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Premenstrual Syndrome
First, see:
NIH's report: on Estrogen dermatitis.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Cumhuriyet University, School of Medicine, Kadin Hastaliklari Anabilim Dali,
Sivas, Turkey.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate
the estrogen dermatitis of women who have chronic skin disorders with
exacerbations or premenstrual dermatitis in a cyclic pattern. Twenty-three women
exhibiting skin disorders of pruritus, urticaria, eczema, papulovesicular
eruption, hirsutism-acne with hyperpigmentation (hirsutism and/or its related
disorders such as acne) and 18 healthy control subjects were included in the
study. Sensitivity to estrogen was described in 14 of 23 women. Of the 14
estrogen sensitive women, nine had a premenstrual flare of their skin lesions
and five had a chronic dermatitis with exacerbations. In the evaluation of
endocrine profile, mean serum testosterone and LH levels of the patient group
were significantly higher than controls (2.814 +/- 0.839 vs. 1.561 +/- 0.645
nm/l, P < 0.001; 10.843 +/- 2.538 vs. 4.539 +/- 1.215 IU/l, P < 0.0001). The LH/FSH
ratio of the patient group was also significantly higher than controls (1.765
+/- 0.329 vs. 0.810 +/- 0.0116, P < 0.0001). Mean serum progesterone level of
the patient group was significantly lower than the control group (0.499 +/-
0.201 vs. 0.977 +/- 0.396 ng/ml, P < 0.001). Hyperandrogenism and anovulation
were the two more common outcomes in the patient group. Skin lesions of estrogen
sensitive women were all cured with the administration of tamoxifen 20 mg daily for 7 days premenstrually. PMID: 9076430
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
About
75% of women experience some kind of premenstrual syndrome. Anxiety
and skin eruptions are the two symptoms we'll name here. Just like
some women might break out with a little acne when they have their monthly,
many women with eczema report that their eczema flares up with their cycle.
It makes sense, considering what the stress
hormone can do to our immune system. Help balance your hormones with
wild yams (progesterone).
There
are a number of supplements recommended for eczema that are also recommended
for PMS. Among them are essential
fatty acids and vitamins and minerals
such as magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin E, lecithin, vitamin A, vitamin
C and zinc. Regarding
diet, eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of
water, and cutting down on red meats, junk food and dairy products may
be helpful.
For a lot more on hormones, see the
DHEA web page.
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