015 something strange happened to my face. I woke up in the middle of the night because my skin was burning. I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw a monster – red face, covered with pimples…was so painful. I went to the ER hopping they will help me..the only answer I got there was that I am using to much cosmetics and now I have an allergic reaction. Bullshits…I tried to explain that I almost never wear too much make up….but still…I came back home and I was pretty sure that something is wrong.

Last February (after I gave birth to my baby) I went from having the most perfect skin to being covered in a sort of eczema, the only clear space was my face and everywhere was COVERED in pimples, I hated it and would cry all the time. I realllllllly struggled with this all up for maybe around a half year trying to get on top of it on my own and finding no success. These skin issues caused me immense humiliation, shame, and psychological pain, I hated looking at myself in the mirror. Now, a few years after, I know that I’m battling hormonal skin and inflamed, sensitive skin, because of the Endometriosis.


This daily battle of maintaining semi-okay skin went on until I was about 29, and just as my endometriosis pain crept back, so did the skin problems. I was aware that endometriosis was an inflammatory disease, but I had not made the connection between skin inflammation and my sensitive skin, and what was going on inside my body.

 

The big question: Can Endometriosis Cause Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin conditions are also a common issue with endometriosis sufferers, and it’s likely because of the inflammation in our bodies. For example, “rosacea, psoriasis, and dermatitis are all inflammatory conditions, and endometriosis has been linked to other inflammatory conditions in the body. What I have also learned over the past year is just how many women with endometriosis suffer from sensitive skin.

A study in 2002 found that women with endo were more likely to have inflammatory diseases such as eczema and allergies. I know that my skin can break out two weeks before my period. Sometimes I have rosacea, which can cause redness on the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin. It can also cause flakiness and pimples. Luckily, I found a routine that keeps it down to the point of being nearly nonexistent.

The most important thing for all of us is to understand that our skin is the most important and the biggest organ in our bodies. The problems are probably a very big sign as to what’s going on inside of your body. Many herbologist and nutritionists will look to your diet if you are having sensitive skin.

 


Endometriosis and Acne

Endometriosis has been linked to acne because of hormonal imbalances and also common sensitivities that endometriosis patients often experience.

Hormonal acne can affect anyone who has an imbalance in their hormones or an underlying hormonal condition. It can also arise temporarily before or around your period. Hormonal acne may take several forms, including:

Hormonal adult acne, which typically forms in the lower part of your face. This includes the bottom of your cheeks and around your jawline.

For some, hormonal acne takes the form of blackheads, whiteheads, and small pimples that come to a head or become cysts.

Cysts that form deep under the skin and don’t come to a head on the surface. These bumps are often tender to the touch.


 

So What Can We Do About That?

Natural Products

I had converted to natural products, in an effort to reduce my toxin levels, optimize liver function, and reduce excess chemicals that mimic hormones and so blamed it on the changes in skincare. It’s a difficult process, I spent about one year or even more testing different products. You need to find what works for you. Now, finally, I found a routine that was costly but brought my skin back to normality.

Over the last year I stopped using cleaners in the morning – completely stopped!

In the morning your skin is not dirty (unless you were out the night before, with a lot of makeup, and having some fun all night long). If you clean your face in the morning, you have probably noticed that all you’re removing is the last night’s products that you put on your skin. In fact, the only thing you need to the after you wake up is to wash your face with water. That way your skin won’t strip of its natural oils and natural bacteria balance.

But why I did that?

Take a moment and ask yourself how many products you use in a typical day. Cream, lotion, deodorant, soap, perfume, makeup, lip balm, anti-cellulite treatments? Now ask yourself how many ingredients are in those products? What if I tell you that just one of those products contains 126 unique ingredients.

This wouldn’t be so concerning if the ingredients in our cosmetics were actually regulated. You heard me: safety tests are not required for the cosmetic industry!

Maybe you still don’t know that many companies continue to use toxic chemicals in their products…. Firstly because they aren’t banned yet, and secondly because they are much cheaper to use than the organic ingredients. Here you can see the difference between US and Europe.

The skin is one of the most absorbent parts of the body, it’s like a sponge that sops up whatever you put on it. When you think about it, our skin is and elimination system. As cosmetics sits on your skin, the toxic gunk is entering directly in our body. We have 2 million holes across our skin.

If you choose carefully what you eat, why don’t you do the same with your skin.

Obviously we are not choosing to eat our cosmetics so it can’t be too bad right?

 

Sensitive Skin and Endometriosis

Chemicals in cosmetics cause sensitive skin problems

The skin is our biggest organ. Everything you put on it goes to your bloodstream for about six minutes. For another twenty minutes, all the toxins are in your organs and some of them stay there for a long long time.

Did you know that less than 20% of the chemicals in cosmetics are proven safe? I can tell you also that from 12 000 substances used in cosmetics only eight are forbidden.

Do you really believe when you see a label “natural” or “organic”?

For example, if you are on your way to buy a face cream and you are reading what is this made from…one herb (sounds good, it’s natural) but then you see – another 20 chemical substances…so, is this a natural cream???

Yes, of course, it is!!!

But, why???

Why not! If it’s not forbidden, it is permitted!

Carcinogens, neurotoxins, reproductive toxins – they are all in your bathrooms.

The problem is that a lot of these toxins mimic Estrogen, which isn’t good full stop let alone for someone who suffers from Endo (endometriosis and high levels of estrogen have been linked). Some are referred to as an endocrine disruptor, meaning hormone-altering crap lol. If your body is already high in estrogen, and then you add an estrogen-mimicking chemical to your body – your hormones are going to sky-rocket causing your symptoms to worsen!

Educating yourself on how your endometriosis can worsen is a big deal, and its little things like using toxin-free products that are going to help you!

It’s not hard at all to find toxin-free products, you’ll be able to find them at supermarkets and chemists and stuff, not just health shops or online. Plus they aren’t even more expensive than those products that do contain it!


Nutriotion

Reducing your exposure to inflammatory foods such as caffeine, sugar, and meat can make a big difference in decreasing your body’s overall levels of inflammation and in turn, will hopefully have a positive impact on your skin. I certainly noticed if I had too much cheese and fish my skin would be redder and much flakier for the next couple of days or even weeks until I reduced my levels again.

You need to stop trying new products all the time. We get desperate and want to try everything but your just making it worse trust me. Also be careful with medicine your doctor puts you on, make sure you are making good decisions and don’t rush into anything.

I began to see a clear pattern in my skin condition. Slowly I see my skin issues creeping back in on the days before my period, which must be linked with the hormonal changes and increase in inflammation due to heightened pain levels, it then subsides pretty rapidly once the worst of my pain is out of the way. So even though it seems obvious to me now, my skin was simply so bad in the past years because my endometriosis was so bad and now that’s settling down, so has my skin.


I hope you get something out of this post! I would love to hear from you if you have sensitive skin around your flare-ups and what helps soothe it!

Let’s get social! Come say hello on Instagram and Facebook or sign up for my newsletter.

xo,

Lora

 

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