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58 SKIN FIX RESTORING BALANCE in hormone affected skin PBy Nerine Zoio. harmacies are pivotally positioned to help customers from across the age spectrum gain welcome relief from the havoc hormones can wreak on their skin. This is underscored by Alvin Narsey, owner of Priceline Pharmacy West Brunswick in Melbourne, who says the pharmacy encounters many patients whose skin is affected in this way, often in the form of acne. He attributes this to the demographic of the pharmacy’s area, keeping in mind that hormones affect people’s bodies and skin regardless of age. Factors such as contraceptives, periods, anxiety, stress and diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can lead to hormones getting out of whack and negatively impacting the skin, he says. This won’t happen when hormone levels, and consequently gland function, are normal. However, a rise in androgens such as testosterone can cause inflammation, changes in skin cell activity, bacteria developing in the hair follicles and a hike in sebum production, which can lead to hormonal acne, Mr Narsey says. Hormonal acne is also caused by changes in estrogen and progesterone levels, which disrupt the skin’s oil production. While the biggest culprit in giving rise to hormonal acne is testosterone, changes in the other hormones are responsible for the testosterone hike, he says. “Mild to moderate acne is usually treated by topical therapies, but severe acne, including inflammatory bumps, RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • JUN 2020